Identifying and Treating Mold

7/15/2022 (Permalink)

Let our professionals at SERVPRO handle all of your mold remediation needs!

Mold is an airborne-fungus that sprouts as spores that collect in moist areas. Mold has a mind of its own, and it can and will infest any damp places that your home has to offer. That being said, mold is bound to spring up if these wet places go untreated.

Mildew is one of the most common types of mold that you would most likely see in a bathroom. It forms on the surface of damp walls, doors, shower grouting and more. This type of mold appears as tiny black spots, and it is typically easy to scrub away on your own using a cleaning brush and some sort of mold remover.

There are, however, other types of mold that can cause more damage to a home and require more work to get rid of, depending on the infestation size. One of the main signs of a mold infestation is a damp, musty odor in a specific area of your home. If this hits your nose, you’ll want to check for damp walls, carpet, flooring, or any other spaces that may breed mold. In this situation, the best option is to contact your local SERVPRO Franchise before the infestation has a chance to spread further or cause permanent damage.

SERVPRO of Toledo West is always here to help!

Contact us today with your mold remediation needs. 419-750-6182

The Do's and Don'ts of Mold Remediation

7/14/2022 (Permalink)

No one wants to find mold in their home, but if you see visible mold, it is important not to disturb it. Mold is often accidentally spread because, when disturbed, mold releases microscopic spores that can circulate inside your home as they become airborne. Leave the handling of mold to the professionals at SERVPRO.

What to Do:

• Avoid affected areas in order to eliminate the chance of spreading.
• Turn off the HVAC system and fans.
• Contact SERVPRO of Toledo West for mold remediation services.

What Not to Do:

• Don’t touch or disturb the mold in any way, and be sure your children and pets do the same.
• Don’t use fans or blow any sort of air across areas with visible or suspected mold.
• Don’t try to dry or remedy the area yourself.
• Don’t attempt to bleach or disinfect the area.

About Our Mold Remediation Services

Mold cleanup and restoration is a cornerstone of the SERVPRO of Toledo West’s business. Our crews are highly trained professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remove your mold problem quickly and efficiently.

Contact us today! 419-750-6182

What is Mold?

7/21/2021 (Permalink)

If you need mold remediation in Toledo, call SERVPRO today!

Mold is a type of fungus that sprouts form tiny spores that float about in the air. Unfortunately for homeowners, there is not a pilot sitting in the cockpit of these spores. Instead, the spores do the choosing of where they should land. Pair that with the fact that they often choose to make their home in moist places, and you are bound to see mold spring up in that area. 

Mildew is a common type of mold that sits on the surface of damp walls, doors, shower grouting and more. This type of mold looks like tiny black spots, and it can easily be scrubbed away with a cleaning brush and store-bought mold killer. 

Other types of molds can be a bit more damaging to a home, depending on the size of an infestation. You may notice a damp, musty odor in a specific area of your home. This means you should check for damp walls, carpet, flooring and any other spaces that may be breeding grounds for mold. Your best bet is to contact your local SERVPRO Franchise before the infestation becomes worse or causes permanent damage. 

SERVPRO of Toledo West is always here to help. 

Western Toledo Residents, Follow These Steps if You Find Mold in Your Home.

7/19/2021 (Permalink)

Contact SERVPRO of Toledo West for mold remediation near you!

If you see visible mold, do not disturb it. You can inadvertently spread the mold infestation throughout your home. When mold is disturbed, the mold can release microscopic mold spores which become airborne and can circulate inside your home.

What to Do:

• Stay out of affected areas.
• Turn off the HVAC system and fans.
• Contact SERVPRO of Toledo West for mold remediation services.

What Not to Do:

• Don’t touch or disturb the mold.
• Don’t blow air across any surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth.
• Don’t attempt to dry the area yourself.
• Don’t spray bleach or other disinfectants on the mold.

About Our Mold Remediation Services

SERVPRO of Toledo West specializes in mold cleanup and restoration, in fact, it’s a cornerstone of our business.  Our crews are highly trained restoration professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remediate your mold problem quickly and safely.

