Recent Mold Remediation Posts

Do Not Worry If Mold Is In Your Pleasant Grove Home Our Experts Can Help

1/24/2019 (Permalink)

When this occurs, give us a call any time so we can take care of the issue for you and return your home to its clean and safe state.

Mold Damage And Preventing Mold In Your Pleasant Grove Residence

It doesn't matter how often you clean the bathroom in your Pleasant Grove home, it is always going to be a haven for mold to begin growing. With the high humidity that is often in bathrooms on a daily basis, mold is always waiting in the wings. Your best bet is to control the level of humidity.

In case you already have noticed mold damage in your Pleasant Grove home’s bathroom, it is time to call the professionals at SERVPRO to help you clean it up. We not only can clean the mold and sanitize the affected area but if there are hidden moisture and mold growth, we find that as well with moisture meters.

Not only is high humidity from showers a problem in your bathroom, but poor ventilation is also as well. A majority of people shut the bathroom door when they are done showering. Doing so traps all the moisture and steam made by the hot shower. Without airflow during shower time, the moisture attaches itself to walls, the floor, and plumbing, giving the mold the perfect condition in which to grow. SERVPRO techs can find all the mold when it has begun growing in your bathroom, whether seen or hidden.

The big issue is that mold can crop up just about anywhere, from your towels to caulk. Make sure to pay attention to all areas of your bathroom for mold. Check any tile, caulk, or grout, the window, the toilet and sink, walls and ceilings, bathroom robes and towels, plus the shower curtain and bath mats.

When you are done showering each time, you can help prevent mold growth by getting rid of as much of the water as possible, so it does not have time to evaporate and create mold growth. Using a simple squeegee can clear the walls of any water, as well as giving the sink or tub a quick wipe. A washcloth can be used to get to the corners and tile grout where mold commonly beings growing.

SERVPRO of North Utah County realizes that even after your best efforts, your home in Lindon, Highland, or Saratoga Springs can still sometimes experience mold growth. When this occurs, give us a call at (801) 785-5228 any time so we can take care of the issue for you and return your home to its clean and safe state.

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Attention Pleasant Grove Home Owners--Call SERVPRO for Mold Inspections and Remediations

12/18/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Says Moisture Often Causes Mold Damage--Call Us to Remediate Your Pleasant Grove Property

How to Know You Have Mold Growth in Your Pleasant Grove Property

Identifying a problem in your Pleasant Grove home is not as simple as it should be. While you can easily note effects and damages from any of the natural disasters that could affect your property over its lifetime, finding mold growth in your home can sometimes prove more elusive. Since the infestation often occurs in damp and dark spaces within your house, this generally indicates a growth that happens somewhere you do not normally visit.

The trouble with not finding mold damage in your home is that many Pleasant Grove homeowners would naturally assume that no problem exists. In truth, finding the right conditions to facilitate mold growth are not difficult to do, especially in crawl spaces and other areas prone to experiencing fluctuations in moisture.

The discovery of overly damp areas of the property should be enough for many residents to consider getting an official inspection and assessment for the presence of mold damage from our SERVPRO team. If you can catch this organism in its early stages, you can save both time and money on the remediation. Moreover, if you discover the situation before it develops into a mold colony, our IICRC certified technicians can fix quickly without any controlled demolition.

If you want to try this assessment for yourself, you are looking for spotting on materials that would indicate the early stages of mold colonization. You might also train your nose to locate foreign smells like musty odors from these areas, which can help to determine a growing colony without actually seeing one. Our SERVPRO professionals can help with this initial assessment of the house to determine if mold growth exists, or if the potential for it is present.

Discovering mold early can help you to prevent significant structural damage or health effects that could result from a colony getting out of control. Give our SERVPRO of North Utah County applied microbial remediation technicians a call for inspections or the removal of mold colonies from your property fast. We are available 24/7 at (801) 785-5228.

