Category Archives: Mold Remediation

Realtor.com – Mold’s Top Hiding Places

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You Can Be Meticulous About Housekeeping and Still Have Mold Thriving Inside Your Home.

You Can Be Meticulous About Housekeeping and Still Have Mold Thriving Inside Your Home.

Mold is one of the scariest words for any homeowner. You can be meticulous about housekeeping and still have mold thriving inside your home. Mold needs only three things to grow: Moisture, an organic food source like wood or paper, and the right temperature.

Mold can grow in temperatures as low as 32 degrees (Fahrenheit) and as high as 120 degrees. Temperatures below 32 degrees do not kill mold. It simply goes dormant until things warm up again. The optimal temperature for mold growth is between 70 degrees and 90 degrees.

Top hiding places for mold

As a reporter for NBC’s “Today” show found out when he asked a mold remediation expert to inspect his home, mold can lurk in an otherwise clean-looking kitchen or bathroom. Places that you don’t normally go looking are ideal for mold colonies. Behind your refrigerator, dishwasher or washing machine, a small leak can feed mold growth.

The same is true for leaky pipes under your sinks or in the crawl spaces. Long before you notice any water stains on your ceiling, a small roof leak can contribute to mold growth in your attic. Even if you don’t see the mold, its spores can cause respiratory problems for occupants with certain conditions. Also, there are studies that suggest mold contributes to asthma in some children.

Don’t jeopardize the health of your family. Contact the mold experts at Stern Mold. Our highly trained and professional technicians will carefully assess your mold problem and recommend the best mold remediation process to kill and prevent it from growing back again. The MoldExterm process is quick, inexpensive and eco-friendly.

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

What Color is Mold? Is It Always Black?

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Black Mold Isn't the Only Kind of Mold You Should Look for

Black Mold Isn’t the Only Kind of Mold You Should Look for

The mold family includes thousands of types and colors, but if you are only familiar with black, it’s probably because of the media attention given to it and mold remediation. Read on for the most common types of mold encountered in your home or place of business.

Green

Green is generally thought to be a variety of fungus, though there are thousands of species of green mold in the world.

Brown/Gray/Olive Green

Molds in this color family are common Cladosporium. You will find it on plant leaves outside and inside a house or building. It can grow on walls and carpet that is damp.

Blue/White/Green

Belonging to the Penicillium genus, these molds were once used to create the antibiotic penicillin. It grows on food and walls and is one of the most common molds that bother people with allergies.

Yellow/Green/Black

The Aspergillus molds family includes yellow, black and green molds are commonly inhaled every day. People with compromised immune systems and weak lungs can develop aspergillosis, a condition that includes coughing and sinus issues, as well as more serious health problems.

Black/Gray

The black or gray mold Alternaria, primarily an outdoor mold, has been found in a high percentage of indoor dust samples and has been linked asthma.

Pink

If you find mold of a pinkish color in your home, it’s most likely a bacteria form, not a mold in the true sense. It can develop on soap or shampoo containers or on shower walls.

Do you need professional mold remediation in your home or business? Our eco-friendly two-step process usually is completed in one day. Contact us today to schedule a free mold inspection.

 

Posted in Mold Identification, Mold Information, Mold Remediation, News

Inhalation of Mold and Dust – a Health Hazard

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Inhaled Mold Spores Can Be Detrimental to Health

Inhaled Mold Spores Can Be Detrimental to Health

Big things come in small packages, and that applies to health risks as well. Dust and mold spores may not be visible to the naked eye, but they can have a serious impact on your physical well-being. Why do these microscopic particles create such a threat?

Mold Spores: Small but Mighty

Even the largest mold spores measure only 40 microns. In comparison, a human hair ranges from 100 to 150 microns. At that size, it’s easy for spores to slip past the natural filtering in your nasal passages, causing irritation to your upper respiratory system that triggers allergic reactions.

People who don’t generally suffer from allergies can still experience mild symptoms, such as wheezing and a runny nose, but the more sensitive an individual is, the more serious the effects. Reactions can range from chronic sinus infections to asthma attacks as well as lung infections in people with compromised immune systems.

Dangers of Dust in the Air

Dust is always present in the air, but treatments like traditional mold remediation can aggravate their presence. When building materials are removed, chemical vapors, silica particles and other irritants are released to combine with existing dust motes. Such disturbances also stir up mold spores that are dispersed into the air, where they can enter your system or find a new surface where they will continue to multiply.

State-of-the-Art Mold Remediation in NYC and northern NJ

Stern Mold uses a proprietary system called MoldExterm for effective and eco-friendly mold removal. Visit our website to learn more about why MoldExterm is superior to traditional mold remediation.

 

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

Mold 101: How Can I Remove Mold from Carpet?

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Interior mold is usually depicted as growing on surfaces like walls or bathtubs. Even though it’s not visible, mold and fungus can affect carpeting as well. Is there any effective treatment or remedy?

What are mycotoxins?

Mycotoxins are toxic substances that are by-products of mold. At 0.1 microns in width, they are even more minute than mold spores. Human hair is approximately 100 microns wide, which gives a sense of the relative size of mycotoxins.

Health effects of mycotoxins

When you are exposed to toxic mold such as Aspergillus, which is one of the most common types found indoors, mycotoxins are ingested through the respiratory system. Mycotoxins from Stachybotrys, also referred to as black mold, can be absorbed through the skin as well.

Removal and treatment

As mycotoxins settle in carpet fibers, footsteps stir them up into the air where they can be ingested along with mold spores and allergens. A HEPA-filtered vacuum cleaner can remove the spores, but mycotoxins are small enough to pass through the vacuum and back out though the exhaust. Replacing the carpet is the only sure way to get rid of mycotoxins.

If you have been exposed to mycotoxins, take a long, hot shower with plenty of soap. Hair can trap mycotoxins, so you should also thoroughly shampoo.

Effective mold treatment in New Jersey

When it comes to mold and fungus treatment, don’t take a chance on doing an incomplete job. Our proprietary MoldExterm system removes mold thoroughly while leaving a sealant that prevents future infestations. Visit our website to learn how you can schedule a free mold inspection.

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

Mold 101: Will I Have Mold After a Water Leak?

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Mold requires water to grow. Since mold spores float invisibly through the air, any source of moisture becomes a potential area for infestation. Pay close attention to these clues so you can obtain mold treatment before the problem grows out of hand.

  • Water leaks are one of the biggest triggers for indoor mold. Sometimes the leak is evident, such as water dripping from the ceiling. Any time you have a visible leak, continue to monitor the area after repairs.
  • Many leaks are not immediately apparent, but there are some telltale clues. Water stains on walls or ceilings, blistering and peeling paint or wallpaper, or damp surfaces are the primary signs of a moisture problem.
  • Condensation on windows or pipes can signal a potential mold problem. The water itself provides nourishment for mold, while the high humidity levels causing the condensation will also encourage mold growth.
  • Have you ever experienced flooding in your home? That is a red flag for mold infestation, particularly in areas where the water was standing the longest.
  • Don’t rely strictly on visual cues. Mold can grow under damp carpeting, behind water-stained walls and in other out-of-the-way places. In these cases, you may begin to notice an unpleasant odor without actually seeing mold.

Mold may seem innocent, but in addition to damaged surfaces, it can cause health problems like headaches, sinus infections and other allergic reactions. Our proprietary mold treatment is quick, efficient, ecofriendly and protects against future mold infestations. Contact Stern Mold today for a free inspection by our friendly and knowledgeable technicians.

Posted in Mold Remediation, Mold Tips, News
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