These symptoms could be caused by the air you are breathing.
Our Indoor Air Quality Testing
We use OSHA, NIOSHA, and EPA testing procedures to investigate indoor air quality complaints or give you a profile of your air.
Hundreds of compounds can be tested for including gases, chemicals, dust, and biological samples.
We take special care in instruments calibration and sample handling to produce accurate and reliable results.
Our results are compared with controlled samples to ensure accurate data.
We offer services for both residential and business customers.
Mold Testing
Mold testing is done by taking air samples and comparing inside and outside spore numbers and can determine if a building has a high amount of mold present.
Mold and moisture testing will help assess problems by determining if high mold levels exist and if remediation work is necessary.
Mold inspections look for any areas affected by mold and moisture.
During our inspections, we take moisture reading of interior walls in the sample area to see if there is a suitable environment for mold to grow.
Our experts are trained scientists and have a background in the building construction industry.
We can relate mold data to a building and provide you with practical solutions if a problem is found.
We can identify and asses any mold problem you may have.
Environmental Consulting
Consulting services meet your special and specific environmental needs.
Risk management services are offered to help asses environmental conditions present and to help determine if action should be taken to minimize risks and exposure.
Got Indoor Air Quality Questions?
Call, (470) 545-4467, or send us an e-mail. We look forward to serving you! 🙂
Atlanta Crawlspace Mold Removal, Mold Prevention, and Encapsulation Experts!
Atlanta Crawlspace Mold Removal, Mold Prevention, and Encapsulation Experts!
Top 3 Questions About Crawl Space Humidity
What’s the threshold humidity level for mold growth?
When the relative humidity of your crawl space is 70% or higher, mold can thrive.
“Relative” humidity is the humidity level expressed in a percentage of the amount of moisture in the air needed for “saturation” (i.e. the highest level of humidity – 100%).
The amount of water the air can hold (humidity level) is dependent upon the temperature of the air itself.
When the humidity level begins to creep up past 70% relative humidity, this provides the perfect environment for mold growth!
I’m seeing condensation. What does that mean?
Condensation is an indication that the air within your crawl space has reached 100%.
The air can no longer hold the moisture and it’s condensing onto the surfaces, causing the organic materials that make up your crawl space to become damp, which will result in mold growth.
How do I know when the humidity in my crawl space is at a dangerous level?
A hygrometer is a device used to measure the humidity of indoor air.
Using this tool to measure the humidity of your crawl space is a great way to monitor the amount of moisture present.
A thermo-hygrometer measures both temperature and humidity level.
These devices are even more ideal for crawl space atmosphere monitoring because the relative humidity level is contingent upon the moisture in the air in relation to the air’s temperature.
Being able to track the changes in both of these conditions in your crawl space will allow you to see trends and anticipate necessary changes.
For instance, if the weather is hot during the day but the temperature plummets at night, this can cause problems for your crawl space’s humidity levels.
The daytime temperature is higher, which allows the air to hold more moisture.
As night approaches and the air cools, the amount of moisture the air can hold also decreases – causing the relative humidity level to rise.
A crawl space that was at a permissible humidity level during the day can run into problems when night falls.
Being able to see these changes on your thermo-hygrometer can help you identify these types of trends so that you can respond appropriately.
Keep in mind that properly insulating your crawl space and installing vapor barriers will help regulate the temperature and keep moisture levels down, resulting in less fluctuations in the air’s relative humidity.
Humidity Levels In Your Crawlspace Affect The Rest Of Your Home
Having unconditioned air below your living spaces makes the whole house harder to heat and cool as well as provide the perfect damp setting for mold spores to breed.
In the past, we were told that crawlspaces needed to be ventilated. Now, however, we are learning that crawlspaces need to be treated almost as if they were living spaces. In other words, areas that are in contact with your living space affect your living space. So if you have a crawlspace, what solution is available?
Mold-B-Gone Remediation, LLC can help you dry out the dampest crawlspaces and turn them into drier, healthier foundations for your home that aren’t breeding grounds for mold spores.
Crawlspace Solutions
Turning crawlspaces into dry spaces!
Our Dry-space technique combines the following:
A thorough cleaning of the space, including mold remediation.
Installation of a wall-to-wall guide, durable, 14 mil vapor barrier.
Attachment of the vapor barrier over ground and up sidewalls to 6 inches below floor joists.
Crawlspace Encapsulation (Before and After Photos)
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The result is an energy efficient, healthy home. Mold-B-Gone Remediation, LLC’s dry space methods described above not only helps mold-proof your home, but the combination of these methods will make it more energy efficient and comfortable. For more information on our crawlspace solutions, contact us today.
