Needing only three things to survive, moisture, warmth and food, mold forms and is easily spread throughout a home or office. While it is common to find a moldy piece of bread or a rotten tomato on your counter, finding excessive mold elsewhere in the home or office can be cause for alarm. A moldy piece of food can easily be tossed into a garbage can without spreading too many spores. These isolated items and instances are usually not a threat to the area at large. When you find mold on your walls or ceiling however, the chances of your home being contaminated with mold in more than one place is extremely high.
Mold Spreads Quickly By Releasing Spores
How Mold Spreads
Mold is a fungus that utilizes spores to repopulate and spread across large areas. Beginning by rooting itself in a food source, mold begins in a single spot and then mold spreads outward. The part that people see and recognize is the mold’s fruiting body where the spores are contained and then released into the air. Mold spores are constantly released from a mold colony in search of a new spot where moisture, warmth, and food are abundant.
Mold spores are not likely to stay contained in one area. With fans, air ducts, and general disturbances from people or pets, spores travel far and land on every surface, increasing the likelihood that mold is in various parts of your home or business. If excess moisture is a problem throughout your entire home or business, then mold is likely to become a problem for you as well, spreading and cultivating quickly, sometimes in a matter of days.
Preventing Mold and Keeping it from Spreading
As mentioned before, mold releases spores into the air in an effort to colonize other surface areas, but because mold needs moisture, warmth, and food to survive there are a few thing you can do to prevent it from spreading. Keeping your home or office at a low humidity level will discourage mold from spreading. We suggest you keep your home or office under a 60 percent humidity level so spores don’t have enough moisture in the air alone to begin colonization. You can also refrain from leaving any damp or wet material around including paper towels, wood, carpet, cardboard, or paper, especially if you keep the temperature high in the building. Nothing encourages mold growth more than a damp and hot environment with plenty of surface area.
If you’ve already found mold in your home or office, prevent it from spreading by avoiding disturbing it with unapproved cleaners and touching. Poking at mold will cause it to release more spores into the air. If you find mold on an exclusive item like a book, throw it away to remove the hazard. Finding mold on your wall and spraying it with disinfectant will not solve any problem however, and it could lead to the mold spreading more spores. If mold is growing on your walls, floor, or ceiling it is no longer a surface problem and is rooted deep into the substance. Calling a professional mold remediation company will ensure that the mold is removed from your property completely and not just on the surface.
In addition to keeping your home or office cool, clean, and moisture free, you can obtain a few items to discourage the spreading of mold and its spores. Air filters approved for capturing mold spores, disinfectants that kill spores, and other home materials such as mold resistant paint and sheetrock can all help keep your home or office mold free. Keeping mold from spreading in your home or office is possible with a few precautions.
