Protecting Your House from Mold in the Spring

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Mold is an ever-present organism mostly found in the outdoor air. Although in its dry state, it may cause some mild allergic reactions such as sneezing and coughing, it is when mold finds a home in a dark, moist environment that it becomes far more dangerous to residences and buildings. 

In the spring, the added moisture and warm temperatures create the perfect environment for mold to grow. It only needs to be in a location left undisturbed. Once it begins to grow, the mold will consume organic materials such as wood and drywall. The spores multiply into the millions which not only spreads the mold further, it can affect the health of those living inside. 

But there are ways to control the mold in your home before it can become an issue. By taking a few steps today, you can prevent most incidents involving mold from developing in your house. The key is to inspect and act before the mold can settle. 

Controlling Mold Growth

While mold will find its way into your home, you can keep it from doing any damage by following these instructions. 

Lower Humidity Levels: Mold needs moisture to grow. By reducing the humidity level in your home to under 50%, it will become difficult for the mold to grow and spread. Purchase a humidity level meter to monitor the results inside your home. 

Fix Leaks: A water pipe leak serves as the perfect growing area for mold. Fix all leaks in the roof, walls, basement, and anywhere there is plumbing. 

Keep the Air Moving: Turning on fans in rooms with higher humidity levels, such as the exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom robs mold of the moisture it needs to grow. 

Cleaning Up Mold

If the mold has established itself in your home, whether near a leaky pipe or a moist area inside the walls, you can remove it using one of the most common household chemicals, bleach. The bleach is more than powerful enough to destroy mold and mildew on contact. However, you will need to handle it with care. 

  • Wear rubber gloves, rubber boots, and goggles
  • Open windows and turn on fans 
  • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the use of bleach
  • Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners. Only mix with water

Apply the bleach with a sponge directly to the area covered with the mold. Once you wipe away the mold, dry the area using a fan. You’ll want to keep the air moving until it’s dry. However, if you discover a large patch of mold, then chances are the infiltration will be far more than you can effectively clean up. That is the time to call a professional mold removal service. 

If you suspect that your home is infested with mold based on having unexplained musty odors for example, then you should get it tested. In many cases, mold does not reveal itself in the open until after it has caused considerable damage. After a flooding event or if musty odors are present, hire a professional company to inspect your home for mold.

Contact Brickley Environmental Today 

With numerous dangers facing your home or business, calling the professionals at Brickley Environmental is a good place to start. We offer our knowledge and experience along with the tools to detect and remove infestations of various types. The services provided by Brickley Environmental include the following. 

  • Asbestos Abatement
  • Mold Remediation
  • Lead-Based Paint Removal 
  • Demolition 
  • Hazardous Waste Removal

If you are facing any of these issues, call Brickley Environmental today. Our friendly, courteous staff will take your call and answer your questions, so you can make the best-informed decision about what to do next. At Brickley Environmental, we are here to help you.

Cleaning Up the Mold in Your Home

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In your home, you may notice distinctive signs of mold infestation. The bad news is that what you see may only be the tip of the iceberg. This is because mold itself is everywhere, but it only becomes a danger to your home when it is combined with humidity. The presence of water causes the mold to replicate quickly and consume the organic materials in your home. 

Suppose your home has experienced any flooding, whether, from natural sources or interior ones such as a leaky pipe or water heater, there is a good probability that mold may be present and growing. You will need to conduct an inspection to see if there is any that may require hiring a professional if the area is difficult to reach or may be quite extensive in nature. 

Proven Steps to Clean Up Mold

The first step is to stop the source of the water leak or infiltration. That means fixing the pipe or waiting until the flooding stops before you take the next step. 

  • Dry Everything Out: By opening windows and turning on fans you can dry out the area rather quickly. This will slow down growth considerably and make it much easier to clean away. Dry out the area first before you clean. 
  • Scrub Thoroughly: Once the area is dry, you can use a simple detergent or bleach mixed with water to kill and remove it from the surface. Bleach is quite effective but can also damage the materials you scrub. 
  • Dry & Inspect: Once you have thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned any away, be sure to re-dry the area using fans. Once complete, inspect the area again to catch any mold that might have remained and is prone to growing again. 

Additional Tips for Cleaning Up Mold

Keep in mind that some materials may be so infested with mold that they will need to be removed, such as carpet or ceilings tiles. Porous materials may be next to impossible to clean, so tossing them out properly is the only answer. 

Do not paint or otherwise try to cover up surfaces with mold still present. Paint will likely just peel away, leaving you with an even bigger mess to clean. 

How Brickley Environmental Can Help

If you suspect that your home is infested with mold, call the experts at Brickley Environmental. Our staff will take your call, listen to your needs, and answer your questions so you can make the best-informed decision. 

Brickley Environmental, we have years of experience cleaning out homes just like yours. We also offer a wide range of other services that include asbestos abatement, removal of lead-based paint along with hazardous waste, and even providing demolition services. When you need mold removed from your home, call the professionals at Brickley Environmental today. 

For more information about mold, click here to visit the CDC website.

How Much Mold Exposure is Harmful?

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Mold exists virtually everywhere, both indoors and outdoors, and has a large variety of species. While mold has many beneficial functions, such as breaking down waste products and organic matter that includes garbage, dead trees, and leaves, exposure to mold also has a big downside in residences and buildings that have moisture. This can create a perfect breeding ground for mold in unwanted environments. 

Exposure to mold can be problematic for people, although it affects everyone differently. While many people may not even be aware that mold is around them, others can easily get sick by breathing it in. Understanding the dangers, identifying who is the most vulnerable, and offering solutions can help keep you protected from mold exposure. 

