Mold growth can happen at any time, in any room of your home. When it does, it is important to address the problem quickly and with the right tools.
If your mold problem has gotten so extensive that you can see physical evidence of mold damage on the walls, floors, or other surfaces, it has likely spread to other areas indoors that you may not be able to see. Likewise, if you notice an unpleasant musty odor in your home, there is probably mold lurking somewhere nearby.
The first step: Call a professional.
The presence of mold may be detrimental to the health and safety of your family and your pets. The most common signs of mold exposure include an increase in allergy symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, and watery eyes, as well as headaches and trouble breathing.
To ensure a healthy indoor environment and protect the structural integrity of your home, contact a mold remediation specialist and schedule an appointment. They will conduct a thorough assessment of your property, identify the issue, and determine a plan of action for containing the area, treating the mold, and removing any mold-damaged items.
Do I have to get rid of all my belongings?
You will be happy to know that mold damage does not always mean you need to toss everything that was affected. In many cases, items can be cleaned and restored to their original state. However, if mold growth is the result of heavy water damage, some items may not be salvageable because of warping or staining.
Here’s what you may need to toss.
For your health and safety, there are some items that should always be thrown out after falling prey to mold damage. They include:
- Most fabric/porous items. This includes clothing, towels, bedding, throw rugs and area rugs, curtains (and shower curtains), pillows, stuffed animals, soft dog toys, and similar items.
- Carpeting and upholstery. Carpeting will most likely need to be tossed. Likewise, mattresses, cushions, and upholstered furniture are rarely salvageable. A restoration company may be able to save your carpet or a favorite piece of furniture, but it often depends on whether or not you want to invest the time and money to clean it.
- Items made from paper. Paper items such as books, magazines, photo albums, and non-essential documents should also be discarded. This list includes drywall, which is covered in paper (a superfood for mold) and impossible to remediate.
- Food products. It goes without saying that nobody wants to consume moldy food products, but you should also get rid of canned or jarred foods, spice containers, and any food-based or food preparation items.
- Heavily damaged wood. While most high-quality, sealed wood is protected against mold damage, older wood—or wood that has endured several years or more of mold exposure—may not be salvageable.
Here’s what you can probably save.
Getting rid of mold-damaged items can be hard, but there is a silver lining. Many items may be salvageable with a little TLC and the right treatment and cleaning. Here’s a list of things you can probably keep.
- Items made of non-porous materials. Glass, ceramic, metal, and plastic items are typically safe to keep once they have been cleaned and disinfected.
- Electronics and appliances. As long as there is no heavy water damage, most electronics and appliances can often be salvaged once they have undergone the professional remediation process. Always inspect the circuitry to ensure it is free of mold.
- Treated and sealed wood. Wood that has been properly sealed (such as the wooden beams and rafters in your attic) can often be remediated to address the existing mold damage without needing to be replaced.
- Some clothing or fabric items. If the mold damage is mild enough, some clothing and fabric items may be salvageable after a thorough washing.
Trust the experts at CT Mold Pros to get the job done right.
The team at CT Mold Pros is dedicated to helping Connecticut home and business owners eliminate their mold problems and restore a healthy indoor environment. If you recently discovered mold in your home or workplace and have no idea what to do next, give us a call. One of our trained and certified mold removal specialists will come to you, perform a thorough inspection, and walk you through the entire process so you know exactly what to expect.
Call us today at (203) 920-0265 for a free estimate or fill out this short form with your message to schedule an appointment.
