Mold gets onto just about everything that we own at some point or another; it is whether or not the mold starts to actually grow on the item and stay there that tends to be the problem. Whether it is clothes, furniture, walls, floors, clothes, or food, mold can do quite a lot of damage to the things in our home and we cannot always see it coming. Even the items that we need to be clean the most, like our baby’s bottles that they drink their milk and juice out of.
The bottles that we have today are not just the cylinders that they used to be; sometimes they come in strange shapes that are hard to get completely dry and when this happens and they are put back into the refrigerator, they can often become moldy. How can you prevent this? All you have to do after you wash them is dry them inside the best that you can and then simply put them in the freezer until you are ready to use them again. Mold does not like these temperatures and this will inhibit any growth. It is a popular thing to put kitchen staples like flour, sugar, and cornmeal into the freezer to protect them from bugs and mice, so why not use this to your advantage to prevent mold, as well?
Mold also likes to grow on clothes that have been forgotten about in the backs of closets. Try not to pack your closets so full of clothes that air cannot circulate. The clothes being packed so close together creates the warmth that the mold needs to survive and if your house is humid enough, the moisture it needs is also there. The last thing mold needs to live is food and your clothing is more than enough to supply that need. It might also be a good idea to install a vent into the closet to help air circulate a little better, too.
Something else that causes mold to grow is when you throw damp and dirty clothing into a bathroom closet and leave it there. This is particularly a bad idea if you have carpet in it. Carpet in the bathroom is a bad idea all by itself, but when you couple it with dirty, wet clothes or towels, you are asking for a mold infestation to start in the back of your closet. The solution for this is to use a plastic laundry hamper and to empty it regularly, which should be around every day and a half. Mold usually starts to grow after about 48 hours.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration contractors and
Mold Remediation companies across the united states.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Important Steps On How To Avoid Water Damage To Your Home
Water damage is one of the worst things that can happen to your home that you can almost completely prevent, unless it is caused by mother nature. Floods and hurricanes are something that we can’t really prevent; all we can do is just try to prepare for it and often our preparations aren’t good enough. We should not feel bad about this, however, because nature will almost always win over any preparations that we make to try and keep her out of our homes. There are a few things that you can do to prevent water damage to your home on a smaller scale, but you will have to be diligent in your efforts if you are truly going to make it work.
Pay attention to your water heater. This and anything else in your house that uses a large amount of water is at risk of leaking out onto the floor and doing some serious damage. It should always be installed on the lowest level of your home, preferably in the basement raised up off the floor and sitting on a drain pan that is connected to a water drain in the floor. This will make sure that even if your water heater does start to leak, the water goes back into the sewer or your septic tank instead of onto your floor.
If you are worried about your dishwasher leaking, check the pipes and hoses that are leading to it first and make sure they are connected tightly and are not cracked anywhere. If you are buying a home that comes with a dishwasher already installed, you will want to check around the base of it to check for water damage. If the floor around it is discolored or if the base of the cabinet near it is warped, you might have a leaky dishwasher.
One thing that most homeowners have to do at least once a year is cleaning out the gutters that run around the roof and drain the water from the roof, through the downspout, and away from the house. These always end up collecting leaves, sticks, and other debris and if the gutters become clogged with this material, it will cause water to simply drop off the roof to the base of your house. If water saturates the ground at your home’s foundation, it will eventually cause it to sink into the ground.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
Pay attention to your water heater. This and anything else in your house that uses a large amount of water is at risk of leaking out onto the floor and doing some serious damage. It should always be installed on the lowest level of your home, preferably in the basement raised up off the floor and sitting on a drain pan that is connected to a water drain in the floor. This will make sure that even if your water heater does start to leak, the water goes back into the sewer or your septic tank instead of onto your floor.
If you are worried about your dishwasher leaking, check the pipes and hoses that are leading to it first and make sure they are connected tightly and are not cracked anywhere. If you are buying a home that comes with a dishwasher already installed, you will want to check around the base of it to check for water damage. If the floor around it is discolored or if the base of the cabinet near it is warped, you might have a leaky dishwasher.
