Finding mold in your home can be a frightening ordeal. Mold can be dangerous if it gets into your eyes or lungs, and there is no way to fully remove and kill mold from a surface. However there are safe ways to deal with mold that you find in your home.
In this article, we will detail the best ways to get rid of mold in your home as well as how to keep mold from coming back once it has been removed.
Will Gutting a House Get Rid of Mold?
Though the mold in your home will be gone, the act of gutting to remove mold is not the best idea. If your house has mold, you should get rid of as much of it as possible before gutting it.
Mold spores in the walls, especially dry walls will get in the air when the home is being gutted which can get mold in your airways and eyes.
Can you gut a house with mold safely?
You should have the mold assessed and removed before you gut the house, there is no real way to gut a house with mold safely. Mold spores can get in the air when the walls are taken down and resettle into the renovated home or get in your lungs and eyes which can be dangerous depending on the mold.
Before gutting your home, you should attempt to identify the source of the mold and address that before beginning renovations of any kind.
How do I permanently get rid of mold in my house?
It depends on how severe your mold infestation is but there are several ways to rid your home of mold for good.
The first thing you should do is identify the source of the mold. Before you can remove it, you have to know what is causing it so it doesn’t grow back after you clean it up. Mold thrives with moisture so if there is a leak or a particularly humid room, fixing that problem can stop more mold from growing.
If the mold infestation is small enough, it can be cleaned up with a solution of bleach and water OR vinegar and baking soda. Please do NOT mix these two cleaning solutions.
Can mold be completely removed from a house?
Mold solutions are usually called mold remediation because in most cases, mold cannot be removed completely from a home. You can remove affected items and stop more mold from growing but once mold has been established in a material it will be there forever.
Mold can go into hibernation, essentially, which means it will stop growing and producing spores, which is the next best thing to complete removal.
How much does it cost to gut a house with mold?
Depending on the level of infestation, gutting a home with mold in it can cost anywhere from $500-$6,000.
The size of the infestation and where it is specifically located, ie how difficult it is to get to, all factor into how expensive mold removal can be.
How do professionals remove mold?
Mold professionals use a specific antimicrobial chemical to clean surfaces with mold or mold stains and follow that up with a water resistant sealant to prevent moisture from reactivating the leftover mold.
What kills mold instantly?
Diluted bleach is a fan favorite for killing mold for a reason. It is effective, cheap, and fast. But if you want to avoid harsh chemicals, vinegar has been proven to be effective in treating mold outbreaks as well.
There are also plenty of products on the market for mold removal that you can use to specifically target mold and mildew.
What kills mold permanently?
Nothing. Mold doesn’t really die so much as it goes into hibernation. Hibernation of mold however, is as good as dead to humans. As long as mold isn’t growing and spreading, it is pretty much harmless.
The only way to keep mold away permanently is to make sure the environment is uninhabitable for the mold. No excess moisture, no leaks, no rotting organic material will keep mold from being able to grow back.
What if mold is behind drywall?
Removing mold that is behind drywalls is one of the more difficult places from which to remove mold. If this is the case, the drywall needs to be removed and replaced.
Will mold die if it dries out?
No, mold will only deactivate. However, dormant mold is as harmless as no mold. As long as the mold cannot grow and spread, it can’t harm you. Dried out mold may not be dead, but it is the safest form of mold if you do have it.
Will a dehumidifier kill mold?
Dehumidifiers do not kill mold, but they can help to prevent mold from growing and spreading. Mold thrives in moist environments, so using a dehumidifier to lower the humidity in a room to 50-60% the mold can’t spread and grow
How do I test my house for mold?
Most of the time you can see infestations of mold and mildew. But if you are worried that you may have mold in your home that you can’t see, there are some ways to test for invisible mold.
A DIY test for mold is using a cotton swab soaked in bleach to swab your walls, if the spot lightens, it’s likely mold.
There are also kits you can buy that can test the air for traces of mold spores.
What happens if mold is found during a home inspection?
If the mold is severe enough, you can ask the seller to have a mold removal service come to the home and treat the mold. If it is milder, you can try to negotiate the price of the home down to cover the cost of mold removal.
If mold is found during an inspection, it is mostly up to your comfort level how you want to deal with the issue at hand.