Biological Contaminants & Their Journey Through Your Home

Mold, mildew and bacteria/viruses are the main biological contaminants that can be found in your home. These biological contaminates are widespread in nature and can be found almost everywhere. Open a door or window in your house and in they come, riding on the breeze, hitchhiking on your clothes and shoes, or carried inside by your pet. It is virtually impossible to eliminate them 100%, and under normal conditions they are no real threat.

It is only when these contaminants are introduced into rooms with high humidity levels, like bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, or basements that they can become a danger to occupants. Or they may flourish if you have had a water loss of some type in your home and it hasn’t been properly remediated and thoroughly dried.

In particular, mold spores float through the air and settle on carpeting, textiles, paper, and dust to name a just a few things. If you run a vacuum cleaner, or shake the sheets as you make a bed, or even just walk across your carpet, mold spores can become airborne. Once airborne, they can be pulled into ventilation systems and spread throughout your home.

Signs Of Contamination

Although there are practically no tests that can be performed by non-professionals that will indicate hidden biological contaminants, there are signs that you can watch for:

1. Besides seeing actual mold growth, you can often smell the odors of growing mold colonies.
2. If you notice water stains on ceilings or walls, chances are that there may be mold growing on the backside of that drywall or plaster.
3. Standing water in a basement or crawlspace can indicate the potential for a biological contamination.
4. Mold can usually be detected by shinning an ultraviolet (UV) light on it; mold will usually appear luminescent under UV light.

Mold and other biological contaminants are just like humans, they are dependant on a source of water. That is why it is important to quickly remove and dry any water intrusion in your home. And when it comes to water removal and structural drying, Dragon Restoration is the company to call. At Dragon Restoration we have been drying Miami Valley homes and businesses for more than 16 years. Call (937) 371-3416 any time of the day or night and talk to a live, experienced drying expert.