A good number of homeowners when faced with a mold problem in their homes have a tendency of thinking of how to get rid of the mold infestation in the cheapest way possible. Painting over mold is one of the many ways people handle mold issues in a bid to save money in the process. What they do not understand is that this is a very wrong practice, if not grievous. This article looks at reasons why you should not paint over mold.
- A Health Hazard
Mold is a type of fungi, which is a living organism. Therefore, even if you paint over it, without killing and removing it, it will continue growing and its levels may surpass the required indoor mold levels. It is true that even when remedying it, you cannot completely get rid of the mold. Hence, by covering it with paint, the only thing you are doing is harboring it and extending your time of exposure to the mold. The result is health implications where you could develop allergies and respiratory related diseases. In fact, research shows that mold exposure is the leading cause for most allergies and respiratory diseases such as asthma.
- Cost Ineffectiveness
Painting over mold is not a permanent solution to the issue of mold in your home. By doing so, you are just covering a clear problem without knowing the magnitude of a future menace you are setting yourself up for. You may think that you are saving money, but you could incur massive unnecessary costs later when the problem worsens. After some time, you or your loved ones may fall sick and incur huge hospital bills. The mold may spread to areas that were not previously infested or still, the problem may worsen and damage the structures on which they are growing.
By painting over mold, you will be forced to incur huge costs in terms of repairs and maintenance, which are very expensive. The problem could have gotten on the extreme and completely damaged structures to a point where you will be needed to replace them, something you would have avoided in the beginning when painting. In addition, you will spend more money in remediation of the mold menace, compared to the amount you would have used to remediate.
- Repairs and Maintenance
It does not make sense for you to spend so much of your money to build a nice house then take chances with your investment by covering a problem with some paint. By painting over mold, you will be risking incurring unnecessary costs with repairs and maintenance. You will end up spending a lot of time and money, which you thought you were avoiding in the beginning but it has now come to haunt you later.
- A Temporary Solution
Covering up mold problems is not an effective way of dealing with it. It is simply postponing an underlying issue that you know very well you will be faced with, going forward. By doing this, you expect two things to happen; the problem will have to be dealt with in the future and two, the issue may worsen and cost you so much in terms of money and health. In addition, you do not have peace of mind knowing that you have an impending problem to deal with.
- Worse Conditions
Painting over mold is just covering up a problem that you are so sure at the back of your mind it is still there. Since the mold continues to grow, even after you cover it with paint, it may continue and reach a point where the situation is so bad that you will be required to replace the walls or other structures where mold is growing. You would have avoided these problems if you did not cover up the mold in the first place.
It is evident from the above discussion that painting over mold is completely wrong. That being said, you should do away with the idea, if you have been thinking about doing it. If you have already had your mold-infested walls painted, do not panic, read a DIY home mold removal manual and implement the tips. If the mold infestation is so strong and you feel that the process is way beyond your skills, consider reaching out to a mold remediating company today and have the problem addressed before it gets worse. These are experts and thus have the needed skills and experience to deal with your mold issue effectively. Ensure to vet the best company by checking for one with the best rating and reviews.