Common Mold Issues

12/2/2019 (Permalink)

Any home or commercial 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 Professionals can inspect and assess your property. If mold is found, they have the training, equipment, and expertise to handle the situation.

SERVPRO of Madison, Lawrenceburg and Versailles:

• Provide 24/7 Emergency Service
• Highly Trained Water Restoration Specialists
• Faster to Any Size Disaster
• A Trusted Leader in the Restoration Industry 

Understanding Mold

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.

Why Mold Removal may NOT be a DIY Project...

12/2/2019 (Permalink)

There are over 1,000 types mold found in North America. Did you know mold will eat just about anything? This includes metals, concrete, fabric and wood. 

People spend about 90% of our time indoors. This makes mold and its destructive nature a major concern for many of us. Search DIY mold removal on the internet and you will find tons of articles suggesting different ways to rid your home of mold yourself. One of the most common suggestions is spraying the mold with bleach or some other concoction aimed at killing it. Mold cleanup is not that simple.

The EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) has come up with a rigid set of guidelines for mold removal. The Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings document recommends that you should only attempt to remove mold yourself if the area impacted is less than roughly a 3 ft. by 3 ft. patch. Even in this instance you should first wear protective gear and fix any leaky pipes or issues that caused the mold damage. IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) does not recommend spraying, but promotes removal of mold and proper air filtration. Major steps in a proper mold remediation process includes analysis of the impacted area, thorough drying, fixing any causes of water and wetness as well as wearing proper protective gear during the process.

Before you take the health and monetary risk of improper mold remediation review the EPA guidelines and contact your local Durham, NC mold remediation and abatement professionals to have an analysis of the area. This will give you a better idea if your mold problem is a do it yourself project or not.

Source: http://www.gotmold.ca/2013/03/20-interesting-facts-about-mold/

Do you have mold on your important documents??

12/2/2019 (Permalink)

If your home or business has important documents that are affected by mold, we can HELP!

We use a specialized process called Gamma Irradiation. This is used for cleaning/disinfection and decontaminating documents or other consumer goods. In gamma irradiation, high-energy photons are emitted from an isotope source (Colbalt 60) producing ionization (electron disruptions) throughout a product. In a CAT 3 situation (sewage or flood water), documents are not only deteriorating but are also infected with all types of bacteria. In most storm situations you are dealing with CAT 3 water. Therefore, most of the affected documents that you will encounter will be contaminated. If this is the case then decontamination is always a must. In living cells, these disruptions result in damage to the DNA and other cellular structures. These photon-induced changes at the molecular level cause death to the organism or render the organism incapable of reproduction. The gamma process does not create residuals or impart radioactivity in processed products.

For additional information or questions on processes involving fire, water, or mold damaged documents please call our office at 812-574-5744, and we would be happy to further discuss services.

How can I prevent mold?

12/2/2019 (Permalink)

Mold is an extremely serious topic, and one that we receive many calls regarding. Our research shows that these suggestions below can help prevent mold from entering your home.

• Humidity levels need to be low, as humidity is a breeding ground for mold.

• Be sure to use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier during humid months.

• Exhaust fans can help with ventilating your house. 

• Mold inhibitors can be added to paints before you use them. 

• Do not have carpet in bathrooms.

• If you carpets or upholstery becomes wet, remove them or dry them out if you are able. 

At SERVPRO of Madison, Lawrenceburg & Versailles we are known for our drying skills. Let us help you with that, call us today at 812-574-5744. We always answer, 24/7/365

Smell Mold??

12/2/2019 (Permalink)

Mold Odor Control

The only way to really control the mold smell is to remove the mold. Air fresheners, disinfectant sprays, and common household cleaning products may temporarily cover up the smell but they won’t really get rid of it.  Scented candles, incense, and potpourri are some other ways people sometimes attempt to disguise the musty odor of mold, and none of them work very well, either. The only truly effective method of mold odor control is to remove all household mold.

Of course, removing mold is not only important because it will improve the smell of your home. Removing mold is important if you want to be healthy, since mold can cause so many medical problems.  

