Mold: What Causes Mold and Why Does Mold Come Back?

Where is black mold usually found?

The most typical place to find black mold is in the bathroom and laundry room of homes.

What causes mold to grow in your home?

What causes mold? Mold grows when the mold spores are in an environment with elevated moisture levels. Spores can be brought in through an open window, on your clothing, or be already present in the home.

Mold spores activate when the humidity level in the house or the space reaches 60%. All it takes is a few mold spores that have floated in from outside or dormant mold spores that are already in the home and within 24-48 hours, happy, healthy mold will be growing. Once the mold starts growing, it becomes impossible to completely get rid of the mold spores without expert help. 

Why does mold come back?

Clearing only the visible mold does not fix the problem. Mold is an aggressive organism, so mold colonies spore out anytime they get disturbed. This increases the number of mold spores in the air. If mold is coming back, it means that the spores in the air are active and the humidity levels in the home are above 50 or 60%.

This is what I am dealing with right now. What do I do about it?

The steps you will need to take will depend on the severity of the situation. Because fixing a mold problem is not always straightforward, reaching out to mold professionals such as Mold Busters, is helpful. Below are a few general suggestions in the meantime:

1. Have a mold professional come inspect the area of concern and test the home for mold
2. Remove any structurally damaged material (if applicable)
3. Dry out the area of concern with space heaters and fans or an industrial dehumidifier, if necessary. Mold professionals, such as Mold Busters, will be able to offer specific recommendations
4. Have Mold Busters, or a mold professional with rights to use the revolutionary dry fog patent, treat your home and eradicate all mold spores in the air and at the source
5. Increase the air circulation in your bathroom or laundry room

How do you stop mold from growing?

Increase the circulation in your bathroom, laundry room, and other areas in your home that seem to attract moisture. You can help increase the circulation in a variety of ways:

1. We highly recommend using an exhaust fan with a moisture sensor. That way, you do not need to guesstimate how long to leave your bathroom fan running.
2. If the bathroom exhaust fan or dryer fan does not vent to outside, and instead vents into the attic or another room in the house, your home is at risk for recurring mold. The ideal solution would be to redo the venting system to lead to the outside. If this is not feasible, there are a few more temporary solutions you can use. 
3. If there is no exhaust fan in the bathroom, be sure to open windows (if applicable) and/or use a space heater for 20-30 minutes after each shower. This includes during the wintertime! This is one way the space heater can help. 
4. Keep the drains and pipes clear. Mold grows in drains. The more clogged it is, the more mold there is. Clogs also are a leading cause for pipes that burst. When the drain is clean and the water still backs up into your sink then this is when you call in a good plumber like All Master Plumbing in Arlington, TX,

Mold is not a problem to put on the back burner. It can escalate quickly and can cause adverse health effects. A little consistent, proactive prevention now goes a long way for a healthy, lower-cost future.