Case Study: Professional Charlotte Mold

Mold is dangerous. It poses several issues to your building and to your health. If you learn you have mold in your retail store or home, it should be handled and removed by a professional. These people are trained to handle mold removal properly. There are many reasons as to why you shouldn't try mold removal on your own. Below you will find a few reasons as to why it is in your best interest to hire a professional to handle your mold removal.

Toxic mold is one thing that you should never take lightly. Even though there are thousands of mold breeds, and though most of them are harmless, the few that are toxic are seriously dangerous. Not only can toxic mold hurt you, your family and cause heavy expenses in medical bills, but the cost to remove mold from your house is extensive as well. Since mold in a building is not your fault, you should not have to pay the removal cost, or possibly even that of the medical expenses. So whom you have to sue to get it covered? To find out, you need to ask yourself some questions:

If you’re a property manager, own a rental home, or have tenants then you really do need to take time out to understand Colorado’s mold remediation laws and potential causes for litigation.

I began my mold evaluation by assessing the size of mold zone areas. In my walkthrough inspection I identified mold growing from several visible locations throughout the library where the roof leaks when it rains heavily; in the children’s section, the back office, and in the adult fiction room. The visible mold I saw in these locations was mostly confined to a 4 feet zone around the celling openings. The carpeted areas were protected from water after the fact as buckets were placed underneath to collect water and prevent it from soaking the floor. As I removed some of the surrounding ceiling tiles near the leak I discovered dark black mold cultures growing on the celling in six inch discolored patches hidden behind the acoustical ceiling tiles. The mold cultures there harbored an unpleasant musky odor.

Whether you are moving into a new home with mold damage or you have noticed mold damage in your current home, getting rid of that mold as soon as possible is important. Unfortunately, untreated mold can lead to an assortment of health issues. This may include mold-induced asthma, skin infections, and fungal sinus infections.

The most effective response to mold is to first remove the source of moisture. Any water leaks, such as roof or plumbing, should be repaired as soon as possible. In some cases, fans are needed to help dry the affected areas. Once these areas are dry, mold spores can be cleaned using a bleach mixture or other cleaning compounds containing biocides specific to addressing mold contamination. It is important to remember that personal protection should be used when cleaning mold contamination to prevent breathing in or ingesting mold spores. It is also important to note that any recurrence of water intrusion into a home or building will likely result in return of the mold.

Mold removal is extremely important since it's been linked to various respiratory and skin diseases such as asthma, hay fever and various allergies. The sooner mold removal is done; the better it's for everyone. In fact over 15% of the population is allergic to mold. There are a number of mold removal companies that offer their services. Many of the companies that perform mold removal use the fogging process whereby the chemical is disbursed through a commercial fog machine that reaches all the nooks and the crannies of the walls.

Specific types of infections include diseases acquired from services the building preforms, infections spread from person to person, adverse reactions to chemicals stored within the building, or reactions due to molds contained in, or on the building (Burge 2004). Microbial infections, especially from molds, are suspected to be the major cause of health problems associated with water- damaged buildings. Leaking pipes, leaking windows, and leaking roofs are all conceivable sources of moisture that can lead to mold invasion (Sodipe 2013). Cellulose or carbohydrate based materials make adequate nutrient sources for molds (Cooper 2007). Consecutive periods of water damage can enhance fungal growth and mycotoxin production, when followed by drier conditions these fungi can release spores and hyphal fragments (Nielsen 2003). Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of molds that exert toxic effects on mammles, spacifically humans (Peraica, Radic, Lucic, Pavlovic, 1999). Molds that produce mycotoxin and macrocyclic trichothecene strains include C.ladosporium, sphaerospermum, P.enicillium, chrysogenum, Aspergillus, versicolor, Alternaria alternate, Fusarium and S. chartarum (Sodipe

Before you have a remediation team come out and remove the mold in your home, you need to have your home tested. The firm that comes out and inspects your home should not be financially tied to the contractor who is removing the mold from your home. Be sure to ask if the firm that is testing your home has any financial ties to the contractor you are hiring.

Everyone at some point in their life will encounter mold. Whether it be a molded piece of fruit, or in the basement of some old house that you may or may not of just bought. But, the point is that you and everybody around you have seen mold in some form. As a human you also cook the food you eat if it is raw at some point. Thought the fact that people don’t think of it that much, cooking your food does have some science behind it.

Having an untreated damp area in your home will act like a breeding ground for harmful mold, and it is important to remember that mold can still grow and thrive even when you cannot see it. When left untreated, mold can cause respiratory infections, asthma, and breathing problems.

When you see a few black spots under your kitchen or bathroom sink or at the base of a wall, you may think they can easily be removed with bleach. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Mold remediation is a serious business that needs to be done right the first time and should only be undertaken by professionals. If you DIY your mold removal you could have a bigger problem in the long-run than you had at the beginning. Mold is not only unsightly and damaging to your home or office, it is also extremely unhealthy to breathe when the spores drift around your indoor air.

Mold remediation is a job best left for professionals unless the affected area is confined to a very small space, such as behind a sink. Inhaling mold can be dangerous, especially if you have allergies or lung disease. Plus, the act of removing mold has to be done carefully to avoid spreading spores around your home that leads to further problems down the road. Here is a quick overview on the process a mold remediation professional goes through to clean up mold in your home.

Mold remediation workers represent a small segment of hazardous materials removal. Although mold is not usually defined as a hazardous material, some mold—especially the types that cause allergic reactions—can affect a building to the extent that the mold must be removed. Workers typically use wet vacuums to remove water, dehumidifiers to reduce humidity levels, and fans to dry the affected areas. They sometimes must use chemicals to neutralize the mold or remove entire sections of drywall, insulation, or

The most widely used methods for removing mold from the interiors of buildings call for the use of wet vacuuming equipment. Not only is this an expensive solution, it is labor intensive in addition to requiring the use of harsh chemicals. Furthermore, this approach to mold remediation requires moisture. Moisture is the main factor in mold growth.