Mold contamination isn’t just unattractive. It can damage your home and belongings, and can even be dangerous to your health, causing allergies, asthma problems, and other physical side effects. AES’s mold cleanup team is certified by the Restoration Industry Association (formerly ASCR) as professional mold remediators.

What makes mold unique – and pervasive – is its ability to grow without sunlight. Instead, it only needs the right temperature and moisture levels, and of course a food source – in this case, your home or belongings. This is why you get mold contamination in dark, damp, enclosed spaces, like basements or storage areas – light and air flow change the humidity profile so the mold doesn’t have what it needs to grow.

Mold can feed on the wooden framing timbers in your home, causing structural damage that can actually cause walls and floors to collapse. (If you suspect that mold has damaged building integrity, consult a structural engineer or other construction professional.)

The most important factor in mold control is controlling moisture levels – clean up water leaks or spills within 24-48 hours and make sure that everything has been dried as completely as possible. Also, keep your indoor relative humidity below 70% (25-60% is ideal), adding dehumidifier equipment if necessary.

Mold remediation is the process of killing the mold and removing its toxic byproducts to prevent further damage to the building or injury to its inhabitants. It’s not enough to just kill the mold in place – even dead mold can be dangerous and requires careful removal, using moisture- and spore-safe techniques. The final step is to correct the moisture leak that fueled the mold in the first place, ensuring that any residual spores remain inactive and harmless.