The final article in this series provides you with ten tips to prevent mold in your basement. Implement these tips to avoid future headaches and costly mold removal in the future.
Fix The Flooding Source!
The first step to preventing future flooding is to determine the cause and fix it. Most basements flood because of backed up drains, leaky pipes, human error (i.e. leaving a tap on), sewer back ups, the lack of a sump pump and/or a malfunctioning sump pump.
Start The Clean Up As Soon As Possible!
The onset of mold will begin within 24 to 48 hours, so it is essential that you begin the clean up immediately.
Hire Experienced Professionals!
If mold is not properly contained and cleaned properly, it can become airborne and contaminate even larger areas of the property.
You need to hire properly trained professionals, like Mold B Gone, who understand how to properly restore a water damaged property and prevent mold growth. Mold growth prevention is important because of the health impact it has and also because mold will impact the structural integrity of the property.
Remove All Wet and Contaminated Materials!
Most insurance companies will not recommend a complete gut for cost savings. Usually they recommend that it is necessary to only remove one foot of drywall above the flood line.
We do not because this could result in long term mold problems because moisture can creep up behind the surface. For this reason, we recommend a complete gut of the basement because the extra short term cost could result in significant long term cost savings.
The last thing you want to happen is for a reconstruction to occur only to find out six months later that you now have a mold problem.
Removal of all the drywall is not our only recommendation. We also suggest the removal of following: all flooring, including the sub-floor; insulation because it absorbs moisture; and finally, if the electrical panel was submerged under water, it should be replaced as well.
“Perhaps the most misunderstood aspect of bleach when proposed as a cleaner or sanitizing agent is that its effectiveness is greatly reduced in the presence of organic material. To be a successful sanitizer, bleach must be used on clean materials and surfaces. This is why bleach products are used in the laundry after the wash cycle or in a commercial kitchen as a component in the third sink after the dishes have been washed and rinsed. The efficacy of bleach as a sanitizer is also compromised by heat and light. Despite the fact that the chlorine odor may linger for some time after use, bleach loses strength so quickly that it is not considered to have a residual effect that would prevent future bacterial or fungal growth.”
Do Not Begin Any Rebuild Until the Basement Is Completely Dried Out!
We understand that a flooded basement disrupts your life and you want to resume your normal routine as soon as possible. However, patience is the key.
In addition, if the flood water was category 3, we recommend that swab tests be performed to ensure that the cleaning process was done effectively.
Only after it is verified that the basement is completely dry and sanitized and clearance testing verifies that the indoor air quality is healthy should the basement rebuild begin.
Properly Insulate Your Basement!
According to Mike Holmes, a respected contractor, insulation is one of the most important factors in preventing basement mold:
“When air, which is full of moisture, leaks into that insulation, it will inevitably lead to mould. Here’s why: Your basement, like every room in your home, has its own natural air convection. The air nearest the ceiling is warmer, and the air nearer the floor is cooler. The cold air at the bottom pushes the warm air up. As it rises, it comes into contact with the cooler exterior wall and releases the moisture it’s holding. It condensates. That air and moisture — if it’s able to get into the batt insulation through a gap in the seal — will wick into the insulation. Over time, it will soak that batt to the point that water can drip down the walls and pool on to the floor….You need a thermal break to stop hot from meeting cold….So, use closed cell spray foam insulation or rigid foam insulation, which will provide a thermal break and not trap any moisture. If you’re using foam insulation boards, make sure you Tuck Tape every seam, and spray-foam all corners and joints to create a 100% seal and a perfect thermal break. That way, you’ll know that anything you do inside your finished basement won’t have to be torn out in a few years because of mould.”
Cross-Ventilate!
If possible, open the windows on all sides of your basement in the evenings when the air is cooler to create a cross-ventilation air flow which will prevent excessive moisture and also ensure that a steady stream of fresh air is circulating throughout the basement.
Ensure Water Drains Away From Your Home’s Foundation!
One of the most effective ways to prevent water intrusion is to ensure that water is not sloping towards the foundation of your home but away from it. This is particularly important if your basement walls are porous and can trap moisture, which can lead to mold. To avoid this, ensure that the ground slopes away from the foundation walls of the home and your downspouts extend at least 6 feet away from the property.
Invest In A Dehumidifier!
To prevent excess moisture in your home, use a dehumidifier and consider waterproofing your basement by sealing cracks in the floor and walls with hydraulic cement and a concrete waterproofing sealer where the floor meets the walls.
Questions, call us, 678-697-6267, or contact us via e-mail. We look forward to serving you! 🙂
10 Tips To Prevent Basement #Mold!: If you are concerned about mold in your basement or your basement was recently flooded, implement these 10 tips to prevent mold growth. Learn more!
Where there is moisture, there will be mold. Unfortunately, if you experience water damage from a flood, the issue of mold is a bigger concern because there is so much moisture to promote mold growth. Mold is a problem because it can cause illness and this is the primary reason you want to prevent mold from growing.
Research done by Dr. Harriet Ammann, a mycotoxin expert, shows that mold exposure can damage the bodies systems:
Vascular: blood vessel fragility, hemorrhage from tissues or lungs
Digestive: diarrhea, vomiting, hemorrhage, liver damage, fibrosis and necrosis
Respiratory: trouble breathing, bleeding from lungs
Neurological: tremors, loss of coordination, headaches, depression, multiple sclerosis
One of the keys to preventing mold growth is to ensure that the water damaged area is completely dry before any reconstruction occurs. Unfortunately, this does not occur all the time, particularly when you hire inexperienced restoration contractors. To avoid this from happening, be sure that you pre-qualify your contractor and do your due diligence, review this article to learn more about the pre-qualifying process.
Hazard #2: Bacteria Growth
As explained in a previous article, one of the main priorities of a restoration contractor is to determine the category hazard of the water, ie. is it category 1, 2, or 3. This is very important because the worse type of water is black water which can cause some serious health conditions: gastroenteritis; Weil’s disease also known as Leptospirosis; Hepatitis; acute respiratory illnesses; and tetanus.
The number one rule about water damage is the longer you wait, the worse it will get. This is particularly true when you are trying to prevent hazardous bacteria from growing because category 1 water can turn into category 2 water and eventually category 3 water, which is the most toxic and causes many illnesses.
Hazard #3: Structural Damage
Water damage can impact the structural integrity of a property because large amounts of water can degrade the strength of the materials.
This is particularly true when mold begins to grow because mold feeds on the material and will continue to feed until it has finished consuming the material. This is the reason wood will rot when mold contaminates it.
As the wood is consumed and begins to rot, this will negatively impact the structural integrity of the home creating a health hazard, not to mention rotting wood will reduce the value of the property as well.
How Do I Protect My Family and Property If My Home Is Flooded?
Hiring an experienced professional is the most important step to protecting the health and well-being of your family. Experienced restoration professionals, like Mold B Gone, will not advise you to rush into the reconstruction phase of your restoration project because they understand that the key to preventing mold is to ensure that the flood affected area is completely dry.
Reconstruction after restoration is essential to restoring the daily routine of your life. However, if the property is reconstructed and moisture is still present, this will create long term headaches and costs because mold will grow. To avoid mold growth, patience is the key to allow the area to dry completely.
You will know that reconstruction has occurred to soon if you begin to have condensation on your windows; smell musty odors; and find other clues that moisture is present including water stains, new or increased allergy symptoms, cracked or peeling paint, loose drywall tape or wall paper, rusty metal, and drawers or doors that stick.
If you do have a mold problem, then please avoid fly-by-night mold removal contractors that lack experience and credentials. They may present you with cheaper mold removal estimates, particularly if they tell you they can remediate your mold with ozone, do all the clean up with bleach, or simply run a machine that fogs and kills the mold.
To avoid the pitfalls of hiring fly-by-night operators who do not offer a guarantee and lack experience, hire a professional like Mold B Gone that has years of experience, specialized training, equipment, and a solid reputation in the community. Experienced contractors will provide you with a recovery plan of action that outlines what will be done to address the water damage and prevent mold growth. The plan will outline the following for you:
An assessment of the category of water and extent of damage;
A scope of work that will assess structural issues based on the class of damage;
Content removal and cleaning plan;
Steps required to remove excess water;
A drying and monitoring strategy using air movers and dehumidifers; and
A sanitizing plan to ensure a healthy environment.
