How to Know When You Need a Mold Inspection

8/14/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of East Central Austin Professionals are available 24 hours/7 days a week and will respond quickly to a restoration emergency.

Discover What to Look Out for with Possible Mold in Your Austin Home

Right now, as you’re reading this article, there are mold spores swirling around you. Since mold is a natural substance, and it’s normal for mold spores to circulate, some of this mold isn’t going to cause a problem for you.

But there are certain circumstances can cause mold to grow, spread and cause major problems, including problems to the construction of your home and health effects. So, how do you know when you need a mold inspection?

Visible Mold

Mold can often be easily seen in places such as your bathroom and sink, usually any place where there’s excessive moisture. The type of mold that grows in your bathroom can easily be removed by using a household cleaner. The biggest culprits of this type of mold or mildew in Austin are humidity and temperature. In many cases, bathroom mold isn’t harmful; cleaning the mold up right away also helps alleviate the problem. Another way to reduce the amount of mold in your bathroom is by using ventilation fans.

Invisible Mold

Mold can take on a different impression if you have a leak in your Austin home, or if you’ve experienced flooding or water damage in Austin. It’s the unseen areas where the most toxic types of mold can start to spread, without your awareness. A leaky faucet, for instance, can cause water to drip into your floors, behind your walls and other parts of your house. In the hidden areas, you may not be able to see any type of mold forming, but if a leak isn’t fixed, the mold can spread and start to smell.

While there are different types of mold, it’s the toxic types, such as Black Mold, that can cause the most harm. This includes not only damage to your home, but also to your health. When mold starts covering your walls, or you begin smelling mold in your Austin home, then you should consider having a mold inspection done by a reputable Austin mold remediation company.

However, it’s not just the appearance of mold, or the possibility of invisible mold, that would prompt a mold inspection. Other factors come into play, including the following:

• When you can smell mold, but you can’t see it. Having a mold inspection as well as a mold test can help narrow down if you have a mold issue and where to find it in your Austin home or apartment.
• If you’ve had a mold issue and it’s already been remediated, you may want to have a removal clearance test, to ensure that all traces of mold have returned to normal levels or are gone entirely.
• If you have any inexplicable health effects, there’s a chance that mold could be the culprit. A mold inspection can help narrow this down.
• A mold inspection should transpire during any real estate transaction to protect both the seller and the buyer.  This should also apply to a landlord/tenant situation should any issues with mold arise.
• If you’re concerned about the indoor air quality of your home, then it might be worth having a mold inspection.

If these are issues that concern you and you’re on a budget, you may consider the less expensive route of a home mold detection kit. But there are significant issues why this is not a good idea, especially when compared to the services of a mold removal service. Here’s why:

• Many of these kits do not include an actual visual inspection; nor are they performed by a mold remediation specialist. Mold remediation specialists are trained to not only acquire samples, but also to provide a thorough visual inspection to detect mold. They also have state of the art equipment to conduct these tests.
• As we’re constantly surrounded by mold spores, a home test will tell you that you have mold in your home (which we all have), but it won’t pinpoint how severe the mold actually is. or where the source of the problem is coming from.

What to Look for in an Austin Mold Remediation Company

Before you move forward with having a mold inspection done, there are a few things to investigate before you hire a mold remediation company in Austin.

• Mold removal is serious business, and there are plenty of unethical companies out there, who will try to take advantage of you, overcharge you and do a subpar job on your home. Only go with a highly regarded and knowledgeable Austin mold removal and remediation specialist.
• Beware of businesses that promise to remove all mold from your Austin, home or business. It’s impossible to remove all mold, since the spores exist both inside and outdoors. But if your walls are covered with mold from a leak or a flood, and you hire a company that’s unable to completely remove and remediate the mold, without stopping the moisture and the mold at its source, then you’ll have more problems down the road.
• You certainly want a mold removal specialist who has a good track record and uses top of the line equipment. In most cases these individuals will be able to trace the source of the mold, test it and help remove and remediate it.

How Our Austin Mold Remediation Company Can Help if you need a Mold Inspection

If you believe you may have a problem with mold in your Austin home, you should contact a mold remediation specialist, like SERVPRO of East Central Austin. In fact, mold inspection and mold remediation are just a few of the top services that we offer.

