The basic idea of mold test kits is to detect the mold in your home first of all and then secondly, to send off the test samples to a mold laboratory for analysis and so they can identify just what kinds of mold you have living in your home. If you have one kind of mold in your house, odds are that you have at least a second.
If you see mold growing on your wall, floor, ceiling, or your air conditioning system, you can use scotch tape to lift mold particles off of the moldy area and onto the surface of the mold test kit. You could also scrape the mold particles off of the surface with a knife or other item, but this is not recommended because it will stir up the spores. Doing this barehanded is also not recommended; do not touch mold with your bare hands. Use some kind of glove, preferably latex, if possible. After you collect the mold into the test, even if you used gloves, wash your hands thoroughly. Do this even if you’re going to go and test another area of the home, because you don’t want to cross-contaminate the sites.
After you are done, you should print your name, the name of whoever owns the property, the address, and the exact location of that particular test sample, the date, and the kind of sampling method you used. Also include the duration of the test in minutes or hours, along with the person’s name who conducted the test and how they can be contacted.
Take samples from your air conditioning ducts. You should run the air conditioner on its fan setting for about ten minutes before you do the test and you should tape the test kit to the grill of the duct so the air hits the sticky surface directly.
Testing each room, basement, attic, garage, and any kind of crawl space is also necessary. Use a fan to stir up the air in the room for about 10 to 15 minutes before testing.
Also test the outdoor environment for mold to have something to compare the indoor results to.
If there is a kind of mold that exists in the indoor tests that does not exist in the outdoor tests, then the cause of that mold is restricted to the indoor environment and is not coming from the outside. This mold is being generated from the inside of the home and you should do your best to find the cause in the area where that test was taken.
After you’ve looked at the tests yourself (wearing gloves and eye protection), have them sent to a mold laboratory for analysis and identification. They will send you back the results and after that, calling in a professional mold remediation specialist is necessary.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingnc.info
http://www.floodnj.info
Saturday, September 29, 2007
How to Dry Out Your Home
If you have had a home or some kind of building submerged in water, by way of either rain, or some kind of flood, then you are probably well aware of just how frustrating of a task drying it out can be. If you have not had to do this before, then you’re in luck, because here are some different ways to start drying it out.
One of the most unexpected things that can happen is a flood. And sometimes, the water can get high enough to where it can get inside of your home, or building, and drying this water out is a long arduous process. And, depending on the building, hot air drying techniques can do more harm than do help.
The very first thing you should do before drying your building out, is to make sure that there is no room for electrical hazard. You should make sure that all of the power in your home is completely off. You shouldn’t just be aware of the electrical hazards; you should keep an eye out for biological ones, because the flood water could very well be infected with human waste, chemicals, dead bodies, and countless amounts of bacteria that could cause serious medical harm. It is important that you protect your eyes, hands, mouth, and wear a respirator. You should wash your hands very thoroughly after cleaning, and once again before eating. It is recommended that you use strong disinfectant hand soap.
It is also important that you keep documentation of the damage done to your home. It is preferred that you document the damage with photos and a video camera. This will be a big help when making an insurance claim and finding out what compensation you will be eligible for.
You should also take time to make temporary repairs to prevent more water from getting into your home and causing further damage. Once again, these repairs should only be temporary.
A recommended place to begin drying out your home is the attic. If there is any wet insulation, you should remove it immediately, because it is cumbersome, and holds a lot of moisture for a long period of time causing more damage to the foundation, such as wood rot, rust, and drywall damage. It is also important to remove anything else that has water on it, or in it. You should make sure, after these measures are taken, that you keep your home cool, and that air is circulating. You might want to keep your windows open for a short amount of time, as long as it’s not raining.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Water Damage Restoration and other states such as
New Jersey Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
One of the most unexpected things that can happen is a flood. And sometimes, the water can get high enough to where it can get inside of your home, or building, and drying this water out is a long arduous process. And, depending on the building, hot air drying techniques can do more harm than do help.
