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Green Mold What You Need To Know

Green Mold: What You Need To Know

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Often when we discover mold in our homes we hit our internal panic button. By its very nature mold can be off putting, and most everyone knows the dangers that mold can bring into your home. Green mold is not only visually off putting, but, as with any mold infestation, it can be very hard to get rid of. To make matters worse, if left unchecked, it can overwhelm your property and send your home’s resale value into the basement. So here are a few things to keep in mind when you discover green mold in your home.

Green Mold: What You Need To Know

There Isn’t One Green Mold

Green mold could be any number of molds, with over one hundred thousand know types of mold and thousands of those molds being green, the color of mold sadly does not tell you much.

Green Mold Probably Isn’t Safe

Because there are so many kinds of molds, even green ones, the only way to know if the mold you have discovered is hazardous is to have it tested.

A safe rule of thumb is that generally all molds possess some level of potential hazard to your health, and the danger increases with prolonged exposure. Even if you know what kind of mold you are dealing with, you are going to have to get rid of it.

Get Rid Of Green Mold Sooner Rather Than Later

Don’t waste valuable removal time trying to identify the mold you have in your home. This wasted time will only allow the mold to spread further into your home. As we said above, the longer mold stays in your home, the more dangerous its effects become. It also does more damage to your home.

You Don’t Have Tackle Green Mold Alone

In some instances, you can remove green mold yourself. If it’s a small patch in an open area with no crevices, meaning you can be sure you can completely eliminate the mold, it’s probably safe to clean it yourself. Many mold problems don’t fit that category, or you may simply want to stay clear of the mold. Thankfully there are mold remediation specialists like us at Restoration Certified Specialists, RCS, who are happy to remove the mold and do any repairs that are required. Call us about your mold problem.

 

 

3 Signs Your Water Heater Needs Repair

3 Signs Your Water Heater Needs Repair

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Your water heater, while you may not interact with it directly, is an appliance that your entire family uses every day. It is responsible for making water in your home warmer whenever you want it to be, from taking a shower to washing your dishes. The threat of losing your hot water is bad enough, but you also want to avoid the costly and hazardous structural damage caused by a leaky water heater. Below are the main signs of a water heater malfunction so you can get it addressed sooner rather than later.

3 Signs Your Water Heater Needs Repair

Your water is cold.

If cold water is coming from your faucets and sinks all the time, it is because your water heater has little to no more heat left. Sedimentation is a common cause of this, and it is the accumulation of sediment at the base of the heater’s tank. Faulty heating elements also cause this. We use the hot water in our homes often enough that we usually notice when the temperature drops even a little. Unless someone in the home is using more hot water than normal and draining the tank, a temperature drop is a sign that something needs to be repaired.

You hear a weird noise in its vicinity

If your heater is making popping, clunking, or rumbling noises, this is a sign that the water in your heater is boiling or overheating. The noise is primarily coming from water that is trapped under the sediment, similar to how boiled water in a pot will push up a lid that tried to keep it contained. With this in mind, it is possible for your heater to burst as a result of overheating. Again, contact a repair service right away.

There is a puddle or wet material in the water heater’s vicinity

If you notice warer near or underneath your water heater, find out where this water is coming from, fast. This could be caused by one of multiple different things from a leaky gasket to a leaky pipe to a loose fitting. Make sure that your connections are all secure and tight, with no holes or leaks anywhere. If you see a hole or notice something you cannot fix right away, shut off the water and have a repairman solve this problem.

It is also possible for the temperature pressure valve to leak water. If you see puddles forming around this valve, examine it to make sure that it is closing properly. In some cases, this valve will turn out to be defective, and will have to be replaced. A faulty temperature pressure valve needs to be replaced as soon as possible, as it can lead to very serious consequences such an explosion from your heater’s tank.

If you see rusty looking water near the base of your water heater, the base is leaking and rusting out. This is a sign to get a new heater when this happens.

After a leak, seek water extraction services to ensure the area is free of water damage and the opportunity for mold growth.