Our SERVPRO team is centrally located in Austin and we use only top of the line, state of the art equipment to treat your home.

If you have a mold issue in your Austin home or business, our highly trained Austin mold remediation specialists will work with you through the entire mold remediation process from the initial mold inspection to the complete restoration of your Austin property.

Keep in mind that the more that mold spreads, the more difficult it becomes to remove. SERVPRO of East Central Austin will meticulously search for any mold at your home or business. We can provide an immediate mold inspection and if a mold problem exists, we’ll start remediation right away to stop if from spreading.

5 Reasons You Should Not Perform DIY Mold Remediation

7/30/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of East Central Austin Professionals are available 24 hours/7 days a week and will respond quickly to a restoration emergency.

If you have noticed black specs in your home or business, you may have mold. Mold in Austin can be a huge problem. 

Once you detect its presence, your next thought will likely be getting rid of it. While you may be tempted to tackle mold removal yourself, you should take into account the size of the problem. Unless the problem is limited to a very small area, it’s best to leave this important task to the hands of professionals. If you're unsure if you have mold in your household or business, you may benefit from a mold inspection. 

Here are 5 reasons you should NOT perform DIY mold remediation

Reason 1: It’s not just about cleaning up the mold

Mold is a natural occurrence and is part of the natural environment; it can be found everywhere, indoors and outdoors. Mold is not usually an indoor problem — unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. While removing mold from the surfaces of your home is an important step, uncovering what's causing the mold to grow in the first place is just as critical. If you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, the mold problem will keep coming back.

Mold thrives in warm, moist, and dark environments and can be caused by water damage from flooding or leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes. Professional mold remediation includes both the identification and correction of the conditions that permit mold growth.

Reason 2: A licensed, experienced professional will find hidden mold

Mold has a clever way of growing in hidden areas in Austin…and just because it can’t be seen with the naked eye, that doesn’t mean it’s not in your home. Experts are aware of the spots where mold likes to lurk — behind wallpaper, under paneling, the backside of dry wall, crawl spaces, or the underside of carpets and pads. Mold can also grow in insulation, upholstery, and in the air ducts of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

Reason 3: Mold Remediation professionals like SERVPRO will protect the health of your family

SERVPRO will ensure the mold remediation is a carefully planned and executed process, with the team's highest priority being protecting the health and safety of your family. Once they’ve determined the cause of the mold growth, our mold remediators take special steps to avoid exposing themselves and others to mold-laden dusts as they conduct their cleanup. This includes the use of personal protective equipment (skin, eye, and respiratory protection) and sectioning off areas where the mold is growing.

Caution should also be used to prevent mold and mold spores from being dispersed throughout the air to other parts of the house. A method known as containment (which includes the use of polyethylene sheeting and a negative air system to keep contaminated air from flowing into uncontaminated areas) is part of this process. 

When large areas of the home are affected, especially after flooding or water damage occurs in Austin, residents are often instructed to temporarily vacate the premises until the remediation process is complete.

Reason 4: The pros have access to the latest equipment

When it comes to mold removal, there are a variety of cleanup methods available to effectively tackle damage to household materials and furnishings caused by mold growth. This includes HEPA air scrubbers, HEPA vacuums, negative air machines, commercial-strength dehumidifiers, moisture meters, and more.

Reason 5: You’ll miss out on useful tips for preventing future mold problems

The key to mold control is moisture control. Our mold remediation team will work with you to find ways to prevent future mold problems. Tips may include:

• Using a dehumidifier in your basement to keep the moisture content down.
• Keeping the humidity level in your home below 50 percent.
• Ensuring your home has adequate ventilation, including exhaust fans.
• Fixing water leaks from plumbing fixtures or pipes as soon as you find them.
• Preventing rainwater from seeping into your home.
• Routinely inspecting your landscaping, gutters, and downspouts that may be directing water into or under your house. Runoff from gutters and downspouts can put your Austin home at significant risk for moisture issues — and especially mold growth.
• Acting fast if your home floods from a burst pipe, roof leak, hurricane, or other disaster. Timing is essential as mold can start to grow on a damp surface within 24 to 48 hours. 

