Allergy sufferers have immune systems that mean well, but are a little over-reactive, releasing chemicals like histamine to get rid of normally harmless substances called allergens. Histamine triggers the body to push the allergens out, using your nose, eyes, and mouth as exit routes, which creates inflammation and general allergy-related symptoms in the process. If […]
Air pollution isn’t limited to the outdoors. Moisture, odors, gases, dust and a host of other irritants can affect air quality indoors, too. Try these tactics to help freshen your home’s air so you and your family can breathe easy. Open windows. Most heating and cooling systems recirculate inside air. When weather permits, give your […]
Many companies will show you before and after photos of mold with the after usually just in white. But is the mold really cleaned? Here is a before and after of a basement joist covered in mold, and prior to any encapsulation. This photo shows why we always apply clear encapsulates and only use white […]
The type and severity of health effects that result from mold exposure is widely variable among different locations, from person to person and over time. Although difficult to predict, exposure to molds growing indoors is most often associated with the following allergy symptoms: Nasal and sinus congestion Cough/sore throat Chest tightness Dyspnea (breathing difficulty) Asthma (or […]
There are many different types of inspections a mold inspector can perform on your home or business. The two most common types of inspections are: Air Sampling & Surface Sampling. Air Sampling is designed to capture and quantify a broad spectrum of fungal spores (both culturable and non-culturable) present in the air, and to assess […]
HEPA (High‐Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuums differ from conventional vacuums in that they contain filters that are capable of trapping extremely small, micron‐sized particles. A true HEPA filter can trap 99.97 percent of all airborne particles larger than 0.3 microns. To illustrate how small this is, a human red blood cell is usually between 6 and 8 microns wide. […]
Many times with leaks in homes that have wood flooring, home owners dismiss the damage that may be under the floor. Even when the top of the floor looks like it is dry, the bottom of the decking and also the subfloor could tell a totally different story. As show here, what seems to be […]
Removing mold from contents can be an exhausting process resulting in many man hours. Some items can be saved once mold grows on them, and others can not. When mold has grown on contents, it’s also important to remember that not all chemicals and cleaning methods are alike and safe for certain surfaces. Here’s some […]
Here are a few photos showing a mold remediation project prior to the wood being encapsulated. Always remember, encapsulating in white isn’t a bad option, but some mold remediation contractors insist on it because they’ll use regular primers and also because they do not want you to see how they cleaned the surfaces. For us, […]
Alternaria is one of the most important allergenic molds found in the US. It is most common as an outdoor mold, as it thrives on various types of vegetation. Alternaria spores can be detected from Spring through late Fall in most temperate areas, and can reach levels of thousands of spores per cubic meter of […]