What is Mold & What Causes It

Don’t Let Mold Put Your Family At Risk

Mold is a multi-cellular fungus which comes in a variety of colors and look anywhere from fuzzy to slimy to powdery. When in large amounts it tends to have a musty odor. Mold is everywhere and part of the natural ‘background’ of the planet. While mold is common outdoors and typically doesn’t pose much of a health risk, indoor mold can have enormous health consequences.

Requirements for Mold Growth

In order for mold to grow it requires 3 things:

• Water / moisture
• An organic food source such as paper, fabric, sheetrock, etc…
• Proper temperature

Moisture & Mold Growth

When you have mold in your home it is a result of too much moisture being present. There are many caues of moisture being present in your home such as:

• A plumbing leak
• Leaking windows or roof
• High humidity
• Flooding
• Condensation due to poor ventilation or insulation

Ways to Reduce / Prevent Mold Growth

While it is impossible to “mold proof” your house there are preventative measures you can take to reduce the liklihood that you will end up with mold in your home such as:

• Controlling indoor humidity levels
• Fixing water leak problems
• Waterproofing your basement
• Fixing foundation cracks
• Repairing crawl space issues

If you discover that you have mold in your home, in order to prevent it from returning once removed you must fix the underlying source of moisture.