There’s a certain time of year when our phones start ringing off the hook.
Here in Austin and the surrounding areas, homeowners are getting ready for the weather to heat up. We’re opening up our windows and doors and letting the fresh air in. We’re spring cleaning. And many homeowners are making a demoralizing discovery: mold.
It can be tempting to wipe the mold away and keep going. After all, we tell ourselves, the house will dry out over summer.
Sadly, that’s not true. The fungus we see is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mold, and even that can be growing in places we can’t see it: in the walls, under the carpet, in the ceiling, and inside our ductwork. Learn more about the signs of mold here.
The good news is: our clients know that it’s easier to call us in than to risk the mold issue getting worse. It’s important to us to spread that word, so this article explores the question that can protect your investment—and your family:
Why is mold damage so bad?
The Ultimate Homeowners’ Guide: Why mold damage matters
Mold is a threat to our homes in two ways: it damages our physical property, and it damages our physical health.
Property damage
Mold and damp go hand in hand. If you find mold in your home, the most obvious link is that you have a damp home. This could stem from several factors:
- Past water damage
- Severe condensation
- Roofing leaks
- Plumbing or appliance leaks
- Damp foundations
If you notice rust, warping in the walls or flooring, swelling in the walls, or musty odors, these are also significant signs that your home has a problem with damp.
There is a common misconception that water restoration and mold remediation work is expensive. When you take into account the cost of not taking action to prepare your home, though, the price is very little. Not investing in the repair of water damage in your home can lower the value of your property, and mean you need to spend money on replacing walls, flooring, ductwork, pipes, or even a total roofing replacement, well before time. Your roofing, in particular, should last decades if it’s well maintained. If you don’t fix the damage when you see the first signs of damp, you could be making a costly mistake.
Physical Health
When mold gets into your sinuses and respiratory system, there can be terrible consequences. Inhaling mold spores is easily done while you are asleep, relaxing, or socializing indoors.
Mold spores in your respiratory system can cause inflammation of your airways, resulting in:
- Nasal congestion
- Chest tightness
- Shortness of breath
- Sore throat
- Coughing
Many people who live in damp homes also complain of watery eyes, itchy eyes and skin, reduced lung function and chronic asthma.
Even the World Health Organisation believes that 300 million cases of childhood asthma can be linked to indoor damp and mold.
We spend, on average, 16 hours a day in our homes—more so for young children and the over 65 set. That’s a lot of time to be exposed to mold over your lifetime.
Conclusion
We know a lot of homeowners are asking the question: why is mold damage so bad? It can be tempting to wipe it away, rather than add it to our ever-growing To-Do list. But—like we tell our clients—dealing with mold early is vital to the health of your family and your investment.
Need advice about mold in your home? Call Austin’s mold remediation professionals to get home-healthy again!
