Mold Remediation in Chicago and Suburbs 773-885-8528

Keep Mold at Bay: Take Away its Food

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognizes how water damage situations (such as from a flood, leaky or broken pipe, sewage backup, etc) can be potentially hazardous… not just initially, but over time as well.

Why? Because of the potential of mold and how it affects human health. Exposure to damp and moldy environments and materials can be especially harmful to those sensitive to irritants common to mold contamination. Some find that even being outside near plant life in the process of decomposition is a problem. Mold and mildew can run rampant under certain conditions, causing allergic reactions.

So when a water damage does happen in your home, don’t take chances. Mold needs moisture. It needs to be fed. It will grow on organic materials that are wet. If you take away its “food” you inhibit the ability of mold to grow.

Important reminders

Remember that mold will grow in places with a lot of moisture, anywhere there is a leak. This can be around windows, behind walls where water has intruded, from leaky roofs, and especially from leaky pipes – especially those that are leaking and you didn’t know about it!

Many homeowners are tempted to clean up water that comes into their home, such as when a sump pump might fail or when a toilet might overflow. Good intentions for sure. But if you don’t get it really dry, really fast, there can be problems.

Here’s a scary thought: Some professional water damage experts won’t even do a water removal job if they can’t get to it within 24 hours. They know mold could have started to grow and that means more work than simply extracting water and drying the home could be required.

You don’t want all that headache. When any water intrudes into your home, remember it’s more than water. It’s breeding ground for mold. Do what’s best. Call your water damage pro for water damage and mold remediation Chicago!

Mold Remediation Chicago 773-885-8528

Mold Remediation…The Overlooked Third Step…

We all know that water damage restoration involves water removal as well as drying out of the damaged area. What fewer folks talk about is the third step in the process, the removal and remediation of mold. Mold is almost always present in some form following a water damage event, and your restoration project cannot be deemed complete until it has been taken care of.

Mold is one of the most serious aftereffects of water damage, because it can establish itself rapidly and prove almost impossible to get rid of. Mold remediation should only be performed by a qualified, competent professional, especially in cases where the growth is at an advanced stage. The CleanUP Guys are here to provide first rate, guaranteed mold remediation services.

The mold remediation clean up and repair efforts that follow flood events are major projects, and best left to the professionals with the proper experience and equipment.  The extent of damage is simply more than abilities of most homeowners to handle on their own, and mold remediation, if not properly handled, can have long lasting, destructive effects on homes or businesses

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In the event of mold remediation, rapid response is important, but take enough time to do it right.  Not all emergency mold remediation providers are created equal.  There is always a temptation to rush and get it done, but choosing the wrong one may only serve to make a bad situation worse. Mold presents all kinds of health hazards, which means the job needs to be done correctly the first time in order to keep everyone in good health.

Your home will require not only water extraction and removal, repair to damaged items or furniture, drying of carpets, flooring, and drywall (along with appropriate cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing) but it will also require mold remediation, as well as structural repair or even reconstruction.

Obviously, these are not jobs to be undertaken by the novice.  Contact a local, professional emergency mold remediation company like The CleanUP Guys that offer up to date, industrial-grade equipment, manned by trained IICRC certified technicians who can take proper care of your home and possessions throughout the process. 

Mold Removal Chicago 773-885-8528

The Many Myths of Mold Removal Chicago

Much is made of the dangers associated with mold and mold growth in your home.  So much, in fact, that some people act quickly, almost too quickly, in an effort to get rid of it, which sometimes leads to hiring less than stellar providers which results in subpar work.  See where we are going with this? So let’s get acquainted with mold and determine exactly what the facts in the case are.

Mold is almost always portrayed as a bad thing, especially black mold, capable of causing physical problems ranging from the slight to the severe, from mild allergic reactions to serious respiratory and neurological disorders.  If you push it far enough you could end up blaming it for third world hunger.  In short, it often gets blown out of proportion.  The fact is that while some mold species can cause problems, the vast majority are perfectly harmless, capable of doing no more than causing unsightly stains in the areas where they grow, usually accompanied by an acrid, unpleasant smell.

Bleach is commonly prescribed as a mold removal agent. However, bleach has never been and never will be the solution for your mold problem. For starters, bleach can be dangerous to your health if inhaled or ingested. Also, bleach is a water based solution, and as we all know, mold lives on (get ready) water! You may end up with a temporarily clean surface, but mold has the ability to hide within the pores of that surface, feed on the water in the bleach, and then bingo! You have an all new old growth to contend with.

We have also heard that even small mold growths should be handled by a professional. This is also not true. As much as we would like to go to work for you, we’re not going to have you go through the time and expense of calling us out for a problem that you can take care of yourself using mold removal agents that are readily available at your local market. Just be sure to follow the instructions to the letter.

You have probably also been told that removing the mold is all that is needed to solve the problem. Wrong again. Mold is the byproduct of a much larger problem, usually water damage, and that problem must also be addressed and repaired in order to ensure that the mold does not return.  Thus, mold remediation might be in order to permanently eradicate the problem.