If you suspect that your home has a mold problem, contact SERVPRO of East Central Austin to have your property assessed. It can be very frustrating to deal with mold, so if we find it, we have the training, equipment, and expertise to handle the situation.

Our SERVPRO team is highly trained in mold remediation Austin. This training and required certifications allows us to manage all of your mold remediation needs in Austin and the surrounding area.

We use top of the line, state of the art equipment to treat your home, and we’ll thoroughly examine and detect any possibility of mold that may be hard to find. We can also provide an immediate mold inspection and, we’ll immediately start remediation to stop mold from spreading, so that it doesn’t return and make your home look "Like it never even happened."

If you’ve experienced water damage, and are having problems with mold, then give SERVPRO of East Central Austin a call.

Why Mold Remediation Is So Important

3/22/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of East Central Austin Professionals are available 24 hours/7 days a week and will respond quickly to a restoration emergency.

Mold is not fun to deal with. Not only can it cause issues, but it’s extremely difficult to get rid of. Mold is a natural substance, so in many cases, there’s no avoiding it. It’s also insidious in nature, and in some cases, you may not even know it’s there. Once you come across mold, however, you need to act quickly. This is one of the reasons why, with Austin’s climate, and its frequent high mold counts, that having mold remediation in Austin is so important, when you first detect mold.

Mold: Where Does it Come From?

Mold has microscopic pores that can appear just about anywhere, indoors or out. Mold is a frequent result where water damage occurs, whether that be a minor leak, or any instance, where water or moisture is involved.

So why is mold so hard to detect? Sometimes mold is visible, but often it isn’t. Most mold spores are microscopic, and range anywhere from 2-10 microns (microns are also known as micrometers, which individually are equal to one millionth of a meter).

One answer is that if you have a leak or any water issues, most molds can grow in places that you can’t see, like inside walls, inside ceilings, and other places that are often hidden from plain sight. Much of it depends on what is feeding the mold spores, so while we often think of nasty black spots, mold can grow in a variety of colors, mold spores can also appear in white, grey, red, brown and have a fuzzy or dusty consistency.

In most cases within homes or businesses, mold grows as a result of a subsequent water issue, such as a leak that helps introduce its spreading. However, water doesn’t always necessarily equal mold growth, since the actual spores need to be present.

If ignored, mold can start to smell and eventually start to spread into hidden areas. So, if you have a minor leak in your kitchen or bathroom, and it remains problematic, then it can lead to greater problems down the line. Especially in the Austin TX climate, even if you detect the slightest trace of mold, then you need to contact us to initiate its removal.

What to Do at the First Signs of Mold in Austin

Molds will also omit a foul odor when its spores are in the process of colonizing. Initially, you may smell something fairly dank and musty, indicating that the mold has started to spread. Remember, you may not be able to see it, but if you can smell it then you need to take care of it.

Although you can attempt to eradicate the mold on your own, if you don’t have the experience or know how to actually remove it, then you’ll likely run into some problems. That’s why professionals in the water damage and mold remediation industry are highly equipped to tackle this. It’s also best to have a basic understanding of how mold originates and how you can stop it before it spreads. The last thing you want to deal with is a mold infestation in your home and business that’s gotten out of hand.

Understanding what mold is capable of and confronting it before it becomes something uncontrollable is a good way to start. It’s important to prevent the spread of mold by any means necessary because it can affect not just your business and home, but your health as well if it’s not properly remediated.

Finding the Mold Source

As previously mentioned, mold can be invisible, often appearing in areas behind walls, under floors and inside ceilings. Seeking out the source is the route that a professional mold removal and remediation company will take. If there’s a dominant musty smell and the appearance of dry rot, then the mold issue is more problematic and immediate action needs to be taken.

The potential for health related issues grows stronger if the mold isn’t fully checked out. Questionable indoor air quality could also mean that you have a mold issue.

What is Mold Remediation?

If mold has taken over your home or business, then you need to start the mold remediation process right away. Any areas where moisture appears will have to be stopped in its tracks and dealt with, such as turning off the water source. But, first you’ll need to document everything to help with any liability you may face. Take pictures or videos, and make notes documenting where all the leaks and potential damage have occurred.

