The Difference Between "Mold Removal" vs. Remediation

1/10/2020 (Permalink)

What's the Difference?

Since microscopic mold spores exist naturally everywhere, indoors and outdoors, removing all mold from a home or business is impossible.  Some restoration business advertises "mold removal" and even guarantee to remove all mold. This is a fallacy.

A qualified restoration company understands the science behind mold and mold growth.  SERVPRO of McAllen has the training and expertise to remediate the mold in your home or business.  Mold remediation focuses on getting mold levels back to normal, natural levels.

Every mold damage scenario is different and requires a unique solution, but the general mold remediation process stays the same.

Step 1:Emergency contact (956) 631-0348

Step 2: Inspection and Mold Damage Assessment

Step 3: Mold Containment

Step 4: Air Filtration

Step 5: Removing Mold and Mold-Infested Materials

Step 6: Cleaning Contents and Belongings

Step 7: Restoration

Signs of Mold? Call SERVPRO of Mcallen today! (956) 631-0348

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SERVPRO of McAllen Acts Fast To Restore Mold Damage in your home!

1/10/2020 (Permalink)

Moisture allows mold growth to grow rapidly! our team has the right tools to remove and restore the damage it has caused.

Fast Mold Removal for McAllen Properties 

When your home falls victim to microbial and mold growth, you do not have much time before the situation can get out of control, if it is not already. These organisms can spread quickly throughout a home and can continue to feed and thrive off of the organic materials used to construct your house. Finding the right professional remediation service quickly is critical to protecting the investment that you have made in your house and restoring the damage that the mold growth has caused to the affected areas. 

Many McAllen homeowners when dealing with mold damage have become misguided into believing that is not as serious or as pressing of a concern for their property. Moreover, they assume that without direct intervention that these conditions naturally improve on their own. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Our SERVPRO professionals have the experience and the training to assess mold damage and to deliver the appropriate remediation and restoration tactics to return your home to pre-mold conditions. 

While we cannot entirely remove mold from your home, as microscopic spores exist naturally in the environment, we do have effective and efficient removal techniques for colonies. While we work to preserve affected materials and structural elements whenever possible, sometimes controlled demolition efforts are the best option for reducing the cost and time spent restoring the property. 

The moisture that allowed mold growth can occur from a variety of sources, reducing this dampness on your property is critical to preventing recurrences. Our professionals assess the source of the moisture during our inspection and can work to offer effective solutions to eliminate or dramatically reduce dampness in this affected area of your home moving forward. 

Finding mold growth in your home might be alarming, but with the right professional assistance, this situation can get resolved quickly and efficiently. Our SERVPRO of McAllen applied microbial remediation technicians have the tools and experience to remove colonies and restore the damage they have caused. Give us a call anytime that you need us at (956)631-0348.

Keep Your Home Or Business Safe & Clean With Expert Mold Damage Repair

1/11/2019 (Permalink)

Mold can spread throughout your home, Get it removed quickly as possible.

Mold is well known for causing respiratory & other health issues if you are exposed to it constantly in your home or business.When this is the case and the damages are deeper than the surface level, mold growth can also lead to structural and safety issues.In some cases, mold can't always be seen spreading throughout your home of business. Mold can quickly start to affect your home or business after a flood or major water damage, so Its always safe to have your home inspected after any water loss and get mold removed from your home or business as quickly as possible to avoid the health risks and safety issues mold can cause.

Taking care of mold damage can be difficult and dangerous especially if you don't know what to expect or don't have any experience getting rid of mold. Its best if you leave it to a professional with mold damage repair experience because they have the knowledge & skills needed to remedy the problem completely.

If you are in need of any mold damage repair, Call SERVPRO Of McAllen today, We are the restoration company you can trust!

Telling signs that you need mold removal services

1/11/2019 (Permalink)

In home water damage mold.

Discovering mold can be very stressful. Once mold has started to grow, it spreads aggressively. Since mold grows very quickly, you need to be highly observant of what's happening in your home. 

Actually seeing mold growth is always a telling sign that you need mold removal services. However, it may be hard to spot sometimes, so its important to know what you're looking for.

• If your home has recently had flooding caused by a broken pipe appliance, of excessive rain, there is a chance of mold growth. This is especially true if you did not have professional services come to clean up the flooding.

