Identifying and Removing Black Mold

Black mold—those two little words can strike fear and provoke a shudder in many people. We’ve all heard horror stories about black mold and its noxious effects. Even though it probably isn’t deadly, toxic black mold can still endanger your health and your home. If you’re wondering how to identify black mold or how to get rid of black mold, the experts at My Pure Environment are here to help.

How to Identify Black Mold

You can’t always tell whether or not a mold is dangerous based on its color alone. Stachybotrys chartarum, commonly known as “black mold” releases toxic compounds, but it isn’t always black. It can appear as dark green, gray, brown, or even orange, and have a slimy texture when wet or a fuzzy texture when dry.

The first indication of the presence of black mold is often a musty smell. If you follow your nose and find a patch of discoloration on a wall or ceiling, you might be dealing with black mold. Although it usually appears as tiny, dark spots, black mold often looks very similar to other types of mold that do not produce mycotoxins. To find out exactly what type of mold you’re dealing with, you will need to consult a professional.

How to Get Rid of Black Mold

Regardless of its color, texture, or toxicity, the best course of action is to get rid of mold before it can spread. Prolonged exposure can trigger allergic reactions, asthma, and respiratory infections, and can even affect your mental health. In addition, unchecked mold growth will often cause property damage that requires demolition and costly repairs.

To get rid of black mold you’ll first need to deal with any water damage that’s causing the mold to grow. Next, you should always call a mold remediation expert. Professional mold removal is the most effective way to get black mold out of your home and out of your life for good.

Is It Safe to Clean Black Mold Yourself?

Although they might not cost as much, DIY methods simply aren’t as effective or as long-lasting as professional mold removal. Plus, your attempt to get rid of the mold yourself might only end up spreading it around. When you disturb the mold, its airborne spores will simply settle on a new surface and start growing all over again.

Even with safety gear like goggles, rubber gloves, and an N-95 mask, cleaning black mold is dangerous. Don’t endanger your health—leave black mold removal up to the professionals. Only a mold remediation specialist has the expertise and equipment to get the job done right.

Black Mold Removal in Santa Clara and San Francisco

For effective, long-lasting black mold removal, you can trust in the experts at My Pure Environment. Our patented dry fog technology is fast-acting and demolition-free. Plus, our mold removal services come with a 12-month guarantee. Call (415) 687-5374 in San Francisco, or (408) 549-8926 in Santa Clara, California to learn more, or schedule a free initial inspection online today.

Photo by Andrew Small on Unsplash used with permission under the Creative Commons license for commercial use 12/13/2021.