How Hard is it to Remove Mold?

When a business owner or homeowner discovers mold, it’s tempting to want to try to remove it without the help of a mold remediation company to save money. However, DIY mold removal is never a good idea because mold cleanup is a very difficult and dangerous process. Why is that? The average homeowner or business owner doesn’t have the same tools and expertise that a professional mold removal company has. As a result, they are far more likely to get sick from failing to protect themselves properly when removing mold, or miss some of the mold spores, creating an opportunity for continued mold growth after cleanup efforts have ceased.

Let’s take a look at why mold removal is so difficult to do correctly. Removing mold from a home or business poses a number of challenges, such as:

• Finding the Cause – When people find mold, they typically want to just remove it. They don’t always take the time needed to investigate the underlying cause of the mold growth. This is likely one part inexperience and one part denial. People both don’t necessarily know any better than to just address the main issue at hand instead of trying to go to the source, and also don’t want to acknowledge that there could be a bigger (costlier, more inconvenient) problem at hand. However, a local mold removal company will take the time needed to figure out why you have mold. They understand that there’s no point in getting rid of the mold if it’s just going to come right back. So, they look for the leak or underlying cause that’s responsible for the mold damage and seek to address that before beginning their mold remediation work.
• Identifying the Extent of Mold Damage – Mold is great at hiding, which means trying to find all of it to eradicate it is very difficult. Often times, this means pulling out building materials like flooring, drywall, or ceilings to look for the extent of the mold damage. A mold removal company has the tools needed to find mold wherever it’s lurking, resulting in a more thorough cleanup.
• Staying Protected – Mold is extremely dangerous. Mold spores can cause severe health issues, especially in people with respiratory problems, the elderly, and children. These harmful microorganisms can not only make a homeowner sick while living in an infested house over a prolonged period, but also make someone sick when breathing it in during the mold removal process. The right protective wear is needed to stay safe during the process, which is why mold remediation specialists will wear full PPE when cleaning up mold.
• Practicing Containment – Mold can spread quickly because its spores travel easily through the air. When mold remediation is being done strict attention must be paid to containment procedures to prevent it from traveling to other areas of your home or business. This is why mold removal businesses will seal off the affected area as well as the path required to get moldy materials outside and sealed up for disposal. There is a very high risk of mold contamination in other areas of your home or business when doing mold removal yourself. And if mold gets into your air ducts, you can be sure that it will spread to all areas of your home eventually, resulting in a very costly whole-home mold remediation situation. 
• Using the Right Tools – The right tools are required for mold containment as well as mold removal. A local mold removal company will likely use HEPA filters, negative air machines, and specialized mold cleaning products to get rid of the mold in your home or business. Without these tools, they wouldn’t be able to do their jobs effectively. While it may be possible to find this kind of equipment for rent, knowing how to use it is also crucially important. The best mold removal companies not only have the right tools at their disposal but also have many years of experience using these tools, giving them valuable expertise that the average homeowner or business owner simply does not have.

Understanding why mold removal is so tricky makes it easier to see why removing mold yourself isn’t the best option. In the long run it can end up costing more than if you had just paid a professional to take care of it initially. Plus, it can result in significant health troubles if done incorrectly, which carries an entirely different kind of cost.

While all mold is hard to get rid of, some situations can make mold removal even more difficult. If you have large-scale mold growth, recurring mold issues, possible structural damage, or at-risk people to consider, call a local mold removal company immediately to take care of your mold problem.

We provide mold clean up services to the greater Chicago area. Give us a call at 1 (800) 501-3046 to find out how we can help restore your home and your peace of mind!

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