Top 5 Places for Mold Growth in Your Home

9/11/2023 (Permalink)

Avoid mold growth in your North St. Paul, MN home.

Unfortunately, mold is an uninvited guest in many households in White Bear Lake, MN. Mold growth can happen in various places around the home, although some areas are more common than others for this unwanted substance.

Conditions for Mold Growth

Mold thrives in certain conditions. Without them, it is hard for it to grow and spread. Mold prefers areas that have:

• Water or moisture
• Warmth
• Oxygen
• Darkness
• Food

Mold feeds not only on food items such as meat, fruit and vegetables. It also gets food from household materials. You may find mold on wood or wet carpet, or moldy drywall in a damp basement.

What areas around the home are the most common for mold? Here are the top places you can find it.

1. Bathrooms

Your bathroom is perhaps the wettest room in your house. Between the tub, toilet and sink, mold has an abundant water source in this room. Add in the warmth and humidity from steamy showers and wet towels, and you have a breeding ground for mold.

Clean your bathroom frequently to discourage mold from growing. Pay special attention to tile grout and caulk. Wash shower curtains and bath mats often. Don't leave wet towels bunched up on the floor.

2. Kitchens

The sink, refrigerator and dishwasher are water sources for mold in the kitchen. It can feed on old food in the refrigerator, trash can or cabinets. It can collect on unwashed dishes. It can even find a home on clean, damp dishes stored in a dark cupboard.

To combat mold in the kitchen, wash damp rags and towels frequently. Throw away old food. Check under the cabinets and behind appliances for leaks.

3. Laundry Rooms

A leaky washing machine and damp clothes can give mold a place to grow. Take care not to leave wet clothing piled around the laundry room. Check hoses regularly for leaks.

4. Basements and Attics

The basement and attic in your home are typically dark, undisturbed areas. They can easily collect water from leaky vents or walls. They can also build up condensation if not properly vented. You may need to make an effort to inspect these areas if you don't use them regularly. Check for leaks and mold. If you see large growth areas, you can call a professional restoration service to have it removed.

5. Bedrooms

While you might not have a direct water source in the bedroom, leaking windows or ceilings can introduce moisture into this room. An old mattress or pillow can also harbor mold. They can collect moisture from humidity and sweat, and mold can feed on the porous material inside.

It isn't too hard to inhibit mold in the bedroom. Watch for moisture around windows and ceilings. Encase your mattress in a protective cover or choose one that is mold-resistant. You can also air out your bed and rotate the mattress frequently. Replace old pillows and enclose new ones in a protective case.

Mold growth is no fun to deal with. Preventing it from appearing in the first place is your best mold-fighting strategy. If you check for leaks around your home and clean high-moisture areas frequently, you should be able to keep your White Bear Lake, MN, house in good shape.

How Can I Keep My Employees Safe During Mold Remediation?

11/25/2021 (Permalink)

Mold is dangerous for the health of your employees. Contact mold remediation professionals to get rid of it.

When you discover mold at your commercial building in North Saint Paul, MN, first and foremost, it's critical that you keep your employees safe. Mold spores are virtually everywhere, outdoors and indoors. Mold is a hardy little life form that doesn't require much to grow into a full-on infestation, and it can take hold in what seems to be no time. Humidity and a source of nutrients are all it needs to take up residence in your property. The initial step upon discovering the infestation is to contact mold remediation professionals. They can guide you through the mold removal process from start to finish, however minor or severe the problem turns out to be. In the meantime, it's helpful to know several options for keeping your employees safe until the mold is gone for good.

4 Ways To Protect Your Employees From Mold

1. Use Various Mold Containment Methods

The mold remediation team you hire will use the necessary containment systems to keep the mold and its spores confined as much as possible inside the affected area. Containment is perhaps the most efficient way of keeping the unaffected area fungus-free. One of the most common and effective containment methods involves utilizing negative air chambers. This system prevents mold spores from traveling through the building's ventilation system. Some technicians will create barriers with thick plastic sheeting. Whatever procedure the cleanup team implements, they will probably limit traffic to restoration professionals, if possible. This restriction will significantly help mitigate the risk of cross-contamination.

