Tag Archives: Hidden Mold

Are You Allergic to Your Bed? Find Out Why.

Could Your Bed Be Making You Sick?

Could Your Bed Be Making You Sick?

If you’re experiencing allergy symptoms without finding any specific causes, you may want to blame your bed. People spend a third of their lives in bed, so it makes sense to ensure that it’s free of any of the following contaminants.

While you probably won’t see any of these contaminants (bacteria, fungi and allergens), they are there and while you sleep you’re contaminating your bed and breathing them into your lungs.

Mold and Fungi Spores

While mold and fungi are usually too small to see with the naked eye, studies have shown that they are often found in beds. Even minute amounts can cause a reaction so wash your bed sheets in hot water once a week. A NYC mold treatment may be necessary to alleviate allergy symptoms.

Dust Mite Droppings

While you might not be allergic to dust mites, you might be allergic to dust mite poop. Dust mites are found in four out of five homes in the United States, which means that they could very well be in your bed. Again, clean bed sheets will reduce this problem.

Sweat

Familiar with sweating in bed? It’s something that everybody does. If you’re sick, you can transmit strep or staph infection of the skin if allowed to build up.

Pet Droppings

Your pet may be the apple of your eye, but its urine, dander or saliva could be causing an allergy flare-up.

Clean, dry bed sheets are key to healthy living, but when it comes to mold and your health, don’t take any chances. Contact Stern Mold today to discuss your NYC mold treatment options and schedule a free inspection.

Mold Testing Kits Are Available for Region’s Flood Victims

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.

My House is Making Me Sick – The MoldExterm Makeover

Have You Been Experiencing Upper Respiratory Symptoms?

Have You Been Experiencing Upper Respiratory Symptoms?

Have you or your family been experiencing unexplained sneezing, coughing or other symptoms of upper respiratory illness? Maybe your doctor has suggested mold as the underlying cause.

If you suspect that your house is making you sick, don’t wait to investigate. Prompt and effective mold remediation may be the answer to your chronic health problems.

Does My House Have Mold?

The short answer is: yes, it does. Mold and mold spores exist nearly everywhere. Problems arise when mold levels rise beyond your body’s ability to tolerate them.

Begin by scheduling a professional inspection. Mold is notorious for growing in hidden places, so you need someone with an experienced eye who knows where to look.

The MoldExterm Makeover

Once the presence of mold has been confirmed, the next step is mold remediation. Unfortunately, the traditional process of removing affected materials is expensive, messy and inconvenient.

Our revolutionary MoldExterm process solves the disadvantages of regular mold remediation. The system is cost-effective, requires no replacement of building materials and generally takes only one day to complete.

• Affected areas are first treated with an EPA-registered, multi-purpose antimicrobial solution that cleans, disinfects and deodorizes.

• Next, our proprietary polymer sealer is applied to all surfaces for an effective barrier against the reappearance of mold, even when covered by a coat of paint.

• Finally, we install a professional-grade dehumidifier to reduce moisture levels, which discourages mold growth.

Get the MoldExterm Makeover for your NYC or Northern NJ Home

Our friendly, experienced technicians at Stern Mold provide state-of-the-art mold remediation with a minimum of disruption to your household. Contact us today to schedule your free inspection.

Where to Look for Hidden Mold

As you know, interior mold and fungus can cause a wealth of health problems with symptoms such as runny nose, watery and itchy eyes, swollen eyelids, wheezing and coughing, just to name a few. Before you can combat mold, you have to know where it is coming from.

Moisture Causes Mold to Grow

Mold and fungus needs moisture to grow and spread. The first place to look for hidden mold would be in places like bathrooms, laundry rooms, adjacent walls and/or flooring and tiles. Generally, if you see signs of mold on the outside a wall, the chances are great that there will be hidden mold behind the wall.

Here are some common places to look for and inspect for hidden mold:

  • Above ceiling tiles, particularly in damp locations
  • Under sinks in bathrooms and kitchens
  • Inside your heating and air conditioning vents
  • Beneath carpeting in and around damp locations
  • In your attic, especially if you vent household humid air into that space

Hidden Mold Causes Problems

In all cases, unless there is an outward bloom of mold that can be readily seen, it will be difficult, at best, to find any signs of hidden mold. But if you have symptoms of mold infestation, and mold is not readily present, it may be time to call in a professional to help track down and eliminate any mold problem, hidden or not, that you may have., also

For the best in NYC mold treatment, rely on the professionals at Stern Mold. We are part of the Stern Environmental Group, and have been serving the New Jersey, New York City, and Long Island area since 1995.