Mold: The Price We Pay for Living in The Greatest City in The World
The San Francisco Bay area homeowner is well acquainted with mold and mildew issues because of the high levels of humidity in the atmosphere and our generally damp climate. Mold is a fungus which thrives in damp conditions, therefore it is quite a common sight in our buildings.
Harmful Effects of Mold
Mold can affect our homes and business not only by staining our walls with black, white, green, orange, or brown patches and causing unpleasant odors but it also causes health problems. Those living and working in buildings with this infestation can experience respiratory problems like asthma, allergic reactions, headaches and even depression. We are fortunate, that the city of San Francisco considers mold to be in the same category as rodents and trash as a legal nuisance. As such, landlords can be held liable if issues are reported by tenants but are not dealt with promptly.
How to Deal with Your Mold Issues
Since mold only grows on wet surfaces, the best thing to do is remove the moisture. This can be done by utilizing fans, heaters, dehumidifiers, keeping rooms well ventilated (open windows to allow fresh air to circulate indoors) and making sure you don’t have any water leaks. It’s important to try to keep indoor humidity levels under 55% to prevent it from growing.
Painting Mold Infested Areas
Being one of San Francisco and the Bay area’s most experienced painting contractors, Armstrong Painting has come across countless homes and businesses with mold problems. Often our clients will assume that if we paint over the mold, we will seal it up and their problem will be solved. The fact is that we never recommend painting over it because in a few months it will either poke its way through the paint, or the paint will start peeling off. We always advise our clients to remove the mold before we can start painting. This is true even if we’re using “mold-resistant” paint.
Before beginning any painting project, it is vital that the proper preparation has been done. At Armstrong Painting, we believe that the preparation is the most important part of the painting process. If the mold is not removed properly and the surfaces to be painted are not prepared correctly, you will not have the desired results. In fact, in a short period of time, the new paint may begin peeling or cracking.
For more information about painting your home, call Armstrong and put our 50 years of knowledge and experience to work. Call for an estimate and free color consultation now!