The very first thing you should do before drying your building out, is to make sure that there is no room for electrical hazard. You should make sure that all of the power in your home is completely off. You shouldn’t just be aware of the electrical hazards; you should keep an eye out for biological ones, because the flood water could very well be infected with human waste, chemicals, dead bodies, and countless amounts of bacteria that could cause serious medical harm. It is important that you protect your eyes, hands, mouth, and wear a respirator. You should wash your hands very thoroughly after cleaning, and once again before eating. It is recommended that you use strong disinfectant hand soap.
It is also important that you keep documentation of the damage done to your home. It is preferred that you document the damage with photos and a video camera. This will be a big help when making an insurance claim and finding out what compensation you will be eligible for.
You should also take time to make temporary repairs to prevent more water from getting into your home and causing further damage. Once again, these repairs should only be temporary.
A recommended place to begin drying out your home is the attic. If there is any wet insulation, you should remove it immediately, because it is cumbersome, and holds a lot of moisture for a long period of time causing more damage to the foundation, such as wood rot, rust, and drywall damage. It is also important to remove anything else that has water on it, or in it. You should make sure, after these measures are taken, that you keep your home cool, and that air is circulating. You might want to keep your windows open for a short amount of time, as long as it’s not raining.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Water Damage Restoration and other states such as
New Jersey Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Cladosporium Mold
Cladosporium mold is one of the most common and globally present molds in existence. It has around 40 species that are found in soil or on decaying organic matter and some studies that have been conducted in North America and in Europe claim that the mold is present outdoors year round, although the concentration of this mold is quite low during the winter.
In the summer, spore levels can reach from 2,000 to 50,000 particles per cubic meter of air. The air and concentration of these spores in your home are influenced by two factors: the outdoor concentration and whether the mold is growing in your house or not.
In the home, Cladosporium species manifest themselves as an infection in the walls, second to Penicillium species, Aspergillus species, and Wallemia sebi. It is prevalent on building materials that have gotten wet. The four species that occur most commonly are Cladosporium herbarum, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Cladosporium cladosporioides, and Cladosporium macrocarpum. The spores of these molds are dispersed by air currents and are extremely common in outdoor environments; when they are found indoors, they grow on surfaces where moisture is present.
The different species of this mold that occur are not generally human pathogens unless a person’s immune system has been compromised in some way. They do, however, have the tendency to cause allergic reactions in certain people. Exposure to high levels of spores can induce asthma and chronic allergies. A concentration of 3000 spores per cubic meter of air space are usually seen as being of clinical importance. Some people may react to a lower concentration of these spores depending upon their own individual sensitivity to them. Infections of the toenails and skin can occur, along with some reports of sinusitis and some pulmonary infections, but only rarely do these occur.
These species of mold are detected quite easily in mold test kits and spore traps around the home and can appear as black, grey, green, or brown when it grows upon a surface. Generally speaking, the only negative effects associated with Cladosporium are allergic reactions and are less serious of a threat than molds such as Penicillin, Aspergillus, and Stachybotrys. Prolonged exposure to Cladosporium, however, can cause weakened immune systems and while they do not produce any mycotoxins of any significance, they do produce some volatile organic compounds that are associated with odors.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingct.info
http://www.floodedbasementnj.info
In the summer, spore levels can reach from 2,000 to 50,000 particles per cubic meter of air. The air and concentration of these spores in your home are influenced by two factors: the outdoor concentration and whether the mold is growing in your house or not.
In the home, Cladosporium species manifest themselves as an infection in the walls, second to Penicillium species, Aspergillus species, and Wallemia sebi. It is prevalent on building materials that have gotten wet. The four species that occur most commonly are Cladosporium herbarum, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Cladosporium cladosporioides, and Cladosporium macrocarpum. The spores of these molds are dispersed by air currents and are extremely common in outdoor environments; when they are found indoors, they grow on surfaces where moisture is present.
The different species of this mold that occur are not generally human pathogens unless a person’s immune system has been compromised in some way. They do, however, have the tendency to cause allergic reactions in certain people. Exposure to high levels of spores can induce asthma and chronic allergies. A concentration of 3000 spores per cubic meter of air space are usually seen as being of clinical importance. Some people may react to a lower concentration of these spores depending upon their own individual sensitivity to them. Infections of the toenails and skin can occur, along with some reports of sinusitis and some pulmonary infections, but only rarely do these occur.
