Did you know that different mold species can take on a variety of forms and colors?
A species that is not commonly found indoors is purple mold. It can be found in certain areas and possibly in your home in some situations.
The scientific name for purple mold is Tuberculina Maxima.
This mold species (fungus) is also commonly referred to as lilac fungus. Purple mold (T Maxima) is believed to be a plant parasite and is also a hyperparasite (a parasite whose host, is also a parasite) of rust fungi.
This species is not often found indoors.
Many different mold species can grow on cellulose-based materials that has not been exposed to the elements. It’s not unusual to come upon it behind wallpaper or within walls.
Purple mold or any color mold can infest the items in your home and cause significant property damage if not recognized and treated promptly. Today we’ll look at how to recognize, treat, and prevent purple mold in your house.
What Causes Purple Mold To Grow in Your Home?
Purple mold, like all molds, thrives and grows in damp, dark areas of your house.
Mold formation is common in kitchens, bathrooms, and humid basements because they are frequently exposed to moisture.
Mold develops rapidly and spreads far if it is given the ideal conditions.
Places in your house where water from the shower or tub might accumulate and cause mold to develop, such as your bathroom.
The hot humid air caused by showering will cause moisture to collect on the walls and wallpaper if it isn’t properly ventilated.
Mold can begin to grow as soon as 24-48 hours after it finds suitable conditions. Mold spores are distributed through the air, water, and by us and our pets.
Mold can also be dispersed by slight air movement, dispersion via rain, or other means. Mold spores are microscopic and cannot be seen with the naked eye.
This makes the spores undetectable and hard to manage.
Mold will grow and flourish in a matter of days if it attaches to wood. They tend to feed on the glue that holds your wallpaper to the walls, making wall-papered walls even more attractive to mold spores.
How To Identify Purple Mold
The musty moldy smell is the first and most reliable method to detect mold growth sites.
Mold has a characteristic musty or earthy aroma that is frequently likened to decaying leaves. If you discover mold on your walls, there’s a chance it’ll show up in other areas of your home as well.
A good place to start your mold investigation is to look for patches on your walls that are damp, discolored, or deformed. Mold thrives in moist, dark areas with access to nourishment.
The ideal conditions for mold formation exist in your walls and woodwork of your home.
If your walls are covered with wallpaper, you may notice that some areas are discolored or beginning to peel away from the surface. The dark spots or furry looking discolorations are most likely mold growth that must be addressed.
If you discover large amounts of mold growth in your house, we advise that you contact a mold remediation professional that has the proper qualifications to handle the situation.
How to Prevent the Purple Mold Growth from Spreading
If you notice mold on your wooden or wall surfaces inside your house, it’s essential that you take the appropriate measures to stop the mold infestation from spreading.
You’ll need to find out why the mold was able to grow there in the first place in order to prevent it from spreading.
Have you noticed mold growing on the walls of your bathroom?
This can be due to the excess moisture in your bathroom that is not adequately ventilated. This allows the moisture to cling on the walls and wallpaper.
To dry the room out, open windows, turn on vent fans to the outside will be your first step.
It is critical that your house be free of moisture and well-ventilated, as this will be your greatest line of defense against mold growth.
There are a variety of items on the market that may be used to remove mold from wood and walls in your house, including sprays that target and destroy mold.
The problem with using these types of solutions as your only mold removal technique is that they don’t guarantee that the condition has been eliminated, and they may leave mold spores behind, which can be carried through the air.
Why Hire a Professional Mold Removal Expert?
If your house has mold growth or if you are unsure whether you have a mold problem, a professional mold removal expert will be able to correctly identify and address the problem.
Most mold removal professionals provide free, no-obligation estimates for their services. Take advantage of that.
Mold removal experts have the right tools and training to get rid of all instances of mold from your home.
Just ensure that you get multiple bids for your projects and request the contractors’ qualifications before starting any mold removal activity.
You always want to do this to ensure that you are getting a qualified person to do the work and at the best price possible.
When hiring a professional mold removal company, the first item on your mind should be safety. Mold can be harmful in some instances.
Therefore; it is critical that every precaution is taken to avoid mold spores from spreading.
The Cost To Remove Purple Mold
The cost to remove purple mold or any other color of mold from your home is based on the same guidelines. Mold is mold regardless of its color.
Mold remediation costs can vary significantly based on the items and building components impacted, how far it has spread, and the expense of repairing any damages.
If you catch it early, the cost of having your mold problem professionally fixed may be as little as a few hundred dollars.
However, if mold has been allowed to develop and spread undetected for lengthy periods of time, significant deterioration of the structure exists, or if walls will need to be removed and replaced; mold can end up costing you thousands
Prevention Measures
- The most significant thing you can do to prevent spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on mold removal is to avoid creating a breeding ground for mold in the first place. This entails keeping your home’s humidity under control. You may buy humidity sensors if you wish to monitor the humidity levels in your house yourself. Generally, the relative humidity in your home should range between 30-60%.
- Regularly cleaning and maintaining moisture prone areas of your home, including bathrooms, kitchens, and attics.
- Ensure that when taking a shower, your bathroom exhaust fan is on or that a window is open.
- There are also a variety of solutions available to help you prevent mold from developing in your home, such as sprays or coatings that may be applied directly to your walls or sheetrock for a protective barrier against mold. You may also buy mold-resistant paint, sheetrock, and wallpaper.
- Ensure exhaust vents are used when performing activities that generate excess moisture such as cooking.
- Dry up spills as soon as they occur.
- Never block air vents with clothes, furniture, or other items. This could cause your air conditioning system to not operate correctly and restrict air circulation in the home.
If you think you have a mold problem you can’t handle on your own, contact a professional mold removal expert right away—not later!