Facts about Mold: Its Life Cycle and Its Dangers

If you have water damage in your home due to a flood, plumbing damage, a leaky roof, or another disaster, then you have one major concern that exceeds most others: mold growth. Professional contractors can help you put your life back together after water damage in Marietta, and their chief job will be preventing or eliminating all signs of mold. Why does mold appear indoors, why is it dangerous, and what can be done about it?

Here are some important facts all homeowners and business owners should know about mold:

Mold is an important part of the planet’s natural order. It helps to break down dead organic matter—everything from plant residue to animal carcasses.
When mold helps decompose the remains of a living creature, elements of the life form will return to the natural environment, fertilizing the soil and helping future life forms to grow. All living things today are part of this process of life cycling in and out of the planet.
Indoors, mold is extremely dangerous. It can irritate allergies, cause asthma, contribute to respiratory illnesses, and can even be deadly.
This is because mold does not belong in a controlled, indoor environment. Without soil, plant life, open air flow, or other natural order to create balance, mold can take over a building.
Mold reproduces via tiny spores, or seed-like structures that are invisible to the human eye. Spores float through the air looking for matter to decompose or moisture to consume.
There are many, many types of mold in nature. No mold yet known to scientists can survive without moisture of some kind.
When mold spores find moisture, they will settle there and grow extremely quickly. Some types of mold can flourish in a matter of hours.
Appliances like sink basins and tubs are designed in such a way that water will flow out of them rather than settling. This makes it possible for humans to use these appliances without a constant threat of mold.
If moisture has reached your carpet, walls, cabinetry, or other building materials inside of a building, water will settle there. Then, mold will start to grow and break down the building materials, especially wood and other natural fibers.
When water damage in Marietta happens for any reason, you need to contact a professional contractor to control the spread of moisture, then dry all exposed areas as soon as possible. Only a pro can prevent and eliminate mold so that it does not harm the structure or your health.