If too much time has passed before noticing the mold, the spread of it could be more extensive than originally perceived. Remediating mold will help to remove all traces of it in your home, so that you’re no longer exposed to any harmful spores.

If mold has seeped into your walls, they’ll have to be opened up to allow for any dry rot and existing mold to be removed. This may not be the only place where the mold is growing, so you’ll have to investigate further into where any additional traces of it may occur.

Remediation professionals utilize a two level mitigation process, which can help remove the mold from your property.

Since mold issues are most often caused by water damage, the first level primarily handles the repair of any water problems, to prevent any new spores from appearing and growing. Contaminated areas are isolated, such as closing doors, windows and other areas from parts of the home that aren’t affected.

If there’s a fair amount of dust, it should be misted, so that the dust particles don’t spread, which allows for an easier cleanup. This level also includes the removal of any wet or contaminated materials, which should then be double-bagged in thick plastic bags and discarded.

The second level of mold mitigation primarily involves a thorough cleaning of the affected areas with a HEPA vacuum, followed by scrubbing the areas in question with a detergent solution, to ensure that all traces of mold have been removed and mold odors are removed. A visibility test often follows, to make sure that no dust, dirt or anything even resembling mold remains.

Afterwards, extensive drying should take place by properly airing out the areas in question using appliances such as fans and dehumidifiers. Once the areas are completely dry, then all affected parts of your home or business, including walls, etc., should be replaced.

If a mold situation in your home or business starts to develop, and it’s too overwhelming for you to handle on your own, you should contact us for help in remediating the mold in your Austin home or business.    

Located in Central Austin, our SERVPRO team features highly trained mold damage specialists, all of whom have the training and required certifications to tackle all of your mold remediation needs. SERVPRO of East Central Austin uses only top of the line, state of the art equipment for mold remediation projects.

SERVPRO of East Central Austin will thoroughly examine and detect any existence of mold at your home or business. We’re able to provide an immediate mold inspection and if we find any mold, we’ll get started to stop mold from becoming more of a problem.

Why Mold Remediation Is Best for Mold Situations

2/28/2019 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of East Central Austin Professionals are available 24 hours/7 days a week and will respond quickly to a restoration emergency.

Why Mold Remediation Is Best for Mold Situations | SERVPRO® of East Central Austin 

If you have water damage occurring in a home or commercial property, mold growth is most likely to follow. Did you know that mold can begin growing within 48 hours of exposure to moisture?

If you are faced with a mold issue, knowing what your next steps are is very important, which is why we would like to use this blog to provide an overview of mold remediation.

The Difference Between Mold Remediation & Mold Removal

There are ads out there that you’ve probably seen for mold remediation and mold removal, but the latter of the two is a fallacy. Removing all mold from a home or business is virtually not possible. However, a qualified restoration company will focus on mold remediation, which will produce the goal of getting mold levels back to a normal and natural range.

Mold spores can—and do—occur naturally almost everywhere, both inside a home or commercial building and outside. The issue only becomes a problem when a minor mold issue is ignored or left untreated, allowing it to turn into a major infestation.

During mold remediation, technicians isolate all of the contaminated areas. Dependent upon the level of remediation, this could be done by either closing all doors and windows or effectively sealing off all doorways and openings with a polyethylene sheeting. Dust in the contaminated areas is then suppressed through a “misting” process.

Wet and mold-damaged materials are then removed and discarded using plastic bags. All areas exposed to and affected by the mold are then completely and thoroughly cleaned and dried. A HEPA vacuum is often brought in and used to remove contaminated materials and debris.

The mold-affected area is treated with a biocide and then left overnight to cure and kill the mold spores. The next day, the mold remediation crew will return to encapsulate the mold-affected and surrounding areas.

What to Do If You Have a Mold Problem

If you are seeing evidence that your home or business has a mold problem, it is important to act quickly. Evaluate to check the size of the problem, and if the mold-affected area covers more than 10 square feet, it is time to call the professionals.

Be sure that the professionals you call are highly trained and certified in the following areas:

• Applied microbial remediation
• Water damage restoration
• Applied structural drying

While it is possible that some minor mold issues can be successfully resolved by homeowners and business owners on their own, it is always safer to contact the professionals in order to have a quick and safe resolution to the problem.

At SERVPRO® of East Central Austin, our mold damage specialists are trained and certified experts in mold remediation. If your home or business is experiencing a mold issue, contact us to begin the mold remediation process.

How to Help Prevent Mold in Your Austin Home

12/28/2017 (Permalink)

One way to stop the spread of mold, is to prevent it before it starts.

It’s no question that mold is a nuisance, and once it makes its first appearance, it can be hard to stop it from spreading in your Austin home. Mold spores are so microscopic that it’s nearly impossible to stop them; however, you can take precautions to keep mold from spreading.

The first step is finding out where mold exists in your home. As Austin tends to be very humid in the summer, there are greater options for mold to appear if you don’t confront moisture in your home head on. You may in fact need a mold inspection Austin, to determine how bad the problem actually is. Whether it’s a wet area, a small leak, or extensive water damage, you have to get to the source before the mold starts. 

Mold has the ability to get into everything, such as fabric (furniture and clothing), wood (floors and walls), carpets and also poorly ventilated areas such as bathrooms, showers and cabinets. These are items and areas that need to be maintained, because if unchecked, mold can cause serious health problems.

So, how does one stop mold before it starts?

Prevention is one method to help keep mold from spreading, so if you have issues with moisture and mold from water damage, then here are some ways to manage it:

Mold and Dampness

Mold cannot spread unless there is moisture in your Austin home. Therefore, if you discover any wet patches or areas that are more damp than usual, you might have the start of serious problem. Remove anything that appears to have been affected by moisture or dampness; this can include anything ranging from clothes, walls, carpeting, etc. You should clean and dry any wet or damp spots as soon as you find them, usually you have a 48-hour window before mold starts to spread, and so sooner is better.

Proper Ventilation in Your Austin Home

If there are parts of your house that are poorly ventilated (such as bathrooms and laundry rooms), open your windows and bring in fans and dehumifiers, which will help to eliminate dampness and prevent any mold spores from growing and spreading. Any type of condensation or wet spots should be dealt with as soon as possible. If you don’t have proper airflow, then mold can spread throughout your Austin home.

This is why it’s important to have good circulation. By keeping your windows open, doors to your closets open and giving access to areas that don’t usually get much air, such as cabinets, closets and cupboards, you can help reduce excess moisture in your home. Fresh air will also help decrease moisture and prevent mold from spreading.

You should also monitor any indoor plants that you may have, as mold spores are drawn to damp soil. The spores can take root in the soil and start the spread of mold over time throughout your home. Water your plants only when they need it.

How Moisture Meters Can Help

Moisture meters are designed to help you manage the amount of moisture that exists in your home. Reducing humidity can drastically affect moisture buildup as well as the spread of mold. A moisture meter, which can be purchased at any hardware store, can help you regulate internal humidity, which, according to the EPA should be between 30 and 60 percent.

Using Mold Resistant Building Materials 

If you’ve experienced water damage Austin, then you may have extreme problems where you may have to renovate your home. If this is the case, then you might want to look into a variety of mold-resistant products on the market. Items such as mold-resistant sheetrock and drywall are available which can help prevent the spread of mold.

Keep Water Away From Your Austin Home 

If your Austin home is often susceptible to floods from rainstorms, the problem might involve the landscaping of your property. If the land surrounding your home doesn’t slope downward, then water may be seeping into your home’s foundation, which can cause major problems in the end. Check the layout of your home and foundation to make sure that water isn’t getting into your home. If you have gutters, clean them frequently to prevent water buildup, and make sure that the water drains away from your home.

How SERVPRO Can Help if You Experience Mold Problems

Dealing with mold can be extremely frustrating, especially if you’ve experienced water damage Austin. If you’re having issues with mold, then you should contact a mold removal and mold remediation specialist, like SERVPRO of East Central Austin. We can help stop the spread of mold, so that it doesn’t return.

Our SERVPRO team consists of highly trained professionals in mold remediation Austin, and our training and required certifications enable us to manage all of your mold remediation needs. Using top of the line, state of the art equipment to treat your home, we will examine and detect any possibility of mold that you may not be able to find. We can provide an immediate mold inspection and, we’ll immediately start remediation to stop mold from spreading.

