DIY anything sounds so good and looks like it would save you lot of money, doesn’t it? In case of general mold that is present in a small amount, DIY mold removal is ideal. However, in case of severe mold it is quite not the right solution.
Let’s see how and when you can use DIY mold removal techniques:
When you have a less than 10 sq.ft big mold that is non-toxic kind, you can proceed to take care of it on your own. Soap, elbow grease and water can help you get rid of regular non-toxic mold that isn’t yet spread wide enough. If the mold is stubborn, make a solution of 1:9 bleach to water and spray it in the mold area to wipe after a while.
But, this can be a tedious sport. You’d sure have better things to do than go looking for spores and moisture issues and trying to fix it all. Therefore, prevention is needed. Condensation can foster mold growth, so always open a window or run your bathroom fan after hot shower. Make sure to dry tiles surrounding the used sink including the sink itself after washing dishes or using water. Your basement is one of the most mold prone areas in your household, so remember to periodically dry and clean them. Here are some of the major causes of mold in household:
Bathrooms that have poor ventilation, tile grout lines and shower ceilings especially.
Mudroom sinks and kitchen area
Thresholds of exterior doors
Sump pumps and basement near hot water heaters
Professional mold removal services
When you have mold larger than 10 sq. ft, you need a professionals to handle it. Black mold is one of the most commonly toxic mold in household. How to tell if you can get rid of mold yourself or need a professional? It’s not that hard!
Mold is not something pleasant or something you want to foster in your home. The image of reproducing spores on walls, counters and wood trim makes you cringe. But, that’s not all. Mold can actually be very harmful to you health as well, and not just because of allergies, it causes chronic lung issues overtime as well. And when the mold is a big one, you have musty smell and unpleasant air in your home, you need professional mold removal services!
You can either hire specialists or a mold removal company to take care of mold. When you hire a mold remediation services from a company you have more exerts that can solve your mold problem, you also get better quality of work and immediate remediation services, that usually takes a team to perform. In case of severe mold infestation, hiring remediation services from a company rather than a specialist comes quite beneficial.
However, certain states compulsorily require hiring of different company/specialist for inspection and different for remediation, in some, it is your choice. Make sure you are hiring certified, insured and credible professional mold removal services above anything else.
Water Damage Restoration and Repair in New York City
Hurricanes, floods, broken pipes, kids flooding bathrooms, or whenever your home or office is inundated with water in all the wrong places; are all prime reasons for calling in a rapid response water damage service company . The faster you can get the water cleaned up, the faster you can start the water damage restoration process.Water damage in a living room, kitchen, bedroom, or any where in the home for that matter, translates into a fairly extensive restoration project. Many people do not want to deal with flood damage repairs on their own. Instead, most people call for water damage service companies in NYC that have a proven track record for professionally completing projects in a timely manner.
Many structure drying, water damage repair, and flood damage restoration companies only care about drying a property and getting the job done without really taking into account the entire scope of the NYC water damage restoration project. Perhaps the most important thing is to obviously dry the water damaged property as soon as possible.
Why should wet areas be dried as soon as possible? When water is in places where it isn’t supposed to be it causes a wide range of damage. Water soaks into exposed wood, drywall, floors, walls, furnishings, etc. While we can’t do anything about the initial damage, we can do something to control secondary damage—moisture damage and mold contamination. To prevent secondary damage, areas affected by flood or water intrusion must be dried and restoration must begin as soon as possible.
We have modern equipment for reliable structure drying system. You don’t have to wait for ages and endure loud equipment noise for several days. Our NYC flood damage restoration team shall make sure to salvage as many materials as possible.
NYC Water Damage and Mold Prevention Services
Did you know that structure drying involves a number of steps? Removing water inside your home or building is a task that can be challenging or cumbersome. Most people whose homes have been ravaged by serious water intrusion need experts to extract water and effectively dry the affected indoor space and all furniture in it.
