How Big Of A Health Problem Can Mold Be

8/21/2024 (Permalink)

Mold, a layman term used to identify a variety of fungi, which can easily be classified as unappealing and disliked. Mold can exist both indoors as well as outdoors in the form of variously colored, smelly, and unsightly fuzzy patches. However, the sight and smell of mold are the least of your worries as the effect on your health has been far worse.

How Does Mold Spread Health Problems

While mold exists on surfaces, it does produce a variety of spores, which then spread throughout the air in your property. In fact, if a patch of mold exists on your property, there isn't much that you can do that will prevent it from spreading these spores, which will only allow for the health issues to persist. Certain types of molds are even known to digest the surface that they are growing on. This is why you need to remove the mold itself.

Health Issues Caused By Molds

There are a variety of health issues inflicted on people who are exposed to mold. In fact, mold can affect different people with different health issues. So to show you how big of an issue mold can be on your health, here is a list of health issues caused by exposure to mold.

Respiratory Issues

The spores from mold that float in the air can produce a variety of irritants, mycotoxins, and allergens. Some of them have toxic nature and can greatly affect those who might be sensitive to them. So these toxic elements can then cause irritation within your throat, nose, and even lungs, which can cause you to become asthmatic or develop a chronic lung problem.

Allergies

Mold can also cause you to develop symptoms that overlap with different types of allergies, which can include seasonal allergies and even hay fever. So, symptoms, such as an itchy, blocked, or runny nose, excessive sneezing, and even watery eyes could persist as it affects your upper respiratory tract. People who are already asthmatic could begin to have asthma attacks due to the mold.

Aspergillosis

Aspergillosis is a variation of mold that can cause a variety of different types of health issues in different types of people. The health issues can include issues with lung function, headaches, coughing so severe that it could cause you to cough up blood, respiratory issues, and weight loss.

Other Health-Related Issues

Apart from toxins and irritants, mold also can produce bacteria and microbes. If one is exposed to such productions, then it could trigger their body to have an inflammatory response. It can also cause infections, such as a fungal or bronchial infection. In fact, for some, mold can even cause issues, such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis, bronchitis, and insomnia.

All in all, the growth of any variation of mold can and should be treated like the plague as it is quite a significant threat to your health. This means that all of the necessary precautions should be taken in order to ensure that it does not damage you or your loved one's health.

Containment

2/11/2021 (Permalink)

Mold is fact of life. We deal with mold on a daily basis here at SERVPRO of Woodbury/Deptford and one of the most important factors when working with mold is keeping the mold spores confined to an affected area.

Containment is the term used for limiting the spread of mold, dust, fibers and other items that can quickly make a small job a big job or a safe home a not safe home.

We use the latest in technology and all of our available resources to create negative pressure, knock down mold spores down, containing the mold, drying any wet surfaces and utilizing a HEPA vacuum, thusly keeping our clients happy, safe and on their way to getting their homes back to "Like it never even happened."

Clean These 3 Areas to Prevent Mold Spore Buildup

2/3/2021 (Permalink)

Prioritize These Three Areas To Greatly Reduce The Chances Of Mold Buildup

Carpet cleaning has more purposes beyond cosmetic improvements. It is crucial to prevent mold infestations in your commercial building. However, you cannot do this by preventing moisture alone. Mold spores feed on dust, dirt, and other organic materials, so it is important to clean your business regularly.

General Surfaces
Mold feeds on any organic material around. One of these prominent catalysts is dust, which is composed of bacteria, dead skin cells, soil, and more ingredients. Dust also gathers around any surface that is not cleaned frequently. Therefore, regular cleaning of the entire location is important. Janitorial staff can target both obvious surfaces and tight corners where dust accumulates. Encourage your staff to wipe their workstations often to improve hygiene.
Carpets and Rugs
Another way to combat mold problems effectively is by focusing on carpets. This type of flooring throughout your location can trap the dirt, soil, and spores that people bring from outdoors. If the carpet is left alone, these particles can build up and lead to mold over time. Prevent this from happening with dedicated carpet cleaning and vacuuming. Install mats by each entrance so people can wipe their footwear immediately and reduce carpet contamination. However, you will also need to clean them often.
Air Vents
One aspect of the building you should not overlook is the HVAC system. The air vents are harder to reach, so it is more difficult to clean them. However, the dust that can gather inside of them can spread throughout the building. This means the system can also easily spread mold spores throughout the area, creating growth everywhere and complicating commercial mold remediation efforts. Contact HVAC professionals to clean and maintain the air vents.
Stopping excessive humidity inside your business is just one step in preventing mold development. Surface, air vent and carpet cleaning stop these spores from getting the nutrients they need to thrive.

