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Mold Removal: when to use a mold removal company

When to call a professional mold removal company

Mold removal is the process of removing  all moldy or contaminated material from a building. Generally material that can be cleaned are cleaned and dried. Although it’s tempting to remove any mold you see, it’s not always practical or safe to remove it yourself. Removing mold before you know whether it’s toxic can make your family feel ill. And sometimes there’s simply too much mold for you to remove safely yourself.

What mold removal guidelines say

You may clean small areas of mold (less than 1 square meter or 3 square feet) yourself. If you do choose to clean small areas of mold yourself, please follow mold guidelines for your safety and that of your family.

Mold growth covering an area less than 10 square feet is categorised as level 1 mold growth. Level 1 mold growth can be one single area of mold or it can include several patches of mold which together would be less than 10 square feet. Remember! Cleaning the mold without fixing the moisture problem, doesn’t solve the mold problem.

If visible mold growth in your house covers more than 10 square feet or if you are not sure how to clean the mold safely, it is recommended you seek professional advice. Cleaning large areas of mold growth releases high concentrations of mold spores into the air, which could make your family feel sick.

Therefore, extensive areas of mold growth should be cleaned by a professional. Heavy concentrations of mold spores can cause or worsen health problems.

Molds don’t have to be toxic to cause health problems. Even a common, usually harmless mold can be a health issue if there is a lot of it. However, always consult a professional if your house mold is a toxigenic mold, or if you even suspect a toxigenic mold.

How Do You Tell If A Mold is Toxigenic?

If you need to know whether your house mold is toxic or not, you may want to send a sample to our lab for testing. To send a sample, download the Order Form, complete it and send it together with your samples.

Remember! – please call a mold remediation professional when:

    • You the area covered by mold growth is greater than 10 square feet
    • You’re not sure of the extent of your mold problem
    • Mold comes back after repeated cleaning
    • The home is very damp
    • A family member suffers from allergies or asthma
    • You think the mold may be a toxic mold because a family member is suffering from unexplained symptoms that may be related to exposure to toxic mold

 

If you need a professional mold removal company, please visit this mold remediation professionals directory for a comprehensive list of mold remediation specialists listed by province. We also work closely with some mold removal companies and we may be able to direct you to the right people. Give us a call at 905-290-9101.

Do I Have Toxic Mold In My Home?

Often, people will ask the laboratory if it tests for toxic mold. The lab can test and identify any mold. If a mold is known to produce toxins (mycotoxins) the lab can provide this information. It is good to remember toxigenic molds (what the public refers to as toxic mold) do not produce the toxins all the time. Therefore, presence of a toxigenic mold in a house does not necessarily mean the occupants were exposed to mycotoxins. However, some of the toxic molds are also capable of causing mold allergy. Learn more on toxic mold in the article “Mycotoxins In Indoor Environment, Their Health Effects and the Moulds Producing Them”.

Salmonella food poisoning and symptoms

Salmonella food poisoning has been a growing concern in recent news. It has frequently lead to recalls of beef, salads and organic products and, even peanut butter products. Salmonella food poisoning occurs when one eats raw or undercooked foods such meat, poultry, eggs or egg products. Properly cooked food can get contaminated with Salmonella if […]

Legionella pneumophila – Guidelines for Laboratory Interpretation

Legionella pneumophila is a Gram negative, aerobic bacteria that is characterized as an opportunistic pathogen. It is the cause of Legionnaires’ Disease, a severe form of pneumonia and, it is the cause of Pontiac fever, a non-pneumonic form of L. pneumophila infection. Legionella spp.’s mode of transmission is through aerosols or aspiration of contaminated water. The Public Health […]

The Indoor Mold Is An Early Warning Device

The mold (or mould, in the Queen’s English) has been the victim of a bad press. Mention the word and it conjures up an image of something rotting or in the process of decomposition. And yet, were it not for the mold that inspired the discovery of penicillin millions of lives would have been lost. […]