There may be a million other ways you’d rather spend your money as a homeowner, but mold proofing your home is one of the best investments you can make. Mold can destroy your home and cost you lots of money as well as cost you or a family member your health. There are many preventions you can put into place in order to preserve your home and protect your family.
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How often do you spend time in your attic? Perhaps once a year to retrieve Christmas decorations? If you are like most homeowners, you probably don’t visit this non-living space very often. Because of that, attics are often left out of regular home inspections and maintenance. The bad news is that attic mold (along with a multitude of other issues) can easily be overlooked. It is important that you take the time to periodically visit your attic space and give it a thorough once over. Mold attic can quickly become dangerous because it often goes unnoticed until it begins to penetrate the rest of your house. By the time that happens, there is likely quite a bit of mold and may already be affecting the health of your family.
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When a hurricane or bad storm parks itself above your hometown and dumps several feet of water on your home, there isn’t a whole lot you can do to prevent flooding in your home. However, many homes flood every year from milder storms and many of those floods could have been prevented. In addition to the loss of personal property and the expenses of repairing your home, water damage can leave behind mold and other health hazards.
Here are 9 things you can do in advance as a homeowner to prevent flooding and water damage in your home.
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As the cool weather blows in and we pack up our bathing suits until next year, our minds tend to turn to snowball fights and Christmas trees. Winter is a great season where we enjoy family and friends, hot cocoa and mold. Wait? Mold?!?
The cold, wet months of winter are some of the most opportunistic times for mold growth. Luckily there are some steps you can take in advance to prevent mold growth in your home throughout the winter season.
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What happens to a city when a storm system dumps an entire year’s worth of rain in just 3 days? In late August of 2017, Hurricane Harvey devastated the city of Houston, Tx and surrounding areas. The storm left 33 trillion gallons of water on U.S. soil before finally weakening. As you can imagine, the flooding experienced in Houston was intense. Many lives were lost. Homes were ripped apart, bridges collapsed and dams gave way. Even though the hurricane is now in the rear-view mirror, the health catastrophe continues to unfold in slow motion. While the focus of the news was on the shear amount of rainfall in the city (upwards of 50 inches in some locations), mold will be an issue for months and potentially years to come.
So, the question remains: after the wrath of a big storm has passed, what should a homeowner or renter do to keep mold from growing in their homes? Here are the essential steps to consider after your home has been flooded.
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Lisa: We get contacted quite often for mold inquiries from people all across the country, but most people are unaware if they actually have mold, the scope of the problem or how to properly remove it. Many people will experience hay fever like symptoms, but if they can’t see visible mold, they tend to think it doesn’t exist or isn’t a real threat.
Ron: We always start by advising the person test, not guess. Too many people unknowingly put themselves and/or their loved ones in danger by ignoring the visible signs of moisture or water damage and/or a musty smell. They assume it will go away on its own. Many people wait too long before addressing the root cause of the issue – typically a leaky water source.
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No one is very comfortable with the idea of mold. It’s slimy and smells bad and just is generally distasteful. Even the word “mold” is an ugly sounding word. You wouldn’t even imagine eating a piece of cheese or slice of bread that has mold on it. And yet, when it comes to mold in their home, many people are surprisingly complacent. The smell might be annoying, but not annoying enough for many to want to spend time, money, or effort getting rid of it. This idea is potentially disastrous; despite being seemingly innocuous, mold in the home can be very dangerous. Even if you don’t come into physical contact with the mold, it can still affect you. A number of different types of mold especially forms of black mold, release airborne spores known as mycotoxins, which can enter the human body through the respiratory system and cause a number of adverse health effects.
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The aftermath of any flooding or water damage catastrophe can mean harmful mold consequences for years to come. The scale of the flooding in Houston Texas reveals the grim reality of a huge and destructive mold issue on the horizon as citizens work towards moving back to their homes and try to return to life after hurricane Harvey.
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One of many things to take into account when building a house or any other facility is the growth of mold during the construction. Mold is everywhere, so it stands as huge and possible threat that can slow the construction and increase costs of replacing affected materials as well as costs of remediation. Depending on climate and location, some construction sites are more susceptible to moisture that later result in moldy buildings. The least expensive way to deal with the mold is the prevention and certain measures undertaken before and during the construction can go a long way.