If you think you smell mold in your home or commercial business call SERVPRO TODAY 812-574-5744

Do you suspect mold in your home?

12/2/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Madison, Lawrenceburg and Versailles is happy to give estimates to those living in Madison, IN, Vevay, IN, Greensburg, IN, Batesville, IN, Aurora, IN, Versailles, IN, Lawrenceburg, IN, Hanover, IN, Dupont, IN, and Westport, IN, and surrounding areas. 

• 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 a pet.
• Mold spores thrive on moisture. Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water. These colonies may produce allergens and irritants.
• 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.

If your home or business has a mold problem, we can inspect and assess your property and use our specialized training, equipment, and expertise to remediate your mold infestation.

How does mold grow in Indiana homes??

12/2/2019 (Permalink)

How Does Mold Grow in Indiana Homes?

Perhaps you are walking through your home and notice a dark spot on your ceiling. Upon closer examination, the area around the spot is soft and it looks like the dark spot is mold. How does mold get into your home and grow? How do you remove mold growth from your home? How can you prevent mold from occurring in your home again? These are just a few of the many questions Indiana homeowners ask when mold is found in their home.

Where Does Mold Growth Most Often Occur in Homes?

Mold growth can occur anywhere in a home. The most common place mold is found, along with mildew, is in the grout between shower and tub tiles. If you don’t wash and clean your shower and tub files, the moisture from the bath and shower can promote growth from mold spores. These most often happen in the grout due to the porous-nature of the grout allowing the mold spores to collect and grow with moisture.

The most common places where you might discover mold growth is around areas of your home where moisture or water may be present. This can include around toilets, sinks, dishwashers, clothes washers, and water pipes throughout your home. The water pipes can spring a small leak or water can condense on the outside of the pipe, gather and drip behind the walls. While mold can be spotted pretty quickly around bathrooms and sinks, mold can be hidden from view for a long time if it’s the result of a leak inside your walls or a small roof leak.

Mold growth that’s hidden usually doesn’t get spotted until its spread to a more visible area or in the scenario at the beginning where it’s on the ceiling, will only show once the mold has spread through the drywall on the ceiling causing the visible dark spot on the ceiling.

How Does Mold Get Into Your Home and Grow?

Mold occurs when mold spores mix with moisture. Mold grows best in warm, damp and humid conditions. That is why you’ll find mold most often in bathrooms and damp basements. Mold spores can be found almost anywhere, both indoors and outdoors.

Mold spores can lie dormant in dry conditions for years and years until they are exposed to moisture where they grow. The best way to prevent mold spores from growing is to keep the humidity down in your home. If you take a shower or bath, turn on the ceiling vent to pull the moisture out of the room. When done, leave the door open to allow the room to air out and the moisture to dissipate.

Can You Remove Mold Spores from a Home?

While a dehumidifier can help reduce humidity in basements and homes, they won’t remove or kill mold spores. Mold spores will continue to float and travel through the air in your home. To remove mold spores from the air, you will want to look at air filters that are capable of trapping or killing these tiny particles. The best advice is to reduce the opportunities for mold spores to cause mold growth by eliminating or reducing moisture and humidity in the home.

How Do You Remove Mold from a Home?

Small amounts of mold on hard surfaces can be normally cleaned with household mold cleaners or a bleach and water mix. This could be mold found around the tile of a shower. If you find mold growing on porous surfaces like walls, ceilings, wood floors, carpets, wood surfaces, and upholstered furniture; it’s best to call mold remediation experts like those at SERVPRO of Madison, Lawrenceburg and Versailles. Mold growth on porous surfaces can easily spread and grow not only along the visible surface but below the surface. Mold growth could also be hiding a bigger problem like a roof leak, pipe leak, or condensation on pipes behind walls. A mold remediation expert will remove the damaged materials, pinpoint the origin and cause of the growth, and remove the cause of the moisture or high humidity.

If you discover mold growing in your home, call SERVPRO of Madison, Lawrenceburg, and Versailles today at 812-574-5744 to learn how to stop it and reduce any further damage from occurring.