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Even Secretly, Mold Colonies Attack Provo Homes

11/5/2018 (Permalink)

Mold Problems in Provo? Call SERVPRO and Feel "Like it never even happened."

Provo Residences Often Suffer Mold Damage

While many Provo homeowners could agree that disasters and catastrophes for their home are something they would like to avoid, many are allowing conditions that could cause similar damages in a much less invasive and imminent way. Many residents battle damp areas of their home, from crawlspaces to poorly ventilated rooms, and this persistent moisture could meet conditions for mold growth.

For as much as a Provo homeowner could tell you that they do not want mold damages to affect their property, many could also not tell you the real risks and concerns with an organism like this existing and spreading within your house. Worse still, these same homeowners could get convinced that problems like this resolve themselves naturally without the need for professional remediation services like our SERVPRO franchise provides.

From even its earliest stages, mold growth begins to feed on the organic materials used to support its active colony. As these construction materials and contents of your home weaken and erode from becoming a food source, the colony continues to spread to unoccupied space throughout the affected area. Within a brief period, the growth and spread of colonies could be out of control.

Our SERVPRO Applied Microbial Remediation Technicians have ongoing training to educate them on the modern approaches and technique to remediate mold growth and restore the damages the organism has caused in the most efficient way possible. From our efforts to locate the source of the moisture to providing you practical solutions to help reduce the relative humidity in your home and present moisture on an ongoing basis, we set out to ensure that our remediation work is as comprehensive as it can be.

Overcoming mold damage in your home begins with discovering that you have a problem. If you notice a strong odor or physically see mold growth on your property, do not hesitate to call our SERVPRO of North Utah County remediation specialists. We can arrive quickly to help prevent the spread throughout the property and to take the necessary steps to remove the colonies. Give us a call anytime that you need us at (801) 785-5228.

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Could Moisture Be the Reason That You Are Failing to Contain Your Provo Home Mold Infestation?

10/14/2018 (Permalink)

Finding mold lurking behind furniture in your home can cause some alarm. Call SERVPRO today to investigate the cause and remediate the damage.

Restoring the Effects of Mold Growth in Your Provo Home

Moisture and dampness are two things that you do not want to battle in your Provo residence. While these conditions can prove damaging enough to the structure of your house on their own, they can also allow for detrimental effects like mold growth to occur. When this situation happens, you need to react quickly to preserve your house and to keep any potentially harmful health effects from impacting the people and pets that live inside it.

One of the things that many homeowners do not realize about mold damages in Provo is that they can affect anyone. While there is misinformation about the way that mold develops or that it has something to do with the cleanliness of your home, this is never the case. Any home that meets the conditions necessary for present mold spores to seat and colonize deal with the effects and damages that the organism causes throughout the affected area. Fortunately, our SERVPRO applied microbial remediation technicians are here to help.

The first thing that you need to understand about mold is that it can cause much damage to the structure of your house, specifically in the areas where the colony seats. As the organism grows, it requires organic material to feed and thrive, and it can find this sustenance through eating the construction materials and contents of your home suitable to sustain the colony. Materials like drywall and wood framing are particularly susceptible, and if the colony seats too long in these areas, they can become too fragile and weakened to preserve.

Our remediation technicians can get to work quickly on assessing the spread of this fungus throughout your home and reducing its ability to continue doing so. Specialized equipment like air scrubbers can stop active spores from leaving the quarantined area while the professionals work to remove the colony and restore the damage it has caused.

Mold growth in your home might not seem like that considerable of a risk, but in just a short period, a colony can get out of control throughout an affected area. Spores can travel through air circulation systems to seat in new areas of your home and continue growing and spreading. Give our SERVPRO of North Utah County experienced technicians a call as soon as you discover a problem at (801) 785-5228.
 
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Professional Remediation of Mold Damage in Provo Residences Helps Control Future Incidences

9/16/2018 (Permalink)

Finding mold in a sector of your home can be frightening. Call the technicians at SERVPRO to investigate the source and remediate the damage.