Water is a vital necessity for life, but when it becomes uncontrolled, it can cause devastation. Whether your property has been damaged by a torrential downpour, a triggered sprinkler system or busted pipes, Mold B Gone can help.
Water can cause much more serious damage than just getting things a little soggy. In many cases the damage to the structure is not confined to just the water line. The drywall, wood, and even concrete used in many structures can act as a sponge which will then cause the water damage to extend much higher and deeper into the structure. Also mold growth can happen after a period of time and often will appear long after the water damage.
All molds share the characteristic of being able to grow without sunlight. Mold only needs a viable seed (spore), a nutrient source, moisture, and the right temperature to proliferate. This explains why mold infestation is often found in damp, dark, hidden spaces. If left unchecked, molds gradually damage building materials and furnishings. Eventually mold can cause structural damage to a wood framed building, weakening floors and walls as it feeds on moist wooden structural members. This is a particular concern if you have mold growing in your crawl space.
The purpose of mold remediation is to correct the moisture problem and to remove moldy and contaminated materials to prevent human exposure that can impact health and further damage to building materials and furnishings.
Atlanta Mold Testing, Mold Remediation and Mold Recovery Professionals!
Mold Recovery: Four Steps
If you think you have mold, you should take these important steps now to prevent more damage to your home or business and more importantly, avoid health problems.
Call us to discuss your mold issue. At that time we can perform a mold inspection and if required, test the indoor air quality to determine the spore count and mold species.
If swab, tape, or indoor air quality tests are done, these will be sent to an accredited third party lab for the results. This report is used to scope the job for cleaning and repairs. Our Mitigation Project Manager will then discuss the cleaning process with you.
Once the area is has been mitigated, a Third Party air quality consultant will do a second air test to be sure that the air in your home or business will not promote further mold growth. Please note, some customers prefer the Third Party air quality consultant to do both the pre and post testing which we can arrange for you.
If your home was damaged by an insurable water emergency, like a flood or sewer backup, and your property needs reconstruction, our Project Manager will refer you to a reconstruction contractor we work with to survey the damage and discuss in detail your options and steps for rebuilding. If the mold is found in your basement, we offer a basement build out service as well. If your home experienced a sewer backup, we also can sanitize your home for you as well. Once you select us to perform the reconstruction work, we will require your authorization to work with your insurance company. We will then submit the estimate to your insurance company and work with them to reach an agreement on the cost to complete the repairs. We work for you and our goal is to get your home or business back to its pre-loss condition as quickly as possible. When the work is completed you will be asked to sign a Certificate of Satisfaction stating that you are satisfied with the restoration. This will be submitted to the insurance carrier for release of the final payment.
Got Mold Concerns?
Call Mold B Gone, 678-697-6267 or send us an e-mail. We are Atlanta’s leading certified experts for mold testing and mold remediation. With over two decades of experience and thousands of successful homes, you can trust us to take care of any mold remediation problem that you may have with the utmost care for you and your home.
The goal of Mold B Gone is to educate our customers about mold. We strongly believe that an educated and informed consumer can make better decisions when they have concerns about mold.
Included in this article are 36 links to articles that will help you learn about mold.
Please bookmark this page because we will update it with new articles as they are researched and published.
Top 3 Reasons Your Crawlspace Has High Humidity. This article explains why your crawlspace is humid, why this leads to mold and how you can fix the problem!
This article provides you with information to help you determine if you have a mold problem and explains what you should and should not do if you do find mold.
Recently a news article featured a woman who believes that she was poisoned by toxic black stachybotrys mold. This article explores this topic further!
Wondering if you are sensitive to mold? This article explains how to determine if you are mold sensitized, seeking treatment, and the next two steps to health!
Potential Health Complications Mold Exposure Has On Pregnant Women and Infants! Questions answered about SIDS, asthma, miscarriage, and pulmonary hemorrhage.
This article explains why many suffering from CIRS are diagnosed with depression caused by mold. Both scientific and anectodal data are cited. Learn more!
Top 3 Reasons Mold Sickness Is A Hidden Epidemic! You could be sick from mold and not even know it. This article explains why mold is a hidden epidemic!
37 million Americans suffer from sinusitis. Cause? This article lists the top 10 stats and facts citing MAYO clinic research that believes mold is the cause!
According to the CDC, rates of asthma among children in Georgia is 3% above the national average. Is mold a factor? This article cites stats and research!
