Mold spores occur in both indoor and outdoor enviroments and can enter your home in many different ways.  Each fungal ecology is different from region to region, zone to zone, and climate to climate.

            Fungal Ecology of Indoor Environments

Mold spores will grow when they are dropped on places with excessive moisture such as a location where there has been flooding (ex. flooded basement) or where leakage may have occcured in roofs, pipes, and walls.  Wet materials are conducive for the growth of numerous molds.  Some molds require very little water. 

Once the conditions are right spores can Germinate within 12 hours, Colonies can begin to form within 24 hours.  Spores can be produced within 48-72 hours.

The levels of contamination of mold are ranked in 3 conditions and 5 levels.  The course of treatment our mold remediation team will take, depends on what condition and level your problem is at.
                   The goal of mold remediation is to return
                      the mold problem back to condition 1.

                                Signs of Mold Infectivity

• visible mold growth.
• water stained walls, ceilings, carpet, and tack strips.
• increased humidity
• musty/moldy or bad odor
• history of mold problem or previous water intrusion

                       How Mold Effects Your Health

Fungi are a major cause of indoor air quality (IAQ) problems becuse exposure to fungal parts can cause allergic reactions in many people.  If you are exposed to mold, it can be very hazardous to your health, depending on the type of mold and the severity of it.  People are mostly exposed to mold by breathing the spores or other fragments.  You can also be exposed through skin contact or by swallowing some mold.

Children, elderly people or anyone with respiratory conditions or sensitivites such as allergies and asthma or persons having weakened immune system issues are at greater risk for adverse health effects.
                               

                   The Health Affects of Mold
               Are Generally Grouped into
                the Following 4 Categories. 

• Irritation - moldy odors, these odors come from volatile organic compounds produced by mold.  It can irritate mucous membranes and cause headaches and other symptons.
• Allergic Reactions are typically the most common health problems.  Symptons include resporitory problems with difficutly breathing, nasal and sinus congestion, burning / watery or reddened eyes, dry hacking cough, nose and throat irritation, shortness of breath, skin irritation, headaches, memory problems, mood changes, aches and pains and possilbe fever.
• Infection - there are an estimated 200 species of mold known to cause infections in humans, and immune surpressed individuals which are especially at risk.  Infections can be localized or systemic.  Some fungi can affect hair, skin, and nails.  Aspergillosis is a common fungal infection requiring hospitalization.
• Toxicosis - many species of mold produce toxic metabolites called mycotoxins, which are believed to be most prevalent in spores.  Mycotoxins have caused nerve damage, organ damage and cancer.  Symptoms of toxicosis from mold include cold and flu like symptoms, headaches, nosebleeds, memory problems, fatigue, dermatitis, and immune suppression.

                        Mold Remediation
   Making Your Home or Business Safe Again

Containment is the first step in Mold Remediation. Containment involves sealing off the affected areas and air space from the rest of the home or facility.  Containment is important for health reasons and is important to stop mold contamination from spreading.

Containment involves sealing off heating and air conditioning vents, sealing doorways and walkways with plastic air containment walls.  Doing this will prevent the toxic mold spores from escaping and colonizing other areas of the home.

Killing the mold effectively is the next step.  After killing all the mold in the affected area, it is important to remove the mold growth, stains and mold odors.  Whenever possible, mold affected materials should be removed and discarded.  Pourous materials such as ceiling tiles and insulation can be nearly impossible to clean and, in most cases will need to be removed and replaced.  

Our goal is to return your home or office into a healthy environment in a neat and timely manner.
"We Don't Leave Until The Mold Does!"

      Most Important, You Need To Fix The Moisture 
 Problem(s) That May Have Led To The Contamination.

"We Don't Leave Until The Mold Does" 845.226.0868 One Call and We Take Care Of It ALL!