SERVPRO Technicians Stop the Continuous Moisture that Mold Needs to Spread Throughout Your Home

As prolific as microbes are on our planet, it is crucial you keep your Provo home dry as an effective way of controlling microbial populations. These tiny organisms can affect any material made from cellulose. Covering and staining other items where dust tends to settle can also happen.
 
Cleaning your home might reveal mold damage in Provo, particularly in relatively damp locations of your residence. The most likely areas to find such damage-causing infestations include bathrooms, laundry areas, poorly insulated attics or garages, and under sinks. Other areas are not immune to invasive and overactive microbial activity, however, and can happen anywhere. The remediation team members at SERVPRO hold certificates from the IICRC in Applied Microbial Remediation Technician (AMRT).
 
We understand that while mold and its spores can cause health effects, its presence means two other things are occurring inside your home. Damage to materials and the unwanted presence of moisture exist. We can help you resolve both of these troublesome aspects. Mold and mildew do not thrive without steady moisture supplies. Also, mold's continued presence means that the consumption and subsequent deterioration of your home's building materials steadily progresses.
 
As we remove these microorganisms from your home, we do so in a manner that keeps them contained. Physical barriers of heavy plastic sheeting, air scrubbers and attached tubing, and other tools help us quickly rid your home of mold damage. Replacing damaged materials happens only after we determine the source of the water feeding the microbes that once lived off your home's materials, resolve it, and then correct your home's humidity levels.
 
When small leaks caused the problem or a hole in your clothes washer's feed line dripped water, we can often help rectify these minor situations. For larger issues that involve more complicated situations, we can recommend a qualified plumber or other professional. After this step, we can use a desiccant machine or dehumidifier to dry out an excess humidity.
 
SERVPRO of North Utah County covers Saratoga Springs, Lindon, and Cedar Hills, as well as other nearby locations. Call us when you find what might be mold damage in your home. Our number, (801) 785-5228, is always answered whenever you call.

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What To Expect From SERVPRO Mold Damage Remediation In Pleasant Grove

7/25/2018 (Permalink)

Water Leaks Lead to Mold in Pleasant Grove Homes--Call SERVPRO for Remediation

SERVPRO Offers Customers Top-Notch Equipment Manned by Skilled Technicians for Mold Removal and Cleanup

Getting rid of mold in Pleasant Grove can be a frustrating task. If you attempt to do it yourself, expect to get plenty of conflicting advice, and a task that can create fear and revulsion. Without any forewarning, the mold can reappear or show up in another area of your home. Mold remediation is a job we train for and improve our practice with every project we take on. Let us help you with your mold problem.
 
When our mold damage remediation crew arrives at your Pleasant Grove home, our project manager takes a close look not only at the mold you located but also for any evidence of past or present water intrusion or damage. Mold spores require a source of moisture to grow and multiply, so finding the water pathways helps us find not only the visible mold but also leads us to other places, often in recessed areas, where mold is growing. Failing to remove all active mold growth risks fast recurrence.
 
SERVPRO follows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protocols for mold remediation. After we determine the extent of the mold damage, we take steps to contain the area. Crew members set up physical barriers with heavy plastic sheeting, and also employ negative pressure air scrubbers in more severe cases to prevent drift of moldy debris into unaffected areas of your home. The air scrubbers use HEPA filters to catch airborne residues and a suction-like process to keep all contained. Our crew members wear personal protective gear in the containment area for their own safety and to limit the tracking of moldy materials into other areas.
 
Once containment is in place, the SERVPRO technicians use primarily mechanical means to remove the mold. Scraping plus spray and wipe techniques work well for solid, non-porous surfaces. Heavily infested porous materials might need to be cut out and removed, but we also have success using abrasive techniques like soda blasting to remove mold hyphae even from porous surfaces. This method works very well on raw timber found in attics and crawlspaces.
 