Flood and water damage not only disrupts your life but can also be hazardous to your health! This article explains the top 3 hazards and prevention measures!
A flooded home or business is always a stressful situation. This blog provides you with the 3 steps required to reduce flood damage and most importantly, mold!
Home improvement is an American tradition. But, did you know that 6 out of 10 homes could have mold? Renovating can cause serious problems. Learn more!
If you or someone in your family suffers more frequently from colds or flus and you are not sure why, the cause could be poor indoor air quality. Learn more!
The purpose of this article is to explain how you air conditioner could be a source of mold contamination making you sick and what you can do to fix it.
Have a mold concern, wondering what it will cost to remove? This article provides you with a detailed explanation of how mold removal cost is determined!
Mold sprays, bleach, biocides, and fungicides are an ineffective “short cut” to mold removal. Killing mold is not the answer! This article explains why.
Mold Removal Is Referred To As Mold Remediation Because Professionals Follow These 8 Steps. This article explains the steps and why you need to hire a pro!
“My friend wondered why his son was still sick so he broke open the anti-spill guard of his Tommee Tippee glass and discovered mold inside the anti-spill top that you can’t see except if you break it open….He has washed it with his hands and in the dishwasher and the mildew has stayed anyway.(Penny Powell)”
Yesterday there were many news reports about mold being found in Tommee Tippee sippy cups.
Outraged parents are using social media to share photos of moldy Tommee Tippee sippy cups and calling for the manufacturer to investigate the potential health harm.
Tommee Tippee addressed the issue on their FaceBook page:
“We are always very attentive to your feedback, comments, ideas and the way in which the parents use our products and their children the experience….We understand that the well-being of your children is of paramount importance, and we assure you that we have tested the valves of our cups, and the results have clearly confirmed that when the instructions for use and cleaning are followed, all works correctly. In addition to our instructions for use of cups, we have prepared a list of FAQ to help you to clean your cups and their valves.”
The company recommends the cups only be used with cold fluids, including water and non-pulp juices, rather than thick or warm liquids, such as milk or pulpy juices.
Regardless of the brand or origin of your child’s sippy cup, we recommend that you check to see that mold is not building up. The remainder of this article explains why mold could make your child sick, why mold grows on sippy cups, and how you should properly clean the sippy cup.
Mold can also produce Mycotoxins, which are poisonous substances produced by mold.
With respect to mold in the sippy cups, this may make your child sick, causing coughing, wheezing, and other respiratory conditions. The other major concern is that if there is mold, then the sippy cup could be contaminated with bacteria that could also cause sickness.
Why Does Mold Grow In Sippy Cups?
Mold needs four ingredients to grow:
Mold Spores.
Temperature.
Moisture.
Mold Food.
Since mold spores are everywhere and not visible to the eye, sippy cups can easily become contaminated with mold spores, meaning there is not much you can do to prevent this.
The only way to prevent mold from growing in your children’s cups is to properly clean them to reduce traces of food.
The other key is to eliminate all moisture after cleaning the cup.
Cleaning Tips To Keep Your Child’s Sippy Cup Mold Free
NuspinKids, another manufacturer of sippy cups, has some excellent cleaning tips on their website.
They recommend the following:
Wash the cup immediately after each use.
FULLY disassemble the cup. Moisture and food collects in the joints between parts, and is exactly the type of place where mold can grow. Separate all straws, valves, rubber rings, plastic sliding covers, and so on. Use a straw brush to scrub inside straws. Use a straw brush or a toothpick to scrub inside valves.
Pre-rinse straws, valves, and other parts that collect food with warm water. Most rubber valves can be opened by pinching with your fingers. Pinch the valve and run water through it to pre-rinse.
Wash by hand in warm soapy water, or by dishwasher.
Shake out remaining water from all parts. Shake out any water collected inside straws. If your cup or straw has a rubber valve, pinch it open while you shake to get the water out.
FULLY dry all parts before assembly. This is a key step, since moist parts won’t dry once assembled. Consider storing the cup disassembled, and assemble only when ready to use.
To further guarantee your child’s sippy cups are extra clean, on a weekly or monthly basis you may want to use these advance sterilization techniques:
Washing in a dishwasher will sanitize, and some hotter dishwasher cycles can even sterilize. The dishwasher is often the best solution for keeping your cups extra clean without exposing them to excessive temperatures and harsh chemicals that can deteriorate plastic, rubber, steel, and paint.