Pay attention so that you'll notice these telling signs of mold growth as early as possible. This will help you avoid serious mold issues & keep your home safe & healthy for you & your family!

Mold Plays Big Role in Home Water Restoration

9/4/2018 (Permalink)

There is one character that is in the news nearly every single day— and it’s not who you might think. It’s Mr. Mold. He may have been in hiding for much of the past 100 years, but suddenly, he is a celebrity. He’s the reason the school was condemned. He’s the reason your neighbor couldn’t sell his home. He’s the Sneaky Pete who is making your nephew sick.

There are several fundamental reasons why mold awareness has skyrocketed, including mold-related ailments and contemporary home design and construction.

 Why has Mr. Mold gotten so popular? At SERVPRO of McAllen, we deal with mold issues every day. We’ve seen the field develop, and awareness increase over the past 15-20 years. There are basically three reasons why mold has become a public health issue:

Contemporary houses are built to conserve energy, so less fresh air is allowed to circulate inside the home.

Illnesses such as asthma and allergies have risen sharply, and some of these are caused or worsened by mold.

Housing construction now uses organic materials such as plywood and laminates instead of tile, stone or concrete. Any organic material can harbor mold, which feeds on it.

As the EPA points out, mold can grow in drywall, ceiling tiles, ductwork, roofing, paneling, wallpaper, inside a wall, carpets, under sinks . . . . Any space that has gotten wet is a prime breeding ground for mold.

Our clients’ first clue that they have mold may be a home inspection, or when someone in the home develops a chronic cough or infection. Or a visitor may comment on the ‘musty’ odor. This stealthy invasion by Sneaky Pete is especially likely if the homeowner has experienced a flood or has had a leaking pipe that wasn’t fixed promptly.

Mold is invasive. It is persistent and tough. Its presence increases the longer it is left untreated. We have seen basement walls that looked as though someone had painted a floral motif over the entire surface. It was alive with colorful and bizarre ‘flowers’ that were in reality, mold.

Before you ever get to this point, call the experts. Don’t waste your time with home remedies. They often don’t work, and then the problem worsens

At SERVPRO , we are mold specialists. If you have mold in your home, the EPA strongly suggests you hire a professional contractor. Without remediation, mold spores can go dormant until the next wave of moisture revives them. The old wives’ remedy of pouring chlorine bleach on mold turns out not to be effective in the long run. Especially for mold that is growing on carpets or other multi-dimensional surfaces, this type of treatment does not address the problem in its entirety.

If you have a mold problem or if you’ve had water damage and you believe Sneaky Pete might be lodging in your home, Call SERVPRO of McAllen at 956-631-0348.

Removing Mold in your Home or Business

9/4/2018 (Permalink)

When first spotting mold in your place of residence or business, removing this should be at the very top of your list. Mold can be a danger to the health of you, your family, or employees. When your health is at risk, you need to make sure that you get this handled as soon as possible.

To make sure that you fully remove mold, you should call a restoration company such as SERVPRO. With mold removal, you need to make sure that you identify mold, and make sure that you get rid of both small and big infestations as they both can be extremely dangerous.

The Overview of Mold and Mold Removal

Mold is a big deal. And its removal is key. It can be spotted in a variety of ways. Sometimes it discolors your ceiling or walls, sometimes it shows up as black spots on areas throughout the home, sometimes it rots on damp wood.

When mold is present, health effects include allergic reactions, sneezing, watery eyes, runny noses, and much more. On top of the health issues, it can leave an odor in your home – primarily a musty, unpleasant smell throughout your home.

When you spot mold in your home, it isn’t the end of the world, as the problem can be handled, and you can continue enjoying your home —- like you should be doing.

At times, it can simply be removed by using household cleaning products especially when you catch them early – before they spread. But you must be extremely careful when engaging in the process of mold removal.

Identifying Mold Before Removal

Mold is extremely dangerous – it’s a fungus that grows from tiny spores, and they float all through the air. It can grow anywhere that spores land, has moisture present, and a temperature between 40 and 100 degrees. This is almost every place inside of your home or business, especially when you have some sort of water damage.

