Mold! Once it starts growing, it’s so hard to get rid of. It can cause all kinds of problems. It’s unsightly and embarrassing, and makes us feel like we’re letting our house go to rot. Where does mold come from? What are the risks of having it in the house? Why is it so stubborn, and how can we get rid of it once and for all?
Where Mold Comes From
While a fuzzy, green mold might look similar to a plant, like moss, it is actually a form of fungus. While some fungi grow large structures (mushrooms) and others are single-celled (yeast) mold is somewhere in between. This means that instead of growing from seeds, it spreads airborne spores to reproduce.
Mold requires quite a bit of moisture to grow. When those spores land in a wet place, they are able to develop into large colonies, which in turn spread more spores, continuing the cycle.
The Risks of Mold in the Home
Even before you see the moldy growths, you might notice the smell of mildew in your home. Any time you smell something, it is because you are actually inhaling particles of it. So in addition to causing an odor of old or disused places like a musty basement full of discarded items, it’s contaminating the air you breathe.
Inhaling mold spores can cause respiratory problems for people with mold allergies. It can worsen existing issues such as asthma. And some types of mold produce mycotoxins that are dangerous to the health of anyone who comes in contact with them.
Mold also stains and damages whatever it grows on, and mold remediation—the removal and cleaning of mold by professionals—can be extremely expensive, sometimes costing thousands of dollars once a serious infestation has taken hold.
Why Mold Is So Hard to Get Rid Of
Even if you scrubbed every spot of mold you could find in your home with the harshest chemicals you can get your hands on, it might not take long for the mold to return. This is because spot-cleaning can’t eliminate mold spores from your air, and as long as there’s moisture for them to grow in, the mold will keep coming back.
How to Eliminate Mold
With a two-pronged approach, mold can be prevented from reproducing. First, remove the spores from your air. Either an electronic air cleaner (which traps microscopic particles by polarizing them with an electric charge) or a UV air purifier (which destroys biological particles with ultraviolet light) can accomplish this.
Second, remove the moisture that the mold needs. With a whole-house dehumidifier, you can control the amount of humidity in your home’s air. When humidity is at ideal levels, the environment will be too hostile for mold to survive.
These two tactics will improve your home’s air quality in many other ways as well. Your home will smell fresher, you’ll feel cooler, and your health will be improved as many other germs and pathogens will also be eliminated. When you’re ready to take control of your indoor air quality in New Braunfels, TX, we’re ready to help.
At Thayer Air Conditioning, your comfort is our #1 priority! Contact us today.