A steam sterilizer is effective for killing mold. As with all methods, you must ensure that the parts are fully dried afterwards, so use the dry cycle if available.
A diluted chlorine bleach bath (typically 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water, soak for 2 minutes) is effective. If you do this proceed with caution. Don’t mix bleach with ammonia, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or other household cleaners, ensure proper ventilation by opening windows, and thoroughly rinse and clean all the cup parts.
A vinegar bath can help to clean grime, but isn’t effective enough to meet the technical definition of sterilization and will only kill about 70% of the mold.
What You Should Do If You Own A Tommee Tippee Sippy Cup?
What You Should Do If You Own A Tommee Tippee Sippy Cup?
If you own a Sippee Cup with a one-piece valve, Tommee Tippee will send you a transparent valve (pictured above), which can give you the confidence that the cup is clean every time, or a new cup can be selected entirely. Consumers are asked to call 1-877-248-6922 to receive either of these free options.
In addition, Tommee Tippee has some great cleaning tips and videos on their website to keep your child’s sippy cup clean and mold free.
Questions about mold? Don’t hesitate to contact us. We are mold experts that understand why and how mold grows. 🙂
This article article explains why mold grows on sippy cups, why it could make your child sick, and how you should properly clean the sippy cup!
Interview With Jack and Helen Graham: Mold Sensitized Success Story
Interview With Jack and Helen Graham: Mold Sensitized Success Story
For the past four years, I suffered from upper and lower digestive issues, extreme fatigue, and weakness. I was diagnosed with the lethal condition, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (unknown cause, hence no treatment). Later it was determined that the fibrosis was caused by acid reflux, which is treatable. I began to have difficulty breathing, which made me question the quality of our indoor air. The link between my health problems, poor indoor air quality and mold seems to be confirmed by the fact that when the house was retrofitted with new equipment and extensively cleaned my symptoms have largely been alleviated. Medical tests have shown improvement in my breathing and improved lung health. (Helen Graham)
Johnny Wells, owner of Mold-B-Gone, invested in the training from Wonder Makers Environmental so that he can offer a higher level of service and expertise to individuals suffering from mold related illnesses. Johnny also works with Stephen Andrews of HealthyAirUSA, another graduate of the course. Together, they are serving the needs of mold sensitized individuals in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.
Below is an interview with Jack and Helen Graham, who hired Mold-B-Gone and HealthyAirUSA, to investigate the indoor air quality of their home and most importantly remediate the mold and make sure that the indoor air quality contributed to their health and well-being.
1. When was mold identified as the cause of your sickness?
17 years ago we moved into our 2800 square foot three story dream home, which was approximately 30 years old. We are very fastidious with the cleaning and maintenance of the home.
Within two years of moving in, we began to find leaking issues with sewer pipes and other pipes in the home. In addition to fixing these issues, over the years we also installed a new roof, flooring, chimney, outside exterior, windows, and doors. We even hired a restoration company to remediate some mold and dry out other areas in the home.
Despite our efforts to fix moisture issues and remediate mold, Helen’s health continued to deteriorate.
In Helen’s words:
“For the past four years, I suffered from upper and lower digestive issues, extreme fatigue, and weakness. I was diagnosed with the lethal condition, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (unknown cause, hence no treatment). Later it was determined that the fibrosis was caused by acid reflux. I began to have difficulty breathing, which made me question the quality of our indoor air.”
2. What caused the mold in your house?
The mold was not obvious. We had noticed there was more dust on our furniture, though we were keeping our furniture and interior surfaces very clean.
What we learned is that in any home here in the South where the humidity is almost always above 70% and where homes are air-conditioned, mold invariably exists, no matter how much one cleans. This is even more prevalent in older homes.
3. What remediation contractor did you use?
“After 71 years of health and physically energetic living, I experienced fatigue, shortness of breath, and bodily pains. A colleague I worked with 7 years ago was so sick and weak she had to crawl up her home stairs. After seeing her early this year, she was energetic, enjoying her career and family, and looked wonderful. We had switched places: she was healed, and I was quite sick. Her thriving health seemed miraculous, so I asked her how she became well.”
Initially we had another mold removal specialist do an inspection of our home. He took pictures inside the ducts and above the drop-down ceiling and wanted to remove all the ducts and air flow systems. The estimated cost was $59,000 and the time for completion was two months.
The price, time, and other factors seemed high. We felt scare tactics were employed hearing twice the unacceptable statement, “I am sure you want your wife to live, don’t you?” Both of us decided not to hire that company.