The technicians bag the mold debris, including building materials removed because of severe contamination, and dispose of them according to local hazardous waste rules. SERVPRO then vacuums up the remaining debris and treats the affected areas with EPA registered antimicrobial products so inhibit future mold growth. We strongly advise the moisture issues that fuel the mold growth be resolved as we cannot promise to remove all mold spores.
 
When seeking out a reliable mold remediation firm in Pleasant Grove, you cannot go wrong with the work ethic and skill of SERVPRO of North Utah County. Call us at (801) 785-5228 for a consultation and remediation plan if you even suspect mold growth in your home.

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What You Need to Know About Mold

1/25/2018 (Permalink)

Mold may be in the air but you definitely don't want it in your walls.

The CDC states molds as:

Molds are fungi that can be found both indoors and outdoors. No one knows how many species of fungi exist but estimates range from tens of thousands to perhaps three hundred thousand or more. Molds grow best in warm, damp, and humid conditions, and spread and reproduce by making spores. Mold spores can survive harsh environmental conditions, such as dry conditions, that do not support normal mold growth.

Understanding Mold

Microscopic mold spores exist almost everywhere, outdoors and indoors, making it impossible to remove all mold from a home or business. Some restoration businesses advertise “mold removal” and even guarantee to remove all mold, 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 a pet.
  • Mold spores thrive on moisture. Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water. These colonies may produce allergens and irritants.
  • 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.

How can people decrease mold exposure?

Sensitive individuals should avoid areas that are likely to have mold, such as compost piles, cut grass, and wooded areas. Inside homes, mold growth can be slowed by controlling humidity levels and ventilating showers and cooking areas. If there is mold growth in your home, you should clean up the mold and fix the water problem. Mold growth can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of household laundry bleach in 1 gallon of water. Follow the manufacturers’ instructions for use (see product label).

*Please remember:

Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners. Mixing bleach with ammonia or other cleaning products will produce dangerous, toxic fumes.

Mold Remediation at your Business

12/21/2017 (Permalink)

Don't let mold set you behind

Mold at your place of business?

Besides causing a major business interruption, a mold problem can present a serious health risk for people exposed at your commercial property. Mold infestations can be caused by minor water intrusions, like a slow roof leak or loose plumbing fitting. Every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity. If you suspect your property has a mold problem, call  SERVPRO of North Utah County, who will respond quickly and work fast to manage the situation.  We offer 24 hour emergency service and have highly trained mold and water damage restoration specialists.

SERVPRO starts working to first contain the infestation to help prevent its spread to other parts of the building. Next, we will begin the remediation process, working safely and effectively to manage the situation. We have the training, experience, and equipment to contain the mold infestation and remediate it to preloss condition. 

If you have or suspect you have a mold  problem at your commercial business call SERVPRO to clean it up and make it "Like it never even happened."

How to Prevent Mold

12/7/2017 (Permalink)

This is an extreme case, but something we see often.

You had a house flood and thought you did a pretty good clean up job (pat yourself on the back), until one day you notice a little something over in the corner under the carpet slowly creeping up the wall.  Panic sets in and you start pacing thinking to yourself, “How did this happen. What could I have done to prevent this?”  Well we have the answers and some simple tips to help you prevent mold.

