Category Archives: Mold & Your Health

What Are the Impacts of Hidden Mold?

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Mold Anatomy

Hidden Mold

As we get older, we become accustomed to aches and being more frail. Feeling run down and having unexplained flu-like symptoms is often endured and ignored. The same often applies to people with asthma or who are highly sensitive to allergies. Many people suffering from mysterious illnesses do not realize they really need a mold treatment of their home or business.

A toxin in many homes

ABC News tells the story of 5-year-old Caitlin Murray. She suffered for three years with terrible headaches and swelling on her face. The doctors tested her for leukemia, cystic fibrosis, and many other diseases without being able to identify the true cause of her illness. Only when she and her family left their Pennington, New Jersey home did Caitlin’s condition begin to improve. Jill Murray of the Children’s Hospital Philadelphia diagnostic center found large amounts of mold in the crawlspace.

One in three persons affected

According to Dr. David Zhang, who is a biologist with New York’s Mt. Sinai Medical Center, 50 of the over 100,000 different mold species are toxic. Also, one out of every three people are allergic to mold. And exposure to mold spores can trigger life-threatening problems for children, the elderly, people with asthma, and anyone with a compromised immune system. Mold not only damages the physical health of home owners and occupants, it can lower a home’s value and make it difficult to sell.

One of the most potentially harmful issues you may have in your home or business can be easily addressed and corrected. Call the experienced professionals at Stern Mold for a free inspection and mold treatment consultation today.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Identification, News

Mold Cleanup – Can You Do-It-Yourself Safely?

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Mold in your home is never good. For one thing, it can mean there is moisture seepage or a leak causing damp conditions, and for another, mold is unhealthy and can pose health problems.

Removing Mold Safely in Small Areas

When you’re faced with moldy residue, the first instinct is to clean the area eliminating the moldy material. If the area is relatively small, it is possible to remove the mold by thoroughly cleaning but it also depends on the type of material that needs cleaning. For example,moldy carpeting isn’t cleanable, and moldy drywall and insulation both need to be removed and replaced.

If it’s possible to clean a small surface, these are the things you’ll need:

  • Rubber gloves
  • Disposable mask
  • Safety glasses
  • Recommended mold remover
  • Disposable wipes, paper towels, rags or sponge

Using Professional Services

Keep in mind there is a reason for the mold and cleaning it is only part of the process. The cause must first be found and fixed to avoid future mold problems. For this reason, it’s recommended that professionals handle the job. Not only will they find the problem, they’ll provide the proper mold treatment.

The process for mold treatment for many years was the costly process of remediation. This process can take days or weeks and only deals with the symptoms. With the MoldExterm treatment from Stern Mold, we tackle the cause of the problem usually in one visit.

For issues with mold, our service technicians are at the ready to answer your questions, provide a free inspection, and devise a plan of attack to remove unsightly mold. Contact us at your earliest convenience to schedule an appointment.

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

How Fast Does Mold Grow? Is This Old Mold?

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Mold Growth

Mold Growth

Have you recently discovered a mold colony in your building or home? Determining the cause is an important factor in successful treatment. Failing to address the original situation will likely result in continued recurrences. Here are some of the mold identification clues experts use to determine the age of an infestation, which can indicate probable cause.

How quickly can mold grow?

Mycologists, who are biologists specializing in the study of fungi, have found that mold growth can occur over a period as short as two to three days. However, simply examining the mold itself gives no indication of the time frame. Observations of the surrounding area and surfaces provide more reliable evidence for an estimate.

Recent or single-event growth

Water is the principal ingredient required for mold growth, so any incident that creates dampness in a building or home results in prime conditions for an colony to develop. If mold turns up after a burst pipe or a roof leak, it’s generally assumed that it’s a one-time localized occurrence.

Long-standing or multi-event growth

Buildings that are more than 20 years old often have a history of leaks, flooding and other events that create an overall environment conducive to the growth of mold. They also tend to contain drywall, fiberglass insulation and other “mold-friendly” materials that make it easy for mold to spread from one area to another. Rot on wood, carpeting or other surfaces is another reliable sign of long-standing mold.

Don’t take on the task of mold identification by yourself. Contact us today to schedule a free mold inspection by our skilled professional technicians.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Identification, News

Keeping Safe If You Think You Have Mold

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In 2012, Superstorm Sandy became the second-costliest hurricane in U.S. history, affecting New Jersey and 23 other states. Lingering effects include persistent mold infestations resulting from chronic dampness in flooded homes. It’s estimated that it will take a minimum of seven years to fully restore affected areas.

Claire Galiano, a health and safety trainer for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), has been traveling Eastern states leading seminars educating residents about mold treatment. Here are some of her tips for safely dealing with an infestation in your home.

  • There are several brands of paint and other items on the market aimed at preventing mold. Be sure to learn about any product you may use as some of them can be toxic.
  • Black mold is the most well-known of the 16 toxic species, but testing is needed to determine whether a patch of black mold is the toxic variety.
  • When cleaning out a moldy area, use a respirator, goggles and ear plugs to prevent mold spores from entering your body. Afterwards, immediately place protective gear into a plastic bag to keep the spores from dispersing to begin a new colony.
  • Mold spores can become trapped in porous surfaces like wood paneling or furniture upholstering. Galliano recommends, “If in doubt, throw it out.”
  • A mixture of powder Cascade, Borax soap and water makes a safe cleaning solution. Dispose of brushes, clothes and any other materials immediately after use.

If your New Jersey home requires mold treatment, let our trained technicians handle it with our innovative MoldExterm system. Visit our website to learn why MoldExterm is a safe, effective and cost-efficient alternative to traditional remediation.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, Mold Identification, Mold Treatment, News

Elderly Tenants Forced to Move Due to “Mold Nightmare”

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Your home is your sanctuary and refuge, making NYC mold treatment an important factor in preserving livability. Imagine the dismay and frustration of elderly tenants living in an Alabama housing development who have been coping with three years of mold problems.

Residents of Spring Gardens Housing in Tarrant first discovered patches of black mold three years ago. Documents reviewed by AL.com, an Alabama news site, indicated that housing ownership and officials received environmental lab reports documenting the problem dating back to that period.

Emails and other documents indicate that some of the mold and structural problems were remediated, but the issue persisted. As recently as last April, Jefferson County Housing Authority (JCHA) conducted an inspection of 100 apartments they manage in the development. The report revealed evidence of mold in 14 of the 70 occupied units.

A resident of Spring Gardens spoke with AL.com about the way he’s been shuttled back and forth due to the mold issue. He was forced to move three times in a two-week period, with no solution in sight. The man also allowed the reporter to photograph a rash on his upper chest that may have been caused by the housing conditions.

A spokesman for Navigate Affordable Housing Partners, Inc., which took over management at the beginning of 2015, insists the agency maintains a commitment to the residents. However, it’s unclear whether they conducted an inspection on the non-JCHA units.

Don’t allow your family to be put through this nightmare. Contact us for information about our safe and effective NYC mold treatment that eliminates the problem and implements measures to prevent a reoccurrence.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, News
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