|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
Mold, Mildew and Asbestos Remediation and Removal
ACME Flood is a leading mold abatement company in California specializing exclusively in mold removal and mold remediation in residential and commercial properties. ACME Flood can also schedule mold testing for you, through a certified independent, 3rd party mold “Test Only” company. Just a few short years ago, mold was essentially a non-issue in California. Today, mold is the hottest issue facing the real estate industry, not only for buyers, sellers and owners of real estate, but for anyone else involved in the transfer of California property as well. In addition to its potential for causing significant property damage and adverse health effects, mold is an extremely litigious issue often resulting in multi-million dollar lawsuits. Mold is now a primary factor in the real estate finance and insurance industries. HUD, one of the largest loan guarantors, generally will not accept California properties with mold in them. Likewise, Fannie Mae is now assessing each property on a case-by-case scenario to determine if it should be abated or sold as is. Public awareness of mold is believed to be behind a 3500% increase in reported mold contaminated properties in a single year. In 2001, as few as 3 properties out of every 100 sold in the U.S. were reported to have mold issues. In 2002, as many as 70 out of every 100 were reported as having mold. Mold Safety Tips and Emergency Checklist
Mold is a natural living organism in our environment. It exists in the air in the form microscopic spores that move in and out of buildings through doors, windows, vents, HVAC systems and anywhere else that air enters. Mold does not grow out of control all by itself and is seldom a problem in California homes that have proper ventilation and adequate protection from water and moisture. Abnormal mold growth indoors is typically triggered by some form of moisture or water intrusion such as a plumbing leak, exterior moisture penetration or condensation. Mold can grow on most building materials. When excessive moisture or water accumulates indoors, mold growth will often occur, particularly if the moisture problem remains undiscovered or un-addressed. When mold spores land on a damp spot indoors, they begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive. In just 24-48 hours after a water intrusion event, mold can become a rapidly accelerating infestation. Once it is discovered, mold must be addressed quickly and appropriately. Delayed or improper treatment of mold issues can results in costly and reoccurring repairs. If you suspect you have a mold problem, it is always best to hire a qualified and experienced mold remediation specialist like ACME Flood. Handymen and even good contractors who are not experienced with proper mold abatement and remediation can cause more problems than they solve. We sincerely hope you never have a mold problem. But if you do, it's good to know the ACME Flood team is in your corner with experienced, professional mold remediation specialists, certified through the IICRC. The Goal of Mold Remediation In most cases you will want to hire a Certified Mold Contractor or Certified Mold Remediator to properly perform mold abatement work. The potential dangers from airborne mold are too serious to leave to a general handyman or eve a general contractor who is not certified for mold remediation. A certified mold contractor understands mold abatement and will always work within strict EPA and IICRC guidelines for removing mold. Hiring a certified mold specialist is always the best step to completely and safely remove mold contamination and infestation from your property with assurance that it will not return. A remediation plan should always include steps to fix the water or moisture problem that caused the mold problem. Otherwise the problem will likely reoccur. Often times mold growth in a specific area of your property (i.e. under a sink) is a small problem in and of itself. However, disturbing mold during cleaning sends millions of mold spores into the air that can spread into every area of your property, including cabinets, closets, food stores and inside appliances, computers and televisions, contaminating everything in it's path and causing new mold growth. The goal of mold abatement (mold remediation) is to remove or clean mold contaminated materials in a way that prevents mold and dust contaminated with mold from leaving a work area (containment area) and spreading into occupied or non-abatement areas, and at the same time protecting the health of workers performing the abatement. Effective and safe mold removal, mold remediation, mold mitigation, and mold abatement means:
In general, the size of the area helps determine the level of containment. However, a heavy growth of mold in a relatively small area could release more spores than a lighter growth of mold in a relatively large area. Choice of containment should be based on professional judgment. The primary object of containment should be to prevent occupant and remediator exposure to mold. Limited Containment Limited containment is generally recommended for areas involving between 10 and 100 square feet of mold contamination. The enclosure around the moldy area should consist of a single layer of 6- mil, fire-retardant polyethylene sheeting. The containment should have a slit entry and covering flap on the outside of the containment area. For small areas, the polyethylene sheeting can be affixed to floors and ceilings with duct tape. For larger areas, a steel or wooden stud frame can be erected and polyethylene sheeting attached to it. All supply and air vents, doors, chases, and risers within the containment area must be sealed with polyethylene sheeting to minimize