Four Of The Most Common Questions Regarding Mold Growth

2/3/2021 (Permalink)

The vast majority of homeowners do have to deal with a black mold issue at some point. Mold has the potential to grow nearly anywhere in your home, provided the correct conditions exist. If you suspect that your home has fallen victim to a mold problem, yet you still don't know where to begin, then you have come to the right place.

Does Mold Go Away By Itself?
Mold is a living organism, so it's natural to assume that depriving it of its vital nutrients could cause it to die off on its own. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. Cutting off the mold's access to water and organic matter might temporarily halt its spread, but it will not kill the existing mold.
Where Does Mold Grow?
Black mold can grow anywhere the correct conditions exist. It's most commonly found in areas of your home that come into frequent contact with moisture, such as your kitchen, bathroom, basement, laundry room and garage.
How Do You Get Rid of Mold?
The size of the mold issue ultimately determines which approach you should take. You can address smaller mold cleanup projects using homemade cleaning mixtures that consist of equal parts water and white vinegar. Larger problems might require professional assistance, however.
How Can You Prevent Mold?
Mold needs water to grow, so cutting down on any existing moisture problem is your best course of action. You should also carefully monitor your indoor humidity levels to ensure that excess condensation isn't the root of the problem. Lastly, performing regular home inspections can help you catch mold problems before they spiral out of control.
Just because black mold is a common household affliction doesn't mean that you need to put up with it. Learning what causes mold growth in your home and taking action to resolve the issue can help prevent future issues. Contact mold remediation experts for professional assistance.

Moisture Rides on Air Currents, and Warm Air Carries More Moisture Than Cool Air

2/17/2020 (Permalink)

To control air flows, make sure the air barrier is continuous

An air barrier helps control airflow both through and within the building enclosure. By controlling airflow, you also control moisture.

If moist indoor air contacts a cold surface — for example, exterior sheathing in cold weather — condensation can result. An air barrier prevents those cold surfaces from being connected with humid indoor air.

Air has a maximum storage capacity for water vapor which depends on temperature. Warm air can store lots of moisture, while cold air can store very little.

As the temperature falls from 90°F down to 20°F, the amount of moisture that can be stored in the air changes by a factor of ten.

Leaky homes didn’t have condensation problems

Older buildings rarely had condensation problems in cold weather because they were so well ventilated — meaning leaky. The relative humidity in an old home would rarely rise above 25%. As we have built tighter houses (and in some cases failed to provide mechanical ventilation), the indoor relative humidity has gone up.

In a heated, tight, unventilated house, the amount of moisture in the air and the amount of condensation that can occur are dramatically different than in an old leaky house. Condensation can occur wherever water vapor can find a cold spot — on roof or wall sheathing, on the inside faces of the windows, and inside the walls.

Let's say it’s 40°F outside and the outdoor relative humidity is 50%. If you allow that outdoor air to enter a building and heat it up to 70°F, the amount of moisture in the air stays exactly the same, but the “tank” gets bigger because the storage capacity of the air increases with the temperature. As a result, the relative humidity initially drops. Then, as moisture is added to the air, the relative humidity rises, and the absolute moisture content rises as well. How do you add moisture to the air? You breathe, sweat, boil water for spaghetti, take hot showers, grow houseplants — and all of those activities generate moisture.

When does indoor humidity become a problem?

Let’s say that air leaks out of a house through holes in the enclosure. As it reaches surfaces colder than 52°F or 53°F, the air will cool. Once it reaches its full capacity to store moisture, condensation occurs.

If the temperature of the outdoor air is around 30°F, the indoor air will drop all of the moisture that it gained on the way out, dumping it on the cold sheathing surface. That’s a typical example of the air leakage condensation cycle. Since condensation in walls can cause puddles — and in extreme cases, rot the framing — condensation is something you want to avoid. Installing an air barrier is one way to help prevent condensation.

Air conditioning can also create condensing surfaces

The same phenomenon can happen in reverse in the summertime. Let’s say the outdoor air is 85°F and the relative humidity is 75%. When outdoor air leaking inward contacts a surface below about 76°F, the moisture in the air will condense. So if you have an exhaust fan in your home, the air leaking in may cause condensation on the air-conditioned surfaces — for example, on the back side of vinyl wallpaper.

If moist air leaks into a house through gaps in the wall or roof, you can have problems. But in a tight house with a good air barrier and a supply-only ventilation system, most of the air that’s drawn inside is drawn in through the air conditioner, so the first cold surfaces it sees are the cooling coils.

