Archive for December 2009

Mold From Water Damage Is A Serious Problem

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Mold from water damage can cause many health problems if it remains in your home for too long. Some mold can simply cause allergy problems, while others, such as black mold can cause extreme health issues. Black mold exposure can result in a variety of illnesses and in some cases even death.

One of the allergy issues that many people have from mold in the home is similar to hay fever. You may experience nasal stuffiness and irritated eyes as a result of breathing in the irritants. Some people may even experience skin rashes.

There are some people who can become highly sensitive to mold and it can become very harmful if they’re exposed to it. Serious allergies include a fever and even shortness of breath.

Those same molds can also lead to death for people who have weak immune systems (specifically infants and the elderly) or chronic lung problems. And for those who already have lung illnesses, they may develop an infection in their lungs.

If you know you have mold in your home, it is a good idea to find temporary housing until your entire house is mold free. However, not everyone can tell that they have mold in their home and generally don’t find out until they begin to show signs or symptoms of mold poisoning. But, it’s very important that you not take a chance and try to live with the mold.

And if you’re thinking about just moving out of your home and putting it up for sale, your problem isn’t just simply going to go away to another buyer looking for a home. Think about it. How would you feel if you found the home you’ve always wanted only to realize it’s been overrun by mold? And, would the buyer really want to pay your asking price when they find out it has a dangerous mold problem? I don’t think so! Mold can lower the value of your home, so it is better to fix the damage than try to avoid it. Another reason to fix any mold issue is your mold problem will no doubt be discovered when an inspection is done, potentially causing your buyer to get cold feet and walking away from the transaction.

Take the steps necessary to clean up the problem. If the area is small and you are comfortable doing the mold removal yourself, by all means do it. If not, hire a mold removal company, and let them take care of the mess. It can be expensive, but worth it not to have to worry about it and the dangers.

On a final note, not everyone is a homeowner. When you’re renting a home or apartment, it’s the landlords responsibility to take care of any mold removal caused by flooding or leaking faucets. If they refuse you can do one of two things. Find another home to rent or contact the city to let them know of the situation. Depending on the laws of your state, you may be able to have the work done and bill your landlord if they aren’t cooperative in getting the mold issue resolved.

One way or another, mold from water damage is not something you can just live with.

Water Damage Remediation Do It Yourself or Hire a Professional?

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Several years ago we had some major flooding in our area due to a tremendous amount of rain. And because of it, our basement flooded which caused a lot of problems, as you can well imagine. At first, we thought it was just a matter of drying things up. As it turned out, we realized we were in need of a water damage remediation company due to the tremendous amount of mold removal that was needed.

That’s the bad news. Even worse, because we live in a small town there are no such companies conveniently located. What happened when the flooding occurred in our area was FEMA came through and cleaned everything up. And of course, they only cleaned up the homes where the damages were extreme.

So, after doing a little research we learned that the nearest city where we could hire a professional to remove the mold from our home was nearly 2 hours away. We also learned that unless we were willing to pay a traveling fee or hire them without an estimate, etc. many of the companies weren’t willing to travel that far.

So, what other options did we have for basement mold removal? Well, as it turns out we actually learned that the mold in our basement wasn’t black mold, which meant we could do the work ourselves.

However, even though the molds weren’t toxic, we still decided it was best that we take the precautions necessary and treat it as if it were a toxic mold. So I headed to our local dollar store and purchased a pair of rubber gloves. I also purchased a bucket and scrub brush for the clean up job. I spent less than $5 for everything. Then, I headed to our local farm and feed store where I found a cleaner that is specifically meant for killing mold. The cleaner cost me around $10 which included the tax.

After that, I considered a mold resistant paint at our local paint store, but decided that first I would need to repair and seal all of the areas in the basement where the rain had gotten in. But, after doing some quick calculations, I figure the entire job will cost me under $100.

However, we’re spending a little more this year on a sump pump which will hopefully keep the damages to a minimum next year when the rains come again. The price for a sump pump to remove the water from our basement will cost us around $120.

The good news is, we’ve already got a dehumidifier to help with the moisture problem. When pricing those at our local discount store, we found out one would cost us between $50 and $200.

So, the entire cost to remove the mold from our basement on our own was $235. If we’d needed a dehumidifier it would have cost us at the most $435. If we would have needed to hire a water damage remediation company, the job would cost $1000 or more and that’s not including the expense of travel fees! We were very fortunate we didn’t find and have to remove black mold from our basement. By removing the non-toxic mold ourselves, we saved a ton of money and learned a few skills along the way.

When You Need A Mold Inspector

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No matter how clean you think your home is, it will never be completely free from mold. Even brand new homes will have mold and it’s pretty much impossible not to have them. For most homes it’s also not a cause for concern to hire a mold inspector unless you’re experiencing some unusual health symptoms, you’ve had water damage or you’re moving into an older home. Here’s why:

If you have little ones, an elderly person or anyone with a weak immune system living with you, an inspection for mold is a good idea. If the mold inspector finds black mold in your home, be aware that it can cause extreme illness in some and can even cause death in others. If this is the case, mold removal is imperative.

If you or your family is sick and it just seems like that sickness will not go away, then it’s a good idea to have your home inspected for mold. Even if there are no signs of visible mold, it still doesn’t mean there’s not a problem. Even hidden funguses can cause you to become ill and if you’re sick, you’ve probably been exposed to them for a while.

If you’ve found leaks or if the building is prone to a history of leakage, then you should have an inspection done for mold. Mold loves moisture and doesn’t care whether you have a roof leak, plumbing leak, basement leak, an air conditioner leak or shower leak –mold doesn’t discriminate. It loves them all equally and is happy to grow where there is moisture.

