Adding Up the Costs of Black Mold Removal
March 31, 2010
Having black mold in one’s home is a serious problem. Unfortunately some people still don’t realize how great a problem it actually is and they find it hard to pay a mold removal specialist to take care of it. Certainly getting rid of black mold can be costly, especially if one is dealing with structural components. Here’s some ways that the cost of black mold removal can add up.
Wood:
Black mold flourishes the more porous the material on which it’s growing, and there’s very little than be worse in this respect than wood. Mold can literally break down the structure of the wood, expanding existing cracks and making new ones. This might not be as big a problem with superficial structures but replacing beams and similar structures can take a lot of time and is rarely inexpensive.
Concrete:
Don’t think that one will get away if dealing with concrete instead of wood. While it’s true that the black mold will have a tough time breaking down concrete, that doesn’t mean that it still can’t get into the structure. After all, concrete is still porous. Since the foundation of the home is made from concrete, one will definitely want to avoid letting mold get that deep. Paying to remove the mold will be cheaper than having to dig up the concrete and lay the foundation again.
Drywall:
Basements are notorious for springing leaks and collecting moisture, thereby creating an ideal breeding ground for black mold. This is exacerbated by the fact that basements aren’t exactly the most popular room in the home and problems often take a long time to be located. The very nature of drywall, with which most basements are covered, make it susceptible to black mold. Should it become infested, there’s no way to clean it and it will have to be replaced.
These certainly sound expensive, but there are two things that one needs to remember. The first is that not everything listed here will need to be done. It depends on the extent of the black mold problem and it may as simple as wiping down and removing some carpets. The second is that there’s one very important detail that hasn’t been mentioned yet, and that’s the effect that black mold has on human health. It has been proven to be linked to respiratory difficulties and can even cause such acute symptoms as coughing up blood. There’s no price that one can put on keeping one’s family safe. It’s better to pay a mold removal specialist than to have to pay medical bills.
