Mold and Protecting Your Health

10/17/2023 (Permalink)

Mold and Your Health. Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects.  Mold may cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or, in some cases, skin irritation.

Signs and symptoms of allergic rhinitis caused by mold allergy can include:

• Runny or stuffy nose.
• Cough and postnasal drip.
• Itchy eyes, nose and throat.
• Watery eyes.
• Dry, scaly skin.

If you see visible mold, do not disturb it. You can inadvertently spread the mold infestation throughout your home. When mold is disturbed, the mold can release microscopic mold spores which become airborne and can circulate inside your home.

What Not to Do:

• Don’t touch or disturb the mold.
• Don’t blow air across any surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth.
• Don’t attempt to dry the area yourself.
• Don’t spray bleach or other disinfectants on the mold.

About Our Mold Remediation Services:

SERVPRO of Catonsville specializes in mold cleanup and restoration, in fact, it’s a cornerstone of our business.  Our crews are highly trained restoration professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remediate your mold problem quickly and safely.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – 410-242-7370

A Moldy Recommendation

9/5/2022 (Permalink)

We love when customers refer us to their friends and family but we also pride ourselves on building relationships with other local service providers.

Recently, a homeowner called us because she had mold damage in her bathroom. Her sink had been leaking and she called a plumber to fix the issue. However, the water leak had also caused mold to grow on her bathroom wall and under the sink.

The plumber recommended our team and we were able to quickly get to the home to asses the damage and remove the mold.

Water damage can cause many issues, so we are proud to work alongside professionals who recognize problems and know how to best direct homeowners toward the right solution.

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About SERVPRO of Catonsville

SERVPRO of Catonsville specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration and we are an IICRC Certified Firm. SERVPRO of Catonsville is locally owned and operated—so we live and work here, too and we are proud to be part of the Catonsville community.

A Moldy Situation

9/24/2021 (Permalink)

We recently received a call from a homeowner who was dealing with mold in his home. The county sewer line had backed up into his basement and caused damages and mold growth.

Following our recommendation from the initial visit, the homeowner had an industrial hygienist come out to do testing. We were then able to follow the provided protocol and place the area under containment, set up air scrubbers and dehumidifiers, and do all needed demolition and HEPA cleaning.

After completion, the hygienist returned and did a clearance test to ensure the air quality was back to a safe level. As a result of our team's rigorous mitigation and cleaning, the home passed clearance on the first attempt.

Mold Safety Tips

1/28/2019 (Permalink)

If you see visible mold, do not disturb it. You can inadvertently spread the mold infestation throughout your home. When mold is disturbed, the mold can release microscopic mold spores which become airborne and can circulate inside your home.

What to Do:

• Stay out of affected areas.
• Turn off the HVAC system and fans.
• Contact SERVPRO of Catonsville for mold remediation services.

What Not to Do:

• Don’t touch or disturb the mold.
• Don’t blow air across any surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth.
• Don’t attempt to dry the area yourself.
• Don’t spray bleach or other disinfectants on the mold.

About Our Mold Remediation Services

SERVPRO of Catonsville specializes in mold cleanup and restoration, in fact, it’s a cornerstone of our business.  Our crews are highly trained restoration professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remediate your mold problem quickly and safely.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – 410-242-7370

Mold and your Health

3/5/2018 (Permalink)

Mold and Your Health. Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, molds can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or, in some cases, skin irritation.

Signs and symptoms of allergic rhinitis caused by mold allergy can include:

• Sneezing.
• Runny or stuffy nose.
• Cough and postnasal drip.
• Itchy eyes, nose and throat.
• Watery eyes.
• Dry, scaly skin.

About Our Mold Remediation Services

SERVPRO of Catonsville specializes in mold cleanup and restoration. Our crews are highly trained restoration professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remediate your mold problem quickly and safely.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – 410-242-7370

How long does it take for mold spores to die?

3/5/2018 (Permalink)

How long does it take for mold spores to die?FACT: Clean and dry any damp or wet building materials and furnishings within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth. FACT: With water, molds grow. Without water, molds die but the spores do not. If water returns, the spores regenerate growing colonies of mold. What kills mold spores in the air?Use a mold remover to kill visible mold.

• Use a mold remover to kill visible mold. ...
• Follow up with a mold preventer to assure mold does not grow back. ...
• Run a HEPA air purifier to capture mold spores that have become airborne. ...
• Use a dehumidifier to keep the relative indoor humidity below 50%.

About Our Mold Remediation Services

SERVPRO of Catonsville specializes in mold cleanup and restoration. Our crews are highly trained restoration professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remediate your mold problem quickly and safely.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – 410-242-7370

How Mold Gets Into Your House

11/28/2017 (Permalink)

While mold occurs naturally in the outdoors, it needs excessive moisture to survive indoors. That’s why mold is problem when there is a water damage, high levels of humidity or dampness. Here is a guide on where to find sources of moisture-causing mold.