One thing that most homeowners have to do at least once a year is cleaning out the gutters that run around the roof and drain the water from the roof, through the downspout, and away from the house. These always end up collecting leaves, sticks, and other debris and if the gutters become clogged with this material, it will cause water to simply drop off the roof to the base of your house. If water saturates the ground at your home’s foundation, it will eventually cause it to sink into the ground.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
Employer Concerns About Mold And The Options
One of the places that we don’t usually think of when we think of mold is our working environment. We usually think that we’ll find it in our homes, but other buildings are just as susceptible. If you are responsible for a number of employees and you suspect that there might be a mold infestation in your building, the first thing that you need to do is mold testing yourself and finding out if there truly is an infection of mold on the premises. Send off the mold samples to a laboratory that specializes in the identification of mold and you should receive your results back in a couple of weeks.
If you find that there is truly a mold infestation on your property, then the best thing that you can do for all concerned is to notify your employees that there is a problem. Call in an inspector so that they can determine just how extensive the contamination is and after they have given some professional advice, you should tell your employees that they are laid off until the contamination is taken care of. They should be informed of when the mold remediation will begin and the approximate date that it will end.
Inform your employees also that if they have been experiencing any health complications since they started working for you such as respiratory problems, skin rashes, or anything else that might be attributed to the presence of mold in the building.
Take care of the mold problem in your building as soon as possible; you do not want to be held responsible for the medical bills of your employees if they are diagnosed as having a condition caused by the mold they were exposed to while they were working for you. Not only will you be liable for the medical bills, but you will also probably be liable for their loss of income until they can return to work.
The contamination of your building should never be ignored, whether it is your home or your workplace, because even if you can afford to pay for the medical bills of others, you do not want this affecting your own health. It is truly not worth it to risk the health of others along with your own in order to try and save some money. Have the mold removed as soon as possible.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
South Carolina flood water damage restoration and other states such as
Connecticut water damage restoration companies across the united states.
If you find that there is truly a mold infestation on your property, then the best thing that you can do for all concerned is to notify your employees that there is a problem. Call in an inspector so that they can determine just how extensive the contamination is and after they have given some professional advice, you should tell your employees that they are laid off until the contamination is taken care of. They should be informed of when the mold remediation will begin and the approximate date that it will end.
Inform your employees also that if they have been experiencing any health complications since they started working for you such as respiratory problems, skin rashes, or anything else that might be attributed to the presence of mold in the building.
Take care of the mold problem in your building as soon as possible; you do not want to be held responsible for the medical bills of your employees if they are diagnosed as having a condition caused by the mold they were exposed to while they were working for you. Not only will you be liable for the medical bills, but you will also probably be liable for their loss of income until they can return to work.
The contamination of your building should never be ignored, whether it is your home or your workplace, because even if you can afford to pay for the medical bills of others, you do not want this affecting your own health. It is truly not worth it to risk the health of others along with your own in order to try and save some money. Have the mold removed as soon as possible.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
South Carolina flood water damage restoration and other states such as
Connecticut water damage restoration companies across the united states.
Facts About Toxic Black Mold That You Need To Know
One of the most dangerous molds that a person can have growing in their home or place of business is the one that we have all come to associate with the term “toxic black mold”. This is Stachybotrys chartarum and it is sometimes simply called “stachy” for short. The media has made it famous in the past few years and it has been largely responsible for the resurgence of the awareness of the dangers of mold. The health consequences of this mold living in your home are fairly dangerous and can even end in death in some extreme cases.
This mold is fond of growing on such things as wood that has been water damaged or in some cases, on paper or cardboard that has been piled up and allowed to be wet. It does not grow on plastic or on non-porous surfaces such as tile in the bathroom or the kitchen or on concrete or counter tops. Any wood or cellulose-based items that have been wetted and let to dry naturally will eventually become contaminated with mold and will probably end up spreading to the rest of your household. This particular kind of mold needs almost non-stop moisture or humidity to continue to live. It is typically a greenish-black color, slimy, and wet when it is found in the home and it needs such things as cotton, wood, or paper to grow for very long. Even though the wet spores of this mold do not get into the air very easily, if it is let to try, these spores will enter the air in your home as soon as the air is stirred by a fan or an air conditioner and this can be very hazardous.