Structure drying starts with removal or extraction of water. This is an important step, especially when water is contained within an enclosed space (e.g. basement) with little or no chance of draining. Water should be pumped out of the area.
Though largely helpful, water extraction is not enough to keep the structural integrity of the affected area. Remaining moisture will raise indoor humidity and cause further problems. One particular problem is growth of fungi and mold, which cause deterioration of wood, so wet walls and furniture are at risk of rotting. For this reason, it is necessary to dry all materials and all areas affected by water.
Mold contamination can occur in moist indoor environments after two days. Mold can coat walls and ceilings and make your indoor air an unhealthy place.
Drying moist surfaces can be successfully achieved through a combination of air flow and dehumidification. This is accompanied by raising ambient temperatures to facilitate faster drying and utilizing dehumidifiers to remove excess moisture from the air in your home.
If your house or property has been affected by a recent flood or severe water leak, contact us for more information on our Rapid Water Damage Services in NYC.
NYC Indoor Air Quality and Flood Damage Services
A lot of us only know about air pollution outdoors. However, research shows that indoor air pollution is typically more dangerous when compared to air outside. Certain pollutants actually have higher concentrations indoors than outdoors.
Common indoor air pollutants include smoke, aerosol, dust, carbon monoxide, mold spores, bacteria, and asbestos. When present above its threshold, each type of contaminant causes a specific set of illnesses. Imagine having multiple contaminants inside your home. You could be suffering from headaches, dizziness, sinus problems, allergies, and chronic fatigue syndrome. The solution is probably to clean your home and filter your indoor air.
If your family has been getting sick frequently, you should have your air tested for levels of certain pollutants. Levels of certain pollutants may reveal key problems of specific appliances or materials at home. For instance, high levels of carbon monoxide suggest malfunctioning gas appliances. High levels of bacteria and fungi suggest lack of home cleaning and maintenance.
Household chemicals should be sealed tight and kept in dedicated cabinets when not in use. Vapors from certain chemicals can cause nausea, dizziness, or headaches. Make sure ventilation is adequate when using these products.
Many people that have experienced a flood, a busted pipe, an over flown bathtub, etc. think that after everything in a their home is dry and clean that they have nothing to worry about, but they are almost always wrong.Generally speaking, when a major water damage problem arises, almost everything has to be ripped out and replaced to be absolutely certain that their is no chance of hazardous materials affecting your health along with minimizing the chances of mold growing behind the scenes.
Keeping your indoor air safe for you and your family is possible through the use of sophisticated air filtration and purification system. You don’t have to search the web for the right air purifier. You have come to the right place. Contact us for more information pertaining to our High Tech Indoor Air Quality Services in NYC.
Water Damage Removal, Dehumidifiers, and Air Purifiers
You may think the air inside your house is clean, but studies have suggested that the air you breathe indoors may be 6 times more polluted than the air outdoors. An indoor environment does not have sufficient circulation mechanism that distributes and diffuses contaminants. Because we choose to seal our homes for energy efficiency, we often build a contained indoor environment and discourage exchange of outdoor and indoor air. In other words, contaminants indoors never find their way out, unless we purify our indoor air.
Indoor air pollutants can come as particulates—dust, pollen, dander, smoke, and aerosol. They can also come as floating microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, dust mites, and mold spores. Other pollutants are gaseous in nature, and these are generated by smoking or cooking. Cleaning products may release vapors and fumes that diffuse inside an enclosed space. Indoor air pollutants may be benign, disgusting, or hazardous.
It is the irksome and hazardous air pollutants that compel a lot of homeowners to install indoor air purifiers. After all, we all want to live in a healthy environment. We don’t want to inhale dirty air. We don’t want to suffer from allergies and respiratory diseases.
Air purifiers and dehumidifiers can be installed directly within the HVAC system, actively filtering passing air and releasing clean, crisp air into the house or the building. You can alternatively purchase from a wide variety of air purification and dehumidification systems that do not require any technical installation.
