Tag Archives: Causes Of Mold

Mold Testing Kits Are Available for Region’s Flood Victims

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Mold Flourishes in Damp Environments

Mold Flourishes in Damp Environments

Flooding in homes and buildings creates a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. In response to massive flooding in Midwestern states, organizations are providing free mold test kits to assess trouble spots.

Mold: A Common Result of Flooding

During the tail end of 2015, unusually severe storms resulted in swollen rivers that caused flooding in Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas. Iroquois County in northeast Illinois is one of the areas that was hit particularly hard.

Mold doesn’t appear immediately post-flooding. Instead, it may take hold in hidden spaces that stay damp for a long time. In July 2016, the Iroquois County Long-Term Recovery Committee announced that they will begin providing free mold test kits to homeowners who suspect a problem.

Moisture + Spores = Mold

Moisture is a necessary ingredient for mold growth. Mold spores are always present in the atmosphere, and it takes only one spore landing on a damp spot to start rapidly reproducing. Excessive humidity in areas like basements and bathrooms serves to hasten the process.

A lack of visual evidence doesn’t rule out the presence of mold. It can flourish inside cabinets, behind walls, under carpeting or in crawl spaces. Musty odors, rather than visual sightings, are frequently the first tip-off to a mold infestation.

Schedule Your Northern NJ or NYC Free Mold Inspection

Have you recently experienced flooding or leaks in your home? When it comes to mold, out of sight is not out of mind. Contact Stern Mold for your Northern NJ or NYC free mold inspection performed by our friendly, professionally trained technicians.

Posted in Mold Tips, Mold Treatment, MoldExterm, News

Mold May Force Pensacola Federal Court to Relocate

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Mold can cause serious health issues for some people, including respiratory and sinus problems. That’s why it’s so important to eliminate mold growth in homes and commercial buildings. When mold is removed, those who live or work in the affected building usually have to go elsewhere during mold treatment. In Pensacola, Florida, though, workers at the downtown federal courthouse might actually have to stay in the building while it’s being treated.

General Services Administration, which manages the courthouse, has stated that the building will still be in use while black mold is being removed. This decision affects more than 100 employees.

Some mold experts have expressed concern about this, since it could put these workers at risk of experiencing health issues while mold remediation is going on around them. Judges who work at the courthouse are trying to determine whether or not to hold trials in another location temporarily in order to reduce the public’s exposure to mold. If not, they will need to find other ways to lower this risk while trials are going on inside the courthouse. For now, several parts of the building are closed off to try to stop the mold from spreading to other areas.

This case illustrates the problems involved with some kinds of mold treatment methods. Remediation, for example, is a time-consuming process that inconveniences the building’s occupants and raises the risk of exposure as materials that contain mold are pulled out. These methods also do little to stop mold from coming back and requiring another round of treatment.

If your building has a mold problem, don’t hesitate to contact Stern Mold. We offer safe, effective mold treatment that does not disrupt drywall and can be completed typically in one to two days.

Posted in Mold Identification, News

Mold Spreads Via Spores – What Are They

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Mold is a serious problem. Much like rust, it will get worse, continue spreading, and cause serious damage if not properly removed. It spreads via spores and these tiny units of reproduction are resilient and highly prolific.

What is mold?

Mold is a fungus that destroys any organic matter is attaches to like leaves, wood, and paper. It grows on the surface of these materials and may be black, blue, green, or some combination. The color is typically determined by its nutrient source and the age of the mold colony. It requires moisture, a food source, and oxygen. The ideal temperature range for mold is between 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius) and 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).

How mold spreads?

The mold colony grows and will cover many square feet of a surface. It also produces spores. The spores can survive in dry and harsh conditions that the colony cannot. The spores travel easily on indoor and outdoor air. These spores may reproduce sexually or asexually depending on how the spore was formed. Mold spores are smaller than pollen, dust, and many other air-borne irritants. This allows the mold spores to escape many filtering mechanisms.

Health risks?

Many people are not adversely affected by low levels of exposure to mold spores. However, long-term exposure to low levels may be as harmful as short-term exposure to high levels of mold. People with asthma or a compromised immune system are at highest risk of problems.

Don’t take any chances. Stern Mold uses the advanced MoldExterm system to eliminate mold and prevent it from coming back. Contacts us for a free quote.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Identification, Mold Tips, News

What’s That Smell? Mold!

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Sometimes you don’t even have to see mold to know that it’s there. You’ve probably noticed that distinctively musty smell before, perhaps in a damp basement or bathroom. That tell-tale odor can alert you to the presence of mold even if it’s hidden away.

The smell comes from gases produced by mold. Microbial volatile organic compounds, or MVOC, are mostly odorless but some forms create that musty smell. When the smell is present, you are probably inhaling spores along with various compounds manufactured by mold.

Those spores and compounds can raise the likelihood of health difficulties. The most common are upper respiratory ailments such as sinus infections, sneezing and coughing. You may also suffer from red, itchy eyes and a scratchy throat. A mold problem should be addressed regardless of whether or not you experience any physical symptoms.

Mold treatment is the only way to completely remove the smell. While scented candles, potpourri and other air fresheners may help to disguise it, the effect is only temporary. The odor is certainly unpleasant from a cosmetic standpoint, but your health is the main concern.

Not all mold produces an odor, so smell is not the only evidence you should be concerned with. Make it a regular practice to check all the areas such as bathrooms, kitchens and basements where moisture can accumulate.

Our comprehensive MoldExterm system provides safe and effective mold treatment that’s less expensive and intrusive than traditional remediation methods. In most cases our trained technicians can be in and out of your home or office in one day. Contact us to schedule a free mold inspection.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Remediation, Mold Treatment, News
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