What You Can Do to Try and Prevent Mold

5/5/2019 (Permalink)

If Mold isn’t Prevented it Will Grow and Spread Rapidly

Mold in a property, be it your home or business can be scary. If you own the property it can seem even more scary because the responsibility to get rid of it is yours, not a landlords. You either need to properly handle it yourself depending on the size of the problem, or need to call in the professionals like us at SERVPRO of Greensboro North. 

Mold is certainly becoming more of a problem now. Because homes are now built more with energy-efficient in mind, they are designed to be well sealed and insulated. This allows mold to grow more easily should the property not have proper ventilation or enough air circulating in areas where high moisture is present. 

Some ways you can try and prevent mold growth in your home or business include the following:

• Use a Fan to Improve Circulation
• Use a Dehumidifier to Keep the House's Humidity Levels Below 60%
• Replace Air Filters Regularly and Often
• Keep Walls and Soft Furnishings Dry
• Wipe away Condensation from Walls and Windows Especially After a Shower or Bath 
• Insulate Cold Surfaces

If you feel that you have a problem with mold in your home or business than give us a call at 336-379-1772. At SERVPRO of Greensboro North, we are here for you 24/7 and 365 days a year. 

How To Treat Mold on Your Own

5/3/2019 (Permalink)

Don't let mold creep into your home

Mold has many different varieties, one of which can also be toxic. People respond to mold differently depending on their own sensitivities to it. Where allergies are concerned some may have reactions, while others may not experience any affects from it. When mold is a toxic mold however, it will affect anyone even without showing immediate symptoms of mold exposure and can cause some serious health concerns. It is best to therefore remove all and any type of mold before it spreads.

You can remove some mold yourself. However, it must be done properly. Using a wet cloth may make it disappear visually, but it will not be effective. Mold will grow back again and again unless it is properly removed. In some cases, even if it is properly removed, so long as there is not enough ventilation, and you don’t improve your ventilation, then new mold can still grow back.

The best way to try and get rid of mold on your own is to use a mix of detergent or bleach. You must eradicate the spores. It’s the spores which you can’t see that get left behind. If you only wipe the mold away with a wet cloth you aren’t going to kill them off. The spores are what grows back the mold which you can then see. Always be careful when removing mold as the spores can and often do become airborne. You should wear a mask for safety.

If your mold problem is significant, you would be best advised to hire a professional to clean away the mold. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends having professionals come in when the mold growth exceeds 10 square feet. At SERVPRO of Greensboro North, we are available to be reached 24/7 and 365. Just give us a call at 336-379-1772. We can determine the type of mold, the cause of the mold and will remove it safely and completely.

Mold On and In Your Walls

12/21/2018 (Permalink)

Mold inside a wall

The most common causes of mold growing on walls are high humidity, condensation and water leaks. Water leaks are usually hidden in your walls which causes the mold to also be hidden from your sight.

If humidity stays high in your home for a long time, then you might see mold starting to grow on your walls. Usually the best way to decrease humidity is to ventilate your home by opening windows and doors. Also, things like drying wet clothes inside, taking hot showers, or boiling water on the stove increase humidity in your home. Condensation is especially common on walls which form the perimeter of a house. These walls are often colder because of cool outdoor air on the other side. This is because condensation forms when water vapor in the air meets cold surfaces and cools to become liquid. This can often cause mold on the outer part of your wall or it’s surface where you can see it. Leaking pipes near or inside of walls are another common cause of mold. If there's a leaking pipe inside a wall cavity then mold will usually be well and truly set in before it's discovered.

The mold cleanup process plays a critical role in stopping mold in its tracks. Mold can be extremely hazardous. If you want to be safe and most thorough in removing mold from your home, we recommend hiring professionals like us at SERVPRO Greensboro North. We have the experience working with mold removal. We can be reached 24/7 and 365 days a year at 336-379-1772.