These species of mold are detected quite easily in mold test kits and spore traps around the home and can appear as black, grey, green, or brown when it grows upon a surface. Generally speaking, the only negative effects associated with Cladosporium are allergic reactions and are less serious of a threat than molds such as Penicillin, Aspergillus, and Stachybotrys. Prolonged exposure to Cladosporium, however, can cause weakened immune systems and while they do not produce any mycotoxins of any significance, they do produce some volatile organic compounds that are associated with odors.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingct.info
http://www.floodedbasementnj.info
Your Vehicle and Water Damage
You may find it hard to believe that a vehicle that has been through a flood and has been partially or entirely submerged into water may not end up where it is supposed to go: the scrap yard. More often than not, these cars are resold in salvage auctions or are cleaned up and made to look good as new and are identified as previously submerged.
There are a great many things that one must know about water damaged vehicles. A water damaged vehicle is a veritable hotbed for mold growth on the inside of the vehicle. This is especially true if it was allowed to dry naturally and simply go untreated. If the vehicle’s doors have been closed and the interior has been allowed to dry naturally, the odor will be very easy to detect without any form of training. Now, not everyone who sells you a car will be honest about it. They will sometimes try to mask the smell of mold, water damage, and any other unpleasantries that you could detect while inspecting the interiors of the vehicle you look at. It’s important that you simply walk away if a low end car smells pleasant, because it has most likely been masked. It is also recommended that you keep an eye out for rust on any part of the interior and especially on the exterior of the vehicle around the taillights. This a tell-tale sign of water damage. It is important to smell around the carpet, because if it has been improperly treated, it will most likely stink.
It is commonly thought that the engine of the vehicle will be perfectly operational if the water is simply allowed to dry out on its own. This however is not the case. It is in fact highly recommended that the car is restored by a professional, so that there is no risk of causing further damage to the vehicle. There can be all kinds of debris inside the vehicle that could cause more damage than necessary. There is also a high risk of bacteria, so see that this issue is addressed as well.
It comes highly recommended that you get the vehicle’s history so that you can know for sure if the vehicle has indeed been involved in a water oriented accident, but you should be aware that only if an insurance claim related to water damage was filed on the vehicle will the damage show up on the report. If the damage was not reported to the insurance company, it will not appear on the vehicle history report, either.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration New Jersey and and other states such as
Connecticut Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
There are a great many things that one must know about water damaged vehicles. A water damaged vehicle is a veritable hotbed for mold growth on the inside of the vehicle. This is especially true if it was allowed to dry naturally and simply go untreated. If the vehicle’s doors have been closed and the interior has been allowed to dry naturally, the odor will be very easy to detect without any form of training. Now, not everyone who sells you a car will be honest about it. They will sometimes try to mask the smell of mold, water damage, and any other unpleasantries that you could detect while inspecting the interiors of the vehicle you look at. It’s important that you simply walk away if a low end car smells pleasant, because it has most likely been masked. It is also recommended that you keep an eye out for rust on any part of the interior and especially on the exterior of the vehicle around the taillights. This a tell-tale sign of water damage. It is important to smell around the carpet, because if it has been improperly treated, it will most likely stink.
It is commonly thought that the engine of the vehicle will be perfectly operational if the water is simply allowed to dry out on its own. This however is not the case. It is in fact highly recommended that the car is restored by a professional, so that there is no risk of causing further damage to the vehicle. There can be all kinds of debris inside the vehicle that could cause more damage than necessary. There is also a high risk of bacteria, so see that this issue is addressed as well.
It comes highly recommended that you get the vehicle’s history so that you can know for sure if the vehicle has indeed been involved in a water oriented accident, but you should be aware that only if an insurance claim related to water damage was filed on the vehicle will the damage show up on the report. If the damage was not reported to the insurance company, it will not appear on the vehicle history report, either.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration New Jersey and and other states such as
Connecticut Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Mold And Water In Your Two Most Important Rooms
A good meal and a good bath is something that most Americans enjoy thoroughly, but how can you enjoy either one when you’re in a room full of ugly water damage stains on the walls, floors, and ceilings? Many of these rooms often have the brown stains on the ceiling that are typical of water damage and while most people just paint over them, often the stains just keep coming back because the underlying problem has not been fixed yet.