Furthermore, we do not recommend that you begin the cleanup or tear up yourself, particularly because of the potential hazards that asbestos may cause if asbestos containing materials become air borne. However, if you have contacted a professional and are waiting for them to arrive and must begin some of the clean up yourself, take the following precautions:
Have the area cleared by emergency workers if you have standing water in an area where fuse boxes and/or electrical circuitry is submerged before attempting to pump out the water.
Turn off your gas line.
Wear an N95 or N100 respirator mask, available at most hardware and medical supply stores.
Wear rubber boots and puncture-resistant gloves. Ideally, don a polypropylene coverall.
Be sure to carefully dry any belongings you want to try to save.
Items that should be thrown out, particularly if they have been underwater include the following: carpet, carpet padding, and rugs; upholstered furniture; computers, microwaves, window A/C units, or any appliances that have fans; papers and books; and food items, including canned foods if they were in contact with flood waters.
The primary purpose of water damage restoration is to restore the property to pre-loss condition. Before the reconstruction phase of the project begins, we recommend that you consult with an environmental consultant to do post remediation tests, particularly if there was any mold, category 2 or 3 water present. This is an important step before reconstruction because it will verify that the water damage restoration was done properly.
If you have questions, call us, 678-697-6267 or use our online form. We look forward to serving you!
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!
3 Actions Required To Minimize Flood Damage & Mold
3 Actions Required To Minimize Flood Damage & Mold
All life–plants, animals, and humans–is composed of cells, which require water to function. In fact, cells can not survive without water. The human body, which is made up of 50% to 70% water, and it’s trillions of cells require water to function properly.
Water is a life force, without it we can not survive; but it can also be very destructive causing disease, property damage, and long term health issues.
Mold is a fungus and also has cells, but can not survive without water. Water and moisture is the key ingredient mold needs to grow; unlike a plant which can make its own food using photosynthesis, mold is unable to. The three ingredients mold needs to thrive and grow include the following:
1. A food source, which is material high in cellulose content: paper, wood, drywall, wallpaper, carpet, ceiling tiles, dust, and dirt.
2. The ideal temperature, between 5 degrees and 38 degrees.
3. Of course, as mentioned above, water and moisture. Mold can not proliferate and thrive without water. Hence, the best defense against mold is to minimize moisture.
Mold is everywhere. It has a purpose in our eco-system, ie. to break down dead organic matter from animals and plants. This is the reason that mold is often referred to as “nature’s recycler”. Since mold is everywhere, we are constantly exposed to it and inhale mold spores everyday. If the spore count is relatively low, as it is in the outdoor environment, it does not cause too many health concerns.
In an indoor environment, however, with less ventilation and fresh air, mold will cause problems because the concentration of spores will increase resulting in unhealthy air. In short, mold causes sickness when it grows indoors because the spore count increases as mold reproduces meaning larger concentrations of spores are inhaled.
The other major problem caused by mold relates to structural damage. Like a cancer or parasite, once mold begins to grow it will continue to feed on its host leading to dry rot of the wood, buckling foundations, and other structural damage, like possibly a collapsing roof.
In order to minimize flood damage you need to take immediate action to prevent the onset of mold.
Action Step #1: Water and Electricity Do Not Mix
Safety is the first major concern. If you have flood water entering your home or business, you need to take immediate action to avoid electrical shock. This means you need to remove any extension cords that are under water, turn off the breakers in flooded areas, and most importantly, if you need assistance, call your electrical utility for help.
Action Step #2: Immediate Clean Up Is Essential
Contact Mold B Gone immediately because we are professionals and have the protective gear, equipment, and experience to take action.
