How to Remove Mold From Walls so You Don’t Have to Flee Your Home

Andrea Fabry’s baustling family of 11 moved into their dream home during the summer of 2000. The big house was a dream come true for Andrea, her husband, and 9 children.

But the symptoms began as soon as they moved in. Like most of us, they didn’t jump to the conclusion mold in their walls was making them all sick.

They had a professional inspector check the house before buying it. The last thing they expected was black mold growing throughout the walls like a wildfire chugging a keg full of gasoline.

In 2008 they decided they had no choice but to leave. Fear of tracking mold into their new home forced them to leave everything behind.

Looking at the house left behind with everything in it you’d think the Fabry Family was on the run. But instead of running from the law this family is running away from the mold.

What an awful experience, right? Move into your dream home only to become violently ill every time you enter your home.

So what can you do to avoid this? This article will go over how to remove mold from walls before you have to evacuate like Andrea and her family.

“How Do I Know I Have Mold?”

If you have mold in your walls it can be difficult to know there’s a problem. When mold isn’t visible but present you may develop some of the following symptoms:

• coughing.
• wheezing.
• a stuffy nose.
• a runny nose.
• red eyes.
• itchy skin or eyes.

If these symptoms last longer than a few weeks, it could be mold, not just the common cold.

Another sign of mold is a musty or damp smell. Mold needs moisture to live and often originates from a leaky pipe. Be extra vigilant in bathrooms and rooms connected to the water line, like the kitchen.

Nose bleeds are also a frequent symptom of living with mold. It might not be the 1st thing you think of but mold can irritate the sensitive membranes in your nasal passages.

1 of the most sure-fire signs your living with mold are headaches that keep getting worse and worse. While headaches can be a symptom of a variety of conditions, mold can often cause painful migraines in healthy people

What Causes Mold in a House?

Water. Plain and simple. Humidity, flooding, and leaky pipes all create perfect living situations for mold.

Water leaks are the most nefarious because they are often out of sight. You could be developing symptoms of mold toxicity and think you’re just getting a cold.

Drying clothes indoors and even the steam from your hot shower can both add unnecessary humidity to your home.

Mold also needs a food source. And mold isn’t picky about what it eats. Drywall, wood, even damp insulation are like buffet tables for mold.

If you use a humidifier be sure to keep the humidity levels in your home lower than 55%. Once humidity goes past this you’re inviting mold into your home.

If you live in a naturally humid environment consider getting a dehumidifier to keep the mold at bay.

What Does Mold Look Like on Walls?

Mold can come in a variety of colors. Black, brown, and green molds are all commonplace in humid regions.

When it grows on walls mold often has a fuzzy texture to it, grouped in small circles that often bleed into one another to form a big patch.

And it’s not just black mold that can cause health problems. Aspergillus is the most common mold found in homes today and it can cause respiratory problems and inflammation of the lungs.

“How Do I Get Rid of Mold on My Walls?”

Before you start on your mold removal project it’s not a bad idea to have a professional come in and check it out.

Since several molds are very toxic, including black mold, you don’t want to start stirring up their spores into the air before you know what it is.

This is especially important if you have allergies or respiratory problems. Always wear a dust mask or respirator whenever taking on any mold removal. It's a great idea to add an air purifier for mold and mildew to your arsenal to best tackle sport.

The Easy Stuff

Mold you find in places like your shower can most often be solved with a 1-to-8 solution of bleach and water.

If you live in a humid region you’ll find this easy to clean kind of mold on the siding of your house as well. As long as you keep this kind of mold in check by wiping it down whenever it starts to appear, your home should be fine.

How to remove mold from walls gets a lot more complicated once the infestation has spread.

The Tough Stuff

If the drywall behind your moldy walls is soft and squishy, you’ve got a much bigger task at hand.

For getting rid of this kind of mold be sure to use either an N-95 or P-100 respirator mask to protect your lungs.

Set up an old fan you don’t need anymore in 1 of the windows of the room you’re working in. You’ll have to throw away this fan when you’re done because the spores are almost impossible to completely clean off.

You don’t want to reinfect the room you just cleaned by blowing a bunch of mold spores through it.

If you’re getting rid of mold-infested carpet make sure to wrap it in plastic and double bag any moldy debris you need to get rid of.

Don’t forget to turn off any A/C or heating units you have and use duct tape to seal off any vents. This will keep spores from spreading through the house.

How to Remove Mold From Walls Before It Takes Over the Whole House

Did Andrea Fabry’s family make it out alive?

Even though they had to leave their dream home behind, they’ve made a full recovery since moving to a new home in the dry and arid state of Arizona.

The Fabry home is an extreme example of how dangerous mold can be for your health.

But don’t worry. If you’ve found mold in your home there is plenty you can do before having to vacate.

The best way to keep your home safe from the toxic mold is to keep it clean. This way you’ll be less concerned with how to remove mold from walls since you’re preventing it from growing in the first place

Moisture can build up fast when clutter makes it difficult or impossible to deep clean every room.

When you have a lot of old stuff to get rid of it can seem overwhelming.

You start off thinking you can just use your regular trash bins but they’ve never seemed smaller.

Don’t wait. You can have a dumpster at your door in 24 hours when you call now.

There’s never a good reason to procrastinate. Keep your home safe from mold and stay clean.

Call now for a free quote!