Mold Contamination, Mold Removal, Mold Remediation 773-885-8528

Are you having a problem with mold or mildew in your home or commercial property?

Many people will panic when the word “mold” is mentioned but are OK if “mildew” is present. Little do people know that there is no difference between Mold and Mildew.  Online you may find statements like “Mildew is distinguished from its closely related counterpart, mold, largely by its color: molds appear in shades of black, blue, red, and green, whereas mildew is white.” This statement is misleading because some molds are also white.

The authoritative Ainsworth & Bisby’s Dictionary of the Fungi has the following definitions for mold and mildew.

Mold: (also spelled as mould):

A micro-fungus having a well-marked mycelium or spore mass, especially an economically important saprobe.

Mildew:

1.      A plant disease in which the pathogen is seen as a growth on the surface of the host.

2.      The staining, and frequently the breaking up, of cloth and fibers, paint, etc., by fungi and bacteria.

3.      A fungus causing 1 or 2.

From these definitions it is clear that what we see in our homes or our commercial property is mold. Secondly both mold and mildew are fungi and the only difference between mildew and mold is that the former is found growing on plants as a pathogen while the latter is found growing on building materials and other dead organic materials as a saprobe. In fact some fungi are able to grow on both living hosts (plants) and also on dead organic material.

Why Do Mold (Mildew) Grow in Your Home?

Mold or mildew if you like develop from minute structures (“seeds”) called spores.  These mold spores are everywhere including in our homes. You will find them in dust on carpet, window frames, furniture, walls, ceiling, etc. These spores may not be in large amounts to cause any health problem. The problem comes if your home has water damage due to:

• Flooding,
• Sewage back-up from flooding in the area,
• Plumbing or roof leaks,
• Damp basement or crawlspace,
• Overflows from sinks or bathtub,
• High humidity from steam cooking, dryer vents, humidifiers, etc.

When the spores are dry in the dust they are dormant but once they get wet mold develop within 24-48 hours. The mold continues to grow unless steps are taken to eliminate the source of moisture, and effectively deal with the mold problem. It is when mold grows in your house, hotel, commercial property, industrial building due to moisture that you, your family or employees are at risk of mold exposure.

What to do if you have Mold (Mildew) in Your Home, or Commercial Property.

If you suspect you have mold in your home, or commercial property, do not panic. Contact a qualified mold remediation company that can assess the extent of mold contamination and recommend the most appropriate way to remove it and to fix the moisture problem. Do not attempt to remove the mold yourself if you don’t know what you are dealing with or if you don’t have the right tools to deal with the mold.  The CleanUP Guys is an industry leader in the Chicago area and suburbs for mold removal, mold remediation, mold decontamination services.

Mold Removal and Mold Remediation 773-885-8528

WHO IS AT RISK FROM MOLD

Who is at risk from mold? Virtually anyone who lives or works in the building where mold growth is occurring. It can be serious or it can be mild, but some of the more dangerous molds and toxins can affect pretty much everyone at some level or another. Mold symptoms can range from the milder allergic reactions and fatigue to stronger problems such as respiratory based illnesses.

The five most common symptoms related to mold include:

1. -          Nasal and sinus congestion
2. -          Wheezing and breathing difficulty
3. -          Skin and / or eye irritation
4. -          Coughing and / or sneezing
5. -          Respiratory infections

Mold can have an adverse effect even on folks who are otherwise extremely healthy, but the most common types of susceptibility to mold include those with respiratory disorders such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, those with weakened immune systems due to cancer or HIV, or babies and / or elderly. Not that this is a limited list…anyone can be affected by mold if they are vulnerable to the toxins present in the mold infesting their home or place of business.

Young children may be the most at risk group when it comes to mold, since their immune systems have not yet matured and mold exposure can cause serious and long lasting damage. Continuous exposure to mycotoxins found in mold can result in severe pulmonary hemorrhaging, or bleeding in the lungs.

While most molds are harmless, you don’t want to take chances with your family’s health. At the first sign of mold, call in your local, professional mold removal and remediation experts. They will be able to determine the level of your mold threat as well as devise a plan for dealing with it quickly and efficiently.

If necessary, mold remediation should be administered as soon as possible.  Which means cordoning off areas of the home or business from the infected areas of space.  This alleviates the spread of the mold spores from one area to the next, compromising the air quality overall in your place.  Especially is this the case in dealing with attic mold, crawlspace mold or mold behind walls.

Mold Remediation Chicago 773-885-8528

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 cleanup the mold, then run. Run like a river when the snow melts, and hire a qualified, experienced moldremediation professional (and for the record, that would be us, The CleanUp Guys!) to handle all of your mold and water damagerestoration needs. 