Regular Examinations

Be sure that you are following a scheduled examination of your water heater from qualified professionals, as it is the most effective way to identify, solve, and prevent these problems in the future. It is also necessary to drain your heater at least once a year to fully clean it of sediment.

 

Flooded Water Leak Don't Extract Water Yourself

Flooded? Water Leak? Don’t Extract Water Yourself

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Yikes! Your room, or home, is flooded. Should you extract the water yourself or should you call a professional? DIY works for many things, but water extraction isn’t one of them. This is a job best left to the professionals, and here’s why:

Floor Coverings

Depending on the type of water damage and the type of floor covering you have, your flooring might be salvaged. If you have carpeting, and it can stay, a professional extraction using a weighted extractor must be used to get all the water out of both the carpet and padding. A rug cleaner or wet/dry vac absolutely will not do the job. The same is true for wood floors; specialized equipment must be used to remove water from underneath a solid wood floor. Floating floors like Pergo must be torn out, but tile can usually stay.

Type of Water

Are you dealing with clean water, grey water, or contaminated (black) water? Industry professionals know the water types and the remediation measures required for each, so leave this job to us. Contaminated water removal requires special safety equipment and procedures so that the rest of your house does not become contaminated.

Environmental Concerns

Your flooded room may seem dry after you’ve used the wet/dry vac, but it is likely not very dry at all. Professionals have electronic sensors, air movers and dehumidifiers to help dry out your house. We use specific formulas to calculate how much equipment you will need to do the job. To do the job right, there must be air movement and dehumidification, otherwise you’ll have a mold issue in no time.

Moisture Mapping

How do you know that your house is truly dry? We bring moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras to find the wet spots in your house. We target those areas to make sure your house is dry in every spot.

Insurance Documentation

Not to be overlooked, having a professional document everything that your insurance company needs is a huge timesaver and stress reliever. We use a standard documentation package that’s over 50 pages long, and we guarantee it is what your insurance company needs. Our documents also come in handy when you sell the home and need this paperwork for the new owner.

Water remediation is a very complex business. Every step must be done right. Give us a call. We’re open 24 hours and ready to help with your water damage.

Basement Flooding: What To Do

Basement Flooding: What To Do

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Basement flooding, you never expect it and you can't really prepare for it. Unexpected issues happen all the time in homes, but a basement flood is not only unexpected, it can also be very dangerous.

Turn It Off

The absolute first thing that you need to do when your basement floods is to shut off any power and gas into the basement. The importance of this can not be stated strongly enough. If you do not know where your shutoffs are call an electrician before entering the basement.

Wear Protective Gear

Once you are sure the water is safe from electrical or gas dangers, you should still put on protective gear before entering the water. Wearing gloves and boots or waders is advised. The water you are walking in is likely going to be grey water but could easily be black water, depending on the source. Until you are sure what type of flooding you are dealing with, take all precautions.

Stop The Water, Fast

It is important that you identify the location of where the water is entering your home as soon as you are able. If the water is entering from a broken pipe, shut off the water. Check your drains as well to ensure they are unclogged. Determine the extent of damage to your basement with the knowledge that time is against you in the cleanup process. If the water is greywater and not black water you will have 48 hours to remove the water as well as clean and dry everything. If you are unable to do this, you need to seek out the help of a professional cleaning service for the safety of your home and family.

Clean Or Have It Cleaned

If it something you can clean yourself, read our steps on this other post. If not, look to the next paragraph.

A professional team will arrive on scene and begin removing all standing water from your home. Any and all water damaged items and furniture will be removed and dried off entirely. If the basement is carpeted, it will likely need to be removed as it can prove difficult to dry and any moisture that it could hold can promote mold growth. Additionally any wet drywall will likely need to be replaced. Often with flooding, dirt will infiltrate the basement and any contaminated dirt will need to be removed from your basement and crawlspaces.

In any case of serious flooding we strongly suggest calling in a professional team of experts to restore your home to the its pre-flood condition of safety, comfort, and appearance. Time is not your friend in a flood situation and after the first 48 hours when the water becomes black, a whole host of mold and bacteria begin to settle on the flood site. If not properly cleaned, this can become issues that can hurt your family's health for years to come.