2. Install HEPA Air Filters and Purifiers

Air purifiers can be a very beneficial investment for workspaces, whether a problem exists or not. Opt for air purifiers with high-efficiency particulate air filters. These HEPA filters are fine enough to remove mold spores and keep the air as clean as possible for your employees. You can also get HEPA filters for your heating and air ventilation system.

3. Provide Your Employees Personal Protective Equipment

Even if the affected area is contained, your employees aren't guaranteed to be completely safe from black mold exposure. Providing them with PPE, most importantly face masks or respirators, will help keep them safe from breathing potentially contaminated air that can escape during the mold removal process.

4. Allow Your Employees To Work Off-Premises

If your employees aren't required to physically be on the premises during work hours, consider allowing them to work at home or in another remote location while the restoration is underway. You may even have another building in which they could set up an office for a while. Mold cleanup can take days or even weeks, depending on the extent of the damage. While you probably can't afford to totally close your business during this time, it's also essential to keep your employees safe.

Finding out your building has a severe case of mold growth can be anxiety-provoking, to say the least. Business must continue, but is it safe for your employees to work on location during the mold removal process? Keep these tips in mind, be proactive, and plan how you could best handle this situation well ahead of time in case it happens in the future.

The Black Mold Remediation Process

9/17/2021 (Permalink)

Black mold remediation must be realized by a specialized team in your North Saint Paul, MN, commercial property.

Mold remediation is a time-consuming job that requires specialized training and equipment. Although many property owners assume that this can be done safely without involving experts, the truth is that mold spores move easily through the air and can quickly spread throughout your North Saint Paul, MN, commercial property. Once those spores find a place to land, it only takes a small amount of moisture and a food source for black mold or other types of fungi to support the growth of a colony. Certified mold cleanup and mitigation professionals are equipped to safely and effectively deal with this problem.

The Critical Steps of Black Mold Remediation

For lasting protection from mold-related damage, professionals move through several steps, beginning with mold assessment and ending with a final evaluation:

Assess and Identify the Moisture Source

Mold cannot grow without a source of moisture. The moisture source could be something as obvious as a leaking pipe or it could simply be the result of high humidity levels in a bathroom. In many cases, mold growth begins out of sight in hidden areas behind walls or under carpeting. This assessment includes samples from the air and surfaces and helps professionals determine the extent of the damage.

Remove the Source of Moisture

Getting rid of the moisture source is the first step of remediation. This includes repairing any broken pipes and fixing leaks. It could involve major tasks such as repairing a damaged ceiling or replacing an outdated plumbing system. This task is one of the most important areas of focus because doing it well is the best way to avoid future trouble.

Prevent Cross-Contamination and Spread

Tiny mold spores travel on moving air, clothing, hair, and skin. When property owners attempt to DIY mold cleanup, they inadvertently spread spores and create more trouble for themselves. One of the things professionals do before entering a mold-infected property is equipment themselves in personal protective gear:

• Protective clothing
• Helmets
• Gloves
• Boots
• Goggles
• Masks
  

Professional cleanup includes sealing off doors and windows between the affected area and unaffected areas. Contamination containment also involves dust suppression using special misting equipment.

Remove and Dispose of Waste

Anything that was contaminated by black mold or other fungi must be removed appropriately to prevent more contamination. This often involves double-bagging materials and treating the bags with a specialized detergent. Proper disposal of the containers is undertaken to ensure that spores aren't spread to other properties. During this step, mold remediation professionals use products and techniques approved by the EPA.

Disinfect and Dry All Surfaces

Properly disinfecting all surfaces in the affected area is another crucial step in the remediation process. A variety of techniques are used to clean porous and non-porous materials. Some of the supplies used during this step include wipes, wire brushes, HEPA vacuums, and polyethylene containment materials. Once all materials have been cleaned, technicians use sunlight, fans, heat sources, and dehumidifiers to make sure everything is completely dry.

Test and Evaluate Cleanup Results

Some mold remediation professionals complete this test, but many arrange for a third party to take air and surface samples. This testing is done to determine that the moisture source has been removed, all mold damage has been repaired, and air quality levels are appropriate.

Black mold remediation is a tedious task that requires a lot of specialized training and equipment. Leave this work to North Saint Paul, MN, professionals who have access to the necessary supplies.

How Much Does Mold Damage Cost?

6/28/2021 (Permalink)

Mold often grows in hidden areas.

