What is Mold and What Should I Do if I Find Mold in My Home or Business?

3/9/2020 (Permalink)

What is mold and is it common?

With longer days and warmer weather, we here at SERVPRO of Augusta/Waterville have been fielding a lot of calls about mold. 

Mold is a type of fungus that consists of small organisms found almost everywhere. Mold spores can be black, white, orange, green, or purple. Outside, molds play an important role in nature, breaking down dead leaves, plants, and trees.  Mold is simply part of nature.

What do we do when mold spores work their way into our personal spaces? Well, the first thing you need to know is how mold gets into your dwellings.

Because mold occurs naturally in our environment, it is tricky.  Mold is everywhere. Mold spores are in our air, in the soil, and they are already in our homes. Most mold spores are harmless and lay dormant for their entire existence. They can come into our homes through air ducts, ventilation systems, leaky roofs, through opened doors and windows, on our clothes and can even come in on our pets. But, like any living thing, they need to be fed to survive. So, what do mold spores need to thrive? Moisture.

Like any living organism, mold spores need water (moisture in this case) to grow. Moisture in your home is often found near pipes, windows, and places that may have leaked at one point, like a roof. What do you do if you find mold in your home?

According to the CDC mold should be tested to confirm whether or not it is a threatening or non-threatening species. This is not a test that you can do yourself.  Since mold can cause health effects, mold should be handled by professionals. There are several companies in the state of Maine that handle mold testing.  Once you have had your mold tested, how do you treat mold and keep you and your family safe?

We here at SERVPRO of Augusta/Waterville are capable of removing and treating mold in a variety of ways. Our trained technicians will take care of it for you so you can get back to living “Like it never even happened.” 

Please call us at our Augusta location (conveniently located at 7 Townsend Road) at (207) 622-7166. Our 24hr call center is here to help and we offer free estimates and are able to work with most homeowner’s insurance. We also offer affordable rates on claims that may not be covered by insurance.  

Call us today and get back to breathing easy!