Mold needs water to grow so it is absolutely imperative that the clean up process starts right away. Preventing mold growth is accomplished by removing all of the water and then deploying drying equipment, air movers, and dehumidifiers. Once the water is out, and much of the excess moisture is removed, the next step is to remove all of the porous contaminated material such as drywall, wet carpet, etc. and dispose of it. This is particularly important if there is any category 3 water in the home. Once the flooded area is properly gutted and the contaminated material is disposed of, it is important that the area is dry and disinfected before any reconstruction begins.
Sometimes, during a major storm, when many households are affected by flooding, restoration companies can become overwhelmed with calls. While they are waiting, many home owners will begin the clean up process themselves. If you decide to begin the clean up process, we strongly suggest that you use rubber gloves, boots, protective clothing, and a respirator.
Action Step #3: Call Your Insurance Adjuster
Dealing with a flood can be stressful and overwhelming, but rest assured if you implement the first two action steps and then call your insurance adjuster to begin the claim process, everything will be fine. Remember, the whole process of water damage restoration is to restore your home to pre-flood condition.
Call (470)545-4467 or send an e-mail. Mold B Gone has been serving residents of Atlanta since 2009 and have the experience to manage any water damage situation, big or small. Plus, we guarantee all of our service.
Three Steps to Reduce #Flood Damage: 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!
If your home is flooded, the first 24 to 48 hours are critical because this is all the time mold and other microorganisms needs to begin growing and thriving.
Five conditions are required by fungi and bacteria to germinate, grow, amplify, and disseminate:
Organic food source, especially cellulose (e.g., paper, wood), which are found in abundance in construction materials.
Moisture, even high humidity (67% RH plus)
Moderate temperature – 68-86°F/20-30°C
Stagnant air
Time – several hours to several days.
Water damage restoration has two main goals. First, to restore the home to pre-loss condition. Second, to prevent the onset of mold and other microorganisms.
In order to accomplish these goals, you need to take action immediately. These are the action steps.
Contact a restoration contractor immediately to begin the removal of excess water. Once the excess water is removed, the restoration contractor can deploy drying equipment, dehumidifiers, and air movers, which will be effective at preventing mold growth.
Contact your insurance company to begin the claims process.
Fact #2: Mold Growth Is Not The Only Concern
Fact #2: Mold Growth Is Not The Only Concern
The other reason time is not on your side relates to the bio-hazard level of the water. There are three hazard levels.
Category 1 Water, also known as clean water, is not considered hazardous because it originated directly from a sanitary source such as a broker water supply line, melting ice or snow, rain water, and/or uncontaminated tub or sink water.
Category 2 Water, also known as gray water, is a health concern because the water originated from a contaminated source such as discharge from dishwashers or washing machines, toilet bowl overflows (urine, no feces), seepage due to hydrostatic pressure, and sump pump failures. Gray water has bacteria present that carries nutrients for microorgnisms that cause sickness and discomfort when consumed.
Category 3 Water, also known as black water, is the worst level of water contamination because the water originated from sewage, rising flood water from rivers and streams, and ground surface water flowing horizontally into the home. Black water can cause death and sickness because it can be contaminated with E. Coli; Acanthamoeba; Salmonella; Helicobacter pylori; Leptospira; Cryptosporidium; Giardia; Hepatitis A Virus; Clostridium Tetani; and Adenoviridae. Illnesses caused by black water include gastroenteritis; Weil’s disease also known as Leptospirosis; Hepatitis; acute respiratory illnesses; and tetanus.
The problem with standing flood water is that the risk of bio-hazard increases as time passes. In short, after two to three days, clean water can turn to gray water, and eventually black water as bacteria and pathogens begin to grow and proliferate.
Fact #3: Water Damage Restoration Should Be Done By Professionals
Fact #3: Water Damage Restoration Should Be Done By Professionals
The immediate inclination of most property home owners is to begin the clean up process themselves and if you do, please take precautions because micro-organisms enter the body through direct contact or by breathing in contaminants. For this reason, always wear protective clothing, rubber boots, gloves, eye, and respiratory protection.
In order to avoid long term health, structural, and mold concerns, we recommend the services of a professional restoration company that has the experience and training to restore your home to pre-loss condition.
Well trained professionals understand that not all water damage restoration projects are the same. When they are formulating their action plan also known as a scope of work, they will assess the hazard level of the water, but will also determine the extent of destruction to create a sensible plan of action.
