Recent Mold Remediation Posts

Is Mold in Your Buffalo Grove Home a Side Effect of Winter Colds and Flu?

1/16/2019 (Permalink)

Added humidity in your home increases the chance of mold growth.

Winter Flu And Colds And Their Connection to Lake Zurich Mold Damage

In the Lake Zurich region, we close up our homes against the wintry blasts, keeping things warm and cozy inside. This practice, plus the occasional influx of cold, dry outdoor air, can reduce indoor humidity to desert-like levels. Adding moisture to the air through humidifiers, free-standing or built into the HVAC system, is a common practice. A balance should be struck to make sure the increase in water vapor does not promote mold growth.

Health care practitioners sometimes unwittingly spur mold damage in Lake Zurich when they suggest a vaporizer in your home. Young children or the elderly struggling with a cold or influenza can gain relief from symptoms when the humidity increases. Unfortunately, a spike in humidity levels might be enough to cause the invisible mold spores always on surfaces or in the air to grow and multiply. If the balance tips, our mold remediation crew can respond and help restore the equilibrium.

SERVPRO IICRC-trained technicians know what can stun a loving caregiver. The moist air from a vaporizer or humidifier eases a cough or sniffle as it feeds a microbial outbreak. We can remediate the mold outbreak and share with you the humidity readings that allow for comfort while avoiding mold growth -- experts advise a range from 30 to no more than 45 to 50 percent.

Our experienced remediation crew realizes you need fast and reliable help for this unintended consequence. We work with you, so you understand our EPA-developed methods. First, we contain the mold-afflicted area, using physical barriers or an air scrubber that seals the space with negative pressure and vents the contaminated air through filters outside. SERVPRO technicians ensure the safety of your family and themselves by wearing personal protective gear, preventing the tracking of moldy debris through other rooms of your home.

We use proven techniques to remove the mold entirely by scraping and brushing off nonporous surfaces. Methods such as soda blasting immobilize the mold growth and clear the residue from porous materials. SERVPRO crews bag up the debris and discard according to local hazardous waste regulations. Then we move on to disinfection with EPA-registered antimicrobials to inhibit rebound mold growth.

SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich is familiar with the stress of mold damage in a home, made even more troubling when the homeowner might feel personal error might be the cause. Give us a call at (847) 279-1940 for an evaluation and remediation plan.

Buffalo Grove was first settled by New Englanders in the 1840’s.  Read more here.

Is Mold Damage Hiding Underneath the Carpet in Your Vernon Hills Home?

12/18/2018 (Permalink)

Mold only needs oxygen and moisture to grow. Call SERVPRO if you suspect mold in your home.

Common Places For Mold Damage To Hide In Your Vernon Hills Home

Mold spores are usually invisible to the naked eye and surround us in our Vernon Hills homes. They cause few problems until they grow after exposure to moisture. Frequently the first sign of mold infestation is a funny, musty smell a homeowner finds hard to pinpoint as to location. Call us if you suspect mold is behind an unpleasant odor and we help locate and manage it.

Mold damage can happen in any Vernon Hills home. Once spores activate because of a spill, leak, or even high humidity, they multiply quickly, often in out of the way areas of your dwelling. Along with the smell, you might notice staining or deteriorating pieces of drywall or ceiling tiles. Grout lines in a shower might show a feathery growth or the laundry area might have mold where damp clothing and linens rest before washing.

Although certain individuals can be susceptible to health problems because of a sensitivity or allergy when mold is present, of equal or more concern is the damage hyphae, the branching filaments of the growing fungi can visit upon the building materials of your home. SERVPRO can remediate mold, containing and removing current infestations and treating areas with EPA-registered antimicrobials to avoid regrowth.

Mold does not need sunlight. Only oxygen and water are necessary for the spores to thrive. If your home has a leaky pipe or an area of the roof where water pushes in mold can take hold before you notice. Within 24 to 48 hours of water availability, mold spores absorb it and use it as fuel to spur further growth. Organic surfaces, including many building materials, then act as an incubator and living space. SERVPRO technicians are wise to the ways mold grows and spreads. We can help eliminate current mold colonies and work with you to prevent future infestations.

SERVPRO often finds mold under sinks, including under and behind the cabinetry surrounding the plumbing. Fixing leaks is paramount to resolving this type of infestation, and thorough drying and effective mold removal are essential. During the winter months, mold can grow in a room with excessive humidity. Commonly this is traceable to the use of vaporizers and humidifiers to ease dry air concerns. Metering humidity levels and keeping them in the 30 to 50 percent range helps greatly and limits new colonies after mold remediation.

SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich works with homeowners struggling with mold damage. We help troubleshoot so that mold remediation does not become a constant need. Call us at (847) 279-1940 to set up an evaluation if you fear mold damage in your home.

Vernon Hills was established in 1958.  Click here to read more.

Overcoming Mold Damage In Your Lake Zurich Basement Or Crawlspace

9/12/2018 (Permalink)

Mold damages should not get overlooked and brushed off in your home.

