Looking around for mold growth in your home is a burden that no one wants to have to take on, but sometimes not looking for it can cost you thousands of dollars in renovations later on after the growth has gotten so bad that the affected areas have to be completely gutted. Knowing how to spot mold early on is the key to saving all of this time and money, but it is not always as visible as some pictures on the internet and the news may have you believe. While mold does come in a variety of colorful species, it is not always as colorful as most of the images you come across.
Some molds are nigh invisible and grow on a few different surfaces mostly undetected unless you know how you need to look for them. Wood paneling, for example, can have mold growing on it and you not even realize it without the use of a simple bright flashlight. To be able to see the mold, however, you will need to know how to use the flashlight correctly. Instead of shining the light directly toward the paneling, you need to shine it along the surface of the paneling at an angle, so as to give the possible mold growth some depth. Only in this way will you be able to detect the extremely light colored molds growing on the different surfaces of your home. These molds tend to be a species in the Aspergillus or Penicillium genus.
Wood paneling is common in older homes and in homes that have been flood damaged, since replacing the affected drywall is a lot more expensive than simply installing paneling in its place. This is one reason mold likes to grow on this paneling: it is typically old and should be replaced.
You can miss these molds easily when you do a casual inspection of your home, but just taking a flashlight with you and knowing how to use it can save you a lot of money in the end. Molds that are not visible to you readily are not necessarily harmless; they can be just as detrimental to the building structure and your health as the molds that you do have the ability to see with the naked eye. Mold is not always an invisible threat, but it certainly can be, even if you think you know how to look for it.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.waterbasementct.info and
http://www.moldrestorationusa.com
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Smoke and Water Damage After a Fire
Most homeowners think that when they are dealing with a house fire, the only type of damage to the property that they will have to contend with is fire damage. This is not always true, since something that is almost always used to put out a house fire is water. Any excess amount of water in your home can cause water damage to the structure, any appliances, and furniture inside and since a fire truck can hold countless gallons, you will likely see this after the fire has been put out and you re-enter your home.
Talk to your fire marshal and make sure that your home is safe to return to after the fire is over. If you see standing water in any portion of the house, cut the electricity off before you go into it, since you could be electrocuted by venturing inside before it is cut off. Do what you can to remove as much of the water from the house as possible before mold starts to grow on anything. If you have food in the freezer that is still sealed, take these and put them into another freezer at a friend’s home.
Whatever you do, do not allow any children or pets back into the house until the rehabilitation inside the house is finished. Pay attention to the health of your pets, as well, after the fire is over and make sure that they get any care that they may require. Birds will need special attention, since they do not respond well to environmental changes.
Do not use an upright vacuum cleaner to clean the soot and ash from your carpet. The brushes on the bottom of these will only drive this debris further into the fabric. You should also not use one on upholstered furniture for the same reason. After you vacuum floors and furniture, you should not walk on them and if you have to, tarp should be laid down over them.
Smoke damage on the ceilings and upper walls will need to be painted over. Trying to wash this off the walls usually does not work and only smears the stain around. Painting over this is the only efficient option.
Food that was opened inside the house when the fire started needs to be thrown out. Do not eat anything that had the seal on it broken, whether in the refrigerator or on the counter, such as chips.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Florida water damage restoration companies and
Miami Water Damage Restoration. contractors
Talk to your fire marshal and make sure that your home is safe to return to after the fire is over. If you see standing water in any portion of the house, cut the electricity off before you go into it, since you could be electrocuted by venturing inside before it is cut off. Do what you can to remove as much of the water from the house as possible before mold starts to grow on anything. If you have food in the freezer that is still sealed, take these and put them into another freezer at a friend’s home.
Whatever you do, do not allow any children or pets back into the house until the rehabilitation inside the house is finished. Pay attention to the health of your pets, as well, after the fire is over and make sure that they get any care that they may require. Birds will need special attention, since they do not respond well to environmental changes.
Do not use an upright vacuum cleaner to clean the soot and ash from your carpet. The brushes on the bottom of these will only drive this debris further into the fabric. You should also not use one on upholstered furniture for the same reason. After you vacuum floors and furniture, you should not walk on them and if you have to, tarp should be laid down over them.
Smoke damage on the ceilings and upper walls will need to be painted over. Trying to wash this off the walls usually does not work and only smears the stain around. Painting over this is the only efficient option.
Food that was opened inside the house when the fire started needs to be thrown out. Do not eat anything that had the seal on it broken, whether in the refrigerator or on the counter, such as chips.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Florida water damage restoration companies and
Miami Water Damage Restoration. contractors
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