Recent Mold Remediation Posts

SERVPRO Properly Deals with Mold Damage in Your Raleigh Home

5/2/2023 (Permalink)

If you have mold like this after a storm, call SERVPRO of Raleigh 24/7. We are faster to any size disaster.

Signs Your Raleigh Home Has Mold Damage

Mold might be present in your Raleigh home if the mitigation was not correctly done following a flood. It can also develop from humidity issues if systems that regulate humidity levels are unavailable. With high humidity, there is too much moisture, thus creating condensation on the building materials. Moisture is a key to microbial growth. You can see or smell mold on clothing, furniture, and drywall. If there is visible mold in your house, there is hidden mold too. It may be underneath or behind appliances, flooring, or walls.

The first stride in managing mold damage at a Raleigh property is performing a thorough assessment of the affected areas to determine the problem's significance. Then, irrespective of the size of the affected area, it is advisable to let professionals handle mold contamination. SERVPRO has the tools and skills to manage a mold situation in your home appropriately.

Signs of mold damage in homes

  • Stale and musty odors
  • Persistent moisture buildup in certain areas
  • Discoloration on walls, ceilings, and floors
  • Spotting and fuzziness on walls

Cleaning Mold Contamination

Our crews identify all contaminated structural materials and personal belongings. If the mold growth has spread or eaten away material such as rugs and drywall, we remove and dispose of them properly. Efficient mold remediation can be achieved by following specific procedures.

Essential steps in fixing mold damage

  • Isolate the contaminated area
  • Remove all contaminated materials
  • Dry all sections of the structure properly
  • Remove the mold colonies

Mold proliferates by spores; therefore, any removal can trigger their release. By isolating the contaminated area, our teams can minimize the possible spread of the infestation. First, we cover all doorways and other openings with six mil polyethylene sheeting and seal every seam with duct tape leaving only a slip entrance. Next, we remove wet porous materials and all items heavily infested by mold and double bag them in plastic garbage bags six mils thick. We follow this up with the cleaning of non-porous surfaces.

If you need assistance with mold damage at your home, SERVPRO of Cary / Morrisville / Apex is available 24/7. Call us at (919) 615-1160. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

5 Effective Bathroom Mold Prevention Tips Every Home Owner Should Know

1/25/2019 (Permalink)

Bathrooms with a shower should be properly ventilated to prevent mold growth due to humidity

Check Out These Five Great Tips!

Mold loves to grow in the most wet, humid places in your home, which makes it no surprise that bathrooms often serve as a breeding ground to various kinds of bathroom mildew and mold. Dealing with a serious mold issue in Apex, NC, is certainly the last thing you want to have to deal with. To keep every part of your bathroom mold-free, check out these five great tips!

1. Keep It Ventilated

Often a humidity issue in a bathroom is due to a lack of ventilation. Make sure to turn on the exhaust fan every time you shower and let it continue to run until all the steam is gone. Keep the door open after you leave as well, and open the window if you have one.

2. Clean Up Excess Water

Leaving puddles of water on the floor or dripping down the tub walls is a great way to invite bathroom mildew into your home. If you want to avoid having to call a mold remediation specialist, mop up puddles and use a squeegee to remove excess water from tiles.

3. Let in the Light

Mold thrives in dark environments, so go ahead and let in the light! If you have a window in the room, keep the blinds open and consider leaving on the bathroom light for a bit longer after you shower.

4. Keep It Clean

Clean your bathroom often to discourage the growth of mold. Take special care when cleaning the shower and replace shower curtains and washing sponges often.

5. Reseal Grout Lines

Grout is porous and soaks up a lot of moisture. Make sure to reseal grout lines at least once a year and deep clean them regularly.

While it is easy to forget to take good care of your bathroom every time you take a hot, steamy shower, following these tips will save you time and effort by keeping your home clean of bathroom mildew!

How To Identify a Mold Issue

4/26/2018 (Permalink)

Mold is an invasive and pervasive opportunist. It thrives in moist and damp places and seeks to take advantage of any chance to grow and spread. Mold can be hard to manage and often requires the services of an indoor environmental specialist. Here is what you should know to identify and rid your building of mold.

Where Water Flows, Mold Grows

Mold is hearty and may capitalize on every opportunity to grow, proliferate, and disperse microscopic spores into the air. Mold growth can be found on many items and surfaces in a building or place of business:

? Carpet
? Wood
? Upholstery
? Paper and cardboard
? Ceiling tiles
? Drywall
? Insulation

It develops in wet areas after flooding or sewer overflow. It flourishes in damp areas where windows, roofs, or pipes have leaked. If moisture persists in areas where water is typically found, such as in bathroom facilities and water fountains, or if higher-than-normal humidity causes condensation to form on indoor air conditioners or on building walls and surfaces, mold is likely to make an unwelcome appearance.