If you have problems with water damage Austin TX and the spread of mold, then give SERVPRO of East Central Austin a call.

Saving Your Property After Mold Damage Occurs in Your Austin Home

11/30/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of East Central Austin Professionals are available 24 hours/7 days a week and will respond quickly to a restoration emergency.

You’ve had water damage in your Austin home or business, and you’ve done your best to clean up the mess. The first part is getting rid of all that water. It’s not the easiest thing to do, as water removal Austin can be very time consuming. If you’re not able to get rid of all of the water, you’ll find mold starting to make an appearance.

If you’re faced with a dangerous mold problem that’s affecting your personal items, you need to determine what to keep and what to discard. It’s a big problem, because not everything is salvageable, and if you can’t handle removing the mold on your own, you need to bring in a mold remediation Austin specialist.

Of course the idea of seeing a beloved possession covered in mold can be very distressing, but don’t fret just yet: that antique clock might be salvageable, but that couch may not. Of course you’d like to keep everything, but that may not be possible. If you’ve managed to remove most of the water damage from your Austin home, then you may have less mold to deal with, and more chances to save your items.

So, let’s break all of this down for you, because some items can be saved, while others cannot.

How to Deal with Mold Affecting Non-Porous Surfaces

Let’s look at non-porous surfaces such as glass or ceramic items. These are often very smooth, and since they are non-porous, you’ll find that mold cannot really affect these materials. Glass is usually pretty easy to clean, usually with a damp towel and dish soap. If you find a lot of mold on these types of items, be sure to scrub it off thoroughly, then run it through your dishwasher if possible. 

How Mold Can Affect Porous Surfaces

You’ll find that items such as carpets, curtains, rugs and furniture are not as easy to clean, once they’ve been affected by mold. As these are porous, they have a greater tendency to absorb water, giving mold the thumbs up to spread. If this is what’s happened, then you should probably throw out these items, as the mold will become so immersed that they will be beyond repair. It should be stressed that if these types of items and materials are wet and are caught in time before mold can start to grow, you might actually have a better chance of drying them out and then cleaning them. A mold remediation Austin professional can give you guidance on how to proceed with this.

How Mold Can Affect Semi-Porous Surfaces

With materials such as wood and stone, it can be a bit of a gamble as to whether they can be saved. If you have wood floors and walls, and the water damage is severe, you’ll find greater opportunities for mold to appear, especially if the water damage isn’t taken care of immediately. The same can be said for walls, especially if water saturates sheetrock and seeps beyond it to the wooden beams in the structure of your Austin home. Once mold starts to grow, you may have to cut open your walls and floors, bring in a mold inspection Austin professional to inspect the severity of the situation.

Masonry, such as brick and stone can also be affected by mold if not checked properly. Remember, mold thrives wherever there’s moisture, so be sure to check any internal stone work (including bricks) if you’ve experienced water damage in your Austin home.

How SERVPRO Can Help with Mold Removal and Mold Remediation

Mold removal can be extremely difficult, especially if it affects different surfaces and materials. Don’t try to handle this on your own: contact a mold removal and mold remediation specialist, like SERVPRO of East Central Austin. We can help stop the spread of mold, so that it doesn’t return.

Our SERVPRO team can manage all of your mold remediation needs. We use only top of the line, state of the art equipment to treat your home. We will examine and detect any possibility of mold at your home or business. We’ll provide an immediate mold inspection and, we’ll get right on it to start remediation and stop if from spreading. If you have problems with water removal Austin and mold, give us a call.

Three Surprising Causes of Mold in Austin

11/27/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of East Central Austin Professionals are available 24 hours/7 days a week and will respond quickly to a restoration emergency.

What Causes Mold in Austin? And How to Know When You Need Mold Remediation

While mold is often associated with flooding and water damage, there are many other causes that can lead to mold damage and the need for mold remediation Austin. While a natural disaster, such as a flood, is a major component in mold development, but even the most miniscule amount of stray water can attract mold spores, and here’s where microbe growth can take root and be ignored for a lengthy period of time, until it’s too late. This is where you'll most likely need a mold inspection Austin.