This is why identifying and correcting water damage problems should be at the very top of your list, as soon as they happen. Visible types of mold are called mildew. To make sure spots are “mildew” and not “dirt,” you can simply sprinkle a few drops of bleach on the area. If the spot lightens a few shades after a couple of minutes, this is indeed: mildew (a form of mold). If it remains the exact dark shade, more than likely, it is dirt.

High concentrations of mold definitely cause an unpleasant smell. If you smell mold, you should immediately check for mold in damp carpets, damp walls, or wet wood underneath you floors.

Mold Removal: Home or Business

Following the protocol of the state of Texas, an area larger than 25 sq. Ft. Affected by mold has to be remedied by a mold contractor certified by the state, and has as a priority to safeguard the health of the habitants of the structure.

The protocol can change according to the situation, but the most common is to separate the affected areas from the area without mold. In this process, plastic barriers are installed and an air filtration system (HEPA) is set up, proceeding with the removal of materials Affected, cleaning and sealing of non-affected materials.

It is worth mentioning that the Technicians must use at all times the required PPE, all the removed materials have to be properly bagged to avoid cross-contamination.

Dealing With Mold in Crawlspace

5/7/2018 (Permalink)

Removing mold of any kind in any part of your home is not only expensive, it is a delicate process. But it surely won’t go away by itself. In fact, it will only grow worse with time, worsening the conditioning of your home.

While this is certainly a big problem to face, crawlspaces are often one of the most common places for mold of all types to develop. Due to the fact that moisture can accumulate in this small, unventilated area, it won’t take long before mold spores start feeding on your home’s building materials.

So mold remediation can be expensive if it’s not covered by insurance, but as long as it hasn’t infested the entire area, there are ways you can attack the problem. Here you will learn all of the following about mold in the crawlspace:

1.-Preventing Mold in the Crawlspace

2.-Identifying Mold in the Crawlspace

3.-How to Remove Mold in the Crawlspace

Preventing Mold in Crawlspace

Mold is able to grow almost anywhere in the home as long as there is a moisture and organic food source (AKA your building materials). But due to the lack of air circulation, high humidity levels allow the mold to prosper in the crawlspace.

So the best ways to keep mold out of the crawlspace is to limit the moisture. To limit the moisture in the crawlspace, check out the following:

1.-Ensure that there are no cracks in the foundation walls

2.-Ensure that gutters and downspouts are clear and guide water away from the foundation

3.- Make sure that there is adequate ventilation in the crawlspace. If not, consider installing open vents to make the area “breathable.”

4.-If the crawlspace is vented, insulate against the sub floor above. Make sure to use fasteners    or else it will just fall out over time. The vapor barrier part of the insulation should also be facing the sub floor.

5.-If there is insulation already installed, make sure that it is dry and not sagging. If it contains water damage, it will need to be replaced.

6.-Ensure that there is plastic sheeting that covers the bottom of the crawlspace, lining the foundation walls. Check the walls to make sure that there is no water standing between the plastic sheeting and foundation walls.

7.-Inspect the air ducts and plumbing work for leaks.

8.- Make sure that the dryer vent leads air outside and not to the crawlspace.

Stay Safe While Preventing Mold

These tips and tricks should guarantee to keep mold out of the crawlspace when followed correctly, but remember that your health and safety always come first.

If you haven’t been in the crawlspace of a home before, or don’t have any experience with mold, it’s best to call SERVPRO of McAllen to perform the inspection.

Identifying Mold in Crawlspace

1.-While mold really only needs moisture and an organic substance to grow, all of the conditions mentioned to grow create the perfect breeding grounds for the fungus to prosper:

2.-Moisture – caused by plumbing leaks, burst pipes, and humidity

3.-Warmth – this is why mold prospers in the spring and summer time

4.-Food – any type of organic material, such as drywall and insulation will promote mold growth

5.-Darkness – Mold loves to grow undisturbed in darker areas – but keep in mind that it cannot grow in UV light.

6.-Time – Mold growth can start in as little as 24 hours after water damage

How to remove mold from the crawlspace:

1.- Inspecting the Damage. Make sure to put on protective clothing, especially a face mask, before crawling under the property. Look closely at what you are dealing with; depending on how far it has spread, it can be a long or short cleanup process.