It is probably due to a leaky roof, but what about the steam that comes off of your bath water or off of the stove when you cook dinner? These every day tasks can be just as much of a cause of water damage as a leaking roof can be, if not more so because they happen every day. At least, a bath a day comes recommended, anyway. Installing a steam vent in your bathroom for under $100 and a day’s work could possibly be one of the best investments that you can make to help safeguard the appearance and structural integrity of your kitchen and bathroom.
Make sure that you do not allow your bath tub or your kitchen sink to overflow. Sometimes we turn on the bath water and get stuck talking to a relative or a co-worker on the phone, all the while unaware that the water you wanted in your tub is pouring all over your floor. The same thing can happen when you are cooking in the kitchen or washing dishes. This can land quite a lot of water in your floor before you realize it and can do quite a bit of damage to your floor if you let it happen often.
An overflowing toilet is also a hazard, not only because of the water damage that can occur, but also due to the possible sewage content of the water when you go to flush it. If not cleaned up properly, mold can start to grow around the base of the toilet, especially if you have carpet in your bathroom. Carpet in the bathroom is a no-no.
Also avoid throwing wet dirty clothes into your bathroom floor or closet, especially if you happen to have a carpeted bathroom. You will probably forget that these wet clothes are there and throw dry ones on top of it.
This results in water damage and mold growth more often than not when the closet is not cleaned out. The best thing to do is to wash wet clothes and towels as soon as possible so they are not forgotten about or at the very least stored separately from dry dirty clothes.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Orlando water Damage companies.
It is probably due to a leaky roof, but what about the steam that comes off of your bath water or off of the stove when you cook dinner? These every day tasks can be just as much of a cause of water damage as a leaking roof can be, if not more so because they happen every day. At least, a bath a day comes recommended, anyway. Installing a steam vent in your bathroom for under $100 and a day’s work could possibly be one of the best investments that you can make to help safeguard the appearance and structural integrity of your kitchen and bathroom.
Make sure that you do not allow your bath tub or your kitchen sink to overflow. Sometimes we turn on the bath water and get stuck talking to a relative or a co-worker on the phone, all the while unaware that the water you wanted in your tub is pouring all over your floor. The same thing can happen when you are cooking in the kitchen or washing dishes. This can land quite a lot of water in your floor before you realize it and can do quite a bit of damage to your floor if you let it happen often.
An overflowing toilet is also a hazard, not only because of the water damage that can occur, but also due to the possible sewage content of the water when you go to flush it. If not cleaned up properly, mold can start to grow around the base of the toilet, especially if you have carpet in your bathroom. Carpet in the bathroom is a no-no.
Also avoid throwing wet dirty clothes into your bathroom floor or closet, especially if you happen to have a carpeted bathroom. You will probably forget that these wet clothes are there and throw dry ones on top of it.
This results in water damage and mold growth more often than not when the closet is not cleaned out. The best thing to do is to wash wet clothes and towels as soon as possible so they are not forgotten about or at the very least stored separately from dry dirty clothes.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Orlando water Damage companies.
What You Need When Removing Mold
A lot of people dream of purchasing a home that is a “fixer-upper”, but many are wary about purchasing homes that are contaminated with mold in different areas. Depending on how old the home is, what condition it is in structurally, and where it is located, it may be feasible to attempt to remediate the home yourself on top of the normal remodeling that you are going to have to do. When you have to remodel a home due to cosmetic issues, a lot of the time you have to remove building materials, anyway, so why not go the extra mile and remove the mold from the home?
Professional remediation can be expensive, but if you know what you are doing and know what equipment you will need to take up the job and complete it successfully, you could have a gem of a house in not a large amount of time.
If you do choose to remediate the home yourself instead of hiring a professional, you might want to know what you will need to do it. Hiring someone to at least assess the remediation needs of the home is advised. Some heavy duty chemicals that will kill the mold will be necessary if it is growing on non-porous surfaces like tile. Almost anything else that is contaminated by mold, such as drywall, will have to be removed and replaced. Remove any and everything from the home with mold on it; do not let it come into contact with new building materials that you have purchased.
