Mold Remediation Elkton

Mold Remediation Elkton, Maryland

Elkton is an unusual town in Maryland; few places in the state garnered a reputation for being “the elopement capital” in the 20th century, but before Las Vegas and its Elvis-presided weddings, there was Elkton, serving New York, Philadelphia, and much of the rest of New England. Of course, Elkton’s history goes far beyond that, having been an important staging ground for Swedish hunters as far back as the late 17th century. Elkton may not be a big town, but it’s had a long and distinctive history. Today, it’s still a great place to live, but it pays a price for those mild Maryland winters and warm, humid summers. Mold remediation in Elkton needs attention from time to time.

Preventive Measures

Mold in small amounts isn’t particularly dangerous, and there are some distant relatives of mold in the fungus kingdom that actually play a useful role for humans, such as the mushrooms we eat, or the yeast used in baking. But then there are other types of mold that can pose a health hazard, and these strains are the ones that everyone should try to keep to a minimum. An Elkton mold remediation team can help in identifying the different types of mold.

In many cases, there are proactive, preventive actions that people can take very early on that will discourage mold from taking hold in the first place. All it requires is a little diligence and understanding of how mold spreads in a home. Mold spores are already in the air with us, having come in through vents, chimneys, on clothes, or any open door or window, there’s no way to prevent mold from coming into a home without an extensive quarantine laboratory system that can purify air.

The trick then, is to understand that mold is looking for two things; humidity and warm temperatures. When they find these two conditions in an environment, they settle down on a surface of choice to feed—whether that is bread or bathroom tile—and then grow a colony, getting larger and larger by sending even more spores into the air.

One of the easiest ways to prevent mold from settling down is to tackle the humidity factor. This is especially true for Elkton, since the Maryland summers can get quite humid, and there are often areas of a residence—such as a basement, attic or crawl space—that don’t get the benefit of air conditioning that the rest of a structure does. In such cases, using a dehumidifier can go a long way towards keeping these areas dry and uninviting to mold. This is especially true of the basement where the cooler temperatures can make humid air condense and leave the walls and floor moist. You have the option of buying a portable dehumidifier, or, for total protection, have an Elkton mold remediation specialist install a residential unit that will protect the entire house.

You should also try to regularly check on damp areas, such as bathrooms and basements, especially out of the way corners to see if there are any discolored patches that weren’t there before. Mold comes in a variety of colors, so if you see new, “fuzzy” textures of a different color appearing on wood, concrete or tile in a room, it’s likely the beginnings of a mold colony. Bathrooms are the easiest to clean, as there are many retail bathroom products that can scrub the mold out, since it can’t penetrate deeply into the tile.

Call The Experts

Unfortunately, sometimes the infestation can get quite serious before you can be made aware of it. In such instances, you’ll need an Elkton mold remediation team to come in and do an extensive process of extermination and prevention on your home. In such cases, a team of experts, like those of us at AA Action Waterproofing will test for mold, track it down to the source, identify it, and then assess that best course of action for your home situation. Sometimes this may be simple, such as removing carpet flooring if the mold has infested it, and then treating the room to prevent further infestation. Other times, it may require more drastic measures, as when mold has colonized moist drywall itself and requires removing the wall entirely to contain the mold and keep it from spreading to the rest of the home. Once the mold is eliminated, the mold remediation team will “reinforce” your home with whatever steps are necessary to prevent the spores from starting a new colony.