A Test Can Prevent a Mess

Determining if mold is present can be tricky. A musty smell is often indicative of the presence of mold. Quite often, it’s visible in the form of black or colored spots, but not always. If you suspect mold is a problem in your building or place of business in Cary, NC, you can have an indoor environmental specialist conduct a mold test. Generally, a professional has experience in mold sampling, knows how to interpret the test results, and is trained in remediation techniques.

Don’t Wait, Remediate

Minute mold spores are everywhere and are unavoidable in outdoor and indoor environments. While this makes complete mold removal impossible, levels can be normalized through remediation. Each situation requiring mold cleanup in Cary, NC, is unique. No matter the extent of the issue, the expertise of an indoor environmental specialist can be exactly what is needed to prevent a mold problem from escalating. For more information, visit http://www.SERVPROcarymorrisvilleapex.com.

Mold's Wrath and Your Belongings

3/27/2018 (Permalink)

A leaking pipe created a moisture problem that caused the mold you see in this crawlspace to grow.

There are many aspects to consider when combating a mold problem in your Raleigh, NC home. For example, you may have fungus growing underneath walls that need close inspecting or extensive water damage that calls for a complete renovation. Whatever the case, mold cleaning is no small task. As shown in the following information, there are some materials that hold up better than others when it comes to mold damage and your belongings.

Porous Materials

If the part of your home that has become mold's new living space contains items such as pillows, rugs, or other porous items, chances are you'll need replacements. Mold can easily cling to these items, and, unfortunately, the fungus tends to claim them for good. Mattresses and box springs are other common targets for mold and can contribute to a necessary mold remediation.

Food Items

That loaf of bread may have been a great deal at the grocery store a few days ago, but it is likely rendered useless if it's suffered from mold's takeover. While throwing damaged food items away may seem like a no-brainer when mold cleaning, even utensils and other food preparation items may need replacements. It may be hard to let go of a beloved blender, but if you keep it inside, you could raise your chances of having another infestation.

Paintings and Art

Unlike permeable objects and food items, paintings may not always be so vulnerable to mold damage. In fact, just because a painting has become one of mold's victims does not necessarily mean it has reached its end. If addressed quickly, paintings can be restored without allowing any further spreading of mold. However, it is usually wise to let the restoration professionals take on this potentially challenging task.

Not all Raleigh, NC residents appreciate the value of a true work of art, but those who do know all too well that their preservation is crucial. Learning that your artwork – no matter how much the cost – is affected by mold growth can be upsetting, but there are proper mold cleaning tactics to keep the art and kick the fungus to the curb. Visit http://www.SERVPROcarymorrisvilleapex.com for more information on mold. 

What You Should Know About Mold Damage

2/20/2018 (Permalink)

Mold is likely a common problem in Raleigh, NC, commercial properties, and it has the potential to develop after any incidence of water damage. Any porous material that has been damaged by water can become a site for black mold growth, including these examples:

• Drywall
• Wood
• Plaster
• Stucco
• Paper

This type of mold can be a serious problem for property owners and managers, so professional mold cleanup may be required in order to adequately address the problem. Property managers can take steps to prevent the spread of mold throughout their building.

Mold Spores Can Be Spread by Airflow

The natural flow of air through a commercial building can be enough to begin the spread of black mold and other mold varieties following the occurrence of a moisture problem. This natural air flow can be accelerated by the use of air conditioning and other ventilation systems. Ceasing HVAC use for the time being can prevent mold from spreading to other parts of the facility. Property managers are sometimes surprised that a single instance of mold has spread to distant, seemingly unrelated parts of the building; the air conditioning system connecting distant parts of the building can be responsible for such an occurrence.

Mold Damage Can Require Professional Remediation

Black mold can be a serious problem that may require professional remediation services to fully correct. Working with an experienced team of technicians is often a good idea; trying to address mold problems on your own has the potential to simply make the problem worse. Professionals typically have access to tools and techniques beyond what property managers have available; this extra level of expertise helps address stubborn mold problems that result from water damage. Different surfaces may require different approaches, so widespread water damage is best handled by the experts.

Prevent Mold With These Tips

These are just two sound strategies that can help you prevent the growth of mold in your Raleigh, NC, commercial property. By putting these tips to work, you can take valuable strides against the spread of mold where you work.