the migration of contaminants to other parts of the building. Heavy mold growth on ceiling tiles may impact HVAC systems if the space above the ceiling is used as a return air plenum. In this case, containment should be installed from the floor to the ceiling deck, and the filters in the air-handling units serving the affected area may have to be replaced once remediation is finished. The containment area must be maintained under negative pressure relative to surrounding areas. This will ensure that contaminated air does not flow into adjacent areas. This can be done with a HEPA-filtered fan unit exhausted outside of the building. For small, easily contained areas, an exhaust fan ducted to the outdoors can also be used. The surfaces of all objects removed from the containment area should be remediated/cleaned prior to removal. Moisture Control is the Key to Mold Control Full Containment Full containment is recommended for the cleanup of mold contaminated surface areas greater than 100 ft 2 or in any situation in which it appears likely that the occupant space would be further contaminated without full containment. Double layers of polyethylene should be used to create a barrier between the moldy area and other parts of the building. A decontamination chamber or airlock should be constructed for entry into and exit from the remediation area. The entryways to the airlock from the outside and from the airlock to the main containment area should consist of a slit entry with covering flaps on the outside surface of each slit entry. The chamber should be large enough to hold a waste container and allow a person to put on and remove PPE. All contaminated PPE, except respirators, should be placed in a sealed bag while in this chamber. Respirators should be worn until remediators are outside the decontamination chamber. PPE must be worn throughout the final stages of HEPA vacuuming and damp-wiping of the contained area. PPE must also be worn during HEPA vacuum filter changes or cleanup of the HEPA vacuum. Here at ACME Flood, we sincerely hope you never have a mold problem. But if you do, it's good to know the ACME Flood team is in your corner with experienced, professional mold remediation specialists with certifications through the IICRC. If your mold project requires professional remediation services, give us a call today at 1-800-543-5905. Mold Health Risks Mold is known to be associated with a number of adverse health effects including; asthma, rashes, irritation or redness in the eyes, headaches, general fatigue, allergies and other respiratory conditions. One of the most common adverse health environments created by mold is for Asthma sufferers. With over 5,000 asthma related deaths reported in the U.S. each year, periodic home inspections and mold testing is prudent. Mold is an asthma trigger. Inhaling mold spores can cause asthma attacks in people who are sensitive to molds. People with asthma should avoid contact with or exposure to molds. For more information on asthma visit www.noattacks.org Exposure to molds can cause symptoms in people who are sensitive to molds such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation. Some people, such as those with serious allergies to molds or those who have been exposed to high levels of mold for extended periods of time, may have more severe reactions such as fever, shortness of breath, malaise, and impaired concentration. Some people with chronic lung illnesses, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema and other obstructive lung diseases may develop mold infections in their lungs. What Is Asthma? Asthma is very common among children, teens and adults. It is a disease that causes the airways of the lungs to tighten. An asthma attack is when your lungs are not getting enough air to breathe. Symptoms of an asthma attack are:
http://www.ACMEflood.com/video/goldfish_drain.mpeg What Is an Asthma Trigger? Things that cause asthma attacks are called triggers. While outdoor asthma triggers are essentially out of our control, much can be done to effectively limit indoor triggers such as mold, dust mites, secondhand smoke, cockroaches and dander from cats and dogs. Indoor Asthma Triggers - Mold Mold grows on damp things such as shower curtains, bath items, tubs, basins and tiles. What Can You Do to Prevent Mold? If you see mold on a surface clean it up with a mildewcide cleaner. Avoid bleach, which tends to exacerbate mold problems. If you suspect that the mold goes beyond the surface or in hidden areas, it is best to have a certified mold inspector provide a full assessment. A professional inspector will have state-of-the-art equipment for detecting hidden mold problems. Use exhaust fans or open a window in the bathroom when showering, in the kitchen when cooking or washing dishes, and in the laundry room when washing or drying clothes. If you do not have fans in these areas consider having them installed. Make sure exhaust fans are ventilated to outdoors. Fans that exhaust into attics and wall cavities can cause mold growth. Fix leaky plumbing or other sources of water intrusion as quickly as possible. Frequently inspect under sinks, around toilets, bathtubs and showers for moisture and unpleasant odors. Inspect the exterior of your home for cracks around windows and other access points for moisture. Make sure sprinklers do not make contact with exterior walls. If a mold problem already exists and preventative measures are ineffective, call ACME Flood at 1-800-543-5905 to discuss corrective measures. Indoor Asthma Triggers - Dust Mites Dust mites are tiny bugs that are too small to see. They live in sheets, blankets, pillows, mattresses, soft furniture, carpets, and stuffed toys, such as stuffed animals. What Can You Do to Eradicate Dust Mites?
Image Gallery |
 |
 |
 |
