A natural substance that can be found in almost any environment where moisture is present, mold can wreak havoc with your home or business, especially if you have suffered recent water damage from a flood or leaky roof. If left unchecked, mold will continue to grow and spread, leaving in its wake thousands or millions of mold spores that can lead to respiratory problems or aggravate existing conditions such as allergies or asthma. Since mold has a complex growth process, here is all you need to know about how long it has been growing before you actually see it on your walls or elsewhere.
24-48 Hours
The rate at which mold will grow and spread will depend on many factors, including the type of mold, the material on which it is growing, and how much moisture is present in the area. Under normal conditions, mold will begin to grow in as little as 24 hours upon encountering moisture. In almost any case, no more than 48 hours will be needed until it starts growing.
12 Days Later
Should mold in your home or business be left to its own devices and allowed to continue to grow and spread, Decon Environmental mold remediation technicians know it will take no longer than 12 days for the mold spores to colonize, meaning the mold can start to spread to other areas as spores fill the air and start traveling here and there. When this happens, it will not be long until the mold becomes visible.
18-21 Days
About one week after the mold spores have colonized, you will start to notice the appearance of mold on floors, walls, ceilings, or perhaps on furniture or clothing that has been stored in a cool, dark area, such as a basement. Once you can see mold, the bad news is that you will know it has been present for some time, meaning you will likely need mold remediation experts to solve your problem.
The Mold You Don’t See
When you see mold on a wall, floor, or ceiling, don’t do like many people and assume that is all the mold present in your home or business. Unfortunately, when you see mold on an outer surface, this usually means there is much more on the inside of walls and ceilings, as well as underneath floor covering.
When your home or business suffers water damage, assume that mold won’t be far behind. Rather than procrastinate and let the problem worsen, contact mold remediation experts right away so you can soon have a mold-free area.