Heavy duty trash bags and a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter system on it are recommended. The vacuum will remove any mold spores from the floor after the remediation job is done with.
Respirators are a must when taking on a mold remediation job. Even if the infection is not that severe, breathing mold spores is still a hazard to your health and many problems can arise. You may be allergic and not even know it. Purchase a good quality respirator if you plan on taking out any drywall or old wood. Protective clothing so the spores do not get on your skin is also a good idea. Purchase a roll of duct tape to seal the gaps between your protective suit and your shoes. Disposable protective clothing for mold remediation is available and it not very expensive. The most expensive piece of equipment you will need is the respirator and there is no reason to skimp on that part.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New York flood water damage restoration and other states and cities such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
Professional remediation can be expensive, but if you know what you are doing and know what equipment you will need to take up the job and complete it successfully, you could have a gem of a house in not a large amount of time.
If you do choose to remediate the home yourself instead of hiring a professional, you might want to know what you will need to do it. Hiring someone to at least assess the remediation needs of the home is advised. Some heavy duty chemicals that will kill the mold will be necessary if it is growing on non-porous surfaces like tile. Almost anything else that is contaminated by mold, such as drywall, will have to be removed and replaced. Remove any and everything from the home with mold on it; do not let it come into contact with new building materials that you have purchased.
Heavy duty trash bags and a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter system on it are recommended. The vacuum will remove any mold spores from the floor after the remediation job is done with.
Respirators are a must when taking on a mold remediation job. Even if the infection is not that severe, breathing mold spores is still a hazard to your health and many problems can arise. You may be allergic and not even know it. Purchase a good quality respirator if you plan on taking out any drywall or old wood. Protective clothing so the spores do not get on your skin is also a good idea. Purchase a roll of duct tape to seal the gaps between your protective suit and your shoes. Disposable protective clothing for mold remediation is available and it not very expensive. The most expensive piece of equipment you will need is the respirator and there is no reason to skimp on that part.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New York flood water damage restoration and other states and cities such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
You might not be able to stop a hurricane or a flood from causing water damage to your home, but what you can stop are a lot of things in your home that can cause the same kind of damage, just on a smaller scale. They are quite simple and although you might forget to do them from time to time, as long as you make sure to check at least every once in a while, you (and your wallet) will be better protected against the surprise expense of water damage remediation.
One of the most frequent offenders of water damage tends to be the water heater itself. This should be located somewhere on the lowest floor of your home and in a drain pan connected to a pipe or hose that drains back into the sewer. This will make sure that even if your water heater does burst or begins to leak slowly, the water will not go into the floor, but down the drain. Most water heaters should be located in the basement and a leaky water heater down there is not going to be as much of a problem as one on the second or even third level of a home.
Make sure you have your rain gutters cleaned out at the end of autumn when the leaves have stopped falling. Your rain gutters are what keep water from simply sliding off your roof and settling around the foundation of your home. Water that collects around your home’s foundation can cause it to sink into the ground and even though this is a slow process, it can do a significant amount of damage to your home’s value. The downspouts should also be clear of any debris and water channeled away from the foundation. Soil around the base of your home should also be at such an angle that water naturally flows away from it.
Keep an eye on the pipes or hoses that go to your dishwasher and your clothes washer in the laundry room. Hoses can develop weak spots over time and develop leaks that can leave you in a huge mess, especially if you happen to be away from home at the grocery store or a friend’s when the leak begins.
Water damage can also be prevented by not forgetting that you have bath water running or water running in the kitchen sink. Overflowing sinks and tubs account for a lot of damage like this and can coat your floor with more water than you think in a very short period of time.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New Jersey mold damage restoration and other states and cities such as
Connecticut mold remediation companies across the united states.
One of the most frequent offenders of water damage tends to be the water heater itself. This should be located somewhere on the lowest floor of your home and in a drain pan connected to a pipe or hose that drains back into the sewer. This will make sure that even if your water heater does burst or begins to leak slowly, the water will not go into the floor, but down the drain. Most water heaters should be located in the basement and a leaky water heater down there is not going to be as much of a problem as one on the second or even third level of a home.