2.- Preparing for Mold Remediation. Before even thinking about tackling mold, make sure that there is proper ventilation so you won’t be inhaling mold spores of any kind. You will also want set up some flood lights as well as a plastic barrier.

3.- Applying the Mold-Removing Chemicals. There are a number of chemicals that can remove mold.

4.- Blasting Mold. For larger cases of mold, you will want to use a surface blaster. Homes that are usually vacant for long periods of time or are poorly ventilated will likely have this problem. When using a surface blaster, you will be removing the mold from a number of surfaces using high-pressure particles.

Removing Mold Professionally

Despite the cheapest way to remove mold, doing it yourself is not always the best idea. Mold remediation can be an extremely dangerous job.

To make matters worse, letting mold grow into an infestation will only result in extra time and money spent in remediation.

So often times it is best to work with a professional mold remediation specialist, such as SERVPRO of McAllen. Their specialists have years of experience in removing mold with professional products. They will locate all affected areas, assess the damage, contain the area, and effectively restore them to their original conditions.

SERVPRO of McAllen can also mitigate the property from water damage, which is often the case with many mold remediation projects. As soon as you notice the damage, be sure to give us a call right away.

Principles of Mold Remediation

5/1/2018 (Permalink)

Mold in a Mechanical room

Mold becomes a problem inside a home or business when there’s excessive humidity or moisture for an extended period of time. The problem can originate from sudden water damage, like a burst pipe or large spill that goes untreated, or from a chronic condition, such as a leaking roof or plumbing. Even high humidity or warm, moist air condensing on cool surfaces can trigger mold problems. It’s always best to have the mold evaluated and removed by a certified professional, as is SERVPRO of Mcallen.

Mold can grow almost anywhere in a home or business if conditions permit. If there is visible growth on painted wall surfaces, property owners should be concerned about what may be growing on the wall’s opposite side. The environment inside the walls of a house often differs drastically from the outside and could create a perfect haven for mold. If the wall remains wet for a prolonged period, it’s almost guaranteed that the mold growth on the back side will be worse than on the front. At that point, containing the work space and removing moldy materials, followed by cleaning of salvageable framing, are the best options.

Certified professionals have the training and experience to:

1.-Identify moisture sources

2.-Evaluate mold growth (visible or suspected)

3.-Contain damage to the smallest area possible

4.-Physically remove contamination

5.-Dry materials to ensure that mold will not return

Perform or recommend procedures for returning property to a preloss condition

The IICRC outlines five major principles of mold remediation.

Make sure safety and health precautions are taken by cleanup professionals and occupants. Mold-contaminated buildings can be associated with a number of health problems. Anyone involved in the mold remediation process must be protected from exposure through a combination of practices and controls.

A post-cleanup assessment by an independent environmental expert. An effective mold remediation cannot be developed without first determining the extent of the contamination to be removed. To ensure that remediation work is being properly performed, it is highly recommended that appropriate documentation of the remediation process be kept by project management

Control of mold before it spreads further. Eliminating mold at the source of contamination is essential. Once mold spores spread through the air, it will be much more difficult to capture.

Oversee the proper physical removal of the mold. The mold must be physically removed from the structure. Attempts to isolate mold or remove signs of mold on the surface are not adequate. Note that bleach alone cannot kill mold.

Ensure that moisture is controlled to limit future contamination or recontamination. Mold growth is virtually inevitable if moisture is not controlled. Moisture problems must be identified, located and corrected or controlled as soon as possible.

Application of these principles may involve multiple disciplines and professionals from a wide range of restoration and indoor environmental fields.

Benefits of a Clean Bathroom Exhaust Fan

11/17/2017 (Permalink)

Are you planning to have your home renovated? Your home should be the most comfortable and sophisticated place to live in. You don’t have to own expensive furniture or items to make it comfortable and cozy. The most important thing to consider is to make sure that no part of your house is being neglected.

We get so overwhelmed with shopping for items to design our house with modern, contemporary or classic style, though one important item to take note of is maintaining the bathroom, especially the bathroom exhaust fan.

How to Clean a Bathroom Exhaust Fan

How to attend to exhaust fan cleaning? Just take a few minutes checking the appearance of the fan and recall when it was that you last opened it and cleaned it. If it has been months, years, or even decades ago, find a way to have it cleaned right away.

