Mold is a sneaky, silent kind of infestation that can go unnoticed for years. By the time you’ve realized, there’s mold growing in your home, and it’s likely already spread to many areas. But why is mold growing in your home to begin with? Could it cause health problems? And how can you prevent it from growing in your home in the future? Please keep reading to learn more about the basics of mold, how it spreads, how it affects your health, and how it’s connected to water damage in Overland Park, KS.
Why Is It in Your Home?
Your first question when you discover a mold problem is likely, “Why is this growing in my home? Where did it come from?” Molds are a natural part of the environment—but, like insects, they’re a part of nature that’s best kept outdoors. In nature, molds help to break down organic matter like fallen leaves and dead trees, restoring nutrients to the soil. But they break down your building materials indoors and feed on your home.
Mold grows in dark and damp environments. So if you’re finding it in your home, that means there is excess moisture coming from somewhere. This could be something as big as lingering moisture from flood damage or as tiny as excess humidity in the air. That moisture helps to create an ideal environment for mold to take hold.
How Does It Spread?
Mold spreads through tiny, microscopic spores in the air. Unfortunately, it’s practically impossible to keep those spores out of your home. They can drift inside on your shoes and clothes, be brought in by pets, or drift inside through an open door or window. Your HVAC system helps to filter some of those spores out, but if even a few find a nice, damp area to land, a mold colony will begin to grow. As it grows, mold will release even more spores into the air, which can cause the mold to spread not only in the original infested area but (because they can travel through the air) in other damp areas of the home.
Does It Affect Your Health?
When you keep in mind that mold is releasing those spores into the air, it’s little surprise that the presence of mold in your home can affect your health. In general, mold spores are most likely to impact individuals who have a mold allergy or who have existing respiratory issues. Typical side effects of a mold infestation include sneezing, difficulty breathing, red eyes, runny nose, headache, and other allergy-like symptoms. In rarer cases, such as black mold infestations, side effects can be much more severe, including nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and more.
Even if your family doesn’t experience severe reactions to mold in your home, this is still an indoor air pollutant that you don’t want lingering in the air. It would help if you had it dealt with quickly.
How Is It Connected to Water Damage?
As mentioned above, mold needs moisture, so when your home experiences some water damage, you have already created the perfect environment for mold to grow. This is why water damage and mold growth usually go hand in hand. You must deal with water damage quickly to prevent mold from sprouting in the damp areas that are left behind. After a home experiences water damage, mold can grow in as little as 24 hours.
If your home has water damage, contact our water damage contractors in Overland Park, KS, to have the issue taken care of as soon as possible. We offer 24-hour emergency services because we recognize that every minute counts when it comes to water damage and mold prevention.