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When you’re looking to make a change in your life, buying a dehumidifier is probably not the first item on your list of resolutions. It’s a distinctly un-sexy purchase, that’s for sure. But when it comes to your health and well being — not to mention the safety of your home and the preservation of your belongings — a dehumidifier can have a huge effect on your life.
Here are five reasons it might be time to spring for one.
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Mold is invasive, and it can creep into unlikely places. From sippy cups to condensation pipes, mold can grow wherever there’s moisture. Unfortunately, people can have serious reactions to mold. Some people are simply allergic, and others develop respiratory issues over time after being exposed too long to mold.
Mold is a common issue for many homeowners and renters. It is important to know how to prevent mold as well as when you need a professional to remedy your mold problem.
This infographic includes:
This infographic is provided by 1-800 WATER DAMAGE.
Nature is designed to maintain balance. Animal predators keep overpopulation of species in check, which lowers levels of disease and other issues. Mushrooms, which are a part of the fungi family, help to aid the supply of nutrients, decompose and recycle. This is crucial in maintaining health and the cycle of life for many species.
Mold is also a fungi and has a purpose within the natural world. It is only when mold enters the home where nature is not at play that many harmful problems can arise. Mold takes root and thrives in areas that have moisture. Leaks and high humidity can cause conditions that encourage mold growth.
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Mold allergy is a common problem that affects millions of people across the globe, particularly children. However, adults are also susceptible to mold allergy. Mold is simply a fungus that grows rapidly in thousands and requires water and warmth to grow and multiply. Research studies have shown that at least one in every three children is allergic to mold. Some of the signs and symptoms of identifying mold allergy in children include:
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Damp is not only something that can cause issues with the walls, windowsills, door frames and damp – it can also be very bad for your health. The National Health Service have noted that babies, children and elderly people are the ones who are most at risk from damp. However, living in a polluted environment can cause serious health problems for anybody, it is therefore very important that you try to get rid of damp as early as possible.
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If you’ve never seen mould in your bathroom, you’re either a truly fastidious cleaner or you’re simply not looking hard enough. It’s one of the most common cleaning problems in the house. This is because the bathroom often provides the ideal conditions for mould to grow – much of the time there is warm, humid air and lots of moisture in a small space with little ventilation, and this is the best way for mould to grow.
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While winter may not see constant rain day in, day out, it’s nevertheless a challenging time of year for hill-bound households. Without the proper precautions and planning, your home may be susceptible to various rain-related problems – including mold.
Not only is it unsightly, mold’s effects run deeper than the aesthetic: mold has been known to cause irritated throats, congestion, coughing, eye discomfort, and skin issues. In some rare cases, it can even lead to infections in people suffering from serious problems with their immune system.
You want to protect yourself and your family from any frustrating smells or health concerns as much as you possibly can – and we’re going to help you!
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Condensation is an issue for every bathroom – it’s a humid environment where moisture is released into the air in an indoor environment by something as simple as taking a shower or a hot bath. Condensation forms when the hot steam meets cold air and surfaces, forming droplets on windows, mirrors and every hard surface. The hotter the water vapour, the more moisture the air can hold and the more condensation will be deposited on cold surfaces.
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If you’ve ever lived in an old house, chances are you’ve had some sort of encounter with damp. But, even poorly designed new buildings or internal water leaks can leave you facing a damp problem. Poorly ventilated bathrooms are often a haven for excess moisture in the home, and this can lead to a damp problem and mould growth. The tell-tale sign of a damp problem is often a musty, stale smell. On further inspection, a patch of affected wall or ceiling is usually found to have black mould (Stachybotrys chartarum) growing on it; a result of condensation. Mould is a fungus, and it’s the mould spores released into the air that are known to cause damp related illnesses.
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In a business setup, indoor mold growth is responsible for more than just nasty smells. Mold is a fungus that spreads through the ventilation and HVAC system, into the very air that you, your customers and your employees breathe.
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