About 5 Boro Mold Specialist-
Helping New Yorker’s Breathe A Little Easier Since 1989
Five Boro Mold Specialist Inc., a New York City mold inspection, mold testing, and mold removal company in NYC, has been serving the NYC metropolitan area for roughly 25 years. Specializing in non invasive high tech mold inspections, “conflict free” mold testing, and rapid mold removal services.
To Schedule a mold inspection Call: 1-888-526-7691
NYC Mold Inspection Services: Why You Need To Hire A Mold Inspection Service
If your home has a musty odor, has experienced water leaks or flooding, and/or your walls and ceilings have water stains; you may need to hire a mold inspector. Mold exposure can cause a wide range of health related symptoms such as wheezing, rashes, itchy eyes, runny nose, respiratory illnesses, swollen glands, swollen tongue, eye irritations, internal organ issues, nervous system problems, and in some instances, can kill you. Most people do not know that some types of mold and the dangerous toxins they produce, are some of the most deadliest compounds on the planet. Some types of mold are used for making pharmaceuticals, while other molds and their by-products are used for making weapons. In short, Mold should be removed as soon as it is detected. The fact that it is already present shows that the perfect environment for mold has already been provided and it can spread vehemently in less than 24-48 hours.
What causes mold to grow in your home?
If you have areas of high humidity, constant condensation and have had floods or long term leaks, chances are you have mold. Paint and wallpaper may peel or have bubbles under it due to moisture. Walls may also experience warping. Mold also grows on dust so a dusty house is more likely to have mold. There are many species of mold with various appearances. They may look white, brown , black or grey-green. Underneath wallpaper it may even appear orange, pink or purple. Mold should never be allowed to continue growing once detected.
What should you do if you suspect mold is growing in your home?
If you find a large area of mold do not disturb it. This can spread spores or mycotoxins all through your home.When the spores spread they can cause new mold growth in your home where the conditions are optimal. Mycotoxins are toxins that are produced by some species of molds. Some molds may be harmful so molds should always be tested. It is always best to call a professional mold inspector to test and remove mold in your home.
Why do you need to hire a mold inspection service?
Making the decision to remove mold without hiring a mold inspector is not ideal. Mold inspectors are trained to identify all the places that mold may grow. Under the guidance of a mold inspector, you can be sure that all the mold growing in your home is removed. Qualified NYC mold inspectors check places such as wall cavities, basements, attics and even the air. They employ the use of special equipment such as moisture meters and borescopes. When putting your house up for sale you are legally required to disclose whether your house had mold in the past. Having a document from a mold inspector stating that all the mold had been removed is definitely a benefit.
In the event you need to remove mold, ensure that all water problems are fixed before mold removal. This prevents the issue from recurring and maintains a much safer home environment.
If you think you have a mold problem, please call Five Boro Mold Specialist for more information on our NYC mold inspection services.
The Most Dangerous Household Mold- Stachybotrys Chartarum
Stachybotrys chartarum (atra) or “black mold” is the most dangerous household mold among the over 200 types of mold that can be present in a home. Black mold is responsible for what has come to be known as ‘sick building syndrome’ and is the proven cause of residential deaths in several cases. Has the danger of black mold been exaggerated and overblown by the news media or is it really the immediate and severe danger it appears to be? The answer to that question is yes. Black mold can be deadly.
Stachybotrys chartarum
Stachybotrys chartarum also known as Stachybotrys alternans, Stachybotrys atra and Stilospora chartarum. Regardless of what it is called, this is black mold and it can live in grain and soil, but it loves to live in damp construction materials such as those used to form the walls of buildings. Black mold loves these materials rich in cellulose. This mold was first discovered in 1837 in the walls of a house in Prague. Mycologist August Carl Joseph Corda discovered and described it for the first time. It particularly likes wallpaper, drywall and any wet material made with gypsum.
What Makes Toxic Black Mold So Dangerous?
