Why Does My Attic Smell Musty?

7/17/2020 (Permalink)

Attic space is typically used for storage and not so much for actual living space. Homeowners making the rare trip upstairs to retrieve a few items may encounter a musty smell as they lift their heads above the ladder. Detecting a musty odor encompassing the entire room instantly switches their mind into panic mode. Attempting to figure out what is the cause of the smell.

Recognizing a musty smell in your attic could indicate that water infiltration has happened and mold growth is occurring. Attic’s can be several degrees warmer in the summer and lower in the winter compared to the rest of the home. Allowing for condensation to accumulate if there isn’t adequate ventilation. Not properly ventilating your attic can create a scenario where the least thought of area in your home easily shifts to top of mind.

Our team of professionals in Kernersville is trