Category Archives: Mold & Your Health

The Mold Issue in College Dorms

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College is a time for young people to experience independence and begin adapting to life on their own. Along with the perks of being surrounded by fun-loving people their own age and having an unlimited supply of pizza readily available for breakfast, lunch and dinner, that college dorm can house some some health hazards. Recent studies indicate that mold is literally a growing problem in college dorms. The problem requires many schools to relocate students while mold treatment takes place and can cause a wide range of health problems for students.

Why is mold a problem for college dorms?

With class schedules and social activities, college students stay busy. They do not always devote adequate time to housekeeping tasks like cleaning up spills and cleaning the bathroom. Another thing about these bathrooms, they are often in older buildings that do not have sufficient ventilation. Several students using the same facilities for hot showers increases the humidity present around the clock.

What should students do if they find mold?

They should notify the environmental services for the college immediately. Depending on the severity of the mold problem, they may need to request a move to another dorm temporarily. Proper identification and mold treatment should be left to professionals. According to the EPA, mold spores in the air can cause skin irritation, headaches, itchy eyes, sore throat, and breathing difficulty for many people. Students should see a doctor right away for any mold-related health problems.

Stern Mold has been serving New York City, New Jersey, and Long Island since 1995. We use the most advanced methods like MoldExterm. Contact us for a free inspection.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Remediation, Mold Treatment

Not All Mold is Bad Mold

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Mold is a scary word for home owners; for good reason. It causes eye irritation, difficulty breathing, and skin irritation for many people. The CDC reports that exposure to mold spores can cause respiratory illness for otherwise healthy children. Mold can be extremely hazardous for individuals with a compromised immune system, seniors and infants. Proper mold treatment mitigates these risks by eliminating the mold and creating an environment that is not conducive to future mold growth. In addition to this dangerous and problematic mold, there are some molds that are helpful to mankind.

The good molds?

Let’s be clear about one thing: Any mold growing on the interior walls of your home is bad mold. Analysis by a knowledgeable professional can determine if it is a toxic mold, and thorough mold treatment is needed to protect your family. But, mold is used in positive ways in controlled environments. Penicillin comes from the Penicillium fungi and is used to treat many infections. Mold has been used in wine making to improve texture. And cheese-makers use specially cultured molds to produce many high-quality cheeses.

Rather than say there are some good molds and some bad molds, it is more accurate to say that some molds are utilized in controlled environments for useful purposes. The mold that occurs due to moisture problems never has a positive use.

You should call the experts at Stern Mold for thorough mold eradication and to ensure it does not come back. We have been serving the mold treatment needs of New York City, New Jersey, and Long Island for more than twenty years. Call us today for a free mold inspection.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Remediation, Mold Treatment, MoldExterm

Did You Know That There Are Good Uses For Mold?

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The Good Uses of Mold

The Good Uses of Mold

As unpleasant as it may be to think about, mold spores exist all around us in very small quantities. Mold that does not release mycotoxins does not pose an immediate risk to people. And in some cases, mold can even be used for good.

The most famous example of mold being used for human benefit is penicillin. You are probably familiar with the basic story: Dr. Andrew Fleming discovered the bacteria-killing properties of mold by accident after spores grew in his petri dishes.

The full story of penicillin’s discovery sheds light on just how far science has come in its understanding of infectious diseases. This history of penicillin explains that it took many years and teams of international scientists to achieve the easily available form of penicillin that we know today.

Penicillin is essentially a mold treatment — not to kill mold, but rather to use mold toxicity to kill off diseases. Mold has “good uses,” but only because it is indeed dangerous!

When controlled and harnessed, mold can be used for good, including several medicines besides penicillin. It’s also used to produce cheese, soy sauce, cured meats and other foods.

Otherwise, it’s always a safe bet to assume that a mold infestation in your home or business poses serious health risks.

Just as mold has benefited science, science has developed innovative methods of mold treatment. Modern mold remedies can kill and seal off mold without the need for tearing open walls and floors.

Don’t expect mold in your home to lead to the latest medical breakthrough. If you have an infestation, contact us to find out about the most advanced method of mold treatment, MoldExterm.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Tips, News

The Do’s and Don’ts on Homeowner Mold Treatment

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Homeowner NJ mold treatment, can have you spinning in circles unless you know exactly what to do. Cleaning may only cause the mold to go dormant, waiting until the time is right to re-bloom and grow. Knowing the “Do’s” and “Dont’s” on how to effectively treat mold, will give you the insight on whether this is a do-it-yourself project, or whether you’ll need to get professional help.

  • Do find the source of your mold infestation. Moist and humid areas, particularly places with running, leaking or dripping water, like bathrooms, under sinks, and damp basements or crawl spaces, are prime mold habitats. Before the mold can be removed, the reason why it is there must be addressed first.
  • Don’t think that this is going to be an easy job. Severe mold infestation may require drywall or wood replacement to effectively eliminate your mold problem.
  • Don’t use bleach to clean mold with. Bleach causes mold to hibernate, and when the situation is right again, it will come back and flourish.
  • Do use an enzyme-based mold cleaner. The enzymes literally eat and digest the mold, positively killing it.
  • Do use a HEPA filtered vacuum to clean up the area and capture the mold spores. It must be HEPA filtered, or you can potentially spread the spores around through the vacuums exhaust.

Mold treatment and eradication can be a daunting task for any homeowner. For more information and answers about mold infestation in your home and how to get rid of it, rely on Stern Mold. NJ mold treatment at its best, we have been serving the New Jersey, New York City, and Long Island area since 1995.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Tips

The Legal Aspects of an Untreated Mold Contamination

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You may not know this, but there are several legal aspects that may apply if your home, rental or even your place of work is contaminated with mold. Here are some of the basics, but when at work and you have symptoms of mold contamination, like respiratory problems, runny nose, itchy eyes, or you notice mold growing in your newly rented apartment or newly purchased home, there are legal steps you can take.

  • All employers must provide proper indoor air quality. If, at any time, the air quality in your workplace has been compromised due to mold infestation, you are entitled to paid medical expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of both wages and earning capability, among others.
  • All landlords must ensure the premises is free from mold contamination. If mold is discovered in your rental, the landlord must pay to get the mold removed and you can sue the landlord for illness and damage compensation.
  • If at any time directly after the sale of a home, you, as a buyer, finds mold contamination that was not disclosed by the seller, you can sue them for non-disclosure, any mold-born illness, damages because of mold infestation and compensation.

Although these are just the basics, if you believe you have been exposed to mold in either a business environment, your rental property or if you have purchased a new home, there are legal ways to receive damage and compensation.

For more answers about mold in your workplace, rental or home, rely on Stern Mold. NJ mold treatment at its best, we have been serving the New Jersey, New York City, and Long Island area since 1995.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Tips, News
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