3 Steps You Can Take To Reduce the Spread of Residential Mold

5/17/2018 (Permalink)

Mold can grow after any type of water loss

Finding mold in your Austin, Texas, home can be an unpleasant surprise. Whether a leaking pipe or water line caused mold to grow or your home recently suffered flooding that allowed fungi to thrive, you now face the challenge of eradicating it. However, to prevent the spread of mold contamination, there are a few steps you can take before a qualified fungus removal and restoration service comes in to treat your home.

1. Avoid Touching the Mold

If you find patches of mold in your home, it is wise to avoid touching them. This can release fungi spores into the air and allow them to settle elsewhere, where they may colonize and grow anew. They may also travel to other parts of your home on your clothing once they break away from their food source, so you may want to close off the room or rooms where mold contamination is present until help arrives.

2. Turn Off Your Air Conditioner

Once you discover you have a mold problem, you may want to shut off your air conditioner. While your HVAC system can be helpful in lowering humidity levels in your home to prevent mold growth, it typically has no effect on growths already present. Turing off your air conditioner can help slow the spread of spores, which travel easily through vents and air ducts.

3. Leave Moldy Items Where They Are

If any clothing, books or furniture in your home have been affected by mold, it is wise to leave them as they are until remediation and restoration technicians arrive. These professionals can advise you on what can be salvaged and give you tips for how to preserve your belongings until they can be treated and cleaned properly.

Preventing mold contamination in your Austin, TX, home once you discover an infestation can be challenging. However, when you know which steps to take to reduce the spreading of fungi spores, it may be simpler for cleanup technicians to treat and destroy existing mold.