FUNGUS

11/22/2021 (Permalink)

Mold is a tenacious organism. The fungus grows any time it has enough moisture and a food source, which is a real headache for homeowners who want to avoid mold damage. There are many places within the home where spores can settle and grow whole new colonies, such as the basement or the bathroom. The fungus often appears on walls or ceilings, and one of its favorite meals in the house is drywall. SERVPRO understands that homeowners are on the lookout for ways to reduce fungal growth in their homes, which is why some of our customers ask us about the use of mold resistant drywall or sheetrock.

Anyone looking to reduce mold damage is eager to take advantage of products that lessen fungal growth. Of course, we are not suggesting you remove your existing drywall and replace it with mold resistant drywall – that would be very costly! However, you might be wondering if mold resistant drywall is a sensible option in situations where drywall needs replacing.

How can sheetrock be made with less risk of mold growth? The answer is in the construction and the materials. Traditional plasterboard consists of a layer of gypsum, sandwiched between a facing and a backing sheet. The facing and backing are usually comprised of paper – and paper is a great example of an organic material that is food for mold.

Fungus resistant sheetrock is a nonorganic material that is less attractive to spores. How is it made to resist fungus? The answer is usually one of two things: By doing away with layers in favor of a homogeneous layer of gypsum, or by replacing the paper layers with an inorganic material such as fiberglass.

No manufacturer can guarantee their product is mold free, and fungus can still grow on walls made out of the new sort of sheetrock. Also, the newer type of plasterboard typically costs around 10% more than its counterparts. However, removing the paper layer does reduce the opportunities for mold growth, and as such, it is worth considering.

SERVPRO is on hand to help with mold cleanup. Our IICRC-certified teams create a sealed area for remediation and use tools techniques such as scrubbing and HEPA vacuuming to remove visible mold. For help with fungal remediation call SERVPRO of Texarkana at (903) 832-4400 for assistance today.