Mold Damage Source in Bennington & Rutland Counties

9/11/2019 (Permalink)

Mold is everywhere. The spores that form mold growths are in the air and inside every home and business. The only exceptions are ‘clean rooms’; surgical theaters for example or some electronic assembly chambers.

If you want to understand mold damage in your Rutland, Vermont home, it is necessary to know how mold expands and grows anywhere in the right temperature range with sufficient moisture and food.  

Mold starts as a tiny spore, usually airborne. Each one is tinier than a mustard seed, and a mass of thousands is smaller than the head of a pin. When these airborne spores settle on a surface, they remain inert unless they come into contact a source of moisture. The initial amount of water does not need to be more than a few drops, that is all it takes for spores to expand and extend hyphae.   

These extensions spread across surfaces to expand the new growth. When they find a food source, hyphae grow into the material; normally construction items like drywall and ceiling tiles. They sustain the growth and speed expansion as well.   

Most mold grows at a range of 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Since this is the temperature range for most homes in North America year-round, fungi growth is a problem in Fall and Winter as well as Spring and Summer. Obviously, the best way to stop mold growth is to turn off the moisture since it is also the starting point of the growth. Then we eliminate the source, be it a leaking pipe, pooled water under a damaged section of roof, a severe flood, or something else.  

With the mold halted, we begin cleaning and removal. First, we isolate the area as best as possible; this prevents accidental contamination of other, clean parts of the house. After an initial pass with commercial grade vacuums to pull up loose spores, we remove all building material and personal property with mold. Depending on the item and the amount of mold involved, we clean it on-site, at our facility, or dispose of it.    For mold on the structure, we use a variety of anti-fungal agents and tools to kill and remove surface mold. If the spores have grown just below the surface, we remove the piece or cut away the affected section if structural integrity remains uncompromised. 

Stopping mold and removing the damage from your home is not a simple task. At, SERVPRO of Bennington & Rutland Counties we have the personnel, training, and equipment needed to ensure we do it as quickly as possible and still provide a safe environment for you and your family to return home.

If you need us, call today at (802) 375-1500.