Archive for January 2010

Mold Inspectors and What You Should Know About Them

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Experiencing a natural disaster can be devastating when a home or business is involved. Take for example hurricane Katrina that left many victims without homes and businesses in the state of Louisiana.

None of us are ever really prepared for the force of Mother Nature even when a home or business is lucky enough to be saved. In fact, many homeowners may find themselves left with black mold issues and wondering where to go next. Do you flip through the yellowpages in search of mold inspectors and hire someone or do you go straight to the mold remediation process.

If it’s obvious that you have mold growing in your home, you can more than likely skip hiring an inspector and go straight to getting rid of the mold. However, if the fungus is hidden (you can only smell it), you should hire someone to inspect your home. You may also want to consider hiring a professional mold inspector if you believe there are both hidden and visible molds in your home or business.

Once you have an expert in mind, you need to find out if they can do the inspection within a 24-hour time frame. If not, you’re better off hiring someone else since mold can spread very quickly. Also, make sure that the mold inspector you’re intending to hire is both licensed and certified. While some states already have those requirements before they can practice, there are many states that still do not.

In addition to being certified and licensed, you should ask the company inspecting your home for references from other clients. You may also want to see if they’re listed with the better business bureau. However, you should keep in mind that if they are not listed that doesn’t mean they’re not trustworthy.

You should also make sure that there is a contract provided to insure that both you and the inspection company are in agreement with the work that is to be done. The contract should include an agreement, which requires the company to take a swab or lift tape sample of any mold found in the home and an air sampling for potential airborne mold.

The contract should also include an agreement to provide a lab analysis report of any mold found in the home, answers to any questions you may have whether it be on the report or from the company and an agreement of a thorough inspection for mold in the home.

In addition, your home inspection may also consist of a moisture and leak test, an air quality test, humidity test and drainage test which can take anywhere from a few hours to a half a day to complete, while the cost of the inspection may run anywhere from $300 to $900 depending on the size of your home or business.

And finally, if the business you’ve chosen to inspect your home offers black mold removal services as well, you should be aware that mold inspectors and mold remediation are two separate businesses and any good inspector will advise you of that.

Household Mold Removal Tips

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Despite the media’s recent scare over mold, it isn’t always necessary to hire a professional to cleanup mold growth from your home. In fact, some mold simply requires a little household mold removal to get your home back to being healthy once again. Here’s what you need to know:

There are many funguses that aren’t as dangerous to your health like including information on how to remove pink mold. And while they do need to be removed from your home, you don’t need to arm yourself with eye goggles, or a respiratory mask, or block off park of a room just to remove them.

As a matter of fact, some may be as easy as tossing food out of the refrigerator. Of course getting rid of mold isn’t always that easy, but it isn’t really that difficult either.

For example, most shower mold can be removed by spraying the affected area with a product that’s designed for bathroom mold. Then all you need to do is allow it to set for the time indicated on the bottle and wipe it clean.

However, there may be instances where you’ll need a little more power behind that cleaning product to remove more stubborn molds. You may also find yourself needing to actually use protective gear like rubber gloves, goggles and a respiratory mask.

These items will be necessary when you have to work around toxic black mold. And if that’s the case there will be a little more work involved than just spraying and wiping away the problem.

You’ll need to seal off the affected area using plastic sheeting and tape and you should make sure that you turn off any ceiling fans, air conditioners or central heat and air systems in that room to prevent fungus spores from becoming airborne and infecting other areas of your home.

Next you need to find the source of the fungus growth and make any repairs necessary. Then you should remove or cover any items in the affected room to prevent mold from contaminating them.

You’ll then want to apply a mold spray that’s specifically formulated for toxic mold. Then, let the cleaner set for the time specified by the manufacturer’s directions and wipe the area using a clean wet rag.

Once the mold has been removed, you may want to consider investing in a dehumidifier if you haven’t already done so. In the meantime, if there’s still any moisture in the affected area, you can speed up the drying process by placing several fans in the room near the affected area.

If moisture is a common problem in your region, in addition to the dehumidifier, you may want to consider installing an exhaust fan in the room and open windows whenever possible to reduce the humidity in the room. Otherwise, you may find yourself constantly needing to cleanup mold in your home.

However, when you take the time needed for household black mold removal, you may never have to worry about another fungus invasion again and that’s certainly a breath of fresh air.

What Types of Mold Removers Should You Use

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Not all mold removers are alike. Sure they may claim to work just as great as every product available on today’s market, but let’s face it, if that were true we wouldn’t be here right now reading this article on products for the job, now would we?

Of course it’s also quite obvious that we can’t just spray a sample of the product here and a sample of another product there to find out what works and what doesn’t. So instead we venture online and do a search for a potential mold and mildew remover that we’re interested in and hope we find some really great reviews for it. Yet even with a review you may very well find that you’re missing some important information such as what’s in that bottle of spray.

Are you okay with using a product that contains harsh chemicals that could possibly cause damage to you and your family’s health, not to mention the environment? Do you want to find a product that’s chemical-free or are you just interested in making your own mold removal home remedies to save both the environment and money. So have you asked yourself those questions? If not, you need to.

Choosing the right product for mold should be like choosing a fine wine. It should be pleasant and not harsh on your senses or the environment and it should leave your home free from mold without the need to apply the product over and over again just to see any results.