How Insects Could Signal A Leak

How Insects Could Signal A Leak

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When it comes to some insects in your home, you will find that they are a direct result of moisture in your home as well as the mildews and fungi in your home. If you happen to see a lot of insects in your house, then it might be an indication that there is a water leak or some other form of moisture problem inside of your home. Some insects are feeders on mold and mildew, and they typically will require the humid conditions that mildew usually prefer.

If you want to find one of the best ways to look for a leak in your home, you really should keep an eye out to look for insects that might be in your home. If they happen to be the type of insects that gravitate towards water or mildew and mold, then it’s time for you to consider the fact that you might have a problem.

The following are some of the top insects that might spell leak:

The main one is the foreign grain beetle that comes along with a couple other tiny beetles that like to feed mainly on mildew and fungal spores that might occur when you have a leak in your house. Typically, you will find that it is common in new homes because there is mildew on some lumber that has absorbed water and provides a great food source for the insects, resulting in the infestation.

Additionally, there are some other insects that might cause some problems in your house and could indicate a leak such as the merchant and sawtoothed grain beetles and psocids.

Roaches and water bugs also gravitate toward water, so a sudden infestation of those may indicate a leak also.

If you’re wondering how to deal with a problem when it comes to an infestation with these bugs, then you will find that there are some helpful tips you can follow. For starters, ensure that you increase your home or building's ventilation, take measures to reduce the moisture, and have good sanitation at all times. Additionally, you need to understand that weeks and weeks of drying out may be necessary to help stop the infestation so don’t think you will see immediate results when you stop the problem.

As always, if you have excess moisture or a leak and you don’t take care of it, then the problem is just going to persist. Before you try and take care of the infestation, make sure you take care of the leak that led to the infestation, otherwise you will have the same problem in just a few weeks or it might not ever go away.

 

 

Ways to Immediately Limit Water Damage Before Professionals Arrive

Ways to Immediately Limit Water Damage Before Professionals Arrive

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A huge amount of water all over your floor can be a nightmare come to life for any homeowner. This can happen because of a burst water pipe, a malfunctioning hot water heater, a leaking roof or an overflowing washer. Take comfort in the fact that there are several things you can do to limit the water damage between the time of the incident and when a professional arrives to restore your home to pristine condition.

 

Ways to Immediately Limit Water Damage Before Professionals Arrive

 

Shut Off the Power

Shut off the power immediately. If the water gets into electrical appliances or electrical outlets when they are on, it could ruin the electronic circuits. Head to the circuit breaker and flip the switches for the affected areas. Unplug any electronics, including appliances, in the way of the water.

Pull Up Carpets

Pull up any carpets or rugs, and get them out of the way. You can dry them and disinfect them later, but you have to limit the water damage first. Pull up any padding underneath. The carpet may shrink from contact with the water. 

Remove the Water

The only way to stop everything from staying soaked is to get rid of the water. Use mops, buckets and towels. Send all of this water outside into a storm drain or your lawn. If you still have power, you can dry using a wet/dry vacuum, but be very careful not to get the plug or extension cord wet.

Dry Out the Area

Set up fans and open windows to get a breeze going in the affected area. This dries out any remaining water as much as possible. A dehumidifier works well. Drying with air eliminates any last bits of water you can’t reach with a towel.

Disinfect

You must disinfect any permeable surfaces, such as walls and wooden floors, very soon after the water damage occurs. This prevents mold from seeping into drywall and wood. Once mold starts to grow, it is very hard to get rid of, and black mold can cause severe health problems.

Throw Things Away

Salvage what you can, but throw away the rest. Get rid of any items damaged beyond repair. Follow your city’s guidelines for the disposal of electronics because electronics shouldn’t be thrown into a landfill.

In the midst of all of this, you need to call a professional cleaning service with experience in cleaning water damage to assess what needs to happen next. These professionals can mitigate any mold problems, suggest improvements and document precisely what happened. You’ll need this type of documentation for any insurance claims you make on the home itself or for your damaged items.