Common Source of excessive mold-causing moisture:

• Flooding from storms coming from outside
• Sump pump overflow
• Roof leaks from damaged roofs, ice dams or blocked gutters
• Rain from storms through window frames, exterior walls, or doors
• Leaking pipes
• sewer back-ups or overflows
• Damp basements due to high water table or badly managed water drainage
• Condensation on cold surfaces

Then mold needs these 3 main factors to thrive and survive!

1. High Relative humidity
2. Warm or temperate temperature
3. Poor ventilation

Mold is easier to prevent than it is to clean so keeping a watch on common sources of mold and maintaining a dry, ventilated home and drying homes from water damage within 24 hours of the incidence is the best way to prevent mold from happening in the first place. If you have a mold problem and you would like information about how to get it professionally cleaned, please call us and we will direct you on where to get your mold tested.

About Our Mold Remediation Services

SERVPRO of Catonsville specializes in mold cleanup and restoration, in fact, it’s a cornerstone of our business. Our crews are highly trained restoration professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remediate your mold problem quickly and safely.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – 410-242-7370

Mold In Your Home

11/8/2017 (Permalink)

The Facts about Mold: For Everyone 

What is mold?

The term “mold” is a colloquial term for a group of filamentous fungi that are common on food or wet materials. This includes the green Penicillium species that produces penicillin, and fungi that spoil our bread, fruit, cheese and crops. Most of these are Ascomycetes that produce a lot of spores.

The majority of the molds that grow on damp building materials are found in the soil and are adapted to grow on a wide variety of materials. Outdoors, molds live in the soil, on plants, and on dead or decaying matter. There are thousands of species of mold and they can be any color. Different mold species are adapted to different moisture conditions ranging from very wet to just damp. Many times, mold can be detected by a musty odor. Live spores act like seeds, forming new mold growths (colonies) under the right conditions. All of us are exposed to a variety of fungal spores daily in the air we breathe, both outdoors and indoors.

How mold gets into a house or building

Mold and fungal spores occur naturally outdoors, where fungi are the earth’s most important recyclers. Indoors, mold needs moisture to grow; it becomes a problem only where there is water damage, elevated and prolonged humidity, or dampness. Common sources of excessive indoor moisture that can lead to mold problems include:

• flooding from surface waters (i.e., overflowing rivers) or from severe storms;
• roof leaks from damaged or missing roofing materials, ice dams or blocked gutters;
• storm-driven rain through window frames, exterior walls or door assemblies;
• leaking pipes, sewer back-ups or overflows;
• damp basements or crawl spaces due to a high water table or poorly managed rainwater drainage; and
• condensation on cold surfaces.

How to prevent mold growth

The key to preventing and stopping indoor mold growth is to control excessive moisture and condensation. Keeping susceptible areas in the home clean and dry is critical. In general, mold will not grow indoors without water, dampness or excessive moisture.

• Relative Humidity: Condensation occurs when the air is saturated with water and it cannot hold any more moisture. For example, steam generated from bathroom showers or from cooking can fill up the air with moisture, which will then condense into drops of water on cooler surfaces, such as mirrors and windows. Where possible, localized sources of humidity, such as clothes dryers, should be directly vented to the outdoors. To lower indoor humidity during warm, humid weather, air conditioners and/or dehumidifiers should be used. In chronically damp areas such as basements or crawlspaces, it is often recommended that dehumidifiers be used to maintain humidity levels below 60 percent.
• Temperature: Warm air holds more moisture than cold air. Condensation occurs when warm humid air comes into contact with a cold surface and the moisture condenses into water. This can often be seen on single-pane windows, where water condenses and then runs down, causing the wood frames and sills to rot and the wall under the windows to blister. Condensation can occur on exterior walls, particularly north-facing walls, if they are not properly insulated. Other chronically cold surfaces, such as cold water pipes, should be covered with insulation to help prevent condensation.
• Poor Ventilation: Indoor humidity can build up if there is not enough ventilation and exchange of indoor and outdoor air. Where there is little or no air movement, such as behind dressers and cabinets, surfaces can remain cooler than surrounding areas, which can lead to increased condensation and mold growth. It is recommended that the area be ventilated and the occupants use exhaust fans (vented to the outdoors) to remove moisture from high-humidity areas, particularly in bathrooms, kitchens and laundry areas. Furniture should be moved slightly away from walls so that air can freely pass behind it. Air should be allowed to circulate between rooms and regularly ventilate to remove humid air. Fans should be used as needed.

Other things that can be done are to clean and repair gutters regularly, make sure the ground slopes down and away from the home’s foundation and keep air conditioner drip pans and drain lines clean. In addition, in air conditioned buildings in hot and humid climates, vinyl wall coverings on the interior sides of exterior walls should not be used, as these materials can trap moisture, resulting in mold growth underneath them.

In the case of floods or leaking pipes, any standing water should be promptly removed and water-damaged materials should either be dried out and cleaned, or removed and replaced. Porous materials that are wet for more than 48 hours are likely to produce mold growth and should be discarded. In instances where the water damage is extensive, it is recommended that professional help, such as a commercial restoration company, be consulted.

Call SERVPRO of Catonsville for any questions regarding mold. 410-242-7370