After a recent water damage event, toxic mold, such as black mold, can start developing in your carpets, especially if they did not have the opportunity to dry out thoroughly. In as little as 24 to 48 hours, mold can grow in your carpets, carrying health risks and a great deal of cleanup work.
ServiceMaster by LoveJoy has some tips to stop mold from spreading in your carpets after water damage. In this blog, we’ll discuss the following:
Firstly, let’s discuss the most common types of molds that grow indoors.
Common Types of Mold Found in Homes
Mold often goes unnoticed until it becomes a significant issue. This unwanted guest comes in various forms, each with unique characteristics and potential effects on indoor air quality and health. Knowing more about these different types of mold found indoors can be the first step in effective prevention and treatment. Let’s delve into the world of mold and uncover the common types that could be lurking within your living spaces.
ASPERGILLUS
- Over 185 species of Aspergillus are appearing in many different colors and are commonly found in American households.
- Long flask-shaped spores of Aspergillus can create thick layers or walls of the mold. Long chains of mold growth appear on surfaces as a result of this.
- Aspergillus is an allergenic mold, but it can also be harmful, depending on the species and environment it is exposed to. It can lead to symptoms like asthma attacks, lung infections, and respiratory inflammation.
ACREMONIUM
- Acremonium first starts as a small, moist mold that turns into a fine powdery substance. This mold typically grows in humidifiers, cooling coils, drain pans, and window sealants.
- Acremonium is often pink, grey, orange, or white.
CHAETOMIUM
- Chaetomium is a mold that is usually found in homes and structures that have been flooded. This mold is most commonly discovered in a damp or leaking roof, cellar, or sink, and has a musty smell.
- Chaetomium causes health effects such as skin and nail infections.
AUREOBASIDIUM
- This mold can be found growing behind wallpaper, on painted walls or wooden surfaces.
- Aureobasidium is commonly pink, brown, or black in hue. It generally turns a darker brown color as it ages.
- This kind of mold can cause dermatitis or skin rash if directly touched with bare skin.
ALTERNARIA
- Alternaria is the most common form of allergenic mold in the world. It’s a velvet-textured mold with dark green or brown hairs.
- This mold typically grows wherever dampness occurs, like showers, bathtubs, and leaking sinks.
- Alternaria is also a common mold species that appears as a result of water damage to a home or building
Health Risks of Black Mold (Stachybotrys chartarum)
Black mold, technically known as Stachybotrys chartarum, carries many known health risks, which is why you don’t want it on your carpet. Health risks of black mold exposure include:
- difficulty breathing
- frequent respiratory infections
- asthma attacks
- development of asthma in people previously not diagnosed with the condition
- coughing
- sneezing
- itchy, watery eyes
- headaches
- depression
- fatigue
How to Stop the Spread of Mold?
- When carpets get wet, the water and existing dust, dirt, hair, fibers, skin cells, food crumbs, bug parts, etc in the carpet provide the necessary food and moisture for the mold and bacteria to grow in the carpet.
- Once mold starts to grow in the carpet, then mold odors start to become discernible in the room.
- Once carpet mold has taken hold, there’s often no cleaning it up. You can shampoo your carpet but that won’t remove all the mold.
- Carpeting that gets wet during a flood (for example) may be salvageable if the carpet is quickly dried (within 48 hours). Carpets can be dried using dehumidification and water extraction equipment to remove the moisture in the carpet.
- After a carpet is dried, it can be cleaned by thorough HEPA vacuuming to remove mold spores and bacteria in the carpet
- If the carpet is an area rug, it can be placed outdoors in direct sunlight during warm, hot months for drying. The sun’s UV rays will also kill some of the mold and bacteria. However, the area rug still needs to be thoroughly HEPA vacuumed before it is re-installed.
In accordance with IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration) guidelines, water-damaged carpets should be removed and disposed of, including the padding beneath the carpeting. The flooring beneath should be inspected for mold growth.
Schedule an Appointment With Our Water Damage Restoration & Mold Remediation Experts in Conyers, GA
Got carpet mold? ServiceMaster by Lovejoy, a licensed mold remediation contractor in Conyers, GA, can handle the entire task. Contact us at (678) 293-0297 or (770) 983-6665. You may also schedule an appointment online.
Why Choose ServiceMaster by LoveJoy?
- Almost 25 years of experience
- Locally owned and operated company with national resources
- IICRC-Certified Firm
- Continuing Education Courses For Insurance Professionals
If steps are missed, your house or company may be left with lingering issues, or worse yet, the entire problem returns. Call us now for immediate assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
