January 4th
Filed under Cleaning |
If you find yourself experience unexplained health problems or you can smell a strong musty odor in your home, then it’s possible that you have mold in the basement. And if you are sick, you should have a professional clean up the mold rather than doing it yourself.
If however you believe you can tackle the job yourself, then you need to make sure that the infested area is contained by securing it with plastic sheeting before you begin any work.
You’ll also want to make sure that the area is dried and repaired from any water leaks and you should at the very least install a dehumidifier to eliminate moisture, which is the perfect breeding ground for mold. You will also need to protect yourself from the fungus by wearing protective clothing and gear such as rubber gloves, eyewear and a respiratory mask.
Make sure you remove any furniture or personal items from the room before you begin. If any items are contaminated with mold you’ll want to seal them in a bag and discard them if they’re not salvageable.
Next, you’ll want to kill the fungus using a basement mold removal product. Clean up should be done as soon as possible and you should always follow the directions on the product or they might not be effective on the mold.
Once you’ve applied the mold removal product and allowed for ample time, you should rinse it with water if necessary. This is specifically a good idea if you’ve chosen to use a chemical product that can be harmful to your health even after the cleaning process.
Then, wipe down all of walls and any surfaces where the mold was present using a mild detergent and rags. Be sure to swipe with a clean side of the rag every time, otherwise you’ll just re-contaminate the surface area and you’ll have to start all over with removing mold in the basement again.
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January 2nd
Filed under Bathrooms, Cleaning |
A black mold inspection is extremely important if you suspect there is mold in your home. Your home should always be inspected by a certified and licensed expert and you should never accept anything less.
It may take anywhere from a few hours to a few days depending on the amount of mold growing in your home and the services that are used. Some services used may include inspecting for all types of mold including the toxic stuff, testing for all molds, testing for moisture problems, testing for allergy issues such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander and testing for the quality of air in your home.
However, in most cases the inspector will likely test for mold using a swab test that is then sent to a lab for analysis.
He or she may test for mold in crawl spaces, hidden areas, the attic, bathroom, basement and kitchen. He or she may inspect your home both visually and by physically taking samples. When a home is visually inspected the process generally includes detecting the types of mold that are visible in your home.
The mold inspector may also analyze the areas outside of your home that are showing signs of mold growth using moisture meter testing, thermal imaging, and humidity testing. This testing process is done to identify the nature of the fungus and to give insight on the steps necessary to remove the mold if they are toxic.
Even if the molds are not toxic, it’s still extremely critical to start the mold removal process since spores from the fungus can lead to serious health problems. Remember, toxic molds are not the only fungi that can cause allergies, sinus infections and so forth.
So as soon as you’ve completed a black mold inspection, you should immediately call a professional to remove the mold if there is a problem found.
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