And then there’s the price. Like a cheap bottle of wine, you may wind up getting a product that just doesn’t cut it. However, the most expensive bottle of spray doesn’t always mean you’ll get your money’s worth either.

And what about those homemade products? Depending on the mold you’re dealing with, you may find that some with work while others will need several applications before you see any results. It’s really just a matter of doing your research to find out what seems to be working for everyone and what’s not.

You should keep in mind however that even the greatest product or natural remedy for mold should never be a replacement for professional mold removal services. If you find that your home has been overrun by black mold, you’re really better off hiring someone to help eliminate the problem.

The same should be done if you or anyone in your family is allergic to fungus. And yes, you could send your family members away and do the cleanup yourself, but a professional can make sure your home is allergy-free by using special equipment and cleaners to get the job done right the first time.

Still, hiring a professional isn’t cheap, so if your fungal problem is manageable (10 square feet or less) there’s no reason why you can’t save money by doing the work yourself. And when you arm yourself with the right knowledge when it comes to mold removers, you can have your home mold-free in no time at all.

Mold Cleanup In 10 Steps If You Do It Yourself

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If you’re a small business owner running your company out of your home, you may be wondering if you’re required to hire a professional when it comes to mold cleanup. If you allow your customers into your home, then yes you should hire someone to help remove the problem. Otherwise, you could be in for some nasty fines or a hefty lawsuit. If your mold situation is bigger than 10 square feet, you should also hire a professional.

However, if the mold that has invaded your home are less than 10 square feet, you may be able to do the work yourself. But, unlike common mold removal, there are a few extra steps involved in order to successfully remove the mold. Here’s how:

Step 1: Asses any damages that may have caused the fungus growth and repair them.

Step 2: Remove any objects near or around the growth area and cover the rest of the room with sheets of plastic to prevent fungal spores from spreading.

Step 3: Remove any moldy materials that cannot be saved such as drywall mold, then seal it in a plastic bag and remove it from your home.

Step 4: Remove and discard any business related items that have been contaminated with mold. If any items were near the moldy growth, but show no sign of it, set the items aside and keep a close eye out for mold. Do not ship any of the items to your customers until you’re absolutely certain that they are safe to send. Otherwise, you could find yourself in hot water with your customer if they discover a mold problem with their product and decide to take action.
 
Step 5: Use a stiff brush to loosen and remove as much of the mold growth as possible.

Step 6: Use a mold spray to clean the affected area taking care to follow the manufacturer’s directions listed on the bottle.

Step 7: Rinse the affected area if necessary and repeat if stains are stubborn.

Step 8: Repair any areas affected by mold in necessary and dry out the area using several fans and/or a dehumidifier.

Step 9: Next, seal and discard any items used in the cleaning process such as brushes, rags and gloves in a plastic garbage bag to prevent further contamination from mold that may become airborne.

Step 10: Contact your business’s insurance company to file a claim for any losses that may have occurred due to the mold. However, depending on your insurance company’s procedures you may need to contact them before any mold remediation is done on your home business. You may also want to ask your insurance agent whether or not they will cover the work that is needed in order to remove the mold from your home.

And finally, please keep in mind that the above steps are only a guideline since every mold cleanup situation may be different and there may be additional requirements depending on where you live, if you are dealing with black mold or not, and the coverage you have for your business.

When Professional Mold Removal Is the Way to Go

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You may be wondering why you should choose professional mold removal when you may be able to save a lot of money by simply doing the black mold removal yourself. I mean why spend thousands of dollars on an expert when you can do it for hundreds less, right? Well, maybe. It really depends on whether or not your household mold situation is a small one or if it’s out of control.

If you discover a small amount of fungus (generally less than 10 square feet) and you know that’s all there is, it’s probably safe enough for you to do the work yourself unless of course you’re highly sensitive to mold.

If the affected area is more than 10 square feet (say an entire wall), you should call a mold remediation expert. You should also hire a professional if the mold is hidden or you’re dealing with a toxic black mold.

However, before you hire just anyone out of the phonebook, you need to shop around. Not only will you be able to get the best deal this way, you’ll also get the best contractor out there or at least the very best available in your area.

Keep in mind however that your phonebook isn’t the only tool that can help you with your quest. You should also be ready and willing to ask your family, friends and even neighbors on who they’d recommend for this type of service.

You may also want to consider asking your city or even real estate office who they would recommend for the job. It also wouldn’t hurt to check with the better business bureau either.

Once you’ve decided on a mold removal company for the job, be sure to ask about any discount services they may have available. Most businesses won’t offer discounts or promotions unless a potential client asks first.

Even with a discount however, many homeowners may still find it difficult to swallow the price for a professional. So, if you’re a little worried about the mold remediation cost, there may be a few options available to help make that decision a little easier.

The first thing you may want to do is check with your insurance company to find out whether or not your homeowner’s policy will cover the costs. If they don’t, ask your insurance agent if the source of your mold problem (such as a flood) may be covered. You may also want to find out if your policy covers any structural damage as a result from the mold.

Another option that you may want to consider is your city. There are many homeowner programs that may allow you to recoup the cost of cleanup or at least part of it. If not, they may at least offer assistance in repairing any damages caused by flooding or a city issue such as a broken water line in which case you have every right to have those repairs taken care of.

And if you are living on a farm, you should contact your county and state about any programs they may have to help with loss of crops or income due to molds and the need to hire a professional mold removal service.

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