Mold is extremely messy to deal with and to clean up. The greatest misconception is that everyone who has mold lives in a dirty house. You can have the cleanest, most immaculate house, and still experience mold. Mold spores are everywhere, so it’s not the condition of your house, or the cleanliness of it that’s the main issue. What does matter are three important things: temperature, moisture and a food source.

How Temperature Affects the Growth of Mold in Austin

On average, and depending on where you live, many homes manage an indoor temperature ranging from 74 to 78 degrees. However, mold spores can thrive and grow anywhere from 68 to 86 degrees, while others are known to grow at temperatures that are lower than 68 and even higher that 86. In a humid environment such as Austin, mold spores can thrive outside in 100-degree weather.

Moisture and Its Role in Furthering Mold Growth

Moisture is a necessity in order for mold spores to take root and grow. The spores can grow at different moisture levels; for example, the spores can grow quite rapidly at 70% humidity and above. Some can even start growing at a reduced level of 65%, so it’s best to keep moisture levels in your home or business below 60%. A mold remediation Austin specialist can help in understanding how to regulate humidity.

Could Food Sources Be Contributing to Mold in Your Austin Home?

Mold can attach itself to practically anything, which is why your Austin home is a prime food source for spores. Once the spores attach, mold can spread on anything such as insulation, paper, drywall, wood…basically anything organic is a lure for mold to take root and expand. If the mold becomes excessive, then you need to arrange a mold inspection Austin.

How SERVPRO Can Help with Mold Removal and Remediation

Once water damage Austin takes place, mold can quickly take root not that far behind. You have a limited time frame in which you can stop it before it spreads.

If you find that you have contaminated water and can’t control the spread of mold, don’t try to handle this on your own: contact a mold removal and remediation specialist, like SERVPRO of East Central Austin. We can help stop the spread of mold, so that it doesn’t return.

Our SERVPRO team consists of highly trained professionals in water damage and mold remediation. Our training and required certifications enable us to manage all of your mold remediation needs. We use only top of the line, state of the art equipment to treat your home, business or apartment.

We will perform a thorough mold inspection Austin, where we examine and detect any possibility of mold at your home or business. 

If you believe you could have a mold problem, give us a call at 512-420-9886 today.

How to Treat Mold in Austin

8/24/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of East Central Austin Professionals are available 24 hours/7 days a week and will respond quickly to a restoration emergency.

Mold in Austin: What to Do When You Discover Mold in Your Austin Home or Business

If your Austin home or business experiences unusual moisture in the air, or has experienced extensive water damage, then you can expect mold to make an appearance in the near future. Mold often appears in environments that consist of poorly ventilated spaces and high humidity. Flooding and ongoing leaks are also a major culprit of mold in Austin.

If you own a home or business in Austin, you may find that you’re dealing with serious mold issues, and you could have mold removal and mold remediation costs in the aftermath of flood a heavy storm, and/or after suffering from ongoing water damage.

While mold can be stopped, it’s virtually impossible to fully eliminate all mold spores inside a home or business, as mold is actually a naturally growing substance in the environment. However you can work to stop the spread of mold spores by controlling your Austin home or business’s moisture levels.

Austin Mold: A Growing Problem with Moisture and Humidity

Mold is microscopic, and can pretty much grow on anything, including paper, wood, drywall, food and carpets. If your home or business is properly vented, and if you use air conditioners and dehumidifiers, you can greatly reduce moisture buildup and improve ventilation to alleviate the presence of mold.

Different Types of Mold in Austin and Their Levels of Danger

Nobody likes mold, so if you’re a homeowner, or business owner in Austin, there are several kinds of indoor mold with strains that can cause great structural damage as well as health effects. Of course it’s best to remove these types (or any type of mold for that matter) when they first appear.

There are many strains of mold in existence, but these are the four types of mold that most commonly appear in Austin homes and businesses.