This is one of the most dangerous kinds of mold that you can come into contact with. It has been known to kill a person’s brain cells and cause sicknesses that can have a similar effect as Alzheimer’s Disease. Symptoms of this include dizziness or disorientation of any kind, such as blanking out or forgetting what you were doing while you were in the middle of doing it or memory loss. If you are not old enough to be at risk to have Alzheimer’s Disease, it is advised that you see your doctor as soon as possible. If you are concerned that mold may exist, conduct some do-it-yourself mold tests in your home in order to rule out or identify mold as the cause.
Some common symptoms of mold exposure have been known to be pneumonia, headaches, bloody noses, or any other kind of respiratory issue. Mold also aggravates pre-existing conditions such as asthma or emphysema. Exposure for long periods of time can cause kidney failure, liver failure, or bleeding of the lungs in babies.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
north carolina flood water damage restoration and other states such as
New Jersey mold remediation companies across the united states.
This mold is fond of growing on such things as wood that has been water damaged or in some cases, on paper or cardboard that has been piled up and allowed to be wet. It does not grow on plastic or on non-porous surfaces such as tile in the bathroom or the kitchen or on concrete or counter tops. Any wood or cellulose-based items that have been wetted and let to dry naturally will eventually become contaminated with mold and will probably end up spreading to the rest of your household. This particular kind of mold needs almost non-stop moisture or humidity to continue to live. It is typically a greenish-black color, slimy, and wet when it is found in the home and it needs such things as cotton, wood, or paper to grow for very long. Even though the wet spores of this mold do not get into the air very easily, if it is let to try, these spores will enter the air in your home as soon as the air is stirred by a fan or an air conditioner and this can be very hazardous.
This is one of the most dangerous kinds of mold that you can come into contact with. It has been known to kill a person’s brain cells and cause sicknesses that can have a similar effect as Alzheimer’s Disease. Symptoms of this include dizziness or disorientation of any kind, such as blanking out or forgetting what you were doing while you were in the middle of doing it or memory loss. If you are not old enough to be at risk to have Alzheimer’s Disease, it is advised that you see your doctor as soon as possible. If you are concerned that mold may exist, conduct some do-it-yourself mold tests in your home in order to rule out or identify mold as the cause.
Some common symptoms of mold exposure have been known to be pneumonia, headaches, bloody noses, or any other kind of respiratory issue. Mold also aggravates pre-existing conditions such as asthma or emphysema. Exposure for long periods of time can cause kidney failure, liver failure, or bleeding of the lungs in babies.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
north carolina flood water damage restoration and other states such as
New Jersey mold remediation companies across the united states.
Facts About Toxic Black Mold That You Need To Know
One of the most dangerous molds that a person can have growing in their home or place of business is the one that we have all come to associate with the term “toxic black mold”. This is Stachybotrys chartarum and it is sometimes simply called “stachy” for short. The media has made it famous in the past few years and it has been largely responsible for the resurgence of the awareness of the dangers of mold. The health consequences of this mold living in your home are fairly dangerous and can even end in death in some extreme cases.
This mold is fond of growing on such things as wood that has been water damaged or in some cases, on paper or cardboard that has been piled up and allowed to be wet. It does not grow on plastic or on non-porous surfaces such as tile in the bathroom or the kitchen or on concrete or counter tops. Any wood or cellulose-based items that have been wetted and let to dry naturally will eventually become contaminated with mold and will probably end up spreading to the rest of your household. This particular kind of mold needs almost non-stop moisture or humidity to continue to live. It is typically a greenish-black color, slimy, and wet when it is found in the home and it needs such things as cotton, wood, or paper to grow for very long. Even though the wet spores of this mold do not get into the air very easily, if it is let to try, these spores will enter the air in your home as soon as the air is stirred by a fan or an air conditioner and this can be very hazardous.