Mold Damage In Your Basement Or Crawlspace

Your basement or crawlspace in your Lake Zurich home is an essential part of its construction. Not only do these areas house the foundation components like blockwork and concrete, but basements also have the added advantage of being livable space or additional storage for the house. When something threatens these areas of your home, you might be dealing with more than just the acute localized effects and more widespread damage to face.

Among the most pressing of concerns for your Lake Zurich basement or crawl space is mold damages. While certain conditions must get met to allow for this colonization to occur, once it has begun it can quickly spread throughout the area and pose significant risks to both the structural integrity of the materials found there and pose potential health risks to those exposed to the active colony. Our SERVPRO applied microbial remediation technicians have the tools and expertise to isolate these active colonies and help to prevent them from spreading farther.

Mold colonies require a food source to grow and thrive, and this gets found through the organic building materials of your home and the contents of the affected area. From the moment that the spores seat into these materials, the structural integrity begins to weaken as the organism feeds on the matter. As the colony continues to grow and spread, these materials degrade to the point of becoming unsalvageable to the restoration techniques and practices of our specialists.

This degradation of materials could lead to costly repairs and reconstruction from a residential contractor after the remediation work completes. Our SERVPRO technicians can assess the integrity of these affected materials throughout our restoration practices such as sanding and soda blasting colonized surfaces.

Mold damages should not get overlooked and brushed off in your home. Not only can these occurrences leave you with substantial damage to the construction materials of your home, but there are well documented potential health risks associated with mold colony exposure as well. Trust our SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich remediation technicians to help you through every step of this process. Give SERVPRO a call today at (847) 279-1940.

Click here for more about Lake Zurich.

A Burst Pipe Can Cause Mold Damage in Your Lake Zurich Home

6/13/2018 (Permalink)

Water damage in your home can affect the crawlspace below. Call SERVPRO at the first signs to remove water damage before it causes mold damage.

Water damage can lead to mold damage in your home

Mold damage can happen incredibly quickly after water damage has occurred on your property. While you may think it is okay to wait three days to remediate after a pipe burst in your crawl space, it is not. In fact, that is more than enough time for mold to begin growing. Waiting to take action can cause more damage to your home, and thus the damage becomes even more expensive to fix. Fortunately, there is qualified and professional help near you to help remediate the mold damage in your home.

Detecting a musty odor is often the first sign that you may have mold damage in your Lake Zurich home. While you may not store furniture in your crawlspace, the area has access to electrical wiring and your water heater. Excess dampness and mold growing in the area is merely not a good set of circumstances. For example, mold damage can cause health effects. Additionally, mold can be responsible for the rot of organic material. Given that most crawl spaces are made out of a wooden structure, having mold growing along the support beams can be dangerous in the long run.

After receiving your call, SERVPRO strives to get our people to your home as quickly as possible. We understand that mold, and the water damage that caused it, are time sensitive. The sooner we can arrive and get to work, the better it is for the longevity of your home.

SERVPRO uses trade tools to handle mold growth and spores. However, before we begin the remediation process, our technicians always section off the area. Mold spores can travel and attach themselves to new sections of your home when agitated. After creating a barrier, we can set up an air scrubber with HEPA filters to clean the air of the foul smell mold brings, as well as collect airborne spores. From there, SERVPRO can use disinfectant to remove patches of mold and then use antifungal agents to reduce the chances of regrowth.

Do not delay when you find mold growing in your crawl space. Reach out to SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich by dialing (847) 279-1940. Day or night, we remain open to serve the community as soon as we can.

See more about the development of Lake Zurich here.

Removing Mold Damage in Lake Zurich Homes

5/6/2018 (Permalink)

Finding mold in your home can be frightening. Call SERVPRO right away to remediate the damage.

SERVPRO Technicians Make Sure to Use the Appropriate Cleaning Method to the Type of Mold Found in Your Home

Mold growth in Lake Zurich homes can go unseen for weeks and months. If it starts in a crawlspace, mold spores can grow unchecked even longer, eventually posing a threat to the building material and structural integrity of a home.
 
It takes a professional service to thoroughly clean and remove Lake Zurich mold damage. SERVPRO professionals in Illinois train extensively to find mold growths no matter where they may originate. Our teams also train to determine the requirements needed to clean and remove each mold growth.
 
The type of surface mold is growing across often determines the cleaning method technicians use. It is easier to clean glass, marble, stone, and certain kinds of plastics. These are Non-Porous surfaces. Our restoration teams remove dry mold by wiping them down with dry sponges or vacuuming them with special HEPA filters designed to catch a single spore. If the mold is wet or very thick, they use a sponge or cloth with a small amount of water or anti-fungal cleaner.
 
Porous surfaces include items like carpets, insulation, drywall, and other painted surfaces which are more difficult to clean than non-porous surfaces. They also include fabrics like curtains, drapes, and upholstery. Technicians clean these using spray bottles with anti-fungal agents. If there is a concern with an item absorbing too much liquid, they use a foaming technique to apply the cleaner with a lower amount of water. Before SERPVRO technicians use either method, they vacuum with HEPA filters to remove loose mold fragments.
 