Mold Removal Chicago 773-885-8528

The Mold Risk in Your Home

Mold has become a significant problem in many homes in recent years, oddly enough due to improvements in home construction. These new homes are tightly sealed, and as such allow water and moisture to become trapped, creating the perfect breeding ground for mold. You can very easily move into a brand new home that already has a serious pre-existing mold problem.

If there is good news on the mold front, it’s that while repeated long term exposure to mold spores will eventually cause some unpleasant side effects, most folks with healthy immune systems can resist the effects of mold, for a time anyway.

The health problems commonly associated with mold are wide and varied. Sometimes just touching mold can be enough to trigger an allergic reaction, as well as disturb the growth and send hundreds of thousands of mold spores into the air, spreading them throughout the home. The most common physical problems, skin rashes, sneezing, coughing, runny noses, and itchy or watery eyes, may be viewed strictly as allergic problems and mold is never even considered.

 

Black mold, or Stratobotrysatra, has been responsible for a number of high profile cases involving long term or permanent health issues as a result of exposure in mold infected structures.

 

In 2003, Bill H.R 1286 was introduced. Known as the United State Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act.  This bill mandated comprehensive research into the various causes and fixes for mold growth, as well as creating programs designed to educate people about the danger of mold and provide the necessary assistance to those affected by mold. The act also provides detailed guidelines for preventing interior mold growth, establishing standards for mold removal, and provides grants for removal of mold from public buildings.  It will also authorize tax credits for the inspection and remediation of mold problems, and provide insurance coverage for catastrophic losses due to mold.

Mold Remediation 773-885-8528

The Mold Risk in Your Home

Mold has become a significant problem in many homes in recent years, oddly enough due to improvements in home construction. These new homes are tightly sealed, and as such allow water and moisture to become trapped, creating the perfect breeding ground for mold. You can very easily move into a brand new home that already has a serious preexisting mold problem.

If there is good news on the mold front, it’s that while repeated long term exposure to mold spores will eventually cause some unpleasant side effects, most folks with healthy immune systems can resist the effects of mold, for a time anyway.

The health problems commonly associated with mold are wide and varied. Sometimes just touching mold can be enough to trigger an allergic reaction, as well as disturb the growth and send hundreds of thousands of mold spores into the air, spreading them throughout the home. The most common physical problems, skin rashes, sneezing, coughing, runny noses, and itchy or watery eyes, may be viewed strictly as allergic problems and mold is never even considered.

 

Black mold, or Stratobotrysatra, has been responsible for a number of high profile cases involving long term or permanent health issues as a result of exposure in mold infected structures.

 

In 2003, Bill H.R 1286 was introduced. Known as the United State Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act.  This bill mandated comprehensive research into the various causes and fixes for mold growth, as well as creating programs designed to educate people about the danger of mold and provide the necessary assistance to those affected by mold. The act also provides detailed guidelines for preventing interior mold growth, establishing standards for mold removal, and provides grants for removal of mold from public buildings.  It will also authorize tax credits for the inspection and remediation of mold problems, and provide insurance coverage for catastrophic losses due to mold.

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

.

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. 

Basement Mold Removal Chicago 773-885-8528

Basement Mold Removal

Since moisture is a leading cause of mold it is very important to keep it at a level, if possible, where it does not start to breed unwanted bacteria.  We commonly call it mold. One of the areas in the home that gets more moisture normally, than any other area of the home, is the basement.  Basements also typically have the worst ventilation of the entire house, so moisture usually has no way to escape, leading to mold contamination. Thus, basement mold can be caused by a few of the following issues:

§  Condensation in the basement can cause mold. Moisture condensates on the outside of pipes because of the cool temperatures. If this moisture collects, mold will form.

§  Flooding water that is not taken care of and removed immediately will lead to mold buildup. Dangerous molds can grow in your basement if it is not dried, quickly following a flood or any other type of water damage.

§  High levels of humidity in your basement is yet another way for mold to grow in your home.

§  Leaking pipes, cracks in the home’s foundation, and leaking gutters can all bring more moisture into the basement. If these leaks are not addressed immediately, mold will build up rapidly.  And while this list is not exhaustive, there are so many more ways that moisture tries to find a hiding place in the home.

Mold produces dangerous spores that can harm many people. People with allergic reactions to mold and those with vulnerable immune systems are especially susceptible to mold exposure. Other more dangerous types of mold, such as toxic molds, can cause damage to anyone, even if they are perfectly healthy. The CleanUP Guys are experts in Illinois and particularly the Chicago area and suburbs well mold removal, mold remediation, and mold damage services are needed.  During the rainy seasons, homes, businesses, hospitals, industrial facilities, and commercial properties all can get mold from excess moisture.  The CleanUP Guys are certified, trained professionals that kill mold spores, mold bacterium, mold infestation, the right and proper way.  Eliminating it for good!  So whether you have basement mold, attic mold, or crawlspacemold, we take care of it for you!