Water Damage Mold Removal Tips

Posted on by Alana Morein

If you’ve ever experienced any type of flooding, then you know that along with it usually comes the need for some water damage mold removal. And if the mold is minimal, you can deal with the mess on your own. Ready, set, go!

First of all, you’ll need to eliminate the source of the problem. This means fixing any leaky pipes, walls, ceilings or whatever the problem may be. You’ll also want to make sure that the area is free from moisture.

Once you’ve repaired and dried out the affected area, you’ll want to seal it off with a tape and plastic to prevent the spores of the fungus from spreading to other areas of the home. You’ll also want to open as many windows as possible in the room or run an exhaust fan for ventilation.

Next, arm yourself with protective gear. This should include goggles, a respiratory mask and a pair of rubber gloves. Without these items you could be prone to health problems caused by the spores of the fungus.

Then, skip the bleach and purchase a mold and mildew remover instead. Recent studies have shown that using bleach on mold will not permanently kill it because it cannot penetrate below the surface where spores tend to hide.  Not to mention the fact that bleach gives off a dangerous fume.

You’ll need to seal any non-salvageable items that have been damaged by the mold in a plastic bag and discard them. Such items may include drywall, wallpaper, furniture, or anything that is a porous material.

Now, spray the mold and mildew removal product onto the affected surface and scrub the area using a stiff brush. Then, spray the area again and allow the product to set for the time indicated on the bottle. Rinse and repeat if necessary. Then wipe away any remaining residue with a clean and dry rag.

Once the area has been cleaned and all traces of the fungus are gone, you’ll want to dry the area using a dehumidifier or several fans. If neither of these options is available, then you’ll want to at least open windows in the room if the weather is permitting. You can also use an exhaust fan if you have one in the room.

If you find that the mold growth has affected a much larger area than you’d anticipated (over 10 square feet), you should immediately call a professional. It’s not wise to try and remove the mold yourself even if you think you know what you’re doing. 

While some water damage mold removal is simple enough to do on your own, not everyone is experienced enough to clean up a major mold infestation.

Plus, a certified professional will have the proper equipment to help remove the mold safely from your home. Your health depends on it and in some cities it’s even a law that severe fungus growth be left to the hands of a professional. Be wise, be safe. Yours or your family’s health should never be at risk.

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Mold Testing Tips

Posted on by Alana Morein

If you’re considering purchasing an older home, you may want to have it tested for mold (fungus) beforehand. Mold testing is a process that involves looking for any signs of fungus in the home. It is usually done by a professional, but can be done by homeowners who would rather do it themselves.

While the test cannot identify the types of mold found in the home, or where it’s specifically located, it can tell you the count of the molds. If your city allows it, you may be able to have the test conducted by request without having to pay for it yourself. Or if you already own an older home, you can order a test kit online and collect the samples yourself.

You should know however that no matter what type of home you live in you will have some mold. And while some can be toxic and others can cause allergies, not all molds are dangerous. Therefore, it is impossible to conduct a test and find that there are no molds present. So even with positive results, it doesn’t necessarily mean your home has a problem. And unfortunately even with a test, there’s no way to determine whether or not you have dangerous mold in your home.

And because the tests can vary widely in scope and quality, it can sometimes be a waste of money as well, if you’re not careful. One instance would be if there were visible signs of mold growing in your home. Another example is if a musty smell is detected in the home. In both cases the tests are not necessary since the homeowner is already aware of a mold problem.

If you suspect that there is a problem and you’re certain that your home has toxic black mold, you should take action immediately. Toxic molds are not only a sore sight; they can also cause respiratory problems, allergies, headaches and fatigue. And toxic molds are extremely dangerous to those with weak immune systems, infants, pets and the elderly.

Because toxic mold poses a significant health risk, you should eliminate it immediately.

In the past, people have used bleach to eliminate mold; however, scientists have discovered that bleaching is ineffective. Instead, you should use a black mold removal product that is specifically designed to kill the mold, permanently.

But before you can kill the mold, you must stop it at its source. So fixing the leaks is your first priority. Otherwise, your fungus problem will keep coming back no matter what.

If you find that your mold testing results are telling you that the mold in your home is more than just a small amount (10 square feet or less), you should consider hiring a professional to eliminate your moldy growth, especially if you have a toxic problem.

It’s never safe for a homeowner to try to remove large amounts of toxic mold from their home no matter how careful they are. A professional is not only trained to handle this type of toxic matter, but they’re also equipped to do it safely with special equipment.

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Mold Inspection Tips

Posted on by Alana Morein

If you discover a problem with mold and have hired someone to have your home tested, please don’t think that testing for mold is the same as a mold inspection because it’s not. There is a difference and unfortunately many homeowners are unaware of this.

In fact, mold testing is only a small part of what’s involved in inspecting for mold (fungus). In most cases an honorable inspector will identify the source and extent of any molding issues that you have in your home. However, it’s not required by law to do so and homeowners need to understand that lab results from tests are simply not enough information to decide if there is really a mold problem or not.

A sure sign that your inspector is only testing for mold is if he or she tells you to call the lab to get the results of your report. An honorable inspector will give you a report that should include:

1. The lab results

2. A summary that documents any suspect conditions

3. Source of mold that has been identified and recommendations for correcting the problem

4. An infrared thermal imaging survey of the home

5. Any photos showing signs of moisture problems and suspected fungus.

The inspector should also be able to explain the report and answer any questions that you may have about the report and his or her findings. And while hiring an inspector may seem like a waste of time, it’s not and can cost around $300 for an average-sized home.

So why is it not a waste of time? If you’re home is overrun by mold, they can be extremely harmful to your health, especially around little ones, pets and the elderly.

