Mold Remediation Myths Debunked: Separating Fact from Fiction

As with anything in life, you have to be able to separate fact from fiction. This is incredibly important when dealing with mold.

Mold is a type of fungi that, if it gets inside your house, can lead to serious issues if left untreated. This blog will explore the most common myths about mold remediation so you don’t accidentally let it linger longer than it should. Otherwise, it could lead to both structural issues and health problems.

7 Myths About Mold Remediation

You may have heard some myths about mold, like it isn’t a big deal if it’s growing in a part of your home that you don’t usually visit—like your crawl space. Another myth might be that vinegar is enough to eliminate severe mold.

Like any myth, those about mold remediation may convince you that it’s not as big of a deal as it is, or on the other hand, unnecessarily scare you. Regardless of what you’re dealing with, remember that mold is treatable.

Here are the top seven myths about mold and mold remediation you should know:

1. Mold is Only Harmful to People with Allergies

Let’s start this list by addressing one of the most significant mold myths: it only affects those with allergies.

While those with asthma and other existing respiratory issues will have their symptoms exacerbated by mold, anyone living inside your house can be affected by mold growth.

People commonly exposed to mold experience coughing, wheezing, sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose, and headaches. However, depending on the type of mold the individual is exposed to, other symptoms might include skin irritation, gastrointestinal issues, vertigo, increased anxiety, ringing in the ears, and fatigue.

The longer someone is exposed to environmental hazards like mold growth, the higher the risk that their symptoms will worsen. Because so many mold allergy symptoms mimic the common cold, homeowners may not realize they have a mold infestation, unintentionally letting the problem linger. If your symptoms go away or ease up while outside but worsen when you walk into a particular room, you likely have a mold infestation.

2. New Homes Don’t Have Mold Problems

A common misconception about mold is that it won’t grow in newer homes. However, mold is commonly found in new homes, just as it is in older homes. That’s because of how it grows.

Mold doesn’t just pop up overnight. Instead, it needs the right environment to grow in. For mold to grow and spread, it must have a food source, moisture, and humidity, all of which are available after water damage.

When your home experiences water damage, it will inevitably experience a moisture buildup. Likewise, if the leak occurs in an area of your house that’s naturally humid, such as your basement, attic, closet, or bathroom, the humidity and moisture provide the ideal environment for mold to develop. Furthermore, since mold can thrive on almost any surface, it has plenty of food sources.

Since new homes can experience leaky appliances, floods, broken HVAC systems, and nasty thunderstorms, they can also experience significant mold growth when the water isn’t treated quickly enough. Mold develops in as little as 24 hours after being exposed to water. As such, if you experience water damage, know that mold is right around the corner if you don’t take care of it immediately…new house or not.

3. Only Floods Cause Mold Problems

As mentioned above, mold develops after water exposure. So, if you experience a flood, you can surely expect mold growth!

That said, floods aren’t the only events that can cause mold problems. Any type of water exposure, including burst pipes, a leaky dishwasher, or a broken water heater, can cause mold if not cleaned up and dried immediately. Other things like thunderstorms, broken HVAC systems, and melting snow can also lead to interior mold growth.

This is why it’s imperative that after every storm, you ensure that your roof shingles are in good shape. Otherwise, any damage could make it easy for water to leak in. Likewise, keeping your gutters clean and free from debris can help fend off mold growth caused by water leaking off the side of the gutters instead of the spout.

4. Bleach is the Best Solution for Mold Removal

As you’ll read below, many DIY mold remediation blogs highlight the effectiveness of using bleach to kill mold, but unfortunately, that’s not true. Bleach can worsen existing mold by helping create a moist environment in which the mold can thrive.

In addition, bleach is simply not effective enough to treat mold at the source. Since mold grows on a variety of surfaces, including porous surfaces such as tiled floors and drywall, any bleach you spray on the area will only treat the mold at a surface level. This makes it easier for mold to grow back—and yes, you can count on it growing back sooner rather than later.

Instead of bleach, most mold remediation techs will use a combination of air scrubbers, HEPA vacuums, dehumidifiers, and other professional-grade cleaning agents to keep mold spores at bay.

5. Mold Remediation is Always Covered by Insurance

It would be great if this statement were true, but there’s no greater myth than claiming mold remediation is always covered by insurance. That’s not to say it can’t be covered by insurance. If your inspector didn’t find mold because it was hidden beneath the floors, then your homeowner’s insurance will likely cover it since you took the necessary precautions to treat it.

Likewise, you may be reimbursed for mold remediation if you notify your insurance company as soon as you notice it. As with any insurance claim, they will want to find out if your actions caused the mold, as it is generally considered preventable. So, if you found mold but didn’t report it or failed to fix a leaky pipe and then it later burst and caused mold, it’s unlikely your claim will be covered.

6. All Mold is Black Mold

Surprise: there are more than 100,000 different species of mold! While most of these won’t be in your house, a common misconception is that any found inside your home is always considered black mold. Black mold is just a common term people use for Stachybotrys chartarum.

Stachbotrys chartarum is a type of mold easily distinguishable by its black coloring (though it can sometimes also be dark green). Hence the name! This type of mold is commonly found after water damage and results in the same exposure symptoms mentioned above, despite many people believing that it’s severely toxic.

You may encounter many different species of mold, such as Aspergillus, which can be brown or green, or Chaetomium, which can be white.

Remember, though, that even if your type of mold isn’t considered “black mold,” it still needs to be removed as soon as possible. All kinds of mold, regardless of color and location, can lead to property destruction and health issues if left untreated.

7. Mold Remediation Can Be a DIY Project

If you have a mold infestation, you might wonder if you can treat it yourself. After all, many articles online tell you that mold remediation can be a do-it-yourself project. The reality is that treating mold isn’t a DIY project (not if you want to get rid of it entirely, at least).

There are a couple of reasons for this. First and foremost, many DIY remedies, including household cleaners and vinegar, only treat mold at a surface level—if that. This means that it will pop back up shortly, even if it looks like it went away.

Second, disturbing the spores may make your mold infestation worse. Dislodging these mold spores spreads them to other rooms in your house, including those that never had an infestation.

Though you may be tempted to try and treat mold yourself to save money, doing so may cost you money in the long run.

Dealing With Mold? Hire the Mold Remediation Experts From BluSky!

Though mold may be the last thing you want to deal with, the good news is that it can be treated. At BluSky, our mold remediation experts can get rid of mold safely and efficiently so your home or place of business can return to normal.

Our quality mold remediation services are available throughout the United States. Call us today at 800-266-5677 to schedule an appointment, or find your nearest office here.