If you have mold in your home, one of the concerns you probably have is how much mold removal will cost and whether your insurance will cover it. Several factors play a role in the overall cost of dealing with mold damage.

Overall Cost of Mold Damage

Mold Inspection

Because mold often grows in hidden areas, it is a good idea to have a mold inspection done before proceeding with black mold removal. The inspector will look for all of the hidden areas of mold and the root cause of your mold problem. The inspector will also be able to recommend a mold remediation company in North St. Paul, MN. A qualified mold inspector should meet several criteria:

• Have a degree in a relevant science or engineering field
  
• Have completed industry-approved courses in mold investigation
  
• Have industry credentials
  
• Provide a report with lab results
  
  

A typical mold inspection takes between two and five hours. The average cost is $200 to $600.

Mold Remediation

Mold remediation companies perform the actual mold removal services. Depending on the extent of the project, the process may take a few days to a few weeks. The process involves removing water and mold-damaged materials, cleaning and disinfecting carpets, walls and personal items, vacuuming with HEPA filtration and removing mold-damaged studs and drywall. The cost can vary from $500 to more than $30,000 depending on where the damage is and how widespread the problem is.

Insurance Coverage

Many homeowners policies have an exclusion for damage caused by mold and other fungi. However, if the mold resulted due to another covered cause of loss, such as a burst pipe, your insurance may cover the cost of mold cleanup.

The cost of mold removal can vary substantially depending on the circumstances. It is a good idea to check with your homeowners or flood insurance company to find out if your policy provides coverage for mold cleanup before you begin the process.

How To Confirm Your Mold Suspicions

3/26/2021 (Permalink)

Contact a professional to confirm your mold suspicions.

If you notice a musty odor in your home in North St. Paul, MN, you probably know that you have mold growth somewhere. If it's hidden, however, you may not know where or how big the problem really is. An indoor environmental specialist can get you the answers you need so that the issue can be mitigated thoroughly.

Ways to Confirm If You Have Mold in Your Home

Exploratory Test

A home test is only going to tell you that there are mold spores in your home, but that's true even if you don't have a significant growth. A professional mold test is necessary for finding hidden patches. There are many places mold can hide:

• In air ducts
  
• Behind walls
  
• Under carpet
  
• Inside cabinets
  

Certified environmental hygienists have the equipment, experience and knowledge needed to find where molds spores are most prevalent, indicating the location of the growth itself.

Air Quality Test

The most common way that an indoor environmental specialist uses to get an accurate reading is by testing the air quality. Technicians may use a spore trap to sample the air of your home. The spores stick to the sticky surface in the trap, and these spores are tested in a lab. The test results reveal not only how concentrated the mold growth is in different areas throughout your home but also the type of mold present.

Surface Test

Before the mitigation work can begin on your home, mold remediation experts need to know exactly what kind of fungus they're dealing with. If it is visible, it's easy to get a surface test of the mold. By carefully removing some of the spores in the growth for further inspection, they can make better decisions about the specific methods needed to remedy the problem.

You don't need to waste money on a home mold test from your local hardware store. If you have a significant mold problem in your home, only an indoor environmental specialist will be able to get an accurate test that reveals all the information needed to resolve the issue.

4 Reasons To Hire a Mold Removal Specialist

1/26/2021 (Permalink)

Consider hiring a professional to remove mold.

Mold is a strange substance and topic. Some homeowners do not cringe at the sight of mold in their homes; instead, choosing to take a DIY approach to the removal with no thought of potential consequences. Other people assume that every mold is toxic and believe that the mere sight means massive renovations are underway. However, before becoming either reactionary or proactive against mold in your home, hire mold inspection services in White Bear Lake, MN, to review the situation. There are at least four reasons to consider hiring a professional.

4 Reasons to Consider Hiring a Mol Removal Specialist

1. Black Mold Toxicity

People often refer to black mold as toxic, but not all forms are. However, there is no way to know if a species is of a toxic variety without a test. Characteristics do little to help the novice homeowner differentiate between a typical house mold and a dangerous variety. The simple truth is that most molds carry negative attributes, but identification depends on professional testing.

2. Necessary Inspections

Mold inspection services are standard among disaster restoration companies. If you suspect you have mold, you might want to consider hiring a company to assess your home and identify the type of mold. If it is of a toxic species, you may wish to vacate the premises while the team cleans it. However, you will not need to leave with every type of infestation; some species are mild, meaning if the growth is not too significant, a family might stay during the cleanout process.