Make sure you have your rain gutters cleaned out at the end of autumn when the leaves have stopped falling. Your rain gutters are what keep water from simply sliding off your roof and settling around the foundation of your home. Water that collects around your home’s foundation can cause it to sink into the ground and even though this is a slow process, it can do a significant amount of damage to your home’s value. The downspouts should also be clear of any debris and water channeled away from the foundation. Soil around the base of your home should also be at such an angle that water naturally flows away from it.
Keep an eye on the pipes or hoses that go to your dishwasher and your clothes washer in the laundry room. Hoses can develop weak spots over time and develop leaks that can leave you in a huge mess, especially if you happen to be away from home at the grocery store or a friend’s when the leak begins.
Water damage can also be prevented by not forgetting that you have bath water running or water running in the kitchen sink. Overflowing sinks and tubs account for a lot of damage like this and can coat your floor with more water than you think in a very short period of time.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New Jersey mold damage restoration and other states and cities such as
Connecticut mold remediation companies across the united states.
Water and Mold in the Home
Seeing as how the kitchen and the bathroom are the two rooms that can add or subtract the most value from your home when you go to sell it, it would make quite a bit of sense to keep these two rooms in the best condition possible. These two rooms, however, are also subject to some of the most serious problems a homeowner can face: water damage and mold contamination, which tend to go hand in hand.
Keeping the shower and bath tub cleaned regularly of mildew (another word for mold) is a good idea to keep it in good condition.
Water damage occurs when water comes into contact with your floor or anything else in your home and is not cleaned up properly. It can cause floors to buckle and cause what is called “cupping” if you try to dry it out too fast, so cleaning up water spilled on hardwood floors (or in a home that has flooded) can be pretty tricky. Since mold likes to live wherever water damaged items are and wherever there is moisture, where there is water damage, mold usually follows on some level or another.
Water damage can also result from simply not having a vent installed in the bathroom or kitchen to allow the steam from bathing or cooking to escape the room. If not directed to the outside of the house through one of these vents, the steam will float up to the ceiling and soak it. Mold eventually starts to grow in these places and you will have to replace the drywall. Even if mold does not start to grow, you will probably have to replace the drywall eventually, anyway, because the paper on the front of the drywall will start to separate and sag. This is not dangerous, but it is unsightly.
Water damage also occurs when you allow a toilet or bath tub to overflow and you do not clean up the water sufficiently. If you have a vinyl or tile floor in the bathroom, this is a good thing. This creates a barrier between the water and the flood underneath, since the tile or laminate should not absorb much, if any, water. If you have carpet in your bathroom, this is a bad thing. Water will be absorbed by the carpet, the padding underneath, and depending on the amount of water on the floor, the base of the floor underneath will also be soaked. Mold will eventually start to grow if you do not make sure and get as much of the water up as possible.
In the kitchen, water damage and mold growth can be prevented by keeping a check on the plumbing going to your dishwasher and your sink. Having a vinyl and not a hardwood floor in your kitchen is the best thing, but spills need to be cleaned up as quickly as possible.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration chicago and other states such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
Keeping the shower and bath tub cleaned regularly of mildew (another word for mold) is a good idea to keep it in good condition.
Water damage occurs when water comes into contact with your floor or anything else in your home and is not cleaned up properly. It can cause floors to buckle and cause what is called “cupping” if you try to dry it out too fast, so cleaning up water spilled on hardwood floors (or in a home that has flooded) can be pretty tricky. Since mold likes to live wherever water damaged items are and wherever there is moisture, where there is water damage, mold usually follows on some level or another.
Water damage can also result from simply not having a vent installed in the bathroom or kitchen to allow the steam from bathing or cooking to escape the room. If not directed to the outside of the house through one of these vents, the steam will float up to the ceiling and soak it. Mold eventually starts to grow in these places and you will have to replace the drywall. Even if mold does not start to grow, you will probably have to replace the drywall eventually, anyway, because the paper on the front of the drywall will start to separate and sag. This is not dangerous, but it is unsightly.