This is one of the most dangerous kinds of mold that you can come into contact with. It has been known to kill a person’s brain cells and cause sicknesses that can have a similar effect as Alzheimer’s Disease. Symptoms of this include dizziness or disorientation of any kind, such as blanking out or forgetting what you were doing while you were in the middle of doing it or memory loss. If you are not old enough to be at risk to have Alzheimer’s Disease, it is advised that you see your doctor as soon as possible. If you are concerned that mold may exist, conduct some do-it-yourself mold tests in your home in order to rule out or identify mold as the cause.
Some common symptoms of mold exposure have been known to be pneumonia, headaches, bloody noses, or any other kind of respiratory issue. Mold also aggravates pre-existing conditions such as asthma or emphysema. Exposure for long periods of time can cause kidney failure, liver failure, or bleeding of the lungs in babies.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
north carolina flood water damage restoration and other states such as
New Jersey mold remediation companies across the united states.
This mold is fond of growing on such things as wood that has been water damaged or in some cases, on paper or cardboard that has been piled up and allowed to be wet. It does not grow on plastic or on non-porous surfaces such as tile in the bathroom or the kitchen or on concrete or counter tops. Any wood or cellulose-based items that have been wetted and let to dry naturally will eventually become contaminated with mold and will probably end up spreading to the rest of your household. This particular kind of mold needs almost non-stop moisture or humidity to continue to live. It is typically a greenish-black color, slimy, and wet when it is found in the home and it needs such things as cotton, wood, or paper to grow for very long. Even though the wet spores of this mold do not get into the air very easily, if it is let to try, these spores will enter the air in your home as soon as the air is stirred by a fan or an air conditioner and this can be very hazardous.
This is one of the most dangerous kinds of mold that you can come into contact with. It has been known to kill a person’s brain cells and cause sicknesses that can have a similar effect as Alzheimer’s Disease. Symptoms of this include dizziness or disorientation of any kind, such as blanking out or forgetting what you were doing while you were in the middle of doing it or memory loss. If you are not old enough to be at risk to have Alzheimer’s Disease, it is advised that you see your doctor as soon as possible. If you are concerned that mold may exist, conduct some do-it-yourself mold tests in your home in order to rule out or identify mold as the cause.
Some common symptoms of mold exposure have been known to be pneumonia, headaches, bloody noses, or any other kind of respiratory issue. Mold also aggravates pre-existing conditions such as asthma or emphysema. Exposure for long periods of time can cause kidney failure, liver failure, or bleeding of the lungs in babies.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
north carolina flood water damage restoration and other states such as
New Jersey mold remediation companies across the united states.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Water, Concrete, and Your Basement
Water, Concrete, and Your Basement
You may not realize it, but concrete is a naturally porous building material and any water that is seeping through it and into your basement is not an uncommon problem. Unfortunately, since all concrete is porous and water will eventually seep through it, anyway, the problem usually lies not with the concrete itself, but with the construction of it.
Since basements are by nature underground and are areas that are generally pretty closed off from the outside environment, humidity is typically a problem unless you know how to deal with it. It can lead to flooding and excessive dampness, which in turn will eventually lead to mold growth. If your basement in your home is chronically wet, you should do what you have to in order to dry this area out and waterproof it as soon as possible to avoid structural rot.
The first thing that you need to do is check outside your home around the foundation and make sure that the basement is not taking on water from the outside due to clogged rain gutters on top of the house or downspouts that are not properly being drained. Just dumping some more dirt around the base of your home may solve the problem if the leaks and flooding only occurs during times of heavy precipitation. All of the soil around your home should be slanted away from the base so that water drains as quickly away as possible.
Most homeowners simply try to cracks in the wall this by caulking the crack shut, but this will not work. Water still seeps through it and in a couple of years, the caulk will peel away. Hydraulic cement also does not work very well, because it does not bond well to the concrete. Cement will be very rigid while the concrete is always moving, shrinking, and expanding over time. The cement that you place inside the crack will become just as loose as caulking would.
The best thing to do is to about cracks in the basement wall is to use a low-pressure crack injection of concrete. It used to require heavy and expensive equipment to do this, but these days you can accomplish this task with a simple conventional caulking gun.
