Mold Remediation In Takoma Park

Mold Remediation Takoma Park – Things You Should Know

When people think of Takoma Park, music seems to be high on the list of things the town is most loved for. It’s an ideal commuting residence thanks to its Washington DC proximity, but because of the Jazz, Folk festivals and record company, music seems to be in the blood of the town, as well as progressive politics like its status a nuclear free zone and certified tree city. For a city with less than 20,000 people living in it, it’s a vibrant, dynamic place, and a great area to live in. But it still has the same problem that the rest of Maryland does, and Takoma Park mold remediation experts are here to help with it.

Where Mold Comes From

Mold is something almost no one thinks about it until it’s too late. It’s easy to see why; most of the time it’s out of sight and out of mind, except for bread that’s left neglected too long. Mold is a fungus, an organism that’s just half-plant, half-animal enough to require its own kingdom. It eats, the way animals do, but it reproduces the way plants do. Mold survives by creating large colonies, similar to coral, settling down on a surface that acts not just as an anchor but a food source. Once it is established and ready to grow, it sends extremely long lived, durable spores out into the air, which float throughout the world, waiting for the right conditions to settle down and start growing as well. In the case of mold, this usually means an ideal surface, warm temperatures, and a moist environment. Different types of mold have different requirements for these needs. Bread mold, for example obviously prefers bread as its surface, and is comfortable at room temperature or even less, with not much moisture required. The type of mold that appears on bathroom tile, however, obviously needs much more humidity, and finds it in places where hot showers are frequently taken. The different types of mold are something a Takoma Park mold remediation team can identify.

Because mold is constantly sending spores into the air, it’s like dust, there’s simply no escaping from it. Mold comes into a home every time a door, window or vent is exposed to the air. It comes in on our clothes, our animals, or any other number of ways. Unless extreme medical quarantine procedures are used, mold spores are just a natural part of our atmosphere, always waiting in our homes for an opportunity to start a colony. And that’s when the trouble begins.

What Mold Does

If mold finds a suitable environment, it starts feeding and reproducing. Reproduction is the chief issue for residents of a home, as this is an enclosed space that is now being filled with spores. It’s not noticeable at first, especially if the mold chooses an out of the way, little used space like a basement, attic, the underside of a carpet, or even in moist drywall. These are all areas an experienced team for mold remediation Takoma Park will check if mold isn’t immediately apparent in a home. Unlike plants, mold doesn’t need sunlight to prosper, which is one more reason why it can be difficult to track down if it’s not the obvious sort of mold that appears on bathroom tile. If you can’t find mold in your home, often your first clue will be the smell. The musty odor of mold is easy to identify, but unfortunately, this also means that the mold has grown itself to such a point where it is creating spores in high enough numbers that they can be smelled.

This is the point where a health risk may also arise. While most molds are harmless in small numbers, breathing in the spores for extended periods of time can have an impact on health. The very young and elderly are especially sensitive to mold in the air, although asthmatics are also at higher risk. Depending on health, age and resistance, symptoms from mold exposure can be similar to allergies, with itching, headaches or runny noses. On the more extreme side, mold can infect lungs, with fungal pneumonia being one of the worst case scenarios, although some species of mold, like “black mold” can also produce mycotoxins, literally poisoning the air that people breathe.

The Solution

Takoma residents should call a mold remediation team in if the presence of mold has escalated to risky levels. Experts like AA Action Waterproofing have been serving the Maryland area for years, and have both the experience and the equipment to deal with a variety of different mold infestation situations. If you think you have a mold problem, don’t hesitate to contact us for a consultation to see what needs to be done to restore health and safety to your home.