Molds have been linked to both asthma and severe asthma and are often the cause of chronic sinus infections. They can also cause even more serious health issues such as bleeding of the lungs, depression and even death.

And while many people don’t really believe that mold can cause any serious health problems, there’s another concern. Molds that are left unchecked can result in extensive damage and the need for mold removal services, which can run homeowners thousands of dollars.

And if they refuse to give in to hiring a professional, they’ll be scrubbing the moldy areas on a continuous basis, which can waste precious time that can be spent on other activities and with family. And even with all of that constant scrubbing, the fungus is still going to cause a lot of structural damage and you could end up losing your home.

So you really are better of hiring a certified mold inspector who is trained to search every area of you home and offer you a professional mold inspection report. Otherwise you may end up having to pay thousands of dollars just to repair the damages done by the fungus. Stopping the problem in its tracks now is the only way you and your family can breathe a healthy sigh of relief in your home once again.

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How to Remove Carpet Mold

Posted on by Alana Morein

Almost everyone that has experienced some sort of flooding knows that most carpets that have been contaminated with mold are not worth salvaging. But, there are some instances where you can remove carpet mold as long as it’s not severe.

How to Remove Carpet Mold

• If it’s wall-to-wall carpeting you’ll need to lift it up from the tack strip in the area where the moisture problem has occurred and mold growth now remains. Begin at the corner of the carpeting where it’s closest to the water damage mold and fold it back onto itself.

• Next, remove the padding that is underneath the carpeting, and check the floor beneath it. If there is any moisture under the floor, you’ll need to allow it to dry before laying more padding on the floor. To speed up the process you can use a fan or dehumidifier for drying. You’ll also want to wash the floor down with a mold and mildew remover using a scrub brush and allow the floor to dry.

• Next you’ll want to use that same product (unless the manufacturer suggests otherwise) on the carpeting and on the underside of it as well. Let it set according to the manufacturer’s directions and then use a scrub brush to really get down into the core of the fibers. Continue the process until no more mold is visible.

• Now you’ll want to use that same product, again letting it set for the time allowed by the manufacturer’s instructions. Then, using a rag wipe away any remaining moldy residue. Make sure every time you use the rag you are using a clean area of the rag (or a new rag) for each wipe. Otherwise, you’re just going to contaminate the area again.

• Your next step is to dry out the carpeting. If it’s possible try to find a wet vacuum to get it done faster. If you don’t have a way of getting a wet vacuum you should place several fans near the carpet to speed the drying time.

• Next you will need to apply a new layer of padding, and new tack strip if there were any signs of fungus present. You can then lay the carpeting back down and vacuum (preferably with a HEPA vacuum) to clean up any remaining dirt and dust that could be trapped in the fibers.

• And finally, you’ll need to keep an eye on the area of carpeting where the moldy growth was to assure that a future problem does not occur.

On a final note, if the above method to remove carpet mold isn’t effective, you will have to throw it out. This might seem like an expensive waste, but in the long run, it will actually save you money.  It’s better to get rid of the carpet than be faced with a lot of hospital bills, contracting bills, remodeling bills or even needing to buy a new home. And why take the risk of an unhealthy environment in the first place? So if necessary, ditch the carpeting and believe me you’ll feel a whole lot better in the end.

Posted in Do It Yourself Mold Removal, Removing Black Mold, Types of Mold | Leave a comment

All About Drywall Mold Removal

Posted on by Alana Morein

If you’re seeing little black spots on your walls, you may very well have a mold problem. If that’s the case you’ll want to take the steps necessary to eliminate the mold and make your home safe once again.

Here’s a quick guide for drywall mold removal -

First, you need to make sure that’s really a mold infestation on your walls. Generally you can smell when mold is present in a home. A musty smell most likely means there are molds growing somewhere. But you can also locate mold by looking for water damage. Water damage mold can be found in basements, attics, near windows and doors and behind appliances that use water such as refrigerators, deep freezers, dishwashers, washers and water heaters.

Next, you’ll want to assess whether the damage is enough (10 square feet or more) that you’ll need to hire a professional mold removal company or small enough that you can just do it yourself.

If the job is small enough to clean up on your own, you’ll need to wear protective gear, including rubber gloves, goggles and a respiratory mask. These items are necessary for your health since mold travels quickly and easily at the slightest touch.

• Next you will need to cut out the areas of the wall where the fungus is present since mold cannot be cleaned from this type of wall. Make sure you are very careful around any electrical wiring when you’re removing the moldy wall.

• Once you’ve cut out and disposed of the contaminated areas, you should sand any wood studs that were attached to the moldy wall to completely remove all traces of the fungus. Most homeowners have simply scrubbed the affected areas of the wood with a bleach solution, but it’s just not enough.

• After sanding the areas, you’ll then want to clean the surrounding surfaces using a black mold removal product and allowing it to penetrate the area for at least 15 minutes. You can find products for removing mold at most hardware and farming stores as well as discount stores. Again, when cleaning around electrical wiring please use caution. And please do not use bleach as a cleaning agent for the mold. Recent studies have shown that bleach is actually ineffective at penetrating below surfaces where fungus spores tend to hide.

• Once the surfaces have thoroughly dried and the molds have been removed, you can begin repairing the wall. Keep in mind that you may want to consider using fans or some form of ventilation to speed up the drying process when repairing the wall. Even a dehumidifier is helpful if you have one.

And finally, if you begin the task of the drywall mold removal and find that there’s more damage than you’d anticipated, you should hire a professional to access the damages, clean up the infected areas and make any repairs necessary to remove the fungus growth. It’s better to be safe than to risk your health or your family’s health.

Posted in Do It Yourself Mold Removal, Removing Black Mold, Types of Mold | Leave a comment