There are four distinct classes of destruction:
Class 1 Destruction: The lowest and easiest to deal with, this has a slow evaporation rate. Only part of a room or area was affected, there is little or no wet carpet, and the moisture has only affected materials with a low permeance rate, such as plywood or concrete.
Class 2 Destruction: With a fast evaporation rate, this level affects an entire room, carpeting, or cushioning, the wetness has wicked up the walls at least 12”, and there is moisture remaining in structural materials.
Class 3 Destruction: This class has the fastest evaporation rate, and ceilings, walls, insulation, carpet and sub-floors are all saturated. The liquid may have come from overhead.
Class 4 Destruction: This class is labeled as a specialty drying situations, which means there has been enough liquid and time to saturate materials with very low permeance, such as hardwood, brick, or stone.
Other reasons you should hire a professional include the following:
Trained professionals have specialized equipment to pump out excess water, commercial grade dehumidifiers and air movers.
Experienced professionals have the knowledge to properly determine the class of destruction and category of water to put together a scope of work (ie. plan of action).
Ability to assess structural issues caused by the water damage, which could have long term safety and property value consequences if not fixed properly.
Advise you on what contents can be cleaned and what needs to be thrown out.
Create a drying and monitoring strategy using air movers and dehumidifiers.
Create a sanitizing plan to ensure a healthy living environment.
As a final note, in addition to using the services of a professional restoration company, we also recommend that you hire a third party environmental firm to perform post-remediation verification tests on the air quality to assess the mold spore count and sewage contamination tests if the flood water had category 3 water. These tests should be performed before any reconstruction occurs because it will provide you with verification that the water damage restoration was done properly. There is a cost to post-remediation verification, but it is well worth the investment for peace of mind that the work was done properly. Long term, this final step could save you thousands of dollars and future headaches because if any moisture or bacteria is present after the rebuild is complete, much of the reconstruction will eventually need to be torn down, particularly if there is mold.
Questions? We are here to help. Call us, 678-697-6267 or send us an e-mail.
Water damage restoration restores a property to pre-loss condition after a flood. Check out the top 3 facts. Hint: #Mold is not the only concern.
In March of this year, Wonder Makers Environmental, based in Michigan, launched www.moldsensitized.com with the goal of educating consumers, contractors, and health professionals on the health concerns caused by mold. The website’s goal is to be the ultimate resource of mold information and contains many articles written by the CEO, Michael Pinto.
There is a lack of appreciation in the medical community of the impact mold can have on certain individuals.
Symptoms from mold sickness are broad, leading to multiple mis-diagnosis of patients by many doctors.
Mold sensitized individuals seek help from multiple medical practitioners because their illnesses continue.
The mold sensitized individual eventually learns that mold has been the cause of their sickness.
Because traditional remediation approaches do not adequately address their sensitivities, mold sensitized individuals often are forced to seek alternative shelters.
According to experts featured on the MOLDY documentary, 28 percent of the population have genes that make them highly susceptible to mold-related illness. Putting this into perspective, and based on the population of the metro Atlanta area, there are approximately 1.5 residents susceptible to mold sickness.
According to Dr. Richie Shoemaker, a physician and expert in the field of biotoxin-related illness and author of the book Surviving Mold, the most common condition associated with mold illness is Chronic Inflammatory Syndrome.
What Is Chronic Inflammatory Syndrome?
Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS), also known as Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), is a combination of illnesses or aliments that are in direct relation with an individual’s place of work or home environment:
An acute and chronic, systemic inflammatory response syndrome acquired following exposure to the interior environment of a water-damaged building with resident toxigenic organisms, including, but not limited to fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes and mycobacteria as well as inflammagens such as endotoxins, beta glucans, hemolysins, proteinases, mannans, c-type lectins and possibly spirocyclic drimanes, plus volatile ogranic compounds.
The term Sick Building Syndrome was first coined by the World Health Organization in the 1980s and it is believed that it is caused by poor air quality caused by water damage.