Since most cracks in basement walls are caused by water seepage and are not structurally dangerous, expandable polyurethane is typically the best choice to repair them with. It does not add any structural strength to the concrete, but simply creates a waterproof barrier. No matter whether the crack is dry or wet at the time you are going to fill it, the polyurethane will still bond to it.
Epoxy injection can also be used, but it will not bond to wet surfaces, among other problems. It should be used only when there are cracks that appear in concrete block walls or big cracks in slabs of concrete.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New York flood water damage restoration and other states and cities such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
You may not realize it, but concrete is a naturally porous building material and any water that is seeping through it and into your basement is not an uncommon problem. Unfortunately, since all concrete is porous and water will eventually seep through it, anyway, the problem usually lies not with the concrete itself, but with the construction of it.
Since basements are by nature underground and are areas that are generally pretty closed off from the outside environment, humidity is typically a problem unless you know how to deal with it. It can lead to flooding and excessive dampness, which in turn will eventually lead to mold growth. If your basement in your home is chronically wet, you should do what you have to in order to dry this area out and waterproof it as soon as possible to avoid structural rot.
The first thing that you need to do is check outside your home around the foundation and make sure that the basement is not taking on water from the outside due to clogged rain gutters on top of the house or downspouts that are not properly being drained. Just dumping some more dirt around the base of your home may solve the problem if the leaks and flooding only occurs during times of heavy precipitation. All of the soil around your home should be slanted away from the base so that water drains as quickly away as possible.
Most homeowners simply try to cracks in the wall this by caulking the crack shut, but this will not work. Water still seeps through it and in a couple of years, the caulk will peel away. Hydraulic cement also does not work very well, because it does not bond well to the concrete. Cement will be very rigid while the concrete is always moving, shrinking, and expanding over time. The cement that you place inside the crack will become just as loose as caulking would.
The best thing to do is to about cracks in the basement wall is to use a low-pressure crack injection of concrete. It used to require heavy and expensive equipment to do this, but these days you can accomplish this task with a simple conventional caulking gun.
Since most cracks in basement walls are caused by water seepage and are not structurally dangerous, expandable polyurethane is typically the best choice to repair them with. It does not add any structural strength to the concrete, but simply creates a waterproof barrier. No matter whether the crack is dry or wet at the time you are going to fill it, the polyurethane will still bond to it.
Epoxy injection can also be used, but it will not bond to wet surfaces, among other problems. It should be used only when there are cracks that appear in concrete block walls or big cracks in slabs of concrete.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New York flood water damage restoration and other states and cities such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
Types of Sump Pumps
The purpose of a sump pump is to pump water out of your basement before it completely floods.
If you are thinking about installing a sump pump into your basement, this is a very good idea. The problem mainly lies with what kind of sump pump you need to purchase. There are about three different kinds of sump pumps and depending on your own circumstances, you may need one more than the other.
A pedestal sump pump is an electricity powered pump that stands up in your basement and has a motor that is a few feet over it. This motor should not be gotten wet at any point. It has a float that will activate a switch inside the pump to turn it on when water reaches a high level in the basement. This kind of sump pump is best for basements that need to be drained frequently. This is the least expensive kind of pump, but they tend to be a lot noisier than the submersible kind.
Submersible sump pumps are installed into the ground and as the name might imply, they are designed to work while they are under water. They also have a float activated switch that will turn the pump on as it is needed. These tend to be more expensive than the pedestal pump type, but these are quieter and usually last longer. They have a sealed and oil-cooled motor that protects them from dust and water.
Something else to consider is whether or not you need to acquire a plastic or a cast iron sump pump. Cast iron pumps last a lot longer than their plastic counterparts, but the plastic ones do not last as long. No matter which kind you might get, any sump pump that you get should feature a check valve on the pipe that lets the water out so water does not go back into the pump after it has shut off. If water flows in and out of the pump excessively, this will cause the pump to turn on and off more than it needs to and this will drastically shorten its life.
Water powered sump pumps run using the water pressure in your home plumbing system and they also have a float-activated switch. These require no electricity in order to function and can be used as a backup sump pump system during power failures.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New Jersey mold damage restoration and other states and cities such as
Connecticut mold remediation companies across the united states.
If you are thinking about installing a sump pump into your basement, this is a very good idea. The problem mainly lies with what kind of sump pump you need to purchase. There are about three different kinds of sump pumps and depending on your own circumstances, you may need one more than the other.
A pedestal sump pump is an electricity powered pump that stands up in your basement and has a motor that is a few feet over it. This motor should not be gotten wet at any point. It has a float that will activate a switch inside the pump to turn it on when water reaches a high level in the basement. This kind of sump pump is best for basements that need to be drained frequently. This is the least expensive kind of pump, but they tend to be a lot noisier than the submersible kind.
Submersible sump pumps are installed into the ground and as the name might imply, they are designed to work while they are under water. They also have a float activated switch that will turn the pump on as it is needed. These tend to be more expensive than the pedestal pump type, but these are quieter and usually last longer. They have a sealed and oil-cooled motor that protects them from dust and water.
Something else to consider is whether or not you need to acquire a plastic or a cast iron sump pump. Cast iron pumps last a lot longer than their plastic counterparts, but the plastic ones do not last as long. No matter which kind you might get, any sump pump that you get should feature a check valve on the pipe that lets the water out so water does not go back into the pump after it has shut off. If water flows in and out of the pump excessively, this will cause the pump to turn on and off more than it needs to and this will drastically shorten its life.
Water powered sump pumps run using the water pressure in your home plumbing system and they also have a float-activated switch. These require no electricity in order to function and can be used as a backup sump pump system during power failures.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New Jersey mold damage restoration and other states and cities such as
Connecticut mold remediation companies across the united states.
Treating Moldy Clothing
Clothing contaminated by mold is not a fun thing to have to deal with, especially if it happens to affect an old favorite item of clothing that we found lying in the back of a closet or behind a dresser. We are usually hesitant to throw it away, but sometimes we are unsure if the item can be completely cleansed or not.
The Bible talks about mold contaminated clothing in ancient times and these items were always seen as untreatable and were always thrown away. It is fortunate that these days we know that these items can usually be completely cleaned, but we may not be able to completely get rid of the stain the mold left behind. This is particularly true for leather items, since this is a piece of dead skin and the natural role of mold is to decompose dead organic matter.
The cause of moldy clothing usually has something to do with moisture and forgetfulness. Sometimes we get our clothes wet and just toss them into the laundry basket or into the bathroom closet and forget about them. Doing this is a mistake, because if they are not dried within about 48 hours, mold will start to grow on them. What is even worse is that dry clothing is usually thrown on top of it and the infestation spreads to other clothes. Mold can also start growing on items that have been left behind dressers or in closets that become humid and do not get enough ventilation.
Molded clothing can usually be cleaned by using borax laundry detergent in the washing machine and allowing the clothes to soak for a few hours. Wash in warm to hot water, depending on what the clothing’s dye will tolerate without the colors bleeding everywhere.
After the clothes are done the first time, using a stain remover on them before washing them the second time could help remove any stains that may exist on the clothes. Washing the clothes at least twice is generally recommended, since most of the time it takes more than once to get rid of the infestation completely. Do not use your dryer to dry moldy clothes, however, since an artificial heat source like this usually sets the stain further into the fabric. Put the clothes outside to dry instead.
Depending on the amount of clothing that you have to wash and re-wash, it might be easier to just throw the afflicted clothing away than try to restore it, especially if there are a lot of stains. Most clothing is salvageable, though, as long as you treat it properly.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration chicago and other states such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
The Bible talks about mold contaminated clothing in ancient times and these items were always seen as untreatable and were always thrown away. It is fortunate that these days we know that these items can usually be completely cleaned, but we may not be able to completely get rid of the stain the mold left behind. This is particularly true for leather items, since this is a piece of dead skin and the natural role of mold is to decompose dead organic matter.
The cause of moldy clothing usually has something to do with moisture and forgetfulness. Sometimes we get our clothes wet and just toss them into the laundry basket or into the bathroom closet and forget about them. Doing this is a mistake, because if they are not dried within about 48 hours, mold will start to grow on them. What is even worse is that dry clothing is usually thrown on top of it and the infestation spreads to other clothes. Mold can also start growing on items that have been left behind dressers or in closets that become humid and do not get enough ventilation.
