What Does House Mold Look Like?

After a water breach happens in your home, you may wonder how to identify mold and what do mold spores look like. Not only that but once you identify mold in your home, you want to know exactly what to do to ensure that those who live and work there are safe.

Mold is a fungus that grows and spreads when in contact with a host, moisture, warmth, and humidity. It is common to see them appear after a water leak or breach of a space.

Unfortunately, for some people, the spores can be dangerous to their health. Illnesses range in intensity and can even become chronic for some individuals.

Mold is identifiable most often via the wet, musty smell that the spores emit. It can vary in color and texture, but most often appears as a spread of fungus.

To avoid the worst of the consequences of mold exposure, it is best to contact professional mold restoration and mitigation services like those offered at HRS in  Denver. 

From inspection to drying to restoration, our team of certified technicians is able to help when mold is found. Contact us immediately to get the process of protecting your family started as soon as mold is suspected.


What Is Mold?

Mold is a fungus that sheds spores that float in the air that we breathe. In fact, there are mold spores everywhere and we inhale them on a daily basis.

What makes the mold that is found in a home after a water breach is the amount of mold in the space.

Mold comes in many different colors and textures. It can be grey, white, red, and black. It can also appear fuzzy in texture or smooth. 

Mold in a house may look like spots on a wall or a dark color on tile grout. 

Mold needs moisture, warmth, darkness, and humidity to grow. After a water breach, it is possible that mold will thrive in areas that remain moist, making a professional mold assessment from certified technicians like those at HRS essential to ensure the safety of those who live and work in a home.


Is Mold Dangerous?

Mold can be dangerous to some individuals who are sensitive to its spores. 

As it spreads and the exposure becomes more severe, the incidence of illness can increase in those who live and work in an infected space. 

Mold spores float in the air that we breathe on a daily basis, and for many, this doesn’t lead to illness. However, in the case of a mold infestation after a water breach, a large percentage of those exposed can suffer health-related issues.


Symptoms Of Mold Exposure

There are many health-related illnesses that can be caused by exposure to mold. These include ones typically associated with asthma, seasonal allergies, and lung issues.

If an individual is suffering from a common symptom of mold exposure, they may feel as if they have a cold, experience cough and congestion, and even run afever. Many also report itchy and watery eyes.

In more severe cases, mold exposure can also lead to headaches, muscle aches, joint pain, and even psychiatric issues.

The degree of illness is most often associated with the time of exposure, the size of the mold growth, and the sensitivity of the person inhaling the spores.


What Causes Mold? 

Mold spores are present in the air that we breathe every day. 

It is when mold spores are able to attach to a host that is moist and in a dark, humid space that it begins to grow and spread. 

Moisture is the essential ingredient for mold development. This is why it is necessary to ensure that the water breach causing the growth environment is discovered and stopped. 

In many cases, it takes professional-grade equipment and trained service providers, like the mold mitigation and restoration technicians at HRS, to identify every area of moisture and to remove the conditions that are promoting mold growth.


How Does Mold Spread?

To spread, mold attaches to a host. 

This host is made of a permeable material (one that can absorb and hold water) and is usually located in a dark space. For example wet doors, wallboards, and carpet are perfect materials for a mold colony to begin spreading. 

Then, as long as the moisture remains, the colony can thrive. In fact, colonies can spread as much as a square foot per week if the water is allowed to remain.


Signs Of Mold In A House

There are several key indicators that mold is growing in your home. When you find these, you may wish to seek professional help, like that offered by HRS, to ensure that the water breach causing the growth is discovered and stopped.

After this occurs, a mold inspection can help you find the remaining colonies and dry, disinfect, and restore the affected areas to their pre-damaged state.

You might wonder what mold looks like in a home. Here are a few things to look for after a water breach in your home:

  • Swollen doors or woodwork
  • Peeling wallpaper
  • Off-colored tile grout
  • Dark spots on walls
  • Musty/earthy smells


What To Do If You Find Mold In Your House

After a  water breach in your home, it is almost certainly true that some mold has begun to grow in affected areas. 

When you suspect mold is growing, there are several steps to take to protect the health and safety of those who live and work in your home.

The first is to contact a mold inspector, like the Denver-based trained and certified professionals at HRS, to assess the situation, find the water breach, and stop it.

Then, professional service providers are able to use tools like thermal cameras and moisture meters to discover mold and remediate it. This means that the affected areas are dried, cleaned, and disinfected.

A full restoration can then occur. At HRS, our licensed contractors are able to complete all remaining repairs and return your home to its pre-damaged condition.


Why Choose HRS Restoration Services? 

Mold growth is one of the main concerns of homeowners when they have a water emergency. This is due to the health dangers posed by the uncontrolled growth of the fungus.

With over two decades of experience helping homeowners like you in Denver with these types of emergencies, the professionals at HRS know exactly how to return your home to a safe and healthy state in as little time as possible.

It is our mission to partner with you and your insurance company to make the mitigation and restoration of your property as easy and safe as it can be in a water or mold emergency.


Contact HRS Restoration Services Today! 

When an emergency – be it mold, water, fire, or another traumatic event – happens, you need the very best professional help.

In Denver, the highly trained and experienced team at HRS is the partner you need to stop the damage and repair your home.

Time is important in these situations to ensure the best result for your home. When you find yourself with a mold issue, contact our team immediately and we can start the process of bringing your space back to life.

Always Available

Anytime of day, any day of the year, HRS is here to fix what may seem overwhelming and intimidating. Our professionals in Denver are here to help 24/7.

what is iicrc and Why is it important?

IICRC stands for the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification. Formed nearly 40 years ago, it is a non-profit organization that establishes globally recognized standards for the cleaning and restoration industry, as well as providing certifications, journeyman and master designation, and education.

By choosing a firm with IICRC certified team members, you are assured the cleaning professionals have undergone rigorous training and will handle your disaster restoration with the highest standard of care.

Approach

Helping Our Customers Immediately.

Figuring out what steps to take when disaster strikes can be a daunting task. HRS is here 24/7 to walk you through the process and bring your home or business back to habitable condition(s).

Taking care of emergencies so you don’t have to.

At HRS, we understand the panic that can set in when your basement floods or a fire breaks out at your business. We are here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to repair damage and give you peace of mind.

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