Protecting Your House from Mold in the Spring

Posted by STN Admin on

 

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.

How to Prepare Your Home for the Spring

Posted by STN Admin on

Spring not only brings warmer temperatures but also new dangers to your home or business in the form of termites. Termites cause roughly $5 billion in damage across the US every year. Plus, for homeowners, damage caused by termites is normally not covered by home insurance.

The lack of coverage is due to the designation that damage caused by termites is preventable. This means that you will need regular inspections and the use of treatments if termites are detected. But when should such inspections begin?

Termite Season

There are two basic types of termites in California, drywood and subterranean. Drywood termites create colonies inside the wood while subterranean termites live under the ground. 

While drywood termites are most active in the late summer and early fall, subterranean termites are mostly active in the spring. It is when they leave their colonies and swarm to find new mates. Once they have found their mates, a new termite colony is born. Such termites are called swarmers because they have wings until they find their mates. 

If you see insects that look like flying ants around your property, that is a sign that termites might be present. The presence of discarded wings around your home, office, or facility is another visible sign that a colony may be nearby or even inside the building or home. 


Protecting Your Property from Termites

Whether you have seen the aforementioned signs of termites or not, it pays to have your home inspected by professionals. They can locate and identify termite colonies that may be residing inside or near your home or building. By locating such colonies, they can be dealt with in an appropriate manner that protects the wood structure. 

Standard passive protection from termites includes creating barriers around your home to prevent termites from going inside. Another popular form of protection is using bait near the colonies. The bait will steer the termites away from your property. The result is when the bait runs out, the colony will die out as well. In addition, you can also follow these tips.

  • Remove dead trees and shrubs that have yet to be infected by termites
  • Remove any newspapers, books, and other paper-based products from storage areas such as the basement, attic, or garage. 
  • Conduct regular inspections for mud tubes and discarded wings of termites during the spring

However, if termites have gotten into your home, you will need to have them removed to stop any further damage. A professional termite exterminator will be needed to locate and destroy all the termites present in the structure. 


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.