For all of us living in South Carolina, North Carolina and Northern Georgia, mold is a common issue that we have to deal with due to our humid climate. Mold is not only unsightly, but it can also damage our home and our health as well. At Biotek Environmental, Inc., we have been successfully dealing with mold issues for almost 15 years, 365 days a year. As a result, we have become an industry leader in green restoration, and mold removal and remediation. We’d like to share with you some helpful mold facts that you should know.
Mold Fact #1: Mold Season
In North and South Carolina and in Georgia, summer tends to be the worst season for mold due to the high levels of humidity we experience. Also, certain parts of our homes, like the kitchen and bathrooms are at higher risk for mold growth since they experience higher humidity resulting from the use of appliances that involve hot water like kitchen stoves, showers or ironing presses.
If your home is equipped with air conditioning, it can reduce humidity and prevent mold growth by dehumidifying and circulating air. However, if your air conditioning or HVAC system is poorly maintained or your drain pipes are blocked, mold can grow inside these systems. Improper ventilation or water leaks into crawl spaces or basements can also encourage mold growth. Therefore, it is imperative that you maintain your air conditioning system in good condition and take proper action to remove mold infestations since mold spores can be spread to each room of your home.
Additionally, you need to be aware that condensation on windows and doors increases when it is cool inside and humid outside. For this reason, you need to check for condensation frequently and clean these areas before mold starts to grow around them.
Mold Fact #2: Viable and Nonviable Mold
Another mold fact you should know is the difference between viable and nonviable mold. Viable mold is mold that is alive and growing whereas nonviable mold is mold that is basically dried up or dormant because it doesn’t have any available food source. However, even though nonviable mold is not growing, it can return to a viable form or stage if it is exposed to moisture or humidity. Consequently, nonviable mold must be removed in the same way as viable mold since it will not die on its own.
Mold Fact #3: Humidity Helps Mold Grow
We’ve all noticed bold growing around locations where there are leaks and moisture. For us who live in the humid subtropical environment of South / North Carolina and Georgia, we don’t need to have leaks in our homes for mold to grow. This is especially true if we have poor ventilation in our home, especially in the kitchen, bathrooms, and basement (the areas affected most by mold). In the summer, when we have temperatures between 77 and 87 degrees and humidity levels between 62 and 93 percent, mold begins to thrive. Therefore, during summer, we need to keep humidity levels as low as possible within our homes and try to ventilate high humidity areas with vent fans. Also, installing air conditioning systems with enhanced moisture removal capabilities will help keep mold levels to a minimum.
Mold Fact #4: Mold Has No Smell
People are often surprised when they hear that mold has no smell since we’ve all had experience with “a moldy smell” in the basement or any other dark humid environment in homes. Well, the smell we notice is not the smell of mold but the byproducts created by the mold. When mold begins to “feed” on organic material such as wood or paper, it releases odors and toxins. Please note that the absence of odor does not always mean that there are no mold issues and a musty odor does not mean that it is caused by mold infestation. That is why it is important to have professionals investigate.
Mold Fact #5: Getting Rid of The Visible Mold is Not Enough
Although there are many homemade remedies and store-bought mold cleaners, getting rid of mold from your home is not as simple as it may seem. When trying to remove mold on your own, you may manage to clean it from walls and underneath sinks. In most cases, though, you only really remove it from the surface. The fact is that most of the mold body is usually inside crevices, cracks, and walls. Consequently, as soon as there are ideal mold growing conditions, mold will return in the places you previously cleaned.
However, when you have your home or business professionally cleaned by reputable and experienced mold removal companies like Biotek Environmental, Inc., you will achieve effective mold removal for the life of the surface, even if it should get wet again. At Biotek, we apply Oxidative Mold Remediation Surface Cleaners and Biostatic Coatings. These powerful mold remediation cleaners and coatings are an effective, safe, and non-toxic alternative for mold removal. Our protocol is faster, more effective and more economical than any of the traditional mold remediation methods like sanding or blasting with soda or dry ice.
Contact Biotek Environmental for Professional Mold Removal and Remediation
If you have noticed signs of a mold infestation in your home or business, you need to take immediate action. Contact BioTek Environmental’s mold inspection and remediation specialists who are experienced and equipped with the latest technology to determine whether you have mold issues. You can call Biotek Environmental, Inc. any time of the day or night. Contact us to protect your home or business from mold infestations at 866-630-7340.
We provide mold inspection, removal, and remediation services to Columbia, Greenville, and Spartanburg, SC. Our Clean, Green Restoration methods employ EPA registered and environmentally safe chemistries to help our customers reclaim their property from mold removal, and flood and fire damage in the safest ways possible. What’s more, Biotek’s warranties for mold remediation are some of the longest and most comprehensive in the industry.