Why Mold Removal Requires a Professional

12/19/2018 (Permalink)

Mold can hide in your walls even just behind your wallpaper

Mold is often a hidden danger. If you suspect mold in your home or can visibly see that you have mold in your home, it is best to act quickly in order to have it removed. At SERVPRO Greensboro North we are the professionals who can assist you. We can find any mold source even hidden mold and can remove it safely so that you can avoid the following from happening further:

• Breathing in microscopic mold spores. These spores move through the ventilation system within your home. They are so small that you cannot see them but breathing in the spores can result in toxicity within the body.
• Food contamination. When the mold spores are present in the air, food may become contaminated and those spores are ingested when the food is eaten.
• Direct contact. When your skin comes into direct contact with the mold, it may cause several health effects of black mold. Avoid direct contact, because it is extremely dangerous.

If you suspect any sickness due to mold it is important to see a doctor. It is also imperative that you call in professionals to clean up the home in order to minimize the dangers of black mold.

The cleanup process plays a critical role in stopping mold from being hazardous to your health. If you simply treat any health problems that may be associated yet continue to be exposed, then mold will continue to be hazardous to you.

If you want to be safe and most thorough, we recommend hiring professionals like us at SERVPRO Greensboro North. We have the experience working with mold removal. We can be reached 24/7 and 365 days a year at 336-379-1772.

Causes and Signs of Mold In Your Home

11/9/2018 (Permalink)

While some mold is visible, most is hidden. Mold can creep out of unexpected places where moisture has built up or where water damage has been.

You may not realize it, but mold could be growing and / or hiding within your home. Knowing what to look for and what can cause mold is very important.

The biggest cause of mold is water damage that’s gone unnoticed, has been left unattended to or has not been cleaned up properly. Being that mold thrives in environments where moisture is present, areas where there’s been water damage are ideal for mold to grow and thrive. Mold can begin to form and show itself within less than 24 hours!

Indoor mold can lead to health problems. Obviously if you see mold, you have mold in your home. Don’t forget though that not all mold is visible as often it is growing or has grown hidden inside your walls or beneath your floor boards. Be aware that even if there is visible mold that may not be the only affected area in your home.

1. Humidity When a home has humid conditions, it means moisture in the air is higher. High humidity can cause condensation and excess water, providing an ample environment and food source for mold spores.

2. Condensation A lot of condensation means that there is a lot of moisture and potentially a mold problem. Mold can grow anywhere where there is condensation build up.

3. Rust Condensation can cause rusting to occur in your home. If you notice rust on pipes you may have a higher moisture level and therefore most likely also a mold problem.

3. Leaks If you have a leak in your home, it can eventually lead to water damage. In addition, it causes those prime, moist conditions mold requires to grow.

4. Warping Materials such as drywall and wood can warp if moisture is present. Warped walls or floors may mean a mold problem is present.

5. Deterioration Moisture issues can lead to paint chipping, wallpaper peeling, and other materials deteriorating. Keep an eye out for deterioration happening in your home.

6. Strange odor Mold tends to often have a musty, moldy odor. If you smell a musty odor in your home, then it’s likely you have mold hiding someplace. The worse the smell the higher the possibility of mold growing in that location.

If you suspect or believe that your house has mold, contact a qualified professional in order to assist. They can asses the situation, locate and determine a mold problem and safely and properly remove it. Attempting to remove the mold without the help of a professional may aggravate the situation as some mold spores may be accidentally missed or caused to be spread about your home further. Give SERVPRO of Greensboro North, Kernersville a call in order to have your mold removed safely and properly. 336-379-1772

Mold Impacts Your Health

10/22/2018 (Permalink)

Mold hides in many places

Exposure to mold can be detrimental to our health. It can cause problems that are not always reversible. Often mold is hidden from us. Either it’s been painted over or is hiding in the attic, within your walls, or within the vents and ducts. It is a good idea if you suspect mold as the cause to any of your health problems, to call in the professionals at SERVPRO to detect if there is mold in your home. 

