As great as it is to live in warmer parts of the country, it does not come without its drawbacks. Water damage, and the other side effects that come with it, is probably one of the biggest ones. While Nashville might not be the warmest and dampest part of the United States, it has certainly got its fair share of hot days.
It does not have to be rainy for water or moisture to accumulate in parts of your home where it is really not welcome. Plenty of other factors could cause it, such as a faulty pipeline somewhere, or a leaky faucet. Unfortunately, the result of that is often something like mold starting to grow.
Now, not all forms of mold are “super dangerous,” as you may have heard. However, as you can read about in this post, it is generally not a great idea to just let it flourish in our homes. Even if it is a relatively harmless strain, those with pre-existing conditions can suffer. Those that do not could end up developing illnesses like asthma because of the strain put on their lungs.
The Problems with Mold
As strange as it might sound, not all mold is a dreadful thing. Now, if you do not know, mold is a type of fungus. It grows all around us, really – when it is outside, it is not really an issue. In fact, it can be a pretty integral part of a lot of ecosystems. When you see it there, it is best to just leave it alone.
Indoor spore growth is where the problems arise. Now, as was said, just because mold starts to show up does not mean you are going to die or something horrible is going to happen. This is not the fungus out of a horror game. Some strains are just unpleasant to the eye and to the senses – so, removing them is still a clever idea, it is just not the most pressing thing in the world.
You can get some tips on differentiating the types here, https://firstsouthernrestoration.com/mold-removal/, as well as details on how the removal process might look. After all, it can be different depending on what crops up, so knowledge really is power here.
Generally speaking, though, it is usually not a bad idea to bring in a professional if you start to see mold cropping up that you cannot just wipe away easily. So – not the stuff that sometimes grows on shower tiles, but instead, heavy-duty spores that do not seem to want to stop growing. That is when things can start to get a bit more dangerous.
Asthma and other pre-existing lung conditions in particular tend to be impacted by mold, so that is something to keep in mind if you are hesitant about getting a professional cleaning service. The longer that you wait to do such a thing, the more potential harm can be brought by the errant fungus. Most likely, that is something that folks would prefer to avoid. With the warm weather in Nashville, combined with any rain, well…it is probably best to keep a keen eye on areas where moisture tends to build up in your home.
Where to Look
As with most types of fungus, mold tends to prefer little nooks and crannies that are dark and damp. So, if you are not sure where to check for it, that is probably the best place to start. However, there are other warning signs that it might be cropping up.
Smell is the biggest one. Musty areas should be checked thoroughly since that scent is usually indicative of mold growth. Obviously, you probably should not go around taking deep inhalations of every black speck that you see. However, it is probably a good idea to at least check in sometimes and think about whether or not that musty odor is from a damp room or mold growing.
Also Read: 30 Reasons That Mold Refuses to Go Away from Your Homes
What Can We Do About it, then?
When it comes to cleaning up or removing the growths from our homes, that is where things can get a bit trickier. You see, even if you think that what is cropped up is harmless and not the dreaded “black mold,” which can be toxic just to breathe in, you may want to bring in a professional cleaning or restoration crew.
Wondering why? Well, it is mostly because if the underlying issue is not taken care of, then you are likely to just end up with more mold growing again at a later date. Often, it has gotten something to do with a pipe leaking or other sorts of plumbing malfunctions, so…unless you are totally confident that you can fix it on your own, correctly, you will want some outside help.
Beyond that, though, there is also the fact that trying to do it on your own can be downright dangerous. If it does turn out to be black mold or something similarly toxic, breathing it in without any protective equipment can be really damaging. Professional crews will come prepared for that sort of incident, so they will be protected.
Big cleanup jobs like this also just take a lot of time. That is a time that most of us do not really have these days, especially if we have got a family to raise and feed. It is kind of hard to tell your boss that you need to take a bunch of days off to handle a mold infestation all on your own. Instead of doing that, you could just bring in professionals to fix the issue while you continue living as normally as you can under the circumstances.
At the end of the day, it is just worth getting a real pro involved if you have got mold growing in your home. Here in Nashville, there are plenty of options if you need help, so that should not really be a barrier for you. Sure, it might cost a little more upfront to get a cleaning crew, but think about the time, energy, and cash that you are saving yourself if things were to end up getting worse because nothing was done about it. The peace of mind is worthwhile.