Tag Archives: Mold Treatment

Where to Look for Hidden Mold

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As you know, interior mold and fungus can cause a wealth of health problems with symptoms such as runny nose, watery and itchy eyes, swollen eyelids, wheezing and coughing, just to name a few. Before you can combat mold, you have to know where it is coming from.

Moisture Causes Mold to Grow

Mold and fungus needs moisture to grow and spread. The first place to look for hidden mold would be in places like bathrooms, laundry rooms, adjacent walls and/or flooring and tiles. Generally, if you see signs of mold on the outside a wall, the chances are great that there will be hidden mold behind the wall.

Here are some common places to look for and inspect for hidden mold:

  • Above ceiling tiles, particularly in damp locations
  • Under sinks in bathrooms and kitchens
  • Inside your heating and air conditioning vents
  • Beneath carpeting in and around damp locations
  • In your attic, especially if you vent household humid air into that space

Hidden Mold Causes Problems

In all cases, unless there is an outward bloom of mold that can be readily seen, it will be difficult, at best, to find any signs of hidden mold. But if you have symptoms of mold infestation, and mold is not readily present, it may be time to call in a professional to help track down and eliminate any mold problem, hidden or not, that you may have., also

For the best in NYC mold treatment, rely on the professionals at Stern Mold. We are part of the Stern Environmental Group, and have been serving the New Jersey, New York City, and Long Island area since 1995.

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

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

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

Landlords, Judges May Not Be On Your Side With Mold Infestation

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Can your tenant break a lease or withhold rent because of a mold problem? Judges are sending a clear message to landlords: if you know about a mold infestation, you are obligated to resolve it.

To keep your properties occupied and paying rent, the best course of action is to bring in an NYC mold treatment service as soon as the problem becomes known. The law often allows a tenant to stop paying and move out because of the health effects of mold.

Case study: Will a judge side with the tenant in a mold situation?

In a Detroit suburb recently, a landlord attempted to sue a tenant for rent after she moved her family out of the house. A district judge denied his case — and directed a local official to “red tag” the property as uninhabitable.

Although landlord-tenant laws vary by city and state, the Detroit case serves as a warning that courts take mold infestation safety cases seriously.

The tenant in Detroit said the landlord knew about the mold problem before she moved in. Over several months, she and her two children suffered ailments ranging from full-body rashes to hospitalization.

Eventually, the family vacated the property and ceased paying rent. The mother paid for mold testing to verify the problem, but the landlord did not respond with mold treatment.

New York courts are siding with tenants when landlords fail to resolve mold problems. The good news is that Stern Mold offers a fast and affordable NYC mold treatment service that does not require removing walls or renovating the property.

Contact Stern Mold for a free mold inspection and estimate for NYC mold treatment.

Posted in Mold & Your Health, News

Mold: What Every Home Owner Fears

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With the apparent prevalence of news stories about infested homes, it seems appropriate that “mold” is a four-letter word. Just the mention of it can send shivers down a homeowner’s spine. But is mold really something that should inspire such fear?

The truth is that mold is nothing new. Advice about mold treatment can even be found in the Biblical book of Leviticus. While it seems as though the problem has grown, experts say it’s simply that there’s more awareness of it today.

Nelson Barnes Jr., a mold treatment expert in the Washington, DC area, explains that mold is a plant that poses no threat as long as you don’t touch or eat it. The danger arises from inhaling the spores that begin circulating in the air, causing respiratory problems ranging from coughing and sneezing to asthma attacks.

Mold spores are present everywhere, according to Rob Hopkin of ProTec Inspection Services. Issues stem from a concentration of spores that is greater indoors than outside. From there it takes only food, water and the right temperature for mold to multiply.

Households generally have the right mix of food and temperature to promote mold growth, leaving moisture as the ingredient that is easiest to control. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a major event like a burst pipe to grow mold. All it takes is a relative humidity level above 60 percent.

Unlike traditional remediation, our proprietary MoldExterm method controls moisture and spore transmission, the two biggest factors in mold reproduction. Visit our website to learn more about why Stern Mold is the leader in quick and effective mold treatment.

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