According to Shoemaker:
This illness happens after exposure to the interior environment of a Water-Damaged Building (WDB). There are many ways buildings become home to a toxic mix of microbes, fragments of microbes, and harmful chemicals. Buildings can host fungi, bacteria, mycobacteria, and actinomycetes as a result of construction defects like inappropriate ventilation; faulty construction of crawl spaces or inadequate building design; flat roofs or fake stucco cladding without adequate caulking; incomplete basements exposed to saturated ground water conditions; or not correcting water leaks.
According to Shoemaker, 25% of the population has a genetic pre-disposition to CIRS; women tend to report more symptoms than men:
Genes made them prime targets for an assault by their own innate immune systems….exposure to the interior environment of a Water-Damaged Building (WDB), [causes] an innate immune response that is going haywire.
Individuals exposed to the toxins in a water damaged building suffer from chronic illness because their bodies are trying to eliminate the foreign substances that stay in the body resulting in chronic inflammation and multiple symptoms. In fact, one of the reasons that it is so difficult to diagnose CIRS is due to the fact that there are 37 symptoms: fatigue; weakness; aches; muscle cramps; unusual pain; ice pick pain; headache; light sensitivity; red eyes; blurred vision; tearing; sinus problems; cough; shortness of breath; abdominal pain; diarrhea; joint pain; morning stiffness; memory issues; focus/concentration issues; word recollection issues; decreased learning of new knowledge; confusion; disorientation; skin sensitivity; mood swings; appetite swings; sweats (especially night sweats); temperature regulation or dysregulation problems; excessive thirst; increased urination; static shocks; numbness; tingling; vertigo; metallic taste; and tremors.
Because of the large number of symptoms and different combinations that a patient can have, CIRS is difficult to diagnose.
If you have been suffering from ill-health for an extended period of time and the treatments that you are prescribed do not seem to help, then here are some recommended action steps.
Listen to your body. If you are feeling sick and despite under-going multiple treatments still continue to feel sick, then do not give up on trying to find out what the cause is.
Review the experiences of mold survivors to gain greater insight into mold sickness. One of the primary reasons you want to do this is so that you will have some further evidence that you can take to your preferred medical practitioner.
Continue to educate yourself. Because of the lack of knowledge in the mainstream medical community, you need to take a lead role in determining whether mold is making you sick.
Finally, if after all your research, you think that mold is the problem, then verify the existence of mold in your home by investing in a mold inspection and air quality test.
What Should I Do If I Am Diagnosed With Mold Sickness?
If you suspect that you are sick because of mold, then the next step is to find a Doctor that has knowledge about mold sickness. To find listings of environmental doctors throughout the world, click here.
Two Steps To Recovery!
Once you are diagnosed, there are two distinct steps to your recovery.
Seek Medical Treatment
Medical treatment is designed to detox your body and allow your immune system to recover and begin to regain its strength. The detox strategy will be prescribed by your physician who will likely recommend that you remove yourself from the property that has been making you sick until it is safe to occupy again.
Remediate Your Home
The process of removing mold from your home and ensuring that you can move back in without experiencing further sickness is the long term solution to health recovery.
In the past, mold sensitized individuals were forced to abandon their primary residences even after remediation because contractors did not understand the Big Picture of how the remediation and cleaning activities have to be coordinated with the medical and building maintenance aspects of the project.
If you want to invest into mold remediation, we recommend that you hire a contractor that has invested in the remediation for sensitized individuals training. Our team are currently the only mold remediation company in Atlanta that have graduated from this course. We work closely with the other graduate, Healthy Air, for all for all of our pre-testing and post testing on all homes and businesses we perform remediation work on. In addition, Mold B Gone specializes in whole house and room sanitizing to reduce the amount of bacteria and pathogens in your home allowing you to breath easier and healthier.
Mold B Gone offers mold sensitized individuals these five key benefits:
Commitment to completing the job correctly the first time, with the understanding that our goal is provide you with a safe place to live or work because our team knows that our work practices can impact your health.
Clear understanding that the environmental portion of projects with sensitized individuals has many facets (i.e., source removal, content cleaning, HVAC decontamination, whole structure cleaning, building performance improvements, etc.) and will provide services only in those areas where they are qualified.
