Your garage serves a wide range of purposes other than being a convenient place to park your automobile. Other uses of a garage include a mini-warehouse/storage space, workshop, and man cave. Generally, garages are built with poor ventilation systems. Be that as it may, your garage is also vulnerable to mold growth. The likelihood of mold growth in the garage increases when your home or garage has recently suffered water damage from a leaky roof or clogged gutter. When this happens, you need experts in mold remediation services.
How Does Mold Grow in a Garage?
Mold spores are everywhere – in the air, ground, water, and forest, you name it. Opening the garage door gives mold spores easy access to the garage. If your garage has moisture or damp issues, it presents the right conditions for mold spores to thrive and expand into an active colony.
Mold spores can germinate within 24 to 48 hours. You should be more worried about mold problems in the humid months of summer.
Mold Growth Signs in a Garage
How do you know your garage is where mold calls home? These signs include
A strange musty odor
Peeling wallpaper
Peeling drywalls
Discolored splotches on walls
Allergic reactions like sneezing or coughing whenever you enter the garage
Discoloration on unsealed woodwork
Where Can You Find Mold In a Garage?
Mold is always present in damp or moist areas. Mold spores can germinate on any porous surface. Mold can also develop a colony on a garage ceiling where moisture and warmth are common.
The radon pipe is yet another place where mold thrives. These pipes are designed to pull cold air from the ground into the garage, where the air becomes warmer. Due to this, the radon pipes experience condensation. If your garage as sufficient dust or particles on the exterior pipes, the mold can exploit the surface of the pipe to create an active colony. To prevent mold from exploiting your pipe’s surface, clean it at intervals.
Porous materials like cardboard boxes are also not left out. The smallest mold colony can grow into something big, especially when it germinates in the garage’s attic storage.
Should I Handle Mold Remediation Services Myself?
Mold can be dangerous. As it expands, the colony releases an increasing volume of mold spores and irritating mycotoxins. Exposure to mold infestation can lead to serious health risks, including sneezing, coughing, asthma attacks, and other respiratory issues.
Also, the toxic black mold, considered to be the most harmful and dangerous, is somewhat common in garages. Toxic black mold is sticky when touched. However, do not attempt to touch mold without adequate protection.
Due to the many health risks and overwhelming nature of mold remediation, it is advisable to leave the task to the professionals. When black mold senses disturbance, it releases mold spores and other dangerous mycotoxins into the air, which can adversely affect your health when exposed to it.
Professional remediation services can tell the difference between the different mold types, so they know the best cleaning procedure to take.