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Everybody enjoys having a furnished basement. It’s a nice place to relax, light a fire and watch the big game. But one mistake that many people make is to furnish their basements with rugs and carpets instead of solid flooring. As comfortable as it may make the environment on “Super Sunday,” the fibers of carpets in basements can be a literal refuge for mold.

Carpets collect dust and particles that filter through the air and eventually settle, and moisture is nearly impossible to totally remove from their thick, absorbent fibers. As we’ve said before, these particles combine with that moisture (which is already prevalent in basements) to form mold. With every step, your kicking that carpet mold up into the air where it can settle on clothing, furniture and in your lungs.

If you need your own private hideaway, consider a nice linoleum or tile floor where dust particles and moisture can easily be seen and cleaned away. If you’re already suffering from a moldy basement carpet, call the experts to take your den to the cleaners.

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Mold doesn’t care where you live and what temperature you like your house, if you have a forced-air heating or cooling system, you better have a top-of-the-line air filter protecting you and your family from the dangers of mold. Forced-air units are like a jet propeller for mold spores and can distribute spores all over the house with terrifying ease.

Air filters run through your air ducts and keep harmful allergens and mold spores from reaching the air you breath. But, if your filter is old or damaged, you might be spreading all kinds of pollutants into the air every time you crank up the A/C or heat. Also, it’s important that your duct systems be insulated whenever they pass through the extremities of the house (like basements, crawlspaces and attics). This will keep moisture from accumulating and mixing with the dust and particles in the air to form…you guessed it…mold.

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(704) 545 - 0098

You’ve heard people say “if these walls could talk…” before. Well, if your house is filled with trapped moisture, I’m sure it would have to “vent” a little bit about its uncomfortable situation. When it comes to mold, ventilation can be your best friend and your worst enemy. While ventilation provides a way for excess moisture and water vapor to leave your house, bad ventilation can have the opposite effect and let moisture in to settle and eventually grow mold.

If you don’t have proper ventilation in places like bathrooms, you might find a lot of moisture is sticking around where you don’t want it. All that stuff on the wall of your shower? That’s right. Mold and fungus. Check your fans to make sure that they’re working properly. Also, make sure the ventilated moisture goes outside and doesn’t linger in the vents or filter into other rooms. Having a proper ventilation system can help keep your house mold free but, if you suspect a problem, don’t hesitate to call the professionals.

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(704) 545 - 0098

Alright, it’s time to get back to the difficult problem of houses with crawlspaces and the particularly delicate process of keeping these areas free of mold-causing moisture. We’ve already mentioned how a “vapor barrier” and a dehumidifier can do wonders for these spaces, but sometimes this just isn’t enough.

Sometimes you need a complete encapsulation. Encapsulation is a process through which a crawlspace or confined area is completely separated off from the surrounding structural elements, earth, floors and ceilings around it. In a house, air flows from the bottom to the top, and if you have a basement crawlspace you may be looking a serious threat to your structural foundation and your health as vapor and moisture become trapped, and then create mold that is effectively distributed through the house by the natural air flow. With encapsulation, you can completely take this moisture out of the picture by preventing new moisture from getting in, or old moisture from getting out.

In addition, some “experts” claim that an effective way of encapsulating mold is just by painting over it. This is not true, so never attempt to paint a wall to hide mold without removing it. Encapsulation is a professional process that needs state-of-the-art material in order to be done properly. When it comes to mold, trust your health and the health of your home to nothing short of a professional.

www.executiverestoration.com

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(704) 545 - 0098

We’ve had a lot of discussions in which we point out untended crawlspaces as major culprits in the battle against mold in your house. One particular remedy for this problem is putting a good dehumidifier to use, while another involves what Mold Remediators call a “vapor barrier.”

Essentially, a vapor barrier is a thin coating, insulation or sheet of material that prevents moisture from traveling between walls and floors. Before installing one, it’s important to have a Mold Remediator thoroughly inspect the crawlspace and remove and standing water or mold that may already be present. Remediators are already well-trained in how to install the kind of vapor barrier that will work the best for your home or business. And, when properly installed, the barrier should effectively trap moisture inside and prevent it from traveling to your wood framework, where it will take hold and eventually create mold. We’ll talk a little more about crawlspace issues in our next post. In the mean time, if you’re already seeing some problems, never fail to call the professionals.