Water damage also occurs when you allow a toilet or bath tub to overflow and you do not clean up the water sufficiently. If you have a vinyl or tile floor in the bathroom, this is a good thing. This creates a barrier between the water and the flood underneath, since the tile or laminate should not absorb much, if any, water. If you have carpet in your bathroom, this is a bad thing. Water will be absorbed by the carpet, the padding underneath, and depending on the amount of water on the floor, the base of the floor underneath will also be soaked. Mold will eventually start to grow if you do not make sure and get as much of the water up as possible.
In the kitchen, water damage and mold growth can be prevented by keeping a check on the plumbing going to your dishwasher and your sink. Having a vinyl and not a hardwood floor in your kitchen is the best thing, but spills need to be cleaned up as quickly as possible.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration chicago and other states such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
The Mold Remediation Equipment You Need
Depending on how much mold needs to be removed from your home, the equipment that you will need in order to finish the job will vary greatly. If you cannot afford to hire a professional and plan on doing the entire job yourself, you probably want to know the best and safest way to complete the job. If you do not take care, you should realize that kind of biological hazard that you are exposing yourself to if you do not purchase the right level of protection equipment. This can include aggravation of your asthma, emphysema, the occurrence of skin rashes, respiratory infections, and eye infections can result, among other health complications. If you are sure you want to take on this job by yourself, consider yourself warned.
Washing mold off of drywall or other porous surfaces with chemicals will work only on a superficial level. It will not kill the mold that has worked its way into the depth of the drywall and contaminated the other side in the wall. Most drywall that becomes contaminated with mold will need to be completely replaced. If the mold growth appears to be light and you catch it new, you might be able to avoid this. Purchase heavy duty trash bags that will hold all the contaminated materials that you remove from the home, but make sure to not touch contaminated items to non-contaminated items, because of the possibility of cross-contamination.
Respirators should be used when doing any kind of mold remediation job. An N-95 respirator is recommended at the very least for light jobs and for more extensive jobs, a full face respirator with a HEPA filter should be purchased. These larger jobs are usually done on older houses that are being renovated and almost completely gutted to remove contamination, but any job that requires removing drywall and throwing it away requires a respirator of some level. A full face mask will cost you around $130. Protective clothing can also be purchased, such as rubber gloves and shoes that will not allow the mold spores to come into contact with your skin.
A vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter will also help you tremendously when you are cleaning your home after the remediation is done. This will collect all the mold spores and particles from your floor and carpet and deposit them into a receptacle that you can empty when you are done. Be careful emptying this container, though, and do not touch the contents with your bare hands. Do not stir up the contents any more than you have to in order to get them into the trash bag.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Sewage Damage Cleanup and other states such as
North Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states. (1)
Washing mold off of drywall or other porous surfaces with chemicals will work only on a superficial level. It will not kill the mold that has worked its way into the depth of the drywall and contaminated the other side in the wall. Most drywall that becomes contaminated with mold will need to be completely replaced. If the mold growth appears to be light and you catch it new, you might be able to avoid this. Purchase heavy duty trash bags that will hold all the contaminated materials that you remove from the home, but make sure to not touch contaminated items to non-contaminated items, because of the possibility of cross-contamination.
Respirators should be used when doing any kind of mold remediation job. An N-95 respirator is recommended at the very least for light jobs and for more extensive jobs, a full face respirator with a HEPA filter should be purchased. These larger jobs are usually done on older houses that are being renovated and almost completely gutted to remove contamination, but any job that requires removing drywall and throwing it away requires a respirator of some level. A full face mask will cost you around $130. Protective clothing can also be purchased, such as rubber gloves and shoes that will not allow the mold spores to come into contact with your skin.
A vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter will also help you tremendously when you are cleaning your home after the remediation is done. This will collect all the mold spores and particles from your floor and carpet and deposit them into a receptacle that you can empty when you are done. Be careful emptying this container, though, and do not touch the contents with your bare hands. Do not stir up the contents any more than you have to in order to get them into the trash bag.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Sewage Damage Cleanup and other states such as
North Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states. (1)
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