MOLD REMEDIATION IN CHARLESTONSC

WHY IS MOLD A PROBLEM?

• STRUCTURAL DAMAGE

• HEALTH PROBLEMS

• FINANCIAL PROBLEMS

MOLD REMEDIATION IN YOUR BUSINESS

Mold contamination is a growing concern for businesses of all sizes. Mold, a fungus that is found in damp places, can grow almost anywhere moist conditions exist. Left unattended, it can cause health problems as well as serious structural damage to your facility. As your go-to experts in mold remediation, we take a methodical and systematic approach to carefully identify the source of the mold growth and help eliminate mold from your working environment.

MOLD REMEDIATION IN YOUR HOME

One of the worst contaminants known is the silent but dangerous growth of mold. Mold can grow indoors on wet or damp surfaces, such as wallpaper, ceiling tiles, carpets, insulation material, wood and drywall. It can start to grow within 48 hours and if left unchecked, can have serious impacts on both your quality of life and your home’s physical structure. If you see signs of mold or suspect that it has infected your home, we’re here to help remediate the problem and prevent long-term damage.

The 7 Things Mold Needs to Grow in Your Home

No homeowner wants to hear that they have mold in their home but many don’t know the key factors that play into mold growth. Mold remediation services will usually be needed if you do find mold in your home. Learn about the following 7 things that mold needs in your home in order to become an issue:

Mold Spores in Air

Mold doesn’t appear just out of thin air; it is already within the air. Tiny mold spores naturally occur in the air that we breathe everyday but it doesn’t harm us because the spores are so miniscule. It is when these spores attach to something and grow that they become a problem.

Energy

As living bacteria, mold needs something to feed off of. This is commonly materials like drywall, wood, or fabric but can also be things like food in a refrigerator or broken freezer. It is with these energy sources that mold can grow and cause the need for mold remediation services.

Above Freezing Temperatures

Mold does not grow in temperatures that are below freezing. However, this also doesn’t mean that it can’t grow in cold temperatures during South Carolina winters. Just because the temperatures are colder to us does not mean that mold can’t sufficiently grow.

Dark Areas

Mold is a sneaky problem because it oftentimes grows behind things that aren’t exposed to ultraviolet light. Mold growth happens behind wall cavities, in dark basements, and underneath materials that don’t see a lot of natural light.

Moisture to Spread

In order to expand, mold needs moisture to help it grow. Therefore, mold is commonly seen near a water source like a leaky pipe connection, wet wood from flooding, or even areas of high humidity where the water is prevalent in the air.

Oxygen to Breathe

As a living and breathing thing, mold needs oxygen to survive. Any access that it has to air, even in small amounts, can be enough to encourage growth.

Time to Grow

Depending on the above conditions, mold can grow either fast or slow. It won’t instantly show up once a flood has occurred in your home but will make its presence known about 1-2 days later.

If you ever find mold growth in your home, don’t hesitate to call the team of professionals at ServiceMaster of Charleston. They offer mold remediation services which remove the visible mold from your home in order to stop the mold growth and keep your family safe from harmful mold spores.

Mold Removal | Can You Ever Have 100% Mold Removal?

Mold Removal | Everyone knows mold is a bad thing. If we inhale or ingest mold, we can become ill and even die. When people see black, fuzzy gunk on their walls, their first reaction is “Black Mold!” and want to start mold removal right away. People do not realize that removing mold from your home 100% is not only impossible; it isn’t something you want to do.

Mold spores exist everywhere in nature. They are microscopic and float on the air, wafting in through your window screens and each time you open the door. Making sure that every trace of mold is gone from home is not possible. Mold is only dangerous when it colonizes. When mold spores are exposed to moisture, they can grow into colonies that produce harmful allergens that can cause serious health effects.

Most disaster restoration companies focus on mold remediation, which returns mold levels to natural, safe levels without the fallacy of being able to remove 100% of mold spores from home. The key to mold remediation is to prevent mold spores from colonizing, which means you have to be serious about water damage and moisture sources. The first step to mold removal of a colony is to address the moisture issue. Even if mold removal is successful, if the water problem isn’t addressed, the mold will continue to grow back and become dangerous.

One of the first signs of a mold colony is a strong, musty smell in a room. Toxic black mold usually appears as a slimy, black substance with a greenish or grayish coloration. This is different than the whitish, fuzzy mold that grows on food that is decaying, although you should avoid this type of mold as well.

If you see black mold in your home and/or smell the musty odor of mold and mildew, you should contact Service Master of Charleston at 843-806-0982 or request a quote here.