Is Mold In Walls Dangerous And What Is The Removal Process

Mold is actually microscopic spores that are only visible to the eye when extra moisture allows it to flourish. In your home, it can grow extensively before you even realize it’s there, spreading unseen inside the walls. Then, the mold in your walls can access the ventilation system and be blown into every room. And even if you’re not aware of its presence, mold inside walls can cause health problems. 

According to CDC.gov, exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can lead to symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes, or skin.

Mold Removal In Charlotte

Typical Signs of Household Mold

If you’ve had significant water damage, there is a possibility of mold growing within the walls. When you see mold on the surface of a wall, it is possible there is mold inside the walls, as well. 

Some other signs are:

• Your air conditioning or heating smells weird. 
• The grout between your shower tiles is dark. 
• Your wallpaper is peeling. 
• You feel like you have a cold that just won’t go away. 
• You find dark or colored spots on your walls. 
• Your asthma mysteriously worsens. 
• You feel itchy.

Yet another sign of mold growing unseen inside the walls is a musty odor. If you’re not sure whether or not you need to check inside the walls, you can consult with a mold removal professional for advice.

How Does Restoration 1 Check For Mold?

It is recommended that you check in several places, since you might miss small amounts of mold if you only look inside the wall in one spot. This isn’t DIY, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends hiring a mold removal professional to help you. They look for hidden mold, including mold in walls, since the process can potentially spread mold throughout the room and expose you to harmful mold spores, if in fact it turns out there is mold inside the wall.

How Do They Remove Mold It?

Before attempting to remove mold in walls, it will be “safe first.” All procedures will be performed inside a contained area while wearing personal protective equipment and operating negative air filtration equipment. Protocols will be followed to avoid spreading spores to other areas of your home. For example, oldy materials will be double bagged in heavy plastic trash bags before disposal, to prevent the inadvertent spread of mold in the clean-up process.

If mold is growing on the back of drywall, the drywall must be removed and replaced. Any insulation in the wall should be removed and replaced. After sheetrock walls and/or ceilings are removed, the exposed studs and joists and the surfaces between the studs and joists need to be HEPA vacuum to remove all of the settled dust deposits from these surfaces.

After the HEPA vacuuming work is performed, studs, joist, and surfaces in between need to be disinfected. Masonry surfaces, such as concrete, bricks, tiles, cinder blocks, etc, and wood and vinyl floors are also disinfected.

After surfaces are disinfected and dry, any wood surfaces displaying residual mold should be encapsulated with an encapsulant coating with fungicidal properties. Encapsulant coatings are used on dry wood and can be applied to wood surfaces using a brush or a roller. For large areas of wood containing residual mold, high-pressure airless sprayers are used.

For Help Removing Mold In Charlotte

If you need help removing mold in your walls, or if you’d just like some advice about the mold removal process, we suggest scheduling a free consultation in your home with the mold removal experts. As your trusted partner, Restoration 1 will provide both thorough mold and water restoration of the affected area so that you are no longer at risk.  

At Restoration 1, the mold removal team designs a plan for your home using the best equipment in the industry. As soon as you discover mold, give us a call.