3. Black Mold Traits

House mold is different from toxic black mold. The toxic variety will appear dark greenish-black or gray, and it may have a slimy texture. Some people describe the mold as being greasy. It is different from most house mold species, which appear green, yellow, and other colors and have a textured appearance, almost soft or fuzzy.

4. Professional Removal

Regardless of the species, DIY mold removal is never a good idea. There are too many types of mold, and people can have countless reactions from mild to severe. It is best to leave removal to professionals.

A mold inspection can help identify the species. Regardless, never remove mold without a professional.

Why Hire a Mold Remediation Professional?

11/19/2020 (Permalink)

Black mold damage.

There is plenty of misconceptions about mold and color. For example, not all black mold is toxic, despite the perpetuating rumors. The only definitive way to know the toxicity or danger of mold found in your home is having it tested by a professional. Do not trust those DIY mold tests because many can produce a false positive.
If you believe you have a mold problem, contact a mold remediation company in White Bear Lake, MN. These services offer several advantages over DIY approaches.

• Test and mold identification
  
• Complete remediation and restoration
  
• Professional advocacy
  

3 Advantages of Hiring a Mold Remediaton Proffessional

Test and Mold Identification

If you are dealing with toxic black mold, you do not want to be in your homes during remediation. A mitigation service will test your home's air quality and take samples of the mold growth to determine the species and appropriate mold cleanup procedures. For minor and non-toxic jobs, your family can possibly stay in the home during removal, depending on where the infestation is; however, if toxic, the house will require extreme precaution and quarantine of the infestation site.

Complete Remediation and Restoration

A professional service can often complete an entire remediation and restoration in less time than a homeowner alone. The company understands the proper cleanup process and knows how to restrengthen damaged structures.
Another significant benefit of professional companies is the work guarantee. Most remediation services certify their work with a warranty, meaning that if a problem is not resolved, they will come back and fix the persistent issue.

Professional Advocacy

While not every residential disaster will fall within your insurance policy, a remediation company can help determine the probability of any covered damages. For example, while many insurers will not cover mold per se, they might cover mold due to unseen damages. With experience working with various insurers, a mitigation service can advocate on the homeowner's behalf, helping to move the claims process along.

Do not try to correct black mold damage on your own. The risk of financial compounding financial loss is too significant. Instead, hire a mitigation company to help you sort through the damages.

The Importance of the Mold Remediation Process

6/29/2020 (Permalink)

The crew you hire will need to take proper precautions to remove mold safely.

Too many homeowners believe that mold growth can be handled in typical DIY fashion, but that is a mistake. There are several mold varieties that a person should not expose themselves to unless they have the proper training, which is why a remediation company in North St. Paul, MN, is strongly recommended for the removal process. The standard method involves five steps.

• Safety
  
• Containment
  
• Waste removal
  
• Cleaning
  
• Restoration
  

5 Steps Involved in The Standard Method for Mold Remediation

1. Safety

Depending on the mold species, the crew you hire will need to take precautions. On the first day, they will collect samples of the mold damage and send those samples to a lab for identification. If the mold is a toxic variety, then the crew will need to wear full protective units, gloves and ventilators. For more docile species, a face mask and gloves will suffice.

2. Containment

The remediation company may seal off the affected area to prevent further exposure. It is also common for the team to spray down the mold with water to prevent mold spores from escaping to other areas of your home while being disposed of and collected. The team will also resolve any issues of water damage.

3. Waste Removal

For generic mold growth, waste removal is straightforward, but toxic species require more preparation and caution. Teams will seal the collected pieces in airtight bags before walking them out of the infested space.

4. Cleaning

Once the mold is removed, the remediation company will begin cleaning the affected space. They will use several commercial cleaners and disinfectants to kill any remaining spores before moving on with the restoration of your home.

5. Restoration

During the restoration phase of the process, the team will replace any drywall and insulation they removed. They will also make sure that the wall studs are structurally sound. The objective is to restore your home to predisaster conditions.
Mold growth can be devastating to homeowners.

A mold remediation company is essential to freeing your space of the infestation. Do not attempt to do it alone.