Molded clothing can usually be cleaned by using borax laundry detergent in the washing machine and allowing the clothes to soak for a few hours. Wash in warm to hot water, depending on what the clothing’s dye will tolerate without the colors bleeding everywhere.
After the clothes are done the first time, using a stain remover on them before washing them the second time could help remove any stains that may exist on the clothes. Washing the clothes at least twice is generally recommended, since most of the time it takes more than once to get rid of the infestation completely. Do not use your dryer to dry moldy clothes, however, since an artificial heat source like this usually sets the stain further into the fabric. Put the clothes outside to dry instead.
Depending on the amount of clothing that you have to wash and re-wash, it might be easier to just throw the afflicted clothing away than try to restore it, especially if there are a lot of stains. Most clothing is salvageable, though, as long as you treat it properly.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration chicago and other states such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
Sump Pumps and Flooded Basements
If you have ever had a flooded basement, then you know that the cleanup process can be both expensive and can take quite a while. Drying out a basement completely can take days or weeks and replacing the damaged carpet and furniture can cost thousands. Installing a sump pump is the best thing that you can do to defend your basement from floods.
Flooding in your basement is typically caused by soil that is so saturated with water that the water starts to seep through the concrete walls. What sump pumps do is pump water out of the lowest part of the basement before the water reaches the level of the rest of the floor. When the water level in the basement rises up, the excess water is pumped into a sump pump hole and after it reaches a critical level, it starts to pump it out of the home through a pipe and away from the foundation.
Flooding can also end up causing problems with the plumbing, rotting wood, or a damaged foundation. These will all reduce the value of your home greatly and all water damage can lead to mold growth, which is a problem all to itself. Installing a sump pump into the basement can save you all kinds of money by safeguarding your basement belongings from flooding.
When you do install one, you need to check it regularly to be certain that it is working correctly. Do this by removing the cover and slowly pouring water into the tank. The float in the tank should rise and trigger the pump to start. When the pump turns on, the water level inside the tank will quickly go down and the float will trigger the pump’s shut off. This is how a sump pump should operate normally.
Most problems with a sump pump’s operation are related to the float. The float could be getting stuck on something inside the tank if the pump does not activate as it should. Repositioning it should probably fix the problem, but if it does not, the float may need to be replaced. The pump should turn completely off when the water level goes to the very bottom of the tank and if it does not, then a new float will be needed.
Some homes even have backup sump pumps, but if you keep an eye on the one that your home already has or the one you just installed, you should be fine. If excess water flows into your sump pump, it may completely shut off. Foreign objects getting into the pump will also cause it to malfunction.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Sewage Damage Cleanup and other states such as
North Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
Flooding in your basement is typically caused by soil that is so saturated with water that the water starts to seep through the concrete walls. What sump pumps do is pump water out of the lowest part of the basement before the water reaches the level of the rest of the floor. When the water level in the basement rises up, the excess water is pumped into a sump pump hole and after it reaches a critical level, it starts to pump it out of the home through a pipe and away from the foundation.
Flooding can also end up causing problems with the plumbing, rotting wood, or a damaged foundation. These will all reduce the value of your home greatly and all water damage can lead to mold growth, which is a problem all to itself. Installing a sump pump into the basement can save you all kinds of money by safeguarding your basement belongings from flooding.
When you do install one, you need to check it regularly to be certain that it is working correctly. Do this by removing the cover and slowly pouring water into the tank. The float in the tank should rise and trigger the pump to start. When the pump turns on, the water level inside the tank will quickly go down and the float will trigger the pump’s shut off. This is how a sump pump should operate normally.
Most problems with a sump pump’s operation are related to the float. The float could be getting stuck on something inside the tank if the pump does not activate as it should. Repositioning it should probably fix the problem, but if it does not, the float may need to be replaced. The pump should turn completely off when the water level goes to the very bottom of the tank and if it does not, then a new float will be needed.
