Even if you’re the type of homeowner who keeps your home exceptionally clean at all times, you too may occasionally experience mold and mildew in the basement, bathrooms, or other potentially damp areas of your house. For those of us living in Florida, the consistent and intense humidity presents a constant challenge – down South, with year-round moisture, it’s more even important to stay proactive and diligent about preventing mold and mildew from taking root in your home. With how heightened the humidity levels are around here in South Florida, every room of your home could be potential breeding ground for mold & mildew if you aren’t taking the proper precautions. If these fungi are allowed to reproduce unchecked, it could develop into a serious problem for the well-being of your home and your family. Fortunately, American Plumbing has all of the information that you need to keep your home safe these pesky and potentially unsafe invaders.

So just what are mold and mildew? When protecting your home from mold and mildew, it is important to know the difference between the two. Most of us are familiar with mold, a typically dark green or black, fuzzy fungus that usually appears on expired foods or when significant water damage has occurred. Mildew, however, is a more subtle infiltrator and can be harder to detect. Not as substantial a presence as mold, mildew presents itself as a thinner, powdery film of fungus that is usually lighter than mold in color, typically white or gray. However, one thing that the both mildew and mold do unanimously share is an unpleasant musty smell. Not only is the smell very disagreeable, but it can also pose a potential health hazard to those in vicinity.

The reason that mold and mildew have an unpleasant scent is that they propagate through spores that they spread through the air. These spores can worsen existing allergies leading to headaches, sinus issues, itchy eyes, and more. The young, elderly, and those with asthma are also at a greater risk of increased respiratory issues due to mold. It is even believed that these mold and mildew spores could even produce mycotoxins that could lead to cancer, liver damage, and other serious health complications. As you can see, fungus in the home is not to be taken lightly.

The good news about both mold and mildew is that when readily accessible, they are both relatively easy to clean. All that is required to remove most deposits of mold or mildew is an abrasive surface for scrubbing, such as a soft-bristled brush, and a cleaning solution. However, most people have found that bleach makes for the most effective treatment against both of these pesky fungi. After letting the bleach sit for ten minutes, just clean the affected area with soap and water and you and your home should be fungus-free! Of course, the best way to deal with mold and mildew is to prevent them from forming all together! Be sure to diligently clean poorly ventilated and moist areas regularly to avoid these kind of problems from occurring in your home.

However, if the musty smell continues, there may be a larger problem at hand. Mold and mildew, while fairly easy to treat when accessible, can often take root in hidden places like behind your walls, making the cleaning the process incredibly difficult. Sometimes the outbreak may even appear in area that are not supposed to be damp at all, which could indicate a leak somewhere in your home’s plumbing system. If you think that your mold issue that require a professional touch, don’t panic! The professional plumbers at American Plumbing will be able to detect and treat your home’s mold problem affordably and in no time at all! Contact us today!

Mold and Mildew