Mold growth can be a frustrating and dangerous problem in any home. When you see your home has been affected by mold, you might think of fixing it yourself. Initially, it may seem like a good idea, but there are many things associated with a proper mold removal process that you won’t be able to fulfill by yourself.
While taking quick action to remove mold is important, attempting it yourself can be extremely dangerous. DIY mold removal can cause serious health issues, worsen the mold problem, and result in expensive property damage. In this blog post, we’ll explore details about the dangers of DIY mold removal and why hiring a professional can be more beneficial for you.
Why Should You Worry About Mold Growth??
Mold is a type of fungus that grows on organic materials in moist and humid environments. It can be dangerous because it releases tiny spores into the air, decreasing indoor air quality. When you inhale these spores for quite a time, it can cause respiratory issues such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
It can also cause issues like skin irritation, eye irritation, and allergies. In severe cases, mold exposure can lead to serious health problems such as asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and fungal infections.
Mold can also cause structural damage to buildings and homes. It can weaken and stain walls, ceilings, and floors and damage personal property such as clothing, furniture, and electronics. Mold can grow on and within these items, causing staining, discoloration, and unpleasant odors.
In some cases, mold can even cause irreparable damage to personal property. If left untreated, mold can spread rapidly and become a much bigger problem. So taking care of it is important as soon as you notice mold in your home.
Why Is DIY Mold Removal Dangerous?
While it may be tempting to think of tackling mold by yourself, it’s important to understand the risks involved. Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t attempt DIY mold removal:
Lack of Experience
DIY mold removal may seem simple, but it’s a complex process requiring knowledge and experience. Without proper training, you may miss hidden mold growth or use the wrong techniques to remove mold.
No matter how many youtube videos you have seen about DIY mold removal, you cannot match the hands-on experience professional mold remediators has! Even if you try to make sure you made everything right, there is a significant chance of messing up, and the cost of that can be much higher, and we are not even talking about the mental hassle you’ll go through.
Lack of Proper Equipment
Most of us think it’s enough to wear normal masks and gloves. Some don’t even use these. According to EPA, proper PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) must be used when tackling mold. This should include full face protection consisting of an air-purifying respirator, goggles/eye protection, and an N-95 respirator.
An N-95 respirator covers the nose and mouth and filters out 95 percent of airborne particulates. Most of the chances are you will not have access to these types of equipment in your hand. Without proper equipment, DIY mold removal can be severely risky for your health.
Health Risks
If you try to remove mold without proper protective gear, mold spores can be harmful to your health, especially if you have mold allergy or any other respiratory issues. Attempting to remove mold without the proper protective equipment we have mentioned can expose you to dangerous mold spores.
These tiny spores can get into your lungs and can cause issues like coughing, sneezing, and shortness of breath. You should never attempt to remove mold if you have asthma or any other respiratory issues. Never take a chance with health.
It’s best to leave it to professional mold remediation services who have the proper knowledge and expertise about removing mold and can keep you safe from mold.
Property Damage
If you use the wrong cleaning products or techniques to remove mold, it can cause serious damage to your property. For example, using bleach to clean mold can worsen the problem by releasing mold spores into the air.
Mold can grow in crawlspaces causing structural damage to your building, and it can also grow in your wooden furniture. This can consist of many valuable items. Through DIY mold removal, you cannot cover all the spots in your costly furniture eventually, these goods will be affected again. You might even need to throw these valuable furniture at some point if not handled properly.
Ineffective Mold Removal
DIY mold removal methods may not completely eliminate the mold problem. Mold can grow back quickly if it’s not removed properly. This can result in a much larger mold problem down the line.
Often, it’s not the mold you can see that causes the problem. It’s the mold that you can’t see. If you fail to clean even a tiny area, then mold can spread again. If mold is triggered by flooding or any other water damage, it’s almost impossible for you know how to remove mold thoroughly from the each part of the house.
During the process, the mold spores are bound to spread in the air and potentially through the whole house. Clean-up is especially a sensitive process because if not done properly, most of the mold will settle elsewhere and continue to grow. You’ll find that most DIY mold removal procedures contribute to the spread of mold and could make it a bigger problem.
Then again, even if you could spot all those spots, most people think using only bleach is enough to remove mold. Well, it’s not true, you may be able to remove mold visually, but mold spreads its roots deep within the surface it grows on. Using bleach can give mold the moisture it thrives for. Therefore, the efforts you’ll put into DIY mold removal, high chances are they are not going to benefit you.
Why Hire a Professional for Mold Removal?
Mold is best left to the professionals. Here are some reasons why:
Experience & Expertise
The most important reason why you should hire professional mold remediation experts is the knowledge and expertise they bring to the table. They are trained to handle every type of mold and will know exactly how to eliminate it completely.
Mold remediation experts have professional expertise and valuable experience handling mold in different scenarios. They can determine the extent of the mold damage. They can also deal with jobs of any extent and will effectively remove mold as efficiently as possible.
Proper Equipment
The best thing about mold remediation companies is that they have the tools and equipment to detect and eliminate mold efficiently. Their equipment can reach places you may not be able to, like crawlspaces, and they will do the work as quickly as possible.
Instead of handling mold removal on your own and wasting time risking the regrowth of mold in your home, they will make it a one-time process so that you don’t have to contend with mold in the future. This will also save you money because you won’t have to keep looking for ways and purchasing different products to get rid of it.
Prevention of Recurrence
One important aspect of professional mold remediation is figuring out where it originated. You can spend tons of money to remove the mold, but that won’t be wise if you don’t know the exact source of the mold.
Without removing mold from the source, mold will come back no matter how many times you remove it.
Professional mold removal services are experts in locating the source of mold, and they will ensure you don’t have to face ugly mold anytime soon. This will save you from the expenses of cleaning products you had to buy repeatedly to tackle mold by yourself.
Ensured Safety
By this time, we know how dangerously mold can affect your health. You can find many articles online that explain how to get rid of mold. However, if you try DIY mold removal, you can end up releasing thousands of mold spores into the indoor air, putting your family at risk of ingesting them and developing health problems.
Expert mold remediation services know how to eliminate mold to scratch so that the spores don’t affect your health. Also, they do air quality measurement tests to ensure your house is completely safe for you and your family.
Conclusion
Mold removal is a severe issue that should not be taken lightly. While DIY mold removal may seem like a cost-effective solution, it can actually be dangerous and result in more expensive problems down the line.
DIY Mold removal comes with a lot of disadvantages like you won’t have the proper experience and equipment to tackle it down. You will expose yourself to mold spores which can severely affect your health and cause property damage. Also, improper clean-up can cause you more money than you would spend on a professional mold remediation company.
Hiring a professional mold removal expert is important to ensure mold removal safely and effectively. By doing so, you can protect your health and property and prevent future mold growth. So, don’t try to solve mold by yourself. Rather, hire a professional mold removal service in Florida that can ensure your safety while saving you time and money!