How many times have you had your exhaust fan cleaned in your bathroom? If you haven’t had one scheduled yet for some time now, let me share with you the most important benefits of the clean bathroom fan:

Prevents Mold, Mildew and Other Types of Bacteria

Dirt, bacteria, mold, and mildew can easily appear in the bathroom. In the tub, sink, toilet, tiles, and shower, mold and mildew can easily spread even if we utilize the best cleaning liquid or soap. You might even notice that cleaning the bathroom takes a lot of your time and effort. And who are those who really like cleaning this part of the house? Having a clean and polished exhaust fan will help you a lot in this task.

A clean and good performing exhaust fan help prevent the mold and other types of bacteria. The air flows through it smoothly, and so the dirt and mildew or mold can’t survive. With this, cleaning the tub, sink, and tiles become shorter in time and less tedious.

Keeps the Air Clean and Fresh

Have you been spending too much on bathroom fresheners lately? While it’s not a bad idea to diffuse pure essential oils in your home or bathroom, having a good bathroom fan will provide a resource for clean-smelling air and reduce the chance of mold and mildew growing in your bathroom. But to have that refreshing air and atmosphere, make sure to have that exhaust fan cleaned as well regularly. This helps a lot in making sure that the air inside is good for your health. This is to avoid discussions also when other members of your house prefer a different freshener scent. With a natural, clean air, all would enjoy taking showers at any time of day or night.

Prevents Serious Renovation Expenses

Save a lot of money and time through regular maintenance of your house, especially in your bathroom. Schedule an exhaust fan cleaning with a licensed and professional technician. This would only cost less compared to thousands of dollars that may pile up when this part of the house gets neglected over time.

How To Prevent Mold Growth In Humid Climates

11/14/2017 (Permalink)

It is true that mold can occur anywhere, but humid climates provide the optimal conditions for the fungi to grow and thrive:

1.-The frequent precipitation and high air humidity typical of wet climates produce large amounts of moisture – the main prerequisite for mold growth;

2.-The temperatures in humid climates are usually high throughout most of the year and contribute to the quick reproduction of mold spores.

The excessive moisture combined with the right temperatures allows for extensive mold growth and causes great troubles – mold damage to personal property, health problems and allergic reactions triggered by mold exposure, etc. Getting rid of the mold is very difficult in wet climate areas, as the right conditions for its development remain present, and mold remediation is extremely laborious and time-consuming. The only good solution under these circumstances is to find an efficient way to prevent mold growth in the first place.

Mold prevention in humid climates, however, is quite the challenge. You need to take certain specific measures in order to thwart mold growth in such a moist environment.

How To Prevent Mold In Your Home

You can neither prevent mold spores from entering your home (they exist everywhere in the outdoor environment and can easily get inside through open doors and windows, air ducts and vents, or even attached to clothes, shoes, and bags), nor deprive mold of its “food” (the harmful microorganisms feed on organic materials, such as wood, carpet, paper, insulation, paint, plasterboard, fabrics, cotton, leather, furniture, and even dust that are found in abundance in the home). Your only option is to make sure the ambient conditions in your house are not right for mold to grow:

Ensure proper ventilation. Stale air provides perfect breeding and development conditions for the delicate mold spores – they can take roots, grow, and reproduce, completely undisturbed. To prevent such “untroubled development”, you need to allow plenty of fresh air inside and ensure good air circulation within your home – keep the windows open on sunny days, open doors between rooms, open drawers and closet doors, reduce clutter and move furniture away from walls to improve the airflow in your house, keep air ducts clean and in good condition, run exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens where steam and moisture can build up as a result of common everyday activities, etc. Make sure all areas of your house are properly ventilated and free of musty odors (especially confined and/or dark spaces);

Take care of condensation. Mold thrives on surfaces with condensation, such as windows, metal pipes, and concrete walls. To reduce condensation in your home, you need to keep the indoor temperature higher and the relative humidity in the house lower. Installing appropriate insulation is the way to go here – have in mind though that in addition to ceilings, walls, and other structural elements of the home, it’s advisable to insulate the surfaces that are most prone to forming condensation as well. If you notice condensation, make sure you dry the surface immediately;