Many different types of molds can cause severe health issues, including respiratory, flu and fever symptoms and hay fever. The difference with Black mold is that like many other molds it produces mycotoxins – a chemical that can cause many types of illness and even death. When the spores from Black mold are released and sent airborne, these mycotoxins can be absorbed by people and animals through the skin, through ingestion and through inhaling them.
Both people and animals react to these mycotoxins with anything from a simple cold to headaches, fever, malaise, dermatitis, sore throats, fatigue, nose bleeds, rhinitis, dermatitis, sometimes hair loss and even death. People who die from exposure to Black mold due so from bleeding in the lungs or pulmonary hemorrhage. A research study done in Cleveland, Ohio in the mid-90’s showed that infants who lived in homes that had very high incidents of Black mold died from pulmonary hemorrhage. These toxins suppress the immune system and can cause liver or kidney cancer.
The Different Types of Stachybotrys Chartarum
There are several different strains of this mold and it is thought that some of them also produced trichothecene mycotoxin- Satratoxin H. This toxin is poisonous if it is inhaled. The spores that are produced by Black mold carry this toxin. Black mold grows slowly but relentlessly inside the walls of the building. It is often not seen until there is a major infestation. It also requires at least 55% humidity to thrive. All of the physical symptoms caused by Stachybotrys chartarum (atra) are labeled in the medical community as pneumomycosis. Even dead spores from Black mold can be dangerous and cause the same problems.
These medical issues related to Black mold have been known since the 1830’s after the mold was first discovered. The first reported case of any animals or pets to be affected by this mold was in Florida when two pet cats died while having their teeth cleaned a routine procedure. Soon after, an inspection of their home produced an infestation of Black mold. Then blood tests were taken from the deceased cats and toxins from Black mold were found. The cats died from pulmonary hemorrhaging.
The US Centers for Disease Control do not feel that just the presence of this mold in your home or in a building you frequent is a cause for panic. They believe the mold should be tested and professionally removed but that the building is then still habitable.
About Five Boro Mold Specialist-
Five Boro Mold Specialist Inc., a Brooklyn mold inspection, mold testing, and mold removal company in NYC, has been serving the NYC metropolitan area for roughly 25 years. Specializing in non invasive high tech mold inspections, “conflict free” mold testing, and rapid mold removal services.
To Schedule a mold inspection with Five Boro Mold Specialist, Call: 1-718-677-6653
Do you think you have a mold problem in your home or office?
Did you know that you can usually use your home owners insurance or business insurance to foot the bill of a comprehensive mold inspection, mold testing, mold removal, and/or the entire mold remediation process? Read on to find out more…
1. Take the bull by the horns is fitting in this situation. Be pro-active throughout the entire mold insurance claim process. Never let your guard down and never let up on the insurance companies until you are satisfied and your home or office is completely safe, clean, and mold free.
2. You need to understand that you are not on a level playing field when dealing with a mold insurance claim and the insurance company.
3. Think of your mold insurance claim as a business negotiation. Insurance companies are in the business of making money, so they will always attempt to low ball. This is where negotiation comes in handy.
4. Allow your home owner’s insurance company the opportunity to treat your claim with sincerity. Be advised, take care in what you say when speaking with anyone pertaining to your mold insurance claim. Employees of insurance companies are trained and sometimes even rewarded for consecutively reducing claim amounts by taking the “:buddy buddy” approach when dealing with clients and their claims.
5. Document and support your claim with proof, details and estimates. Five Boro Mold Specialist’s Mold Inspection Report will provide thorough and complete analysis of damages incurred.
6. Present clear requests to the insurance company in writing that explain what you need, when you need it, and why you’re entitled to it.
7. Don’t pad or exaggerate your mold insurance claim.
8. Don’t sign ANY legal documents without consulting with your attorney.
9. Try to resolve any issues that arise informally, but make formal complaints in writing. Use the insurance company’s chain of command, and if need be, contact a government agency for help when necessary.
10. Seek professional help when you need it; start by calling our office staff at 718-677-6653 to become more informed of the entire NYC mold insurance claim and mold remediation processes.