Ignoring the possibility of mold can be even worse for your health in the long run. If you suspect mold in your home or office, than call us at SERVPRO Greensboro North, Kernersville Burlington. We are here to help detect and remove mold properly. 336-379-1772

Tips For Avoiding Spring Mold

5/9/2018 (Permalink)

This crawlspace is the result of unresolved problems.

SERVPRO of Greensboro North has seen a lot of mold begin to form this time of the year.  Here are some things that we have learned. 

The last thing most people want to find in their home is mold. Many people find mold in their home and have to go through mold remediation, however there are some things you can do to help prevent mold from growing in your home.

Interview Regarding Mold & Your Home

5/8/2018 (Permalink)

Don't use bleach..Call SERVPRO

SERVPRO of Greensboro North is a full service restoration company specializing in fire, water, mold and biohazard remediation. We are also a general contractor so we can put everything back together after the demolition, cleaning and drying is completed. SERVPRO of Greensboro North is also a Large Loss Response Team designee. Of over 1,600 franchises, we are one of only a handful LLRTs. As an LLRT we travel anywhere in the US to help with acute damage, usually from hurricanes and flooding. We are also the trainership for Central NC. New franchise owners and there staff get their training from us as well as support with all areas of their business to ensure success.

A lot of times mold can't easily be seen or hasn't been found yet. Can you briefly talk about some of the different places or ways homes can have "unseen" mold damage?

When water spills it travels to the lowest point it can find and wicks into porous material like wood or sheetrock. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there. And when "it's there" it continues to do damage. It will go behind walls, absorb into insulation, into floor vents, into and under subflooring and with enough volume, into crawl spaces. Untreated it can fuel mold growth in all these areas within 72 hours.

What are some of the dangers of not taking care of mold damage properly?

Small issues can become huge problems when mold is left untreated. With proper conditions it will continue to grow and continue to destroy porous surfaces?this includes wood framing, drywall, furniture.

If water spills into an HVAC vent and isn't properly dried, the likelihood of mold is high. Once in that vent, mold can be circulated throughout the system and throughout the house. That's a big problem we see often.

Mold is an allergen and affects people differently. It can cause sore throats, chronic coughing and other ailments. Exposure over time can create more serious respiratory ailments with children and the elderly being the most at risk.

Are there any specific circumstances when a homeowner should always check for mold growth?

We recommend that people go into their crawl space every 6 months just to look and see. The same rule applies to HVAC units and water heaters.
Any time there is a significant water spill of just a few gallons or more, a professional should be consulted. Most of the mold issues we see are from people trying to save a dollar by doing things themselves. What they often don't realize is that water damage is often covered by homeowners' insurance. Mold from improper drying is not. Even if the damage doesn't exceed the policy's deductible, a pro needs to clean it up. Cleaning up a small water damage is always less expensive than the thousands of dollars to clean mold.

Do you have any advice for what homeowners should do after a flood or leak in their house, before a professional mold reconstruction/remediation company arrives?

Flood water is dangerous and should be considered contaminated. Stay out and call a pro.
PRIOR to a leak, learn how to turn off water to sinks and toilets as well as main shut-offs. Train your children/parents on how to do this.

After a leak?turn off the source of the water. That might involve a plumber. Use towels to absorb as much water as possible. But, do not leave wet towels on hardwood. As the towels absorb, put them in the dryer or spin the excess water out in the washer and then dry them. Replace them with dry towels. Pay close attention to floor vents and do what you can to keep the water out of those vents so that it won't damage your HVAC system.

What's the best way for people to contact you and your company?

We are here to help and to be a value add to our community. We will provide advice and coaching all day long in an attempt to help folks with manageable situations so that they don't have to incur a bill or file a claim. We can be reached 24/7 at 336-379-1772. Our phones are answered by live people 24 hours. If you don't get a live person, hang up and call back.

Interview with North Carolina Homes online

9/26/2014 (Permalink)

Check out our interview with North Carolina Homes recently regarding mold: http://www.northcarolinahomes.com/articles/five-expert-tips-on-dealing-with-mold-damage-servpro