If you have air leaks in your building envelope, you usually can’t see the condensation —Unless you have an Infrared Camera with a Visual Inspection. However, condensation is sometimes visible in the attic; all you have to do is look for frost or dampness forming on the underside of the OSB or plywood roof sheathing.

Mold and Your Health

2/3/2020 (Permalink)

Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Areas that are likely to have mold, such as compost piles, cut grass, and wooded areas.

Molds are part of the natural environment. Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided. Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air. Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture.

The key to mold control is moisture control. If mold is a problem in your home, you should clean up the mold promptly and fix the water problem.

It is important to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.
Molds gradually destroy the things they grow on. You can prevent damage to your home and furnishings, save money, and avoid potential health problems by controlling moisture and eliminating mold growth.

Mold Remediation and Damage

2/3/2020 (Permalink)

Any home or business can quickly become infested with mold with the introduction of a water source, like a roof or plumbing leak. Mold can spread throughout a property in as little as 48-72 hours, and can produce allergens and irritants that have the potential to cause other health effects.

If you suspect that your home or business has a mold problem, SERVPRO can inspect and assess your property. If mold is found, they have the training, equipment, and expertise to handle the situation.

Microscopic mold spores exist almost everywhere, outdoors and indoors, making it impossible to remove all mold from a home or business. Some restoration businesses advertise “mold removal” and even guarantee to remove all mold, which is a fallacy. Consider the following mold facts:

Mold is present almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors.
Mold spores are microscopic and float along in the air, and may enter your home through windows, doors, or AC/heating systems or even hitch a ride indoors on your clothing or on a pet.
Mold spores thrive on moisture. Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water.
Before mold remediation can begin, any sources of water or moisture must be addressed. Otherwise, the mold may return.
Mold often produces a strong, musty odor and can lead you to possible mold problem areas.
Even higher-than-normal indoor humidity can support mold growth. Keep indoor humidity below 45 percent.

Mold Indoors and Out

11/7/2019 (Permalink)

Molds are part of the natural environment. Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided. Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air. Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture. Molds gradually destroy the things they grow on. You can prevent damage to your home and furnishings, save money, and avoid potential health problems by controlling moisture and eliminating mold growth.

The key to mold control is moisture control.
If mold is a problem in your home, you should clean up the mold promptly and fix the water problem.
It is important to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.

SERVPRO of Woodbury/Deptford, when you need a professional, call us for help

4/3/2019 (Permalink)

Exposure to moisture, whether it’s from storm damage or a plumbing failure in your home or business, can provide the right situation for mold to flourish. The growth process can begin in as little as 48 hours, which is why it’s extremely important to know what steps to take and who to call for help with mold remediation.

Proper Mold Remediation Is Key

We’re sure that you’ve probably seen ads for mold remediation and mold removal, but the truth is that the latter of these two is false. Removing all mold from a home or business simply cannot be accomplished.

Instead, a qualified restoration company focuses on mold remediation, and will work to achieve the goal of getting mold levels back to normal and natural ranges.

Mold spores occur naturally almost everywhere, both indoors and outdoors. It is only when a minor mold problem is left untreated that the mold will become a major issue.

During a mold remediation, technicians will isolate the mold-contaminated areas. Depending on the size of the remediation job, it can be done by either closing all doors and windows or completely sealing all of the doorways and openings with a polyethylene sheeting. Dust in the contaminated areas is then suppressed through misting.

Wet and mold-damaged materials are removed and discarded in plastic bags, and all areas that have been exposed to and affected by mold are then completely cleaned and dried. In some cases, a HEPA vacuum may be brought in to aid in the removal of the contamination and debris.

The area that is affected by the mold is treated with a biocide, and then left overnight to destroy and kill the mold spores. The mold remediation crew will return the following day and encapsulate the affected and surrounding areas.

When to Call the Professionals

If you suspect that your home or business may have a mold problem, you’ll need to act quickly. Take a look at the size of the problem area and, if the moldy area is larger than 10 square feet, it is time to contact your local Franchise Professionals.

Contact the trained professionals of SERVPRO of Woodbury/Deptford. We are highly trained and certified in areas like:

Applied microbial remediation
Water damage restoration
Applied structural drying

While some minor mold issues can be successfully resolved by home and business owners on their own, the safest way to deal with mold is to talk to the professionals to quickly and efficiently resolve the problem.

Undetected Leaks

2/18/2019 (Permalink)

A leak from a refrigerator line caused mold damage to the laminate flooring in this kitchen, all the way down to the subfloor, pictured here.