Helping New Yorker’s Breathe A Little Easier Since 1989
About 5 Boro Mold Specialist-
Five Boro Mold Specialist Inc., a New York City mold inspection, mold testing, and mold removal company in NYC, has been serving the NYC metropolitan area for roughly 25 years. Specializing in non invasive high tech mold inspections, “conflict free” mold testing, and rapid mold removal services.
To Schedule a NYC mold inspection for a NYC mold insurance claim, please Call: 1-888-526-7691
Five Boro Mold Specialist- A 25 year veteran NYC mold removal company
Helping New Yorkers Breathe A little Easier Since 1989…
About 5 Boro Mold Specialist-
Five Boro Mold Specialist Inc., a New York City mold inspection, mold testing, and mold removal company in NYC, has been serving the NYC metropolitan area for roughly 25 years. Specializing in non invasive high tech mold inspections, “conflict free” mold testing, and rapid mold removal services.
The Complete Mold Inspection, Mold Testing, Mold Removal Process
An informative article on the general mold inspection, mold testing, and mold removal processes implemented by Five Boro Mold Specialist’s NYC Mold Experts
Overview of Our NYC Mold Remediation Process-
Investigation and Report
Lab Testing
Remediation
Decontamination
Fumigation
Odor Removal
Sanitizing Carpeting, Upholstery, furniture
Disinfecting
Allergy Cleansing
Hepa-Vac Process
Dry-Ice Procedures
Restoration
Filtering and Fumigation of Vent and/or Duct Systems
Before and After mold inspection samples and tests.
Consultation and advice on preventative actions to reduce the risk of any future mold growth.
Mold inspection:
A mold inspection basically involves two actions; finding where the mold is growing in your home and investigating to find what caused the mold to grow in the first place. Even if you are already aware of mold growing in or around your house or building, it is always a good idea to perform a thorough mold inspection as visible mold growth is usually a positive indicator that there is more mold growing somewhere out of view.
Our mold inspection experts use a wide range of high tech mold detection equipment to investigate, collect, and analyze all of our findings, such as: Swab Samples, Air and Moisture Readings and Test Samples, Physical Mold Tests, non invasive Inner-Wall infrared scanners, Manual Readers, Laser Scanners for Foundation Beams, Leak and Moisture Detection scanners, Air meters, and Toxic Mold Sensors.
Types of Mold Identified by Mold Testing-
The first type of common mold found in the house is the Aspergillus Penicillium. This mold causes allergies to the people exposed to it, some are more susceptible than others. You can find this mold growing in places such as on food, decaying materials, soil and dust, and in the air conditioner.
Cladosporium is the next most common type of mold found growing inside. You can find this mold growing in dark green or in black color. It is powdery in texture and grows on fibers, glass, air ducts, dead plants, food and paint. This mold can cause pulmonary diseases, skin rashes, asthma and nail fungus.
You can find the next type of mold Memnoniella growing on cotton, wooden products, and paper. This mold releases toxins which are very harmful to the people and pets living in the house.
Stachybotrys is commonly known as the black mold. It is black, slimy and toxic in nature. It produces very harmful toxins that cause deadly diseases like asthma and cancer. It generally grows under the walls and ceilings.
Mucor is another common type of mold found growing in the homes and buildings. It is normally found growing on or nearby animal droppings and surrounding soil. This type of mold causes lung infections to the people who are weak and sensitive.
Alternaria, another form of mold, releases allergens which lead to allergic reactions like asthma, wheezing, hay fever, cough and other reactions. Mostly it grows on plants and soil.