• One of the most common types of indoor mold is Cladosporium. As the spores are often found on outdoor plants, they are so microscopic that they can find their way indoors. Cladosporium has been known to be less harmful to humans than other types of mold (it tends to be pretty stinky), but if untreated, it can cause health effects. It can appear in a variety of colors, such as olive green, black and brown.
• While the antibiotic penicillin has helped millions fight bacterial infections, it derives from a form of mold called Penicillium. If you seen spoiled food in your refrigerator, then you’ve evidently encountered this type of mold, which grows indoors in low humidity and in places where there’s sufficient moisture.
• If you have health effects, then you might have been exposed to Alternaria: This type of fungi can grow on skin as well as in your mucous membranes and eyes. They also grow in colonies that are usually black, gray or grey.
• You will often find Aspergillus in high oxygen environments and on foods such as vegetables and bread. There are a variety of different strains of this particular mold. Some can cause health effects, while others are used in the fermentation of alcoholic drinks.
• Stachybotrys chartarum: This specific mold is most commonly associated with water damage Austin. This black mold needs high moisture in order for it grow. It’s often found in building materials, such as wet gypsum and wallpaper. Not only can Stachybotrys chartarum affect your health, it can also be detrimental to the safety of your pets. As dangerous as this mold is, it should only be removed by mold remediation professionals.

If you know you have mold, but are unsure of what type of mold you have, you may want to start by having a professional mold inspection Austin.

Stopping Mold Before It Starts in Your Austin Home or Business

As potentially harmful as mold can be, how do we prevent it? One way is to prevent the spread of humid air in your home or office, by using a dehumidifier and making sure that there is proper ventilation, especially when furniture is involved. Believe it or not, a couch leaning against a wall can actually prevent the flow of air, which in turn can cause mold to develop, especially if the air is humid.

If you have small problems with mold creeping in, it can be eliminated with regular cleaning of your home or office. Keep areas where there is moisture clean on a regular basis, like a shower or bathroom, and even the kitchen. The same goes for keeping your air ducts and vents clean, to avoid any moisture from settling in and creating problems: clean your vents frequently and change your AC filters once a month.

In addition to individual rooms in your home or business, your refrigerator is also not immune to the world of mold. If you have a well-stocked fridge, it’s inevitable that something will be overlooked and start to rot; this is especially true of fruit, which has a short shelf life, and if it’s ignored, it can dry out or begin to get moldy. Once any food in the fridge has passed it spoiling point, decomposition begins, and brings on mycotoxins. So, keep track of what's in your fridge, and if it starts to spoil, toss it out.

The problem with many older homes is that poor ventilation can bring about excessive mold if it’s not addressed. While most homes have central air conditioning, some older homes may not, and if the environment tends to be humid, without a dehumidifier or cross ventilation, there is a greater chance for humidity and mold to make an unwelcome appearance.

Most new and modern construction projects also use drywall, which can be extremely vulnerable to moisture. If not properly treated, the gypsum in drywall will eventually soften over time, and attract mold spores, which will be more difficult to clean over time.

In addition to internal mold issues, you should check the outside of your business or home for leaks in your roof, as well as making sure your gutters are properly cleaned out.

A leaky roof, if undetected for long periods of time, will eventually cause water to spread, and can lead to very costly repair and roof replacement. Cleaning out your gutters can also help prevent water from running down the side of your structure, which can affect the quality of your foundation.

Combustion appliances, such as furnaces, gas water heaters, fireplaces, space heaters, gas ranges, ovens, clothes dryers, and wood or coal-burning stoves should be inspected to make sure that they are properly vented.

Basic Mold Cleanup Procedures

Regardless of the cause, if you do experience any kind of water damage, you will need to clean and dry the areas quickly. Do not let the water damage continue, as a 24-48 hour window to clean and dry the areas in question is likely all you have before mold begins to grow and spread. If you have any standing water, be sure to have water extraction done in your Austin home or business if it is too much for you to remove on your own.

In most cases, minor mold spots can be removed with water and detergent, followed by letting it fully dry out. Carpeting, furniture and ceiling tiles, may not be as easy to remedy; in fact, you may have to dispose of them if the damage is too extreme. Eliminate any puddles of standing water that you come across; this not only can help spread mold, but it’s also a breeding ground for a variety of bugs and bacteria.

If mold removal becomes too much of a conquest for you to handle on your own, then you should contact a mold remediation specialist, like SERVPRO of East Central Austin, who can help in getting rid of the spread of mold, so that it’s no longer an issue.