Mold In your Toledo Home?

12/4/2017 (Permalink)

If you find mold growing in your Toledo, Ohio home there are a few things you should know. Mold typically is the result of water intrusion in the home along with poor ventilation. Places such as basements that tend to be damp, dark  can be a breeding ground for unwanted mold. Bathrooms are another place where mold flourishes, usually do to tubs that are not properly sealed or a lack of an exhaust fan or sometimes we find the exhaust fan may be vented directly into the attic which can cause mold to develop over a period of time. 

Thing you should do:

• Stay out of affected areas.
• Turn off the HVAC system and fans.
• Contact SERVPRO of Sylvania/West Toledo  for professional mold remediation services.

Molds Has Needs Too!

12/1/2017 (Permalink)

Mold is literally everywhere. Mold is outdoors, indoors, in the air we breath and on surfaces we touch everyday. 

According to Michael Pugliese, author of "The Homeowners Guide to Mold" , there are three main necessities that mold spores need to grow and thrive:

Moisture

Mold spores need moist or damp areas to grow and reproduce. Area such as kitchens, laundry rooms and Bathrooms. Basements are also a very common place to find mold growing in your home. 

Food

Mold spores need food – Mold loves porous Materials. Building materials such as drywall, wood carpet and furniture. Mold loves organic matter.

Optimum Temperatures

Mold spores thrive in temperatures 32 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures from about 70 - 90.  Although Mold does not die in temperatures below 32 Fahrenheit, but it will lay dormant until temperatures rise to support growth. 

Source: Pugliese, Michael. “The Homeowner’s Guide to Mold.” 4-5.

Not All Mold Is "Black Mold"

11/30/2017 (Permalink)

Quite often our office receives calls from customers concerned about "black Mold". Unfortunately, due to media attention years ago many people still believe that all mold is "black mold" or "toxic black bold". The terms  "black mold" and "toxic black Mold" are not scientific terms. These terms were used by the Media , typicality to refer to Stachybotrys molds. The first thing that people need to understand is that Mold is everywhere. There are over 100,000 types of mold. All homes and building in general contain mold. Mold is everywhere, it is in the air outside, the trees and even the ground we walk on. With that being said, you may find yourself asking what should you do if you find an overgrowth of mold in a concentrated area in your home? That is where we here at SERVPRO of Sylvania/West Toledo can come in and help you figure that out. Our trained professionals will do a complete visual inspection and come up with a remediation plan that best suits your particular situation. Call us today!

Water Call Turned Mold

11/30/2017 (Permalink)

We received a call an elderly Gentleman in Oregon Ohio about a water damage in his basement. The Customer had explained to the office that he had heard water dripping for quite some time. He had already called out a plumber and they had discovered a broken pipe. The plumber fixed the problem and told the gentleman that he needed to call someone out to dry out his basement. He Called SERVPRO of Sylvania/West Toledo and we came out that day.When we arrived on site to assess the damage we discovered that our water damage was now a mold remediation job.  Unfortunately his basement had been damp for quite sometime. we were able to dry him out re-mediate the mold and make his home a healthy living environment once again. The customer was very happy and he stated that " At first I was concerned that two young ladies showed up to take care of my damage, but  you girls proved me wrong!"

What do I do about Mold?

11/29/2017 (Permalink)

Every mold damage scenario is different and requires a unique solution, but the general mold remediation process stays the same. The steps listed below illustrate the “typical” process:

• The mold cleanup and restoration process begins when you call SERVPRO of Sylvania/West Toledo (419) 882-1144. Our representative will ask a series of questions to help us determine the necessary equipment, resources, and personnel.

• SERVPRO Franchise Professionals will carefully inspect your property for visible signs of mold. Mold feeds on cellulose and water and can be hidden from plain view. They use various technologies to detect mold and hidden water sources.

• They use various containment procedures to prevent the spread of mold. They may use advanced containment procedures like negative air chambers to isolate the contaminated area with physical barriers and negative air pressure to keep the mold spores from spreading during the cleanup process. All fans and heating and cooling systems will be turned off to prevent the spread of mold.

