Black mold is an unwanted house guest that causes illness and structural damage. The fungus feeds on the cellulose found in wood, thereby weakening the beams, and air borne spores can cause respiratory problems if breathed in. Black mold has to be removed quickly before serious consequences result and the best means of eradicating this problem depends on what part of the house is infested with the spores.
Basements are notorious for the amount of moisture found in them. Running a de-humidifier prior to any cleaning effort reduces the moisture in the basement and running a fan will cut down on the airborne spores. Washing the infected area surface with hot, soapy water and then a strong bleach solution should get rid of black mold from small, isolated areas. Critics, however, caution against relying exclusively on bleach because there is no guarantee that it alone will prevent mold from coming back. Having a de-humidifier running all the time will keep moisture levels down and inhibit mold growth. Concrete walls may have to be sealed with a moisture barrier to prevent future growth and these are readily available from a hardware store.
A rather drastic, but nevertheless effective, means of removing black mold from a bathroom or kitchen is to simply cut out the infested area of the dry wall and replace it with new dry wall. This might sound expensive, but it really isn’t and the whole procedure usually takes just a few hours to do. Attics may be a little bit more complicated. These and crawl spaces also are dark and rarely visited, so it is possible for serious black mold infestation to take hold. Ventilation is essential to treating attic or crawl space mold because still air can be very humid. Vents and ceiling fans can reduce the risk of mold infestation. Because water can collect underneath the roof, a wet vacuum should be used to get rid of any puddles in an attic. Further, attic insulation needs to be inspected and removed if it shows evidence of black mold. UV lights can kill mold but these lights should only be run for a few hours and should not be left unattended.
EPA approved biocides can be spayed to kill attic mold as well, but safety is important and any warnings must be taken seriously. As a general rule, safety is critical whatever means are used. Black mold should not be touched with bare hands, so rubber gloves need to be used. Since mold spores can become air borne a safety mask should be worn to prevent black mold spores from being accidentally breathed in. Goggles are also a good idea to have.
The degree of infestation also determines the type of removal necessary. Black mold does create mycotoxins and these, in turn, can lead to black mold health risks. Extensive evidence of black mold will make the task of removing it less of a DIY project and more something that needs the skills of professional mold removers. Granted, using professional mold removers might be expensive, but health risks warrant the use of professionals if the residence has substantially large amounts of black mold inside. Prevention is always the best strategy in dealing with black mold and installing ceiling fans, using de-humidifiers and routinely inspecting water pipes for leaks will prevent the initial growth of black mold, thus avoiding the task of removing it later.