The Importance of Addressing Mold Concerns in Your Home or Business

10/28/2024 (Permalink)

Water damage and mold buildup under a radiator—SERVPRO can restore and prevent further issues

Mold isn’t just an unsightly problem; it can have serious implications for health, property integrity, and indoor air quality. Acting quickly to address mold concerns can save you from costly repairs and potential health risks. Here are key reasons why immediate action is essential:

1. Health Risks: Mold exposure can lead to allergic reactions, respiratory issues, and serious health problems, especially for those with compromised immune systems. A mold-free environment is essential for everyone’s well-being.

2. Structural Integrity: Mold breaks down the materials it grows on, weakening the structure of your property over time. Addressing mold early can prevent costly repairs and ensure your building remains safe.

3. Air Quality: Airborne mold spores can compromise indoor air quality, making it harder to breathe and leading to potential long-term health issues. A healthy, breathable environment is key to comfort and safety.

4. Property Value: Mold can decrease property value significantly. Potential buyers or tenants may be deterred by mold issues, making it difficult to sell or lease at a desirable price.

Don’t let mold become a bigger problem. Trust SERVPRO's certified (IICRC) professionals for mold remediation, ensuring a safe, healthy environment for your home or business.

- Lily Oliver

There's Mold Spores Where?

7/6/2018 (Permalink)

Microscopic mold spores naturally occur almost everywhere, both outdoors and indoors.  This makes it impossible to remove all mold from a home or business.  Therefore, mold remediation reduces the mold spore count back to its natural or baseline level.  Some restoration businesses advertise, "mold removal" and even guarantee to remove all mold, which is a fallacy.  Consider the following mold facts:

• Mold is present almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors.
• Mold spores are microscopic and float along in the air and may enter your home through windows, doors, or AC/heating systems or even hitch a ride indoor son your clothing or a pet.
• Mold spores thrive on moisture.  Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water.  These colonies may produce allergens and irritants.
• Before mold remediation can begin, any sources of water or moisture must be addressed.  Otherwise, the mold may return.
• Mold often produces a strong, musty odor and can lead you to possible mold problem areas.
• Even higher-than-normal indoor humidity can support mold growth.  Keep indoor humidity below 45 percent.

If your home or business has a mold problem, we can inspect and assess your property and use our specialized training, equipment, and expertise to remediate your mold infestation.

Roll Out Those Dehumidifiers

6/8/2018 (Permalink)

With summer starting in full swing, it is not hard to feel the humidity lurking in the air. The thick feeling heat is bad enough to deal with outside your home, but when it starts affecting the inside it's almost unbearable. It's time to drag out those dehumidifiers that have been hiding in the corners of your basements and get them started up. Here are some ways dehumidifiers can positively affect your living environment.

They Keep Mold At Bay
Dehumidifiers remove the thick moisture from the air and make your home a more comfortable place to live. Removing this excess moisture can also keep the pesky mold spores that are always lurking in the air from attaching to your walls and furniture. Typically, mold is able to grow and spread when the humidity level is above 60%. When a dehumidifier is set up and running to remove enough moisture to keep the humidity level below 50-60%, the mold spores are unable to grow and spread. This is why it is important to keep those dehumidifiers running in the hot, thick summer months.

They Provide Relief From Various Allergies
Dehumidifiers work to rid of humidity in the air, but by doing this they also kill germs and blow out the dust particles that linger in the air, purifying the air within your home. This can help minimize the allergies an individual is affected by even within their home.

They Help Keep Your Home Cool
With the help of a dehumidifier, you may be able to turn down your air conditioning, saving you energy costs. By getting rid of the moisture in the air, your home will instantly feel cooler and more comfortable.

Keep The Mold at Bay

6/8/2018 (Permalink)

It does not take much for mold to grow, and sometimes it is inevitable based on the type of environment you live in, but there are ways you can help prevent the growth from starting and spreading!

Moisture is the most critical factor in mold growth, so quick responses to all water damages within your home are very important for preventing mold growth.

Keeping your living environment dry during big spells of humidity and rain is also important.  Using dehumidifiers and leaving your air condition on will help keep your home cool and dry.  

It has been a rainy and hot month, so it is important to work towards keeping your house safe from the weather conditions affecting the inside environment.  Taking the necessary precautions now can save a lot of time and money for future remediation, so make sure you are staying aware!

Don't Let Mold in Your Home Go Untreated

6/8/2018 (Permalink)

The start of a mold growth may not be in plain sight, it may be first determined by a musty odor within your house.  If the musty odor is present, then there may be a growth going on out of plain sight, and it is important to take action.  If the mold problem is visible, it is also important to take immediate action.  Mold is dangerous because we cannot always see the growing mold colonies or the spreading of mold spores.  Disturbing the mold by trying to self-remediate can be dangerous because the disturbance will cause the spore mass to aerosolize and release into the air stream and, therefore, allow it to spread further.  This is why you should always call in a professional mold remediation team to take care of the problem. They will contain the affected area and block off the rest of the home, as to not spread the mold spores further.

By acting as soon as you notice a presence of mold you are not only stopping it from spreading further, but you are increasing your chance of preserving and saving irreplaceable items within your home. 

Don't let mold get ahold of your home and valuables, call SERVPRO of Montgomery & Pulaski Counties at 540-389-3753, and we will make it, "Like it never even happened."

Signs You May Have Mold in Your House

5/17/2018 (Permalink)

We all know that musty smell of an old damp basement, or a vacant lake house after a long, hot summer.  This is the smell that signifies a mold growth within a home.  A lot of times it is invisible to us, which makes mold such a dangerous thing.  If you are unsure of whether you may have a mold growth in your home, here are some other signs that you may have a problem!

Smelling a Mold Odor

The musty smell of mold is a great signal that you need to call in a professional to check out your home.  A lot of times we brush it off as the smell of an old house, but it is important to make sure you are not dealing with a larger issue.

Seeing Signs of Mold Growth

If you are able to see an actual mold growth around your home, it is definitely time to call in a professional to take care of the problem.  Mold spores spread when they get disturbed, so a professional can block off the affected area while they are ridding of the issue.

Signs of Water Problems

Moisture is the key to mold growth, so if you see that you are having trouble with leaks or condensation, it may mean you need to check for a mold growth around the area. 

Past Flooding

If your home experienced a previous flooding issue, it is important to check on the area in case the issue was not remedied properly.  Failure to completely dry out the area after a flooding incident could leave the environment in perfect growing conditions for mold.

Headaches or Trouble Concentrating

Headaches and trouble concentrating are two side effects of exposure to mold.  Everyone reacts differently, but for those who are strongly intolerant, the presence of mold can negatively affect their health.

If you find yourself with a mold problem within your home, call SERVPRO of Montgomery & Pulaski Counties, and we will make it "Like it never even happened."

Do not touch the mold growth as you risk spreading the spores

11/8/2016 (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 Roanoke 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 Montgomery & Pulaski Counties 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 – SERVPRO of Roanoke  540-731-3080