• Their specialized filtration equipment allows their Professionals to capture microscopic mold spores out of the air. They utilize powerful “air scrubbers” and HEPA vacuums to prevent the spread of these mold spores while the mold remediation is in process.

• The mold remediation process depends on the amount of mold growth and the types of surfaces on which the mold appears. SERVPRO of Sylvania/West Toledo uses antifungal and antimicrobial treatments to eliminate mold colonies and to help prevent new colonies from forming. Removing and disposing of mold-infested porous materials, like drywall and carpeting, may be necessary to remediate heavy mold growth.

• SERVPRO of Sylvania/West Toledo will clean your furniture, decorative items, curtains, clothing, and other restorable items affected by mold. They use a variety of cleaning techniques to clean and sanitize your belongings. They’re also trained to remove odors and deodorization using fogging equipment.

• Depending on the level of mold damage, drywall, sub-floors, and other building materials may be removed. Restoration may involve minor repairs, such as replacing drywall, painting, and installing new carpet; or it may entail major repairs such as the reconstruction of various areas or rooms in a home or business.

Understanding Mold

11/29/2017 (Permalink)

Mold Damage Process

5/4/2016 (Permalink)

Mold Damage Process

Every mold damage scenario is different and requires a unique solution, but the general mold remediation process stays the same. The steps listed below illustrate the “typical” process:

• The mold cleanup and restoration process begins when you call SERVPRO of Sylvania/West Toledo (419) 882-1144. Our representative will ask a series of questions to help us determine the necessary equipment, resources, and personnel.

• SERVPRO Franchise Professionals will carefully inspect your property for visible signs of mold. Mold feeds on cellulose and water and can be hidden from plain view. They use various technologies to detect mold and hidden water sources.

• They use various containment procedures to prevent the spread of mold. They may use advanced containment procedures like negative air chambers to isolate the contaminated area with physical barriers and negative air pressure to keep the mold spores from spreading during the cleanup process. All fans and heating and cooling systems will be turned off to prevent the spread of mold.

• Their specialized filtration equipment allows their Professionals to capture microscopic mold spores out of the air. They utilize powerful “air scrubbers” and HEPA vacuums to prevent the spread of these mold spores while the mold remediation is in process.

• The mold remediation process depends on the amount of mold growth and the types of surfaces on which the mold appears. SERVPRO of Sylvania/West Toledo uses antifungal and antimicrobial treatments to eliminate mold colonies and to help prevent new colonies from forming. Removing and disposing of mold-infested porous materials, like drywall and carpeting, may be necessary to remediate heavy mold growth.

• SERVPRO of Sylvania/West Toledo will clean your furniture, decorative items, curtains, clothing, and other restorable items affected by mold. They use a variety of cleaning techniques to clean and sanitize your belongings. They’re also trained to remove odors and deodorization using fogging equipment.

• Depending on the level of mold damage, drywall, subfloors, and other building materials may be removed. Restoration may involve minor repairs, such as replacing drywall, painting, and installing new carpet; or it may entail major repairs such as the reconstruction of various areas or rooms in a home or business.

Mold Remediation

5/4/2016 (Permalink)

Mold Removal or Remediation?

Any home or business can quickly become infested with mold with the introduction of a water source, like a roof or plumbing leak. Mold can spread throughout a property in as little as 48-72 hour Microscopic mold spores exist almost everywhere, outdoors and indoors, making it impossible to remove all molds from a home or business. Some restoration businesses advertise “mold removal” and even guarantee to remove all molds, which is a fallacy. Consider the following mold facts:

Mold is present almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors.

Mold spores are microscopic and float along in the air, and may enter your home through windows, doors, or AC/heating systems or even hitch a ride indoors on your clothing or on a pet.

Mold spores thrive on moisture. Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed towater. 

Before mold remediation can begin, any sources of water or moisture must be addressed.    Otherwise, the mold may return. 

Mold often produces a strong, musty odor and can lead you to possible mold problem areas

.Even higher-than-normal indoor humidity can support mold growth. Keep indoor humidity below 45 percent.