Professional Mold Remediation

Types of Mold Damage

In recent years we have become aware of the inherent health risks posed when when mold develops in an indoor envrionment. Given the right conditions, temperature, moisture, and an organic food source of some kind, mold can take hold within 48 hrs, and as long as the conditions that allowed it to grow are present, it will continue to spread. This is one of the primary reasons that it is so vital to dry structures quickly, to prevent mold growth from occurring. Mold is ubiquitous in our environment, and is a crucial part of the ecosystem – aiding in the decomposition of dead organic materials. However, when it grows in an indoor environment, the spore concentrations in the air can grow to unsafe levels for the occupants. People react differently to mold; some will exhibit a range of allergic reactions, and others will contract more serious health issues because of their exposure; the very young and the elderly are especially vulnerable to this. Mold colonies can also be responsible for the condition known as “sick building syndrome”. One of the main reasons we are seeing more mold growth problems indoors in recent times is because the building envelopes are getting tighter and more energy efficient, so the homes “breathe” less than they used to, and more sealed spaces are created within wall cavities that allow mold to grow undisturbed.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), microscopic mold spores are everywhere, in the air and on surfaces. The CDC states: “Mold growth, which often looks like spots, can be many different colors, and can smell musty. If you can see or smell mold, a health risk may be present. You do not need to know the type of mold growing in your home. The CDC does not recommend or perform routine sampling for molds. No matter what type of mold is present, you should remove it. Since the effect of mold on people can vary greatly, either because of the amount or type of mold, you cannot rely on sampling and culturing to know your health risk. Also, good sampling for mold can be expensive, and standards for judging what is and what is not an acceptable quantity of mold have not been set. The best practice is to remove the mold and work to prevent future growth… If mold is growing in your home, you need to clean up the mold and fix the moisture problem.”

Mold Removal Services

If you discover mold growth in your home, or suspect there may be some present in an area, DO NOT DISTURB IT. A postage stamp-sized colony can contain over 65 million spores. When the colony is disturbed, millions of mold spores can be released into the surrounding air. Contact the mold remediation specialists at 1st Response Restoration for help. We work with some very good industrial hygeinists who can test the area to tell you if there is indeed an elevated spore count, and the types of mold present. If you do have a mold problem, our highly trained technicians have the knowledge, experience, and equipment to remove the mold colony and spores and restore the air quality to normal levels safely and efficiently. All of our protocols and mold removal techniques adhere to the published IICRC/Clean Trust S520 standard to protect your health and saftey. We stand behind our work, and we have some of the cleanest, most thoroughly remediated finished projects in the industry. After our remediation is complete, we always recommend having a post-clearance mold test done by a professional, to give you that peace of mind, in writing, that the area has been returned to normal.