If you have found a patch of mold in your house, you will no doubt want to get rid of it as quickly as possible. The question is, should you get rid of it yourself, or do you need to have the problem treated professionally?

The first thing you will need to find out is the cause of the mold growth. If you clean up the mold without discovering the source, the problem will just keep coming back again or, worse still, create bigger problems. For example, if water is leaking somewhere, it needs to be fixed while it is hopefully still a minor issue.

How can you decide whether to clean the mold patch yourself or have it looked at professionally? Although there are some deciding factors, you can generally take care of cleaning the mold yourself if the area covers no more than 10 square feet. This can be done using water and detergent. Just remember that before repainting or recaulking an area, it needs to be free of mold and completely dried out. You should also wear a breathing mask and protective clothing while taking care of the task, to avoid inhaling mold spores.

Mold in carpets and soft furnishings presents more of a challenge, so you may want to seek advice if the mold has started growing in these items. You may even find that it is easier to replace a carpet than try to clean large patches of mold from it.

You should never ignore mold growth in a home, as it can be very harmful to the health of the occupants. If you have any questions regarding this subject or any other home inspection topic, please don’t hesitate to contact us.