Some homes even have backup sump pumps, but if you keep an eye on the one that your home already has or the one you just installed, you should be fine. If excess water flows into your sump pump, it may completely shut off. Foreign objects getting into the pump will also cause it to malfunction.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Sewage Damage Cleanup and other states such as
North Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
Mold On Your Property
Mold growing in our homes can cause a lot of damage to both the home’s structure and to our health and it typically grows in areas of our homes that are dark, damp, and/or warm. Any combination of these three can cause mold to grow, but the areas most often affected are kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and laundry rooms. Food, carpet, wallpaper, and closets are also affected, but generally to a lesser degree unless they are located in or near the aforementioned rooms.
Mold causes damage to the air quality of your home and even though we are exposed to mold on a daily basis without much harm to us, high quantities of mold spores in the air that we breathe can be very hazardous to our health. It tends to aggravate pre-existing conditions such as asthma, sinusitis, and allergies. Common symptoms of mold exposure in homes usually include sore throats, very dry coughing, blurry vision, sinus congestion, sneezing, and other respiratory problems. If you think that there is mold in your home, you should conduct some mold testing either on your own or by using a professional and contact a physician as soon as possible.
Molded wallpaper can also become a problem. When located in a warm environment, vinyl wallpaper has the ability to trap moist air behind it and this will create a breeding ground for mold. Mold eats at the drywall behind the wallpaper, the adhesive on the wallpaper, and also the wallpaper itself. Removing the wallpaper and the drywall completely is usually the only way to solve this problem, especially if the mold has been growing there for a long time and the infestation is extensive. Drywall is porous and cannot usually be completely cleansed once mold infects the whole depth of the board.
Kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms should have steam vents installed so that steam has a place to go. These vents direct steam and hot air outside and away from your home so that moisture does not become absorbed by your walls and ceilings.
Carpet mold is a big problem in flooded areas and as soon as you can, damp or wet carpet must be taken up completely. Carpet cleaning will generally not kill mold infestations, so it and the padding underneath it must be removed and thrown away.
Wearing mold contaminated clothing can cause skin rashes and other irritations, so cleaning these items or throwing them away is recommended. Borax and hydrogen peroxide in the washing machine should do the trick, but the clothes need to be soaked in this mixture for a while before washing. Then, they should be washed a second time after having also soaked a second time.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration chicago and other states such as
New Jersey mold remediation contractor companies across the united states.
Mold causes damage to the air quality of your home and even though we are exposed to mold on a daily basis without much harm to us, high quantities of mold spores in the air that we breathe can be very hazardous to our health. It tends to aggravate pre-existing conditions such as asthma, sinusitis, and allergies. Common symptoms of mold exposure in homes usually include sore throats, very dry coughing, blurry vision, sinus congestion, sneezing, and other respiratory problems. If you think that there is mold in your home, you should conduct some mold testing either on your own or by using a professional and contact a physician as soon as possible.
Molded wallpaper can also become a problem. When located in a warm environment, vinyl wallpaper has the ability to trap moist air behind it and this will create a breeding ground for mold. Mold eats at the drywall behind the wallpaper, the adhesive on the wallpaper, and also the wallpaper itself. Removing the wallpaper and the drywall completely is usually the only way to solve this problem, especially if the mold has been growing there for a long time and the infestation is extensive. Drywall is porous and cannot usually be completely cleansed once mold infects the whole depth of the board.
Kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms should have steam vents installed so that steam has a place to go. These vents direct steam and hot air outside and away from your home so that moisture does not become absorbed by your walls and ceilings.
Carpet mold is a big problem in flooded areas and as soon as you can, damp or wet carpet must be taken up completely. Carpet cleaning will generally not kill mold infestations, so it and the padding underneath it must be removed and thrown away.
Wearing mold contaminated clothing can cause skin rashes and other irritations, so cleaning these items or throwing them away is recommended. Borax and hydrogen peroxide in the washing machine should do the trick, but the clothes need to be soaked in this mixture for a while before washing. Then, they should be washed a second time after having also soaked a second time.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration chicago and other states such as
New Jersey mold remediation contractor companies across the united states.
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