Mold spores and you.
After being in this industry for a long time, probably the number one question we get is “can’t I just wipe off the mold on the wall” well if only it was that easy. There is a lot of science behind what we will discuss but this blog is put in simple terms so everyone can understand.
Drywall loves mold, the paper that is on both sides of drywall is organic, mold needs an organic food source to grow but it also need moisture. If you have a mold colony growing on your wall then just wiping it off will not solve the problem, there must be a reason why there is a moisture source in that area, is the area an exterior wall? under a sink, behind a washing machine, have you had a flooded basement, all good areas to start with.
Also when mold is wiped off or the drywall is removed, the mold colony goes through a process called “dissemination” thats when the colony thinks its going to die so it releases all its spores to go find another place to grow, like your bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, all places where there is a moisture source.
1 square inch of mold when threatened can release 100,000 spores into the air, so do the math what if you have a 12 inch by 12 inch area? how many spores is that? you don’t have to do the math, its a very large amount! also mold spores can float in the air for 72 hours, mold spores are 50 times smaller then a human hair, very light, so now your breathing this in and your home is now cross contaminated.
It is always the best to have a professional come out and inspect the issue, testing may be required then a scope of work written up by the inspector, yes this will cost you money but knowing the issue and being able to fix it properly and safely will bring added benefit in the years to come.
Contact us at wetestasbestos@gmail.com or call 250-886-2589