So when do you call in the pros (yes, that would be us!)?  Make the call when you discover mold growth that is three or more feet in diameter. You are now officially dealing with a major mold infestation, one which could be aggravated if you so much as touch it in any way.  We know how to eliminate the mold without inadvertently spreading it throughout the home.

Hopefully we have answered a few of your questions on this fairly gross subject, and set the record straight on this particular subject. Stay tuned to these pages for further developments!

Mold Remediation Chicago 773-885-8528

MOLD REMEDIATION CHICAGO

Mold Removal Vs Mold Remediation

If your home has a mold problem, then you definitely want to get rid of it. That much is a given. Mold is a green, black, sometimes yellowish fuzzy growth on walls, flooring, piping, etc., usually accompanied by a noxious smell. And while not all molds are actively dangerous, they are unpleasant and should be dealt with promptly.

Unfortunately, far too many people think that mold removal is all that is required, and of course there are any number of companies out there who advertise using the phrase “mold removal” and who will come in an eliminate the mold from your home.  Sounds easy enough, right?  Wrong. On every count.

You have to remember that mold is the byproduct, the after effect, of a much larger problem. Usually this is water damage, but mold can also be linked to fires and even something as seemingly innocuous as increased humidity.  Unless that original problem is properly addressed, then by removing the mold, all you are doing is putting off the problem temporarily.  Mold removal is useless if the environment that is favorable to the mold growth is allowed to remain.

This is where mold remediation comes in. By remediation, we mean not just the removal of the mold growth itself, but active and thorough treatment of the affected area in order to make sure you don’t find yourself with another mold problem down the road.

The mold remediation process is twofold….one you have to eliminate the existing mold growth, and do so without causing it to spread to other areas of the home. This is done by sealing off the affected area and using specialized gear and techniques to safely remove the growth and dispose of it.

The second step, and the most important one, is to properly treat the area, as well as the problem that caused the mold in the first place. This includes repairing and restoration of any and all water damage problems in and around the home, disinfecting and sanitizing the area where the mold grew, increasing ventilation throughout said area, and bringing down relative humidity levels to within acceptable parameters, usually between 40-45%.

This second step is absolutely vital when it comes to a successful mold remediation project. Any company that you consider hiring should be able to describe this step to you in detail. If their only plan of action is to clean up the mold, then run. Run like a river when the snow melts, and hire a qualified, experienced mold remediation professional (and for the record, that would be us, The CleanUP Guys!) to handle all of your mold and water damage restoration needs. 

Mold Removal & Remediation 773-885-8528

BEWARE OF OUTDOOR MOLD TOO!

We often think of mold as something we find in our homes or in our business.  We rarely associate mold with the outside of these places. But in fact, outdoor mold is just as common as its indoor companion. Mold can essentially grow anywhere that the spores can float to and land on materials that are porous on the surface it can latch onto are the greatest risk for mold damage. The environments that these surfaces are also big contributors to the growth of mold; environments that are shady and damp are the most common, and this growth usually happens during the months of the rainier seasons, as well as when lots of precipitation is involved, like snow. Many people think that once the winter months come along, the cold will simply kill it off and prevent any mold damage from growing… this is simply not true. Mold spores can live dormant during the cold season and continue to thrive once the weather heats up. Though it is true that the mold damage will not spread in the cold weather, thinking that it will completely die out is wishful thinking.  Proper mold remediation can get rid of or kill the contaminants for good.

Because mold spores (especially the ones outside) are so small and subject to the ever changing environment around it; many people are affected by mold and don’t even realize it. The spores can cause health issues that are associated with the common cold and can be overlooked by someone who doesn’t realize they have mold on the outside of their home or business. What many people claim as “allergies” could be an exposure of mold spores in their surrounding area.

These 5 places are breading grounds for outdoor mold and should be checked regularly. If you find signs of mold make sure to clear it out as soon as possible… it may dramatically improve your health.

Stucco:  a common location to spot mold.  Make sure to call a professional mold removal company when needing to remove mold damage from stucco because removing it incorrectly can cause more damage to your home than good.

The Foundation:  concrete and cement make up a huge portion of your building and can be a breeding ground for mold.  This can cause serious structural damage to your home.  Call a professional immediately.

Wooded Siding:  wood is a huge contributor to mold growth.  It is a natural surface that mold can grow and expand in easily.  This can also do serious damage to the structure of your home especially if you have a lot of wood siding.  A tip is to use a professional power washer to help remove and kill the mold.  The treat with an anti-microbial spray.

Wooded Gates and Fences: see reason #3 for details.

Concrete Patios:  (especially those that stay wet from weather).  See reason #2 for details.

Many companies off heat treatments to get rid of your outside mold issues and can be completed in a fairly quick amount of time. Don’t let the foundation and structure of your home be under attack from mold damage when you can easily remedy it.