Use air conditioners and dehumidifiers to control your indoor climate and keep air humidity low (see below for more details on how to control humidity in home);

Use mold-resistant products and materials in your home. When living in a humid climate, it’s advisable to equip your home with mold-resistant materials – plastic, metal or glass household items and surfaces (instead of wooden ones), tile or laminate floors (instead of carpeted ones), moisture-resistant drywall in which the gypsum core is covered in fiberglass so that the surface becomes impervious to water (instead of traditional drywall in which the core is pressed between plies of paper), paint that contains mildewcides (chemicals that effectively inhibit mold growth), etc.;

Clean, dust, and disinfect household surfaces. Frequent cleaning helps remove the mold spores from household surfaces and considerably reduces the dirt and grime (excellent sources of organic food for the harmful fungi) in the home. Therefore, you are strongly recommended to wash and disinfect plastic, metal, glass, stone, tile and other hard surfaces in your home on a regular basis and dry them well immediately after cleaning. Also, make sure you dust and vacuum often (preferably with a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA filter) to prevent the accumulation of dust and dirt on your furniture, carpets, draperies, etc. It has been found that about 80% of household mold grows on dust. Consider having the carpets and upholstery in your home professionally cleaned once or twice a year;

Inspect your property at regular intervals and immediately after violent storms, torrential rains, snow meltdown, etc. to detect eventual mold growth in its early stages and prevent it from spreading further into your home;

Remove already affected materials to prevent mold spores from contaminating other items.

However practical and adequate these measures may be though, they will not have a substantial effect if there is enough moisture in your home to allow mold growth. The only way to efficiently prevent mold in the house is to control the humidity in the indoor environment.

How To Control Humidity

Humidity control seems easy to achieve with the help of highly advanced technology – we can use AC units, dehumidifiers, and various other hi-tech devices that have been specifically designed to control indoor climate and maintain optimal temperatures and humidity levels within the home. Controlling humidity in wet climates, however, poses a number of specific challenges – you can’t just open the windows to improve airflow in the home, for example (when outside humidity levels are high, letting outdoor air into your house will increase the indoor humidity).

So, how can you control moisture and prevent mold growth in humid climates?

1) Ensure proper air conditioning:

Use quality AC units properly sized for your house. If your air-conditioning unit is too small, it will run constantly without achieving the desired effect; if it is too big, it will start and stop frequently which will make it difficult to maintain constant temperature and humidity levels;

Set your air conditioner to about 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the hot summer months and keep your home warm in cool weather;

Set the AC fan mode to “auto”, not to “on”. When the fan is set to “on”, it runs continuously and does not allow enough time for the moisture that condenses onto the evaporator coil during the cooling cycle to drain off – it is re-evaporated and blown back into the house, increasing the humidity level;

Close windows and doors when your AC unit is running. If the doors and windows are open, warm, humid outdoor air will enter your cooler home and cause condensation;

Maintain your air conditioner in excellent condition to make sure it works effectively. Clean and replace the filters every month during the summer, inspect the condensate drain pipe to make sure it’s dripping regularly (otherwise water may be accumulating inside the unit or on the floor), call a service professional at least once a year for more complex maintenance, such as cleaning the coils, etc.

2) Use dehumidifiers to keep the humidity level in your home below 50%.

3)  Do not let wet items stay inside

Dry washed clothes outside or use a clothes dryer (never hang clothes to dry inside). Make sure they are completely dry before putting them away in drawers and closets;

Do not leave wet towels or other wet items lying around in your home;

Take wet shoes off at the door and clean pets’ paws after walks to prevent water and mud from being tracked into your house;

Thoroughly dry your items before storing them inside, especially if they won’t be used for prolonged periods of time;

4) Prevent water from entering your property:

Keep your property in good repair – Inspect the roof and the chimney on a regular basis and make any necessary repairs without delay, repair foundation cracks, fix plumbing leaks, etc.;

Keep the gutters clean – Replace damaged or rusty gutters and drainpipes in due time and make sure they are free of leaves and other debris to ensure proper water drainage;

Direct water away from your home. Make sure the grading around your house slopes away from the foundation – otherwise water may collect there and seep into your crawlspace or basement;

Cover crawl space floors with plastic coverings to prevent groundwater from seeping inside;

Leak-proof doors and windows to prevent water seepage into your home during storms and torrential rains.

