How to Eliminate and Prevent Mold in Braintree, Massachusetts

When you enter a home and it has a stale "old house" smell, you are likely smelling mold and mildew. Mold and mildew is more than a nuisance. Mold can be a serious health issue, especially for children and those who are allergic to mold spores. Attempting mold removal requires determination and planning. Most homes in New England develop mold at some point due to their proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Older homes, which are also numerous in New England and Massachusetts, are very prone to developing mold.

Over the years, builders have learned how to prevent moisture and mold in homes by properly insulating and ventilating homes and using mold resistant building products during construction. Older homes lack these features, making the mold is hard to kill and keep from returning.

Humidity Levels

Moisture is mold’s best friend. To check the humidity levels in a home, use a hygrometer. These inexpensive meters are quick and easy to use. If humidity levels exceed 60 percent, it puts your home at risk of developing mold.

Remove Moisture

Removing moisture is the best way to kill and prevent mold. There are different methods to do this based on your budget and accessibility to electricity in damp locations of your home.

Dehumidifiers

Dehumidifiers are the most efficient way to remove humidity from a home. A home may require several dehumidifiers to keep humidity levels low enough to inhibit mold growth. Dehumidifiers can be pricey and require electricity to operate, but the up-front cost will save you money in the long-run.

Damp Rid

If you are looking for a way to remove moisture from the air that is inexpensive and works in a location without electricity, Damp Rid and other drying agents are a great solution. Damp Rid is a salt that absorbs moisture from the air and turns it into a liquid form, which is collected at the bottom of the container. When the salt dissolves, pour the liquid into a toilet or sink drain and flush or rinse. Refill the little bucket and keep doing this until the humidity of the room improves.

Removing Mold and Spores

Wear a respirator when you remove mold to prevent inhalation, which poses a serious health threat. Mix a combination of 1/8 cup of borax, 1/2 cup of vinegar, and 2 cups of warm water in a spray bottle. Shake the mixture well and spray it on mold. Wear rubber gloves and use a brush to remove the mold debris. Vacuum the debris with a vacuum cleaner with a heap filter to keep from spreading the spores. Continue using this mixture to clean away the mold. Once the mold is no longer visible, spray the area again and let it dry.

Preventing Mold

Once the mold is removed, take the vacuum outdoors to remove the bag or dump the container and change out and toss the HEPA filter. Wash the gloves and brush in sink with vinegar and water and thoroughly rinse the sink when you are finished. Remove the respirator. Once the cleaned molded area is dry, paint two solid coats of mold and mildew killing primer on the area. Allow the area to dry completely between coats. Then paint with semi-gloss acrylic paint, which is easily washable.

Goodbye Mold

Prevention is the best way to keep mold at bay. Continue to maintain humidity levels below 60 percent and tackle any new mold growth ASAP. If you have health concerns or suspect black mold, call a professional for mold removal in Braintree, Massachusetts.

Protecting Your Health Against Mold

Mold's a problem no matter where you live. It's insidious - it gets into the places that you can't see and it flourishes while you believe you are safe. It doesn't take much for mold to grow, and it takes even less for it to spread. When it comes to mold removal Braintree MA, residents needs to act quickly. Understanding the value of mold removal will not only help you to understand why you might need to call for help, but it will also help you to understand why you need to do so as quickly as possible. Mold is a serious problem that should be addressed with speed and professionalism.

Mold Damage: The Physical Problems

Mold is a tricky substance. While it might not look like much, it's alive. Like any living thing, mold's primary function is to reproduce. The longer it is allowed to stay in one place, the more time it has to replicate itself. When you have a small mold problem, what you're seeing is just the initial stage of a full invasion of your home. What might start as one spot can quickly cover an entire wall or make its way into the areas of your home that you can't clearly see. When mold invades a home, it moves in a way that's hard to track and even harder to fight.

Mold Damage: The Health Issues

One of the most important reasons to seek out mold removal in Braintree MA is to prevent major health problems from occurring. Mold reproduces via spores, which can hang about in the air for quite some time. When these spores are breathed in, they can cause health issues that range from the minor to the deadly. The health problems caused by mold are especially problematic for families with children and those in poor health, so a mold infestation generally has to be taken care of quickly.

Mold Damage: The Financial Cost

There is also a huge financial cost that's associated with mold, and it's got nothing to do with what you might pay for removal right now. If you let mold continue to grow in your home, you'll find that you'll have to have everything removed before you sell. A small spot might not seem like a big deal today, but it's something that may be a sign of a much larger problem in the future. The last thing you'll want to deal with before a sale is having to undergo major renovations just to get rid of what was once a small mold problem.

Removing Mold

Fortunately, you do have options when you find mold. If you are able to contact a mold removal service quickly, you can remove the problem before most of the damage occurs. You'll also get a unique chance to have professionals check out your home and determine whether there's further damage to the areas that you cannot see. Mold removal can be a laborious process, but it's something that can be done relatively quickly by professionals. The earlier you call for help, the faster the problem can be solved.

Mold can cause many problems in a home. It can cause damage to the structure, be the source of illness, and even make it harder to sell your home. Next time you notice a mold spot, don't just write it off as a minor issue - make sure you have professionals come out and take a look. Doing so might save you not only a great deal of money, but it might be the key to keeping your family healthy and your property's value high.