  • Identify problem areas in your home and correct them. You can't mold-proof your home, but you can make it mold-resistant.  Check your house for areas of concern and face them head on.  It might cost money up front but it will save you money down the road.  Pull up that carpet and install mold proofing products, find that water leak and fix it so it doesn’t creep inside the house, or repair that broken rain gutter.
  • Dry wet areas immediately. Mold can't grow without moisture, so tackle wet areas right away.  Even spills should be cleaned up ASAP.  The key is the small daily task that makes the difference. Be sure to dry the floor and walls after a shower. Don't leave wet clothes in the washing machine, where mold can spread quickly. Get them in the dryer and make sure to leave the door open and let your washer dryer out
  • Prevent moisture with proper ventilation. It may be that your routine activities are encouraging the growth of mold in your home. Make sure an activity as simple as cooking dinner, taking a shower, or doing a load of laundry doesn't invite mold by providing proper ventilation in your bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, and any other high-moisture area. Your energy-efficient home may be holding moisture inside, so open a window when cooking or washing dishes or showering, or run an exhaust fan.
  • Equip your home with mold-resistant products. Building a new home or renovating an old one? Use mold-resistant products like mold-resistant drywall or mold-resistant Sheetrock, and mold inhibitors for paints. This is especially import in moisture prone areas like the bathroom and kitchen.
  • Monitor humidity indoors. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity between 30 and 60 percent. You can measure humidity with a moisture meter purchased from a hardware store or online. You'll also be able to detect high humidity by simply paying attention to problem areas in your home. Signs of excessive humidity include condensation on windows, pipes, and walls. If you notice condensation, dry the surface immediately and address the source of the moisture
  • Direct water away from your home. If the ground around your home isn't sufficiently sloped away from the foundation, water may collect there and seep into your crawlspace or basement.
  • Clean or repair roof gutters. A mold problem might be a simple matter of a roof that is leaking because of full or damaged gutters. Have your roof gutters cleaned regularly and inspected for damage. Repair them as necessary, and keep an eye out for water stains after storms that may indicate a leak.
  • Improve air flow in your home. According to the EPA, as temperatures drop, the air is able to hold less moisture. Without good air flow in your home, that extra moisture may appear on your walls, windows and floors. To increase circulation, open doors between rooms, move furniture away from walls, and open doors to closets that may be colder than the rooms they’re in. Let fresh air in to reduce moisture and keep mold at bay.

Is Mold Damage Covered by my Home Owners Insurance?

12/7/2017 (Permalink)

Most people do not know what their policy includes and does NOT include.

Whether or not mold damage is covered by home owners insurance often comes down to the source of the moisture. Take an hour or two to review the language of your policy, especially as it pertains to water damage. Look for mold exclusions or limitations. Call your agent if the wording is unclear.

Most basic home owner’s insurance policies exclude coverage of damage caused by mold, fungi, and bacteria.  Yet that doesn’t mean a mold claim will be denied automatically.  In most cases, if mold results from a sudden and accidental covered peril, such as a pipe bursting, the cost of remediation could be covered. That’s because technically the pipe burst is the reason for the claim, not the mold itself. Claims are more likely to be rejected if mold is caused by neglected home maintenance: long-term exposure to humidity, or repeated water leaks and seepage.

If you are worried and prone to mold in your home it might be possible to purchase a mold rider as an add-on to your existing home owner’s policy. Ask your agent. A rider will offer additional mold coverage.

Mold Or Mildew?

12/7/2017 (Permalink)

Mold or Mildew

We are often asked about the differences between mold vs. mildew and about the best method for cleaning mold and mildew. Mold and mildew are both types of fungi and are similar in many ways and different in many ways.

Mildew

Mildew is a specific kind of mold, usually with a flat growth habit.

Mildew could be downy or powdery: Downy mildew starts as yellow spots that first become brighter in appearance and then the color changes to brown. Powdery mildew is whitish in color and that slowly turn yellowish brown and then black.

Structural damage to homes can occur over time. Mold can also cause health effects.

To prevent mildew at home, keep all the areas moisture-free. There are mildew removers available at stores to eliminate mildew. To protect crops from mildew use mildew-resistant seeds, remove infested plants, avoid overhead heating.

Mold

Mold is a fungi that contains multiple identical nuclei. It grows in the form of hyphae of filaments.

Mold has a fuzzy appearance and can be an orange, green, black, brown, pink or purple in color. Can be found in several shapes.

Mildew can cause damage to plants and crops.It can also cause health effects.

Keep all the areas dry and moisture-free. Check the humidity levels inside the house and take measures to control it. Finish perishable food within 3-4 days.