The answers to 9 frequently asked questions about mold in homes

5/5/2017 (Permalink)

Mold growth

1. What is mold?

Mold is a type of fungus that lives almost everywhere there is moisture, oxygen, and organic matter. Mold plays an important role in nature as it helps decompose organic material. However, mold found indoors can cause health problems, as well as structural problems to buildings.

2. Why does mold grow in homes?

Mold releases microscopic mold spores into the air. Since mold spores are airborne, all homes have mold spores in them, some more than others. Mold grows in homes because almost all homes meet the requirements of mold growth: moisture, nutrients (such as cellulose), and time.

3. Where does mold grow in homes?

Mold commonly grows in areas that are prone to moisture, such as the basement and bathroom. However, mold can also grow in hidden areas of the home, such as behind walls, under the floor, in the air conditioning system, in the crawl space or in the attic.

4. When does mold become a problem?

Although all homes have mold spores in them, larger patches of mold growth can cause health issues and structural damage. Signs of mold in homes include a musty odor and the visible black or white specks in areas of your home that have a water problem.

5. Am I exposed to mold?

If there is mold growing in your home, you can be exposed to it. When mold is disturbed, it releases spores into the indoor air that you breathe.

6. How does mold affect our health?

Mold-sensitive individuals may exhibit allergy symptoms, such as sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, coughing, itchy eyes, wheezing, and skin irritation.

7. Should I test for mold?

When you suspect that there is mold growing in your home, you don’t have to know which type of mold it is, but you should have it removed as soon as possible.

8. Can I clean up mold myself?

Although it is always better to hire a certified mold removal company like SERVPRO, you might be able to remove small patches of mold yourself (which are smaller than 10 square feet). When you’re not sure how to remove mold, or if the infested area is larger than 10 square feet, contact SERVPRO of McAllen .

9. How can I prevent mold growth in my home?

Preventing mold requires fixing moisture problems in your home. Repair leaks in the walls, roof, gutters, and plumbing pipes, keep indoor humidity at 30-50% by using a dehumidifier, ventilate appliances that generate moisture, and keep the gutter system clean.

Quickly Identifying And Remediation Mold in Your Home

5/1/2017 (Permalink)

Mold Growth due a water damage

Mold causes the deterioration of organic matter. Dampness creates ideal conditions for mold, and it feeds off of organic materials such as drywall, wood or cloth. After water damage has occurred, mold can begin growing in as quickly as two days.

When you encounter mold, your ability to breathe properly should be your top concern. Mold can create health problems through the spores it releases into the air. You may be required to evacuate the area when the presence of mold becomes too much.

This means that standing water needs to be removed and cleaned up as soon as you notice it. This eliminates the ideal growing conditions that allow for mold to take root.

SERVPRO of McAllen is a company that has undergone extensive training and is certified in IICRC-the most trusted certification for mold removal.

Their training includes the ability to:

– Determine where water is coming from

– Identify the presence of mold

– Ensure mold does not spread any further

– Remediate mold

– Utilize thorough drying techniques to ensure mold does not return

– Restore property or advise on methods necessary to do so

Identifying the Mold

Mold has no set appearance and it can be any number of colors, including black, gray, white, green or pink.

One sure sign is visible identification of mold. But if the mold is unusual-looking you might not even realize what you are seeing. Mold can form in clusters or spots and it can grow in places you may not be able to see.

Determining the Presence of Mold

Our experts can find mold wherever it may be hiding. They know which signs to look for to determine if mold is present. These include:

– Visible signs of mold

– Musty odors

– Humid conditions

– Symptoms of mold, including itchy eyes and runny nose

– Symptoms of a neurological nature, including dizziness and headaches

– Signs of long-term dampness

– Stained or discolored floors and walls

– Peeled paint and bubbling wallpaper

– Warped walls and bowed supports

– Damp surfaces

What Causes Mold?

Mold is likely growing in your home if you have moisture there. Many types of moisture problems can lead to mold growth. These include damp clothing, leaky pipes, roof leaks, a lack of ventilation, floods, water in the basement, and condensation.