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(704) 545 - 0098

If we’ve managed to establish one thing, it’s that mold can be pretty scary, but what’s really scary is the idea that health-threatening mold could be around your kids at school.

Do your research:

Get involved with the local PTA or go to a Q&A session at your children’s school. The EPA and other government organizations have strict rules that govern mold control in schools, and you, as a parent, have a right to know that your children are being protected.

Make sure the school is up to code on ventilation and repairs. When governments start cutting costs on schools, often maintenance and repairs are the first to go. Don’t be afraid to take the steps necessary to keep all of our children safe.

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(704) 545 - 0098

We’ve mentioned before that mold commonly grows on and inside walls, in crawlspaces and on other surfaces generally exposed to excess moisture. We’ve told you that mold can grow right underneath your nose, but what if it’s right underneath your rear.

That’s right, mold on furniture can be a huge problem in homes of all ages. So, what can you do about it?

Minor problems on non-absorbent materials can sometimes be taken care of with warm water and laundry detergent, while clothes and sheets can be taken of with a simple turn in the laundry. As far as bigger items like sofas and other furniture? The bad news is that they may have to go. You can try to salvage these items by carefully vacuuming any mold off and letting them dry in fresh air. Still, mold can come back, and some of items of furniture are just too close to our bodies to let mold get out of hand. Before things get too expensive or even health-threatening…you may want to consider a bit of redecorating instead.

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(704) 545 - 0098

We’ve talked a lot about homeowners and their struggles with ridding their houses of mold, but what if you live in an apartment?

Well, if you rent and live in an apartment plagued by mold, you have in effect face the same problems as a homeowner…only it may not be your problem. This is because legislature passed by Congress in 2005 requires all landlords to notify their tenants about any mold problems. So if you’re seeing mold in your apartment and your landlord isn’t doing anything about it, you might not just be calling a remediator, you might be calling the police.

If you’re a tenant and you spot mold, be sure to go to your landlord first. Mold can pop up almost anywhere, and the problem could be that no tenant has ever bothered to notify the landlord before. But, if you inform the landlord and they do nothing, be sure to take the proper steps to protect your health, because your landlord certainly isn’t. It’s the law.

For more info about mold and a helpful consultation, contact Executive Restoration:

www.executiverestoration.com

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(704) 545 - 0098

Not every aspect of mold is necessarily bad. In fact, mold has led to some of the most notable breakthroughs in scientific history, including Alexander Fleming’s famous discovery of the antibiotic penicillin and the development of a number of drugs that suppress the rejection of organ transplants and even fill in for certain people’s inability to produce important enzymes.

On the bad side, mold is dangerous to your health when not consumed in a form prescribed by a medical professional. Real mold lives far from the lab, in our basements, attics and garages, where it poses a threat of being touched, inhaled or even swallowed. As for the ugly? Just take a look at a mold-ridden piece of wood or an old basement wall covered in growth. Mold isn’t attractive and its dangerous to your home and your health. Keep the mold where it does the most good and the least harm. Have your house checked by a professional remediator.

www.executiverestoration.com

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(704) 545 - 0098

We’ve mentioned before the importance of keeping your sense on alert when it comes to mold and the moisture buildup that leads to it, but there is one last scary fact about mold buildup that every home owner should know: sometimes it’s there, and you just can’t see it.

That’s where a true professional can come in with specialized x-ray equipment that can literally see through walls! That’s right, thanks to modern technology, mold can hide no more. Today’s mold remediators have state-of-the-art equipment that searches walls and insulation for both moisture buildup and mold deposits that the human eye can’t see and the human nose can’t smell.

When in doubt, always call a trained professional. If you live in an old home, or even if you just moved into a new one, having your walls and crawlspaces examined by a professional mold remediator can mean the difference between a happy home, and a happy home for mold.

www.executiverestoration.com

www.er911.net

(704) 545 - 0098