Chimney molds are not something to take lightly. They are actually very dangerous to your health. If you think molds are in your chimney, call us.
Whenever mold is present anywhere in your home, it is a serious situation that deserves immediate attention to protect the health of you and your family and to prevent the mold from spreading further into your house through your fireplace. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the mold basics are control the moisture source causing the mold, clean up the mold and fix the water leak problem as soon as possible, and dry out water-damaged areas and items within 48 hours to prevent further mold growth. Leaky chimneys can cause mold growth in your chimney, which can spread into your home. When you know the mold is coming from your chimney and fireplace, calling an experienced chimney servicing company like Coopertown Services is the best thing you can do as we can take care of your chimney mold problem for you. We would like to tell you more about chimney mold so you can be aware of the possibility of its presence.
What are the signs of chimney mold?
Mold can appear on the bricks of your fireplace; however, most often mold develops in hard-to-find places inside your fireplace and chimney. Sometimes mold will appear in the room where the fireplace is located, and if this is the case, you should contact Coopertown Services to inspect your chimney for mold. Other signs of chimney mold include an unpleasant musty odor and the development of respiratory health problems in you and your family. These health problems include coughing, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, and headache.
Why is mold growing in my chimney?
Most likely, a leaky chimney is the main reason you have chimney mold as water must be present for mold spores to grow. According to the EPA, mold is a natural part of the environment, and it has important duties outside like breaking down dead organic matter including dead trees and fallen leaves. However, mold should never occur indoors, and the only way the harmless mold spores in the air can develop into mold growth is if they land on a wet surface, such as a wet chimney wall. For this reason, you can see the importance of maintaining the condition of your chimney and why you need an annual chimney sweeping and inspection from a Chimney Safety Institute of America-certified company like Coopertown Services. Not only can we find leaks in your chimney, but we can repair them to prevent mold from ever growing in your chimney and fireplace.
What do I need to do before Coopertown Services comes to remove the chimney mold?
If the chimney mold has spread to your fireplace and the room of your fireplace, you can begin clean up; however, you need to take caution and follow EPA guidelines:
- Scrub mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely. You can use an antifungal cleaner like Foster 40-80 and a stiff brush.
- Porous and absorbent materials like ceiling tiles and carpet will most likely have to be removed and thrown away. The mold can spread into the empty spaces and crevices of this type of materials, making the mold impossible to remove.
- Never expose yourself or others directly to the mold. Wear an N-95 respirator, an inexpensive breathing mask available at most hardware stores and on the Internet. Also wear gloves made from natural rubber, neoprene, nitrile, polyurethane, or PVC. Never touch a moldy surface with your bare hands. Finally, wear goggles with no ventilation holes so you do not get mold or mold spores in your eyes.
If you suspect you have a chimney mold problem, contact Coopertown Services immediately so our expert and experienced technicians can come out to remedy the issue as quickly as possible.