If you know for a fact that there has been any sort of water damage regardless of how large or small, you need to have your home inspected for mold. Otherwise, you’ll not only be putting yourself at risk for health concerns, you could end up losing some or all of your belongings as well as your home if the mold problem gets out of control.

If you’re thinking about buying an older or even newer home you should have it inspected for mold. Even if you’re considering selling your home you should have it inspected. No one wants to purchase a home only to discover that the previous owner has neglected to tell them that it’s been overrun by something as dangerous as black mold.

And maybe that previous owner didn’t know they had mold in their home, but it makes no difference because it’s still a problem. In fact, some state laws require you to have mold testing and inspection done unless you want to face a hefty fine or find yourself being sued.

Even if you suspect there is only a small amount of fungus growing in your home, you may want to go ahead and hire a professional to inspect your home anyway. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Remember, where there’s a small problem there’s bound to be a bigger one around the corner if the mold problem doesn’t get resolved.

Now that you know you need to hire a professional mold inspector, make sure they are certified for mold inspection. Not all states require inspectors to be certified so it’s extremely important that you make sure of this yourself.

Keep in mind that during the inspection the person you’ve hired should check for humidity levels, any leakage in the foundation of your home, any potential problems with your drainage, and the quality of the air in your home. The mold inspector also takes some samples of any visible molds. After the inspection, he or she will discuss their findings and make any recommendations necessary for the safety of you and your home.

Mold Poisoning Is Serious Stuff

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Mold poisoning is a serious matter that most people aren’t too aware of. They believe it’s just a simple dust and nothing bad will happen or they simply believe it will never happen to them. Sadly, most people don’t even realize they’ve been affected by toxic mold until it’s too late. 

And then there are those that have their doubts because no two symptoms that are caused by toxic molds are the same. They vary from person to person because no two immune systems are exactly like. Just as when one person gets the flu during the winter season, another person may not. Even the length of time that the exposure took place may not be the same.

Victims who have been exposed to toxic black mold can have up to twenty-five symptoms. In fact, many of those symptoms may even mimic other health related issues such as the common cold and flu. And while the common cold and flu will eventually go away with bed rest and medications, the poisonous symptoms caused by mold will not. As a matter of fact, they’re may even get much worse.

And unless your doctor is aware that you have a toxic fungus growing in your home or work environment, they won’t be able to really help you. So you’ll have to speak up and explain about anything out of the ordinary that makes you believe you have toxic mold symptoms.

Do you work or live in a structure that has been damaged by water? Are there any stained ceilings where you suspect molds are growing? Do you find yourself feeling better when you leave the toxic environment? These are questions that your doctor will need answers to in order to determine whether or not you’ve really been exposed to toxic mold.

Your doctor will also want to know any symptoms you may be experiencing. The most common symptoms may include the following, however please remember that this is only a small list and there are many more than this.

Blurred or distorted vision, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, confusion, constipation or diarrhea, coughing, depression, extremely dry eyes, hair loss, hearing loss, hoarseness, itchy watery eyes, loss of concentration, low body temperature, low or high blood pressure, mouth sores, mucous membrane irritation, nail infections, nosebleeds, red or bloodshot eyes, respiratory infections, restless legs, seizure-like episodes, shortness of breath, short term memory loss, sinus infections, sleeping for long periods, sudden and severe abdominal pain, sudden weight gain or loss, tightness or pain in the chest, tingling or burning sensation of the hands or feet, tooth decay and unusual headaches or migraines.

Remember, mold poisoning leaves no victims behind. It can attack all ages and both humans and pets. It can be found in both older buildings and newer ones. It can be found in your home, at your job, at your favorite restaurant. It is not the same as mold that can cause allergies. It can and will harm you if it’s left untreated.

How To Kill Black Mold

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Toxic black mold is a serious issue no matter where it is found. Not only can it be a health hazard, it can also cause structural damage to buildings. Knowing what signs to look for can help you kill black mold as quickly as possible and keep it at bay.

The most common places where black mold can be found is under the kitchen sink, under the bathroom shower, in the basement and anywhere water damage has occurred. Try looking for the black mold where areas are dark and where there is a source of water nearby. Because mold needs moisture, you should look for any leaks such as piping and have it repaired immediately.

Often times, a musty earthy type smell can indicate that you have mold in your home. A really good example of this would be mold in a basement. And in some cases, the odor is only noticeable when a central air and heating system unit is turned on. Discolored walls and ceilings that are brownish or yellowish could be another indication that you have mold in your home. If you ceilings or walls are cracked or the paint is peeling, it could also mean that you have fungus growing in your home.

Once you’ve discovered where the black mold is growing, the next step is mold removal. Before you can do that however, you must find the source of the water accumulation and take the steps necessary in drying it up. Once it’s dry, you’ll need to seal off the area that’s affected by the mold to prevent the spores from becoming airborne and affecting other areas of your home. You can seal off the area using a sheet of plastic and tape. Don’t forget to cover any doorway vents and other areas that are open in the contaminated room.

Arm yourself with a pair of rubber gloves, goggles and a respiratory mask to keep from coming into physical contact with the toxic fungus.

Next, use a product that is designed specifically for black mold removal and follow the instructions listed on the bottle. If you believe bleach will do the job, don’t. Bleach won’t penetrate below the surface where molds tend to hide.

If you find that the molds are severe, you should call a professional mold removal company to handle the clean up properly. You can check your local yellow pages for a professional or contact your city or state to see if they have a contact list.

Once you know how to kill black mold, you’ll want to prevent future occurrences. A few suggestions that can help are keeping an eye out for water leaks, keeping the humidity under control, making sure there is plenty of ventilation in the home, vacuuming and dusting often to prevent dust accumulation, changing your air-conditioning filter as often as indicated by the manufacturer, using paints that are designed to prevent mold, and investing in an air purification system and a dehumidifier.

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