Mold spores can develop into a full-blown mold outbreak in just a few days, but often they go unnoticed until they’ve become quite vast. This is because mold usually grows in the hidden corners of the home, which people do not often frequent. It isn’t until the overwhelming earthy must triggers a mold inspection that most homeowners realize they need mold removal in Toronto.
Early intervention is key to protecting your indoor air quality from the effects of mold on your health and your property. One way to spot mold quickly is to understand where the fungus is most likely to grow. The sooner you can identify the early signs of an outbreak, the sooner you can reach out to an IICRC-certified restoration company for comprehensive mold removal in Toronto.
How Can You Recognize the Signs of Mold?
Before you call a professional for a mold inspection in your home, you’ll need to be able to recognize the signs of mold. Besides its signature musty odour, mold can appear in various earthy colours such as green, brown, white, yellow, and, most infamously, black. Mold often occurs in a spotted pattern with a fuzzy or velvety texture. If you spot staining that resembles mold, don’t touch it. Contact your local restoration team to conduct a detailed mold inspection. During inspections, technicians will carefully determine the scope of the outbreak, determine its severity, and recommend the best approach to mold removal in Toronto.
Where is Mold in Your Home?
While mold can technically grow in any space on any surface, mold spores prefer certain conditions that facilitate their growth. There are three primary contributing factors to mold growth: improper ventilation, moisture/water damage, and cellulose. When the balance is off in just one of these factors, your property will become more susceptible to an infestation.
Here are some common spaces where technicians uncover outbreaks during mold inspections.
Attic Mold Outbreaks
Attics are mold magnets for several reasons. Packed with insulation materials and wood, the plethora of organic materials available in the attic serves as a food source for mold spores, accelerating their growth and development. A lack of sufficient ventilation in the attic and roof cavity can trap stale air, and with it, mold spores, paired with leaks from harsh weather and deteriorating roofing materials, the attic is a hot spot for mold. Since the attic is far out of sight of day-to-day life, a professional inspection is the best way to detect mold in your attic.
Basement Mold
Like the attic, most unfinished basements are not used daily, leaving festering mold outbreaks undetected, allowing them to grow uninhibited.
With many pipes and water-based appliances like washing machines, sinks, and water heaters located in the basement, there is ample opportunity for floods and leaks. In some cases, a sewage backup or leak can occur in the basement without even drawing a homeowner’s attention until the infestation becomes substantial. If there is a flood, burst pipe, or leak in your basement, a mold inspection should be performed immediately following restoration. This way, you can limit any further growth effectively with mold removal in Toronto.
Bathroom & Kitchens
Unlike the attic or basement, bathrooms and kitchens are critical spaces in any home. So, extensive outbreaks are much more difficult to miss. As it continues to grow, mold will likely spread throughout drywall, flooring, or on the large cabinet and counter surfaces.
The key to mitigating kitchen and bathroom mold removal is to know where mold spores are growing in the early stages of an outbreak. Many mold inspections reveal mold growing behind appliances and within cupboards where it is dark. With pipes winding their way throughout both these spaces, a simple leak or lack of ventilation can attract mold spores triggering an infestation.
Why Keep Mold Out?
Mold is more than just a nuisance to property owners in the Greater Toronto Area. The infesting fungus can cause building materials like wood beams, flooring, and drywall to disintegrate, compromising structural integrity. More importantly, extended exposure to mold spores without intervention can cause illness. The severity of exposure can range from a cough or rash to nausea, headaches, and forgetfulness in more extreme cases.
Getting Mold Removal in Toronto
When a mold infestation is already underway, the best response is to contact a professional remediation service with experience, relevant industry certifications, and thorough training. Starting with a mold inspection, you can understand the impact of mold on your property and get started with effective mold removal in Toronto and the surrounding area.
Finding a Mold Removal Services in the Greater Toronto Area
Choosing the right service for mold removal in Toronto can be overwhelming when time is of the essence. You’ll want a certified professional that’s insured and experienced. To make your search easy, many of the top restoration companies leverage digital marketing services, so you can identify them with ease. With a quick search, you can find 5-star mold removal companies that are IICRC certified and adhere to recognized InterNACHI standards.