Semiporous materials often need special cleaning methods. These surfaces, concrete, and wood, often require abrasive techniques like scrubbing with wire brushes or scouring them with sandpaper or a powered sander. The anti-fungal and other cleaners contain abrasive agents to ensure it agitates and cleans every crack or groove that a regular cleaner cannot get into effectively. Wood items especially need abrasive cleaning to prevent being compromised by mold.
 
The goal of SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich is to thoroughly clean and remove mold from each home dealing with this type of damage. It is not a quick process, but our teams work and train to perform each task as quickly and safely as possible. If you need us, call today at (847) 279-1940 to schedule a visit.

Click here for more information on the town of Lake Zurich.

Understanding Mold Damage and Growth in Your Lake Zurich Residence

4/6/2018 (Permalink)

Water damage often causes mold and mildew growth in your home, if you experience either, call SERVPRO to remediate the damage.

Call on SERVPRO for Expert Mold Remediation Services

In Lake Zurich, water damage in homes is a primary cause of mold growth. Mold growth can destroy things such as furniture, walls, flooring, carpeting, and other materials, plus, it can also result in reduced quality of indoor air. Inhaling airborne mold spores may cause health effects, so mold colonies are not something you want in your home and around your family.

Even if you cannot see mold and mold damage in your Lake Zurich home, if you notice an earthy or musty smell, you likely have mold growth in hidden places. Mold has a high probability of growing inside walls or other areas that are not visible after your home has suffered a water loss. Our SERVPRO staff has the tools to be able to find this hidden mold for you and also to clean it up.

Mold growth requires moisture, which can come from cooking, washing, condensation, or air humidifiers. However, it can also come from plumbing leaks and other water damage incidents in your home. Lousy ventilation helps create higher levels of humidity, which leads to condensation, allowing mold to grow.

Mold spores are released into the air. When it grows inside your home, the amount of mold fragments and spores is higher than what it would be outside. The spores are quite small, so it is possible that people can inhale them. For this reason, SERVPRO techs take precaution and wear protective equipment while working with mold damage.

We also set up barriers around the affected area before beginning work. Doing so allows us to contain the mold infestation, so it does not spread to other sections of your home that are clean. The contamination can then be removed. If mold is found in porous materials, it can be more difficult to remove, and the material may need to be replaced instead. Other surfaces can be cleaned with damp wiping and HEPA vacuuming. We also make sure to dry your home back out to prevent any further mold growth.

SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich is experienced in mold remediation and take the time to thoroughly clean your home in Kildeer, Mundelein, or Wheeling. Get in touch with us at (847) 279-1940 as soon as you believe you have a problem with mold.

Click here for more on Lake Zurich.

Mold Damage Remediation Services for Lake Zurich Homes

1/4/2018 (Permalink)

Mold has the ability to grow in temperatures 68 to 86 degrees, making it almost impossible to stop it by adjusting the temperature in your home.

SERVPRO Can Properly Rid Your Home of Mold Damage and Prevent Further Infestations

Mold spores exist all over Lake Zurich. They are in every home, in every room and are, usually, completely harmless. There is a mistaken belief that mold grows in dirty or abandoned homes, but the truth is that any home can experience a mold infestation.

Halting mold growth and removing mold damage in Lake Zurich homes requires SERVPRO technicians first to understand how it expands and grows. With over twenty years of training and restoration experience, we know that only a small amount of water is needed to change these harmless spores into a mold colony which can quickly move across an entire attic or up the inside of the bathroom walls.

An individual spore is smaller than the tiniest seed. A growth of thousands of them is no larger than the eraser at the end of a pencil. The spores are normally in an inert state, which makes them no more harmful than house dust. They expand and usually grow because of water from a split hose on a clothes washer or a leaky pipe in the bathroom or kitchen.

Once the spores expand, they quickly extend growths called hyphae. They resemble the root structure of a plant and serve the same function. Some of them grow across surfaces, seeking out more moisture to continue expanding. Other hyphae dig down and grow into the surface to absorb the material and use it to feed the new colony. Mold can feed on nearly every type of building material, with drywall being exceptionally vulnerable.

Mold grows and thrives in temperatures from 68 to 86 degrees. That makes it virtually impossible to stop mold in a private home, condo, or apartment by raising or lowering the temperature since it also makes the area unlivable. Because of that and the availability of food, SERVPRO technicians concentrate on repairing the leaks and drying up any water source.

With no moisture, even mold spores deep in a section of drywall return to their inert state. Once they are no longer active, it is simple for our restoration crews to remove and replace drywall and other building materials like ceiling tiles, floor and ceiling trim, and other infested wood.

Restoring your home after mold damage is not a simple task, but it is one that SERVPRO of Buffalo Grove / Lake Zurich has over twenty years experience in accomplishing. If you need our help, call today at (847) 279-1940.

Click here for more information about Lake Zurich.