Does your home have a constant funny smell that won’t go away? Does your family seem to experience allergy-like symptoms all year round? Has your house suffered water damage, such as a burst pipe, flooded basement, or leaky roof? If any of these issues sound familiar, you may have a mold problem.
Mold is a serious issue that can cause health problems and significantly damage your home’s structure. If you suspect you might have moldy spots in your house, you must treat them and repair the cause as quickly as possible to protect your health and property. Here’s what you need to know about why mold is so dangerous, what can cause it, and what you need to do to get it removed permanently.
Dangers of Mold in Homes
Mold is a kind of fungus that likes to grow in dark, wet areas. There are thousands of species of molds, but they can all cause significant problems if they start growing in your home.
The most serious risk is how it can impact your health. Some of the most common effects of mold exposure include:
Furthermore, some kinds of molds are toxic, such as black mold. These molds release mycotoxins, which can cause issues like memory loss, headaches, and mood swings. The impact is even worse for children. Childhood mold exposure can cause children to develop asthma in the first place and may also cause lower cognitive performance.
Fungus can also harm your house. It signifies that part of your home is at risk of rotting. In some cases, the fungus can weaken drywall and wood, while in others, it’s a sign that other fungi and bacteria are hard at work damaging your house. Either way, if there’s moldy areas in your home, they need to be cleaned up and the cause fixed immediately.
What Causes Mold Growth?
Mold spores are constantly floating around in the air. During warm months, a few spores float inside whenever you open the windows or come in from outside. Most of the time, these spores remain dormant and don’t cause a problem. However, if they run into the right conditions, they can germinate and become a serious threat to your health.
The single most common cause of fungus is moisture. There are molds that eat everything from wood to cloth to dust, so the materials used in your home don’t matter. However, they require moisture to grow. If there’s a place in your home that’s consistently damp, there’s a species of fungus that would love to move in.
There are many reasons why you might have a moisture problem. Some of the most common reasons you might develop an infestation include:
It doesn’t take much for molds to form, either. The EPA recommends that you dry out flooded or water-damaged areas in less than 48 hours to prevent fungus from forming. In other words, it only takes two days for mildew to grow in wet areas.
If you’ve just suffered a flood or other natural disaster, mold can be a severe problem. You may be unable to dry out your basement or walls in just two days. If your house develops fungus issues after a natural disaster, you may be able to file an insurance claim to get the problem fixed.
How to Pursue Mold Remediation
The EPA states that many people can clean up mold on their own if it’s a patch smaller than 10 square feet. However, cleaning up moldy spots can release dangerous mycotoxins in large amounts, so it requires appropriate safety gear such as gloves and face masks to do safely. Furthermore, if there’s fungus in an HVAC system or inside your walls, you may not be able to access it on your own.
In most cases, the best option is to get a professional remediation company to clean up the mess. Here’s how.
Remember that it’s in the insurance company’s best interest to pay as little for your claim as possible. If your insurance tries to refuse your claim or underpays for the necessary remediation, you need to get legal help.
Fight to Get Mold Removed from Your Home
You shouldn’t have to live with fungi in your home after surviving a natural disaster. You can get help fighting denied or underpaid remediation claims from the expert attorneys at the Professional Law Group.
Our team has years of experience helping clients like you stand up to greedy insurance companies. We will work to ensure that you receive the total value of your insurance claim so you can make sure your home is fungus-free and safe for your health. Get in touch today to schedule your consultation and learn more about how the Professional Law Group can help you fight back.
