Myth vs Facts of Mold

10/19/2018 (Permalink)

Recently, SERVPRO of Overbrook/Wynnefield has been getting a lot of calls related to mold within people’s homes. Many times, these occurrences happen in basements and attics of these homes. These jobs may seem easy enough for the typical home owner to do themselves,  but many times, if the job isn’t done correctly, that mold will spread again a few weeks later. Here are a few myths vs facts about the dangers of mold in the household. F.Y.I. If you think you have a mold infestation in your house, please contact SERVPRO of Overbrook/Wynnefield at 215-877-6653

Myth #1:

Bleach kills mold

Fact #1:

Liquid bleach is a solution of chlorine in water, usually 6 percent sodium hypochlorite, thus 94 percent water. Smearing bleach on mold may appear to kill it, but the effect is superficial and very temporary. Once the chlorine is gone - and it evaporates rapidly - what's left is all that water, feeding the mold.

There are many chemicals that kill mold. They're called biocides. That means they kill life. 

(Bio = life + cide = kill.)

Myth #2:

“Toxic” mold is the only dangerous type of mold

Fact #2:

"Toxic" mold or "black" mold is often touted by the hucksters in the mold industry as being the one that makes people sick, the one you must eliminate. This is pure scare tactic. 

Yes, there are some strains of mold that seem to be more toxic than others. But there is no such thing as good mold, or even tolerable mold, unless you like stinky cheese. Mold in your home is a problem, because it signifies a moisture problem. Moisture inside your home enables mold growth, and it can also lead to rot, threatening the structure itself.

On top of that, any mold problem that's allowed to continue often will pave the way for the dreaded "black mold." The most infamous "black mold," stachybotrys chartarum, is what's known as a tertiary mold. It's very slow to develop and usually follows earlier mold growths, actually feeding off the previous mold colony.

Myth #3:

Homeowners can properly remediate mold problems themselves 

Fact #3:

Homeowners are (usually) not trained or knowledgeable about mold enough to properly remediate damages. Many times homeowners cause more damage themselves when they don’t hire a professional. Most of the errors are in the contamination process. Not using vapor barriers or the proper equipment to clean the air during removal stages can cause further mold spread throughout other areas that were not effected before.