The Best Ways To Banish Mold Odor

9/17/2020 (Permalink)

Mold odors will linger and intensify as long as mold is growing in a structure.

Mold odor can be persistent, but this telltale smell usually indicates the presence of growing mold. Microbial volatile organic compounds released during the fungal growth cycle cause mold odor, not spores or mycotoxin. Here are the best ways to eliminate the source of a musty odor at a residence in Stillwater, OK.

Eliminate Mold Growth
The odor of mold originates with mVOCS. Here are a few types of off-gases released as byproducts of the metabolic cycle of fungi:

Alcohols
Aldehydes
Benzenes
Tulolenes

When you smell a moldy odor, you are picking up on the presence of these substances and similar compounds. Mold remediation involves removing colonies and cutting off food and moisture sources that enable fungi to multiply.

Run a HEPA Air Filter
A high-efficiency particulate air filter can eliminate mold spores and mVOCs from indoor air. Some filters connect to a central HVAC system, while others can be run in affected areas.

HEPA filters may not eliminate every trace of mycotoxin. It is important to use EPA-approved cleanup methods for toxic mold. Toxigenic species may leave behind more dangerous traces than an undesirable odor.

Do a Deodorizing Treatment
Deodorizing treatments such as thermal fogging and generating ozone or hydroxyl may be helpful after mold cleanup. These treatments work by neutralizing odor particles lingering in the air and on surfaces.

A deodorizing treatment will eliminate musty odors without addressing the source. It is important to thoroughly clean up mold in affected areas and the HVAC system for odor treatments to have lasting results.

Mold odors will linger and intensify as long as mold is growing in a structure. Getting rid of odors requires removing colonies and eliminating the factors that lead to growth. Depending on the type of mold, the severity of an infestation and whether mycotoxin is present, homeowners should rely on mold remediation professionals based in their city and state.