Other types of mold you could find in and around your home-
Amerospores
Ascospores
Aurobasidium
Chaetomium
Fusarium
Memnoniella
Pithomyces/Ulocladium
There are a number of reasons to suspect that mold may be lurking in your home. The common signs of mold growth in your home include visual and physical mold, suffering from allergic symptoms and reactions, moldy smells…. Recent water problems such as flooding, leaking pipes, leaking roof, or anywhere else excess moisture is present are all typical causes of mold growth. Most of the time the majority of the mold cannot be seen as it is living in walls, under floors, in wood panels, drainage areas, in crawlspaces, in attics, ductwork, behind wallpaper,…
This is one of the reasons that it is so dangerous as by the time it is finally noticed, lets say growing on the outside of an interior wall, there is usually a massive mold growth in the underlying affected area. This type of mold infestation would require a professional NYC mold removal company. The NYC mold experts will quarantine and seal off the entire affected area from the rest of the building, and employ high pressure ventilation systems. The mold removal experts have to wear body suits, helmets, and breathing apparatus to protect them while cleaning, neutralizing, and removing all mold damaged materials.
Please note: The residents of the home usually leave the home during the eradication.
NYC Mold Testing:
Mold Testing Services
The mold testing process utilizes the mold samples and data collected during the initial mold inspection. Mold testing helps to confirm whether you in fact have mold growing inside your home or building, the type(s) of mold found in and around your building, the levels of mold spores present, etc.
Professional lab scientists who have experience in analyzing mold samples can lead to a more effective mold remediation process.
It is always a good idea to hire a highly qualified mold inspection professional that works with independent laboratories. This helps to remove any conflict of interest with the confirmation of the data and samples collected by the NYC mold inspectors.
Our mold tests are conducted in an independent laboratory, both before and after the completion of the job to insure the elimination of all airborne mold spores.
NYC Mold Removal:
The mold removal process-
Some people say if the mold growth is only covering a small area, usually 3-10 square feet or so, and is not toxic(if you can determine this, then you should be able to perform the mold redemption yourself. Well, this is not always a safe idea and for several reasons. The affected areas need to be completely sealed off as to prevent the spread of the possibly toxic mold spores from traveling and settling in other parts of the house as well as to prevent mold spores from stirring into the air and contaminating any other part of the structure. Once you have contained the mold, use a solution to remove the mold from the surface. Solutions available in the market for mold removal include Borax, Vinegar, Ammonia, Tea tree oil, fungicides, biocides, etc.
Proper ventilation needs to be used along with personal safety equipment and respirators. All mold damaged materials need to be treated and removed in sealed bags. HVAC systems will also need to be disinfected and treated.
Mold removal process involves a number of steps, which include:
– Wearing protective equipment
– Sealing off the contaminated areas
– Containing mold spores
– Setting up negative pressure and HEPA vacuums
– Removing the mold and treating areas with mold removal solutions
– Cleaning personal belongings
– Disposal of the mold
– Preventing mold from returning
– Final mold inspection, sample collection, and mold testing.
When it come to mold removal, it is always advisable to hire an established, licensed, insured, and certified mold removal and remediation service provider; regardless of how small of an infestation.
About Five Boro Mold Specialist Inc.-
Five Boro Mold Specialist Inc., a New York City mold inspection, mold testing, and mold removal company in NYC, has been providing the NYC metropolitan area for roughly 25 years. Specializing in non invasive high tech mold inspections, “conflict free” mold testing, and rapid mold removal services in New York City.
Here are some recent pictures from several of our mold remediation projects in NYC. These pictures show what a typical NYC mold removal project looks like while being worked on.
Mold Remediation in NYC by Five Boro Mold Specialist
Download Our NYC Mold Inspection, NYC Mold Testing, and NYC Mold Removal Service Brochure!
Grab our free informative mold remediation sales brochure to find out more information about mold, where and how mold grows in your house, how mold affects your health, and our NYC mold removal services, processes, and mold remediation equipment.
Click here now to download Five Boro Mold Specialists Brochure
About Five Boro Mold Specialist-
Five Boro Mold Specialist Inc., a New York City mold inspection, mold testing, and mold removal company in NYC, has been serving the NYC metropolitan area for roughly 25 years. Specializing in non invasive high tech mold inspections, “conflict free” mold testing, and rapid mold removal services.