SERVPRO of Woodbury/Deptford responded to a call for mold remediation in Deptford, New Jersey. The ice maker line in the refrigerator was leaking for an unknown length of time. As a result, the floor and cabinets were wet. As soon as the homeowner discovered the floors were wet, he called SERVPRO of Woodbury/Deptford.

Upon tearing out the kitchen floor, our technicians learned that the subfloor was also effected by mold and had to come out, along with the cabinets. The wood in the subfloor and the cabinets is a food source for mold. In order to grown, mold requires an organic material to feed on, sustained moisture, and time. This Deptford kitchen met these requirements.

The kitchen was approximately 150 square feet. SERVPRO of Woodbury/Deptford set up an air scrubber and dehumidifier within the containment in order to properly clean the space. The family could not use their kitchen for the three days our company was working, but they were not displaced from their home. After the tear out, we vacuumed the space with a HEPA vacuum to catch any errant mold spores from the remaining surfaces in the kitchen.

So as you can see, a small leak that goes undetected for a period of time can cause major damage! Make sure you have someone to call as soon as you notice a problem. SERVPRO of Woodbury/Deptford responds to all emergency cleanups 24/7.

Mold remediation

2/8/2019 (Permalink)

Mold Remediation in Woodbury, NJ

If you have black mold covering a large area (greater than ten square feet) or mold growing in your heating and ventilation ducts, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends having a professional handle the cleanup. It’s also best to have a professional handle the job.

SERVPRO of Woodbury / Deptford is a trusted leader in the restoration industry, and our highly trained technicians provide 24-hour emergency service. We're dedicated to responding faster to any size disaster with the training, equipment, and experience to respond to your restoration or cleaning needs.

Stucco Remediation-What you Should Know

2/8/2019 (Permalink)

Every home, no matter when it was built or when you purchased it, can fall prey to stucco failure, mold and moisture contamination. Even the tiniest of cracks in the façade of your home can result in moisture coming in, which can then cause major problems. If that happens, it can threaten the very structure of your home as well as the health of your family. If it isn’t treated properly, mold can cause extensive and costly damage.

Signs that you need repairs include cracking or breaking in the façade of your home, or brown streaks below your windows or at intersection of the wall and roof. Inside, you’ll notice leaks in doors or windows, the bottoms of your windows may be discolored, your base trim can become warped and there may be wet carpet or a moldy smell in your home.

But did you know your stucco doesn’t even have to be cracked to have problems? Heller explains that it wasn’t until fairly recently that proper weep screens and break points in the stucco were required. That means walls may not breathe properly, which can allow moisture to build up and then be trapped.

That’s just one of the many reasons it is important to call your building contractor to inspect your home for damage. The contractor may be able to find problems that you never even knew existed and stop a problem before it becomes too big and costly.

The process of repairing the stucco is referred to as stucco remediation. Your first instinct may be to simply call a stucco company to repair the façade of your home, but that might not be the right thing to do.

Companies that are stucco only will have the know-how to remove and replace the existing façade of your home.

While this is important, it may simply cover up the effects caused by the moisture. The structural integrity of your home and the health of your family can still be in jeopardy if the underlying problems still exist.

Simply put, a stucco repair company could lack the knowledge and ability to identify and repair the problems that result from the water damage. And if they aren’t properly corrected, that can lead to even more damage and expense in the future.

Moisture intrusion most often affects stucco-clad homes, but can also affect homes made of brick, stone, wood or composite siding, and typically affects homes built between 1985 and 2003. Having the right person inspect your home for damage is crucial to find and repair problems to the home’s wood structure that aren’t visible to the eye. Rot and mold within the wall cavity can cause serious damage.

If you think your home may have fallen prey to moisture intrusion, then please give SERVPRO of Woodbury/Deptford a call

Mold and Your Health

11/8/2018 (Permalink)

Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Areas that are likely to have mold, such as compost piles, cut grass, and wooded areas.

Molds are part of the natural environment. Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided. Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air. Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture.

The key to mold control is moisture control. If mold is a problem in your home, you should clean up the mold promptly and fix the water problem.

It is important to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.
Molds gradually destroy the things they grow on. You can prevent damage to your home and furnishings, save money, and avoid potential health problems by controlling moisture and eliminating mold growth.

Mold and Your Health

6/26/2018 (Permalink)

Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Areas that are likely to have mold, such as compost piles, cut grass, and wooded areas.

Molds are part of the natural environment. Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided. Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air. Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture.

The key to mold control is moisture control. If mold is a problem in your home, you should clean up the mold promptly and ix the water problem.

It is important to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.

Molds gradually destroy the things they grow on. You can prevent damage to your home and furnishings, save money, and avoid potential health problems by controlling moisture and eliminating mold growth.

Stucco Remediation – What You Should Know