Exposure to Mold

Mold needs both a food and moisture source to start growing. Under the proper conditions, mold can grow rapidly, releasing spores along with VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that may cause some people to feel ill. While mold spores are mostly inhaled, they can also be absorbed through the skin or consumed if present on food. 

  • Outdoors: Mold is virtually everywhere outdoors however, concentrations of mold are quite limited. The mold growing outdoors does not produce enough sports to be extremely dangerous for those who are vulnerable.
  • Indoors: Mold growing indoors is far more problematic due to a lack of airflow within the confined space. There are also more opportunities for it to locate moist areas within food sources, leading to them multiplying. This is especially true after a flooding event. 

There are different varieties of mold, including black mold which may or may not cause serious health issues. Regardless, exposure to mold of any type can be problematic, especially for those who have underlying health issues and are more susceptible to illness.

Symptoms Associated with Mold Exposure

For those with a mold allergy, this can represent a significant respiratory issue. Those with underlying health issues such as respiratory illness, asthma, lung disease, COPD, and immune suppression are particularly vulnerable to mold exposure. 

Exposure to mold may cause a variety of conditions ranging from coughing and sneezing to itchy skin, headaches, and even dizziness. While such symptoms may be the sign of other illnesses or types of infection, those who experience such symptoms should inform their doctor and request getting checked for mold infection. 

How Brickley Environmental Can Help

If you are concerned that mold may be present in your home or workplace, contact the experts at Brickley Environmental for assistance today. The trained technicians at Brickley Environmental have the knowledge, experience, and equipment to remove the mold from your property. 

For more information on mold exposure, click here to visit the CDC website.

Mold 101: Effects on Human Health

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Mold is a term used for a collection of fungi that are found virtually everywhere in the air. When in a dry state, mold is relatively harmless. However, on surfaces that provide a source of food in a humid atmosphere, they can take hold and grow quickly. It does not take long for mold to grow inside the home.  It can consume materials, cause damage to structural integrity, and even create respiratory issues.

A damp environment represents a potential home for mold to infiltrate and begin to grow. A humid environment is the perfect breeding ground for unwanted pests.  These include dust mites, bacteria, and even airborne fumes from both natural and chemical sources. The health effects of mold may cause long-term health effects.

How Mold Affects Your Health

The most common way that mold affects the health of those living inside homes where the mold spores are being released is relatively mild respiratory issues. This is because the nostrils, sinuses, throat, and lungs are being infiltrated by mold spores which may cause the following:

 

  • Sneezing
  • Coughing
  • Headaches
  • Mild Breathing Issues

It is true that most of these effects are not only mild but may be misinterpreted as common allergies. While mold spores are quite abundant, especially outdoors, the overall effect on human health is quite mild. Although people with established respiratory issues such as asthma may suffer to a greater degree.

Toxic Compounds: Certain types of mold produce toxins that infiltrate the spores. While relatively rare, they present a considerably greater danger to your health compared to common mold. Such mold spores may cause respiratory infections and other conditions that affect adults and children in a stronger manner compared to standard mold.

For healthy adults, the threat of mold spores may seem minor. However, for children, the sick, and the elderly the health threat of mold spores is considerably higher. The presence of mold spores inside the home may be a strong sign that mold is growing. You will need to choose the right professional company to confirm that mold may be present.

Why Choose Brickley Environmental?

If you are concerned about the possible presence of mold in your home, then it pays to call or get in touch with Brickley Environmental. We offer the trained personnel with the right services to inspect, identify, and remove mold infestation from the home. Over the year, Brickley Environmental has helped many families by removing mold and other contaminants which means living in a safer environment.

Remember that mold can grow quickly and become a threat to your home and those who live inside. Get in touch with the professionals as Brickley Environmental. We will explain our services, answer your questions, and provide the assistance needed to ensure that your home is free of mold infestation.

Mold Can Be a Big Problem in the Summer

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The warm months of summer make the perfect breeding environment for mold. The combination of rain, humidity, and heat creates the perfect place for mold to grow. Solutions exist to slow or prevent the growth of mold inside your home.

Reduce Humidity to Avoid Mold

This means that all activities in your home that generate increased moisture in the air need to be reduced. From cooking to showering to running the dishwasher, you’ll want to properly ventilate all areas of the home that generate moisture. By keeping the air moving with fans, you can reduce the chances of moisture building in the air.

If you notice water building up on the walls or ceiling, wipe it away. This prevents mold from forming and growing.

Remove Water Sources from Around the Home

Your home should have good drainage systems in place to keep water from pooling around your residence. The foundation of your home should be higher than the surrounding ground so that groundwater formed by rain is pulled away. This means ensuring that gutters and drainage areas are in good shape.

Address Areas of High Humidity

This means places that can trap moist air, such as a crawlspace or basement, should be addressed to prevent the buildup of moisture. You can put in a dehumidifier which helps or run a sheet of polyethylene to keep the moisture from seeping through the walls or floors. Putting in fans also helps as the moving air makes it far more difficult for the mold to grow.

Fabric and Paper Goods are Indicators of Mold Growth

This means paper, cardboard, and clothing are often the first places that mold can form. This is because they provide a source of food for the mold spores along with a surface where they can cling. Chances are, the first signs of mold growth in the home will be on cardboard boxes, paper items, and your clothing. If they ever come in contact with water, be sure to dry them quickly.

How to Clean Away Mold

Without professional assistance, it can be difficult to extinguish mold. This is because the mold you see may only be a fraction of what exists in your home. If you mix detergent with water into a spray bottle, you can remove the mold you see from surfaces. However, you should call a professional company to inspect and remove the mold from your home.

How Brickley Environmental Can Help

If you suspect that mold is growing in your home, call the professionals at Brickley Environmental. We have the knowledge, experience, and tools to identify mold growth and remove it with as little disruption as possible.