One challenge of being Santa Barbara’s elite mold removal specialist is how limited the information ecosystem exploring mold is. The internet is rampant with misinformation about mold, and nobody seems to agree on the most critical questions. Does bleach kill mold? Is mold dangerous? Can I get rid of mold myself?
As a part of our mission to make your life better by restoring the health of your home and the other spaces you occupy, I’ve put together a list of the five most common myths I hear about mold and what I’ve discovered to be the truth that busts them!
1. Myth: If I don’t see mold, I don’t have a mold problem
Fact: Mold doesn’t need to be visible to affect your health! Unseen mold is especially problematic for those who are sensitive to mold and suffer from mold-related illnesses or allergies. Mold spores exist everywhere, floating in wait for a source of moisture to which to anchor. Once it does, it grows, and then you have visible mold.
Preventing water intrusions like leaks and floods is critical to avoiding visible mold, but your space could still be saturated with mold spores just waiting to take root. For that reason, a good mold inspector will perform tests on your air and surfaces even where they can’t see mold!
So what should you do? I suggest you seek air purification solutions that help keep your space’s total mold load as low as possible!
2. Myth: I can get rid of mold myself
Fact: There is no shortage of handyman blogs proudly offering DIY solutions to your mold problem, but all I have seen among them are suggestions to help eliminate visible mold.
There are ways you can get rid of visible mold yourself, but doing so is like putting a Band-Aid on a wound that needs stitches! If you need to eliminate mold in your home, I highly recommend seeking help from a mold removal specialist who can reduce your total mold load to safe levels!
3. Myth: Bleach kills mold
Fact: This claim isn’t entirely false, but it does leave out the bigger picture. Bleach can technically kill mold; if you see mold on a non-porous surface, a safe dilution of bleach and water will do the trick.
Unfortunately, most of the surfaces in most buildings are porous. Drywall, wood, and many kinds of natural stone are porous materials, and mold will anchor deep within them. Bleach won’t reach the mold beneath the surface, so you’ll think you’ve solved your problem when you’ve only masked it.
I completely understand the desire to avoid hiring a contractor if you can do it yourself, but where mold is concerned, there aren’t shortcuts!
4. Myth: Mold isn’t harmful to humans
Truth: Mold can be very hazardous to human health. As I’ve touched on quite a bit, the problem is that this is very difficult to prove. Many studies suggest that mold is harmful to humans, but they can’t claim causation. I’m not going to get into it here, but you can read more about how mold affects human health here.
5. Myth: I’ve noticed mold but feel fine – it must not affect me!
Truth: You may not have an acute health reaction to mold, but that doesn’t mean you are unaffected by it! Many studies reveal that prolonged exposure to mold can lead to serious health effects.
Don’t rest on your laurels if you know you have mold but don’t feel sick! I recommend you call a qualified mold remediation specialist for a mold inspection as soon as possible.