After their work was complete, her health improved dramatically.
Specifically, we hired them for three key reasons.
First, their assessment of the problems was thorough and very professional. They used specialized equipment to measure humidity and moisture levels in each area of the home.
Second, they educated us on the different types of mold and fungi and explained how they would resolve the problem. There is no shame in having home mold. We always thought homes get mold if they are not cleaned properly, so we have been conscientious about maintaining the cleanliness of our home.
Finally, the cost was reasonable. The total cost for remediation, including new equipment not proposed by the first remediator, was $22,000, and it would only take 6 to 8 days!
4. How long did it take for the work to be completed?
We were impressed by the persons in the crew, and enjoyed their professionalism, competence and respect for our home. We enjoyed being with them in the mornings before we left for work.
The work was finished in 8 days, as they predicted. They worked Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday to overhaul all the air flow systems and returned the next Monday for 5 days to clean every object in the home. We had the weekend to ourselves, which seemed miraculous to us!
They explained in advance exactly what was going to happen and did not miss a beat in holding to their schedule.
They completed the job exactly as they said they would. We were introduced to every person who came into our home, and given a full appraisal of their experience.
At the end of the job they checked the air quality in every room to ensure that the fungal ecology was at healthy levels.
5. What difference do you think it made working with a mold sensitized trained contractor?
It made all the difference in the world to have a mold-sensitized trained contractor!
They knew what needed to be done. Both mold remediation, as well as the machinery and air circulation that were needed to cleanse the air and keep humidity at 40%, so mold could not be present.
They said that the air quality in the Master Bedroom was “surgical room quality.”
The air just seems “pure,” “fresh,” “hygienic,” “blue—if that is an image of cleanliness.”
We still have our house cleaned every two weeks, but the accumulation of dust is a tenth of what it was.
Perhaps the sense of the air quality is physiological, perhaps it is psychological, but Helen feels her breathing and energy are much better. I (Jack) have always grown up in old musty-smelling houses, but now that we have become educated about the harmful effects of mold, we are most grateful for the quality of this home improvement, and for the trust that we have experienced in the people who did this work.
6. What were the main steps/processes involved in the remediation?
After we made the decision to get the work done, we met with Johnny of Mold-B-Gone and Stephen of HealthyAirUSA as soon as possible. They told us that it would take 6-8 days and were very clear about what would happen on each day. We had assumed we would have to move out while the work was being done, yet they said that would not be necessary…what superb news!
With respect to specific steps, this is what they did.
They brought in a top tier duct cleaning service using 10,000 lbs of suction pressure. Then the edges of every duct opening where it meets the ceiling, were sealed. A large HEPA Air Cleaning system was added above the Master Bedroom. Then a large dehumidifier was added to dry out the entire house and keep the humidity of the house at a constant 47 percent, a level where no mold can grow and yet the wood does not dry and crack. The ceiling tiles in the lower level were all removed and cleaned on both sides and re-installed, the wood joists and all surfaces were coated with a mold preventative.
Once this step was completed, Mold-B-Gone brought in their team of five technicians who did a basement to roof cleaning of every surface and object, wiping every surface with a mold prevention cleaner developed by Johnny Wells. They were meticulous, cleaning every lamp, every object, every picture, every piece of furniture turned upside down, every drawer removed, emptied, cleaned, the contents cleaned, every one of about 3000 books individually cleaned. They took particular interest and care in cleaning about 60 antiquity objects dating from 5000 BCE to about 850 CE. This process took five days and they cleaned 12 rooms, including the garage.
For added “peace of mind”, there was a site supervisor that ensured that each step documented for us was followed through upon.
7. Further thoughts?
We highly recommend HealthyAirUSA and Mold-B-Gone because of the care and respect they demonstrated for the contents of home. Most importantly, they were easy to work with, friendly, and did an exceptional job.
Months after they were finished, Mold-B-Gone returned to investigate the mold on the caulking of the master shower. When Johnny and his staff supervisor, Rick, arrived it was liking seeing cherished friends. They are excellent professionals, fun and down-to-earth. They removed the contaminated caulking and re-caulked the shower and even brought ladders in to replace light bulbs in the hall entry at no extra cost.
Working with them was a marvelous experience because of their attitude, work ethic, and outstanding work. We have already referred friends and family to Mold-B-Gone and HealthyAirUSA because of their exceptional service.
We highly recommend Mold-B-Gone because of the care and respect they demonstrated for the contents of our home. Most importantly, they were easy to work with, friendly, and did an exceptional job!
