Homes in regions prone to high humidity are always at a higher risk of developing mold. While it's tempting to think interior house painting or exterior house painting will solve the problem, it sadly won’t. Painting over mold is a waste of time and money because it’ll reoccur if you don’t treat the actual cause; excessive moisture. Instead of explaining how to paint over mold, let’s discuss how to prevent it in the first place, what causes it and what you can do to get rid of it.
Mold is a type of fungus that’s part of the natural environment. It plays an important role in breaking down dead organic matter and returning nutrients to the environment. However, mold growth in the home is a health risk.
It can trigger allergies and causes breathing issues, eye and skin irritation, coughing, and respiratory infections. Painting over black mold, or any mold for that matter, doesn’t get rid of it. In fact, mold under paint will continue to grow even after the paint dries.
Mildew is a specific type of early-stage mold that appears in white and gray patches. In the home, it's likely to grow in damp areas like basements, bathroom walls, and places with past water damage.
The main difference between mildew and mold is that mildew can be removed with household products, whereas mold requires stronger cleaning agents because its roots penetrate beneath moist surfaces. Just as it is with mold, painting over mildew does not get rid of it either.
We’re often asked by homeowners, “Can I paint over mold?” Yes, it’s physically possible to cover mold with paint, but it will always reappear without proper remediation. Furthermore, painting over mold poses the following risks:
Painting over black mold is unconducive to the well-being of your health or the structural integrity of your home. There is a commonly held belief that black mold — sometimes called toxic mold — causes severe health problems because it releases mycotoxins (toxic compounds).
Those with underlying lung disease are more susceptible to fungal infections. And individuals with chronic respiratory disease may experience difficulty breathing when continuously exposed to black mold.
Painting over mold invites a host of issues. Opting for a cosmetic fix will only lead to larger (avoidable) problems down the line:
Mold reproduces through tiny spores; these are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air. Mold will only begin growing indoors when its spores land on wet surfaces.
No mold will grow without the presence of water or moisture. So unless you eradicate moisture, painting over mold stains won’t help.
Below are the leading causes of mold inside homes:
Mold can grow almost anywhere, including living houseplants. Here are the most common places where you’re likely to find it:
The presence of green, white, gray, or black spots is an obvious sign of mold and a moisture problem. However, there are other signs to take heed of:
The best way to get rid of mold and mildew in your home is to follow these steps:
Address the cause of moisture first, whether this entails repairing a leaky pipe or investing in proper ventilation.
If the mold has permeated deep inside the porous drywall, you will need to repair or replace it. If you don’t know how to replace drywall, call professionals.
Personal protective equipment for mold removal is necessary because the process of eradicating mold exposes you to potentially hazardous mold spores.
Use a paint scraper and/or sandpaper to remove any loose, cracked, or peeling paint. Mildew and mold require different cleaning agents that usually contain bleach and various other chemicals. So, be sure to pick the correct cleaning products.
Wet a rag with the cleaning agent and ring it out. Wipe it thoroughly over the moldy area, including surface areas that don’t visibly show mold, i.e., the entire wall and/or ceiling.
Wiping away the cleaning solution too quickly doesn’t give it enough time for it to reach the mold’s roots, so it’s important to allow the surface to dry and for the cleaning agent to penetrate the infested area’s surface.
While you should never cover mold with paint, you should treat your newly cleaned walls with a high-quality, moisture-resistant, or mold-resistant primer.
If you live in an environment that gets a lot of rain and has high humidity, you can discourage mold from growing on your outside walls by keeping vegetation trimmed back from painted surfaces.
You might need to learn how to repair drywall if the mold has penetrated past your home’s exterior surfaces. In some cases, it may need to be completely replaced.
The only difference here is that you spray detergents from the bottom of the wall to the top and then once they’ve taken effect, you can rinse them off using a hose or power wash the walls before priming them. Painting over black mold on the exterior walls is a no-go. Rather remove it.
Obviously, painting over dry mold is unwise. The best way to prevent mold from growing in the first place. You can do this by:
Does paint kill mold? As we already mentioned, paint cannot kill mold. However, you do get products like Zinsser Mold Killing Primer that prevents mold from growing on surfaces, even if a surface has been previously infested.
It is suitable for outdoor sheds, open-door garages, saunas, and bathrooms. This primer is relatively maintenance-free and can be cleaned using soap and water. Even scrubbing it won’t impact its mold-resistance characteristics.
Zinsser and other products like it contain EPA-registered antimicrobials to prevent the growth of mold, mildew, and other fungal organisms. They also help cover residual mold and mildew stains.
You should seek professional help if the mold in your home is bigger than ten sq. ft or if it has spread to another part of your house, or if you’re dealing with toxic mold. Of course, if you’d just prefer that professionals take care of it, that’s perfectly fine too.
Oahu Pro Painters has experience in apartment painting as well as painting homes that have suffered from mold infestations. Not only that, but we’ll be able to tell you whether you need to replace drywall or call in mold removal experts. Contact us today to deal with mold and get your home looking good as new!
Sign Up For A Free Estimate Online Today, Or Call Us At 808-468-5604
Sign Up For A Free Estimate Online Today, Or Call Us At 808-468-5604
Sign Up For A Free Estimate Online Today, Or Call Us At 808-468-5604
Sign Up For A Free Estimate Online Today, Or Call Us At 808-468-5604
Sign Up For A Free Estimate Online Today, Or Call Us At 808-468-5604
Sign Up For A Free Estimate Online Today, Or Call Us At 808-468-5604
Sign Up For A Free Estimate Online Today, Or Call Us At 808-468-5604