Up to 50 percent of American households have mold, but that doesn’t have to be true for your home.
Mold is a type of fungus that thrives in moist environments and can cause serious health problems, including respiratory diseases, fatigue, and headaches.
Air purifiers help remove common allergens and mold from the air, providing relief for people with allergies or chronic asthma.
Whether you’re sensitive to mold, can have reactions just from being in the same room as it, or simply want a cleaner environment, an air purifier can help.
Air Oasis air purifiers not only help treat mold in the air but also remove allergens, stinky smells, viruses, and more. With the right air purifier, you’ll get rid of mold in the air and breathe easier.
Let’s talk through the best mold removal products available today, including those that get mold out of the air and off of surfaces.
Mold Remediation
The atmosphere is growing warmer, the environment is growing wetter, and flooding is becoming more commonplace, increasing mold exposure. With these environmental dynamics, the concentration of mold spores in the air increases.
If you are experiencing mold-related allergies or are concerned about black mold growth in your home, mold remediation may be necessary to protect the health of your family and those who live or work on the property.
Because of the risk to human health, the EPA has published Mold Remediation Guidelines to completely eliminate mold spores. Mold remediation is a multi-step process during which technicians work on the infected areas of a property to ensure that mold growth is stopped and all areas treated to limit future mold growth. The mold remediation process follows four steps: inspection, containment, mold clean-up, and sanitization.
When mold is suspected or discovered, experts will send a technician to inspect and identify the area in question. In addition, they will locate the source of moisture that led to mold growth.
The remediation process uses tech-based tools such as thermal cameras and moisture meters to locate mold. When mold colonies are discovered, testing is completed to determine precisely which type of mold has infected your space.
Next, experts will begin cleaning, repairing, and disinfecting all surfaces where mold is growing.
This may include building materials, interior surfaces, and personal property such as clothing and furniture.
The time it takes to remediate a mold issue on a property can vary depending on factors such as the size of the space, the extent of the mold infection, and damage that has been caused. In many cases, the work can be completed in a few days, but it may take weeks to return a property to its pre-mold infestation condition, especially in the presence of black mold.
Mold Prevention
The number one goal is to keep surfaces and air clean so that mold never develops. But in some environments, it can be tough to prevent or detect mold.
Mold grows indoors when it has organic materials to feed on and plenty of moisture. In a typical house, there are numerous organic materials for mold to live on, such as wood, drywall, and various other building materials. Those items are essential for construction and unlikely to be exchanged in full for any non-organic materials in the typical residential building process.
Moisture, on the other hand, can be controlled. Keeping the moisture in your home as low as possible is the best way to prevent mold growth.
To mitigate moisture in your home, you should prevent water leaks, condensation, and reduce humidity. Most mold needs 24-48 hours of moisture to grow. If a suitable material in your home is wet for more than 24 hours, you run the risk of mold growth.
You can also prevent mold with sunlight. Mold loves dark spaces indoors to grow in, so letting in sunlight will reduce mold growth.
Mold also likes warm environments. Mold generally does not grow in cold environments and needs a temperature of at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit to grow.
Controlling the air in your home through temperature and humidity will help prevent mold.
Removing Mold from Structures
Chlorine bleach is the most effective way to remove mold from exterior structures, including house siding, concrete, brick, and stone. The CDC recommends safety precautions, including glasses, gloves, protective clothing, and a respirator in the event black mold is present, as inhaling black mold spores poses a significant health safety risk.
If mold is suspected or discovered on the interior of a structure, the area should be opened to check for structural damage or mold within the walls. To clean mold off porous surfaces like wood and drywall, a detergent should be added to a bleach and water solution to help it adhere.
Any building materials removed due to mold should be bagged and disposed of properly.
Removing Mold From Surfaces
A solution of detergent and water combined with a brush or sponge will remove mold from most surfaces, such as ceilings, walls, appliances, and equipment. Spraying distilled white vinegar on a small amount of mold spores can kill mold spores. For tough mold stains, add chlorine bleach to the detergent and water solution.
Ultimately, the type of cleaning solution will depend on the amount of mold and specific surface. The CDC details specific mold clean-up guidelines and when to use bleach based on the mold present.
Removing Mold From the Air
Individual symptoms from mold can range from a mildew smell to allergy reactions, serious respiratory health conditions, and even toxigenic death for certain people. In short, mold must be taken seriously.
Mold emits spores, which elicit similar allergy reactions as pollen for people that come into contact with them. While mold spores are most commonly present in forest climates, they are very dangerous when they enter your home. Once indoors, mold can find warm and moist conditions to reproduce rapidly.
Mold spores, specifically black mold spores, particles, and mycotoxins, are most likely to enter the air when a colony is disturbed, contaminating the air you breathe. For this reason, running an air purifier is essential when you suspect mold, during the mold remediation process, and even after the mold has been removed.
Mold Prevention With Air Purifiers
Scientific studies have shown that running a high-quality air purifier can drastically reduce mold in the air. When it comes to mold prevention, a HEPA filter is necessary to help remove mold spores from the air.
Air Oasis air purifiers remove and reduce numerous airborne contaminants and toxins, including mold and its byproducts.
Discover Air Oasis purifiers to aid in your fight against mold in your home.