Clear understanding that your project requires procedures that are more protective than the current standard of care for the mold remediation industry.
Commitment to specific project endpoints that have been designed for sensitized individuals (endpoints that incorporate the latest health/science data).
Long term cost savings, peace of mind, and less anxiety because we will be familiar with situations like yours and the most effective techniques for this stringent remediation.
Mold B Gone is here to help and committed to serving mold sensitized individuals. If you suspect that mold is making you sick, call us, 678-697-6267 or contact us via e-mail for further assistance. Our goal is to help you live a healthier and happy life. Most importantly, we truly empathize with your situation and are committed to helping you and guarantee our services.
How Do I Know If Mold Is #Making Me Sick? 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!
Most people are unaware that their indoor air could be polluted. Indeed, today, we spend 90% of our time indoors, relying on our HVAC systems to create a constant stream of healthy air. Our health is dependent on the the quality of the air we breathe. The problem with indoor air pollution is that is not visible to the naked eye, meaning the quality of your air could be making you sick without you even knowing it. Despite your efforts to maintain a clean and healthy household, you still may be getting sick because of indoor pollutants.
Symptoms of Poor Indoor Air Quality
Our bodies are designed to rid ourselves of toxins and pollutants, this is one of the reasons that we get sick and experience colds and flus. However, if you or other’s in your family seem to always be sick, the air you are breathing could be the cause.
Do you often experience the following health issues?
Headaches;
Respiratory issues such as asthma, sinusitis, and other respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia;
Excessive coughing and/or a breathless feeling;
Dizziness, confusion, malaise, trouble concentrating, and other cognitive disorders;
Skin irritation, itchiness, and rashes;
Ear and/or eye infections
If you consistently experience these symptoms, the air you are breathing could be the cause.
A simple test is to record how you feel when you are away from your home or business. If you feel sick when you are in your home or business, but feel much better when you are away, then this could be a clue that the air is making you sick.
What Causes Poor Indoor Air Quality?
Contaminated air can seep in from the outside or could be caused by indoor sources like construction materials, consumer products, mold, insects, and pets. The effect of pollutants is compounded by poor ventilation which allows pollutants to accumulate to unhealthy levels.
Poor indoor air quality in your home or business could also be caused by factors such as the building design, heating/cooling design, and/or previous water damage.
Other potential causes of poor indoor air quality include the following:
High humidity levels.
Airborne dust problems from poorly maintained ducts or other sources in the building.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) which are chemicals released by building materials and furniture.
Inadequate ventilation caused by mechanical or building issues.
Combustion problems leading to high levels of Carbon Monoxide (CO) or Carbon Dioxide (CO2).
Sewer gas leakages, leading to odors.
Recurring water damage, causing growth of mold and other bacteria.
Radon, the second highest cause of lung cancer, most likely seeping through the foundation in your basement.
Radioactive marble or granite in the home.
Air borne asbestos, a cause of mesothelioma.
What Should I Do?
The easiest way to determine if the air you are breathing is making you sick is to call an indoor air quality specialist to test the air. Indoor air quality professionals have specialized equipment that can test the air for radon, mold spores, and other pollutants.
At Mold B Gone, our Indoor Air Quality testing uses OSHA, NIOSH, and EPA testing procedures to investigate indoor air quality complaints. We can test for 100s of compounds, including gases, chemicals, dust, and biological samples to give you a profile of your air.
One of the services we specialize in is mold testing, which is done by taking air samples from both inside and outside the building so the spore numbers can be compared with each other. If the testing shows high mold spore counts, then a mold inspection and mold removal plan will be provided to you.
In order to ensure the most accurate and reliable results, Mold B Gone utilizes specialized calibration instruments and sample handling procedures. In addition, controlled samples are compared with yours to ensure the most accurate results possible. We use Third Party Labs to analyze the results of all of the samples we take to provide you with a detailed air quality report and recommendations.
If you are concerned that you may have indoor air quality issues and have questions, call 678-697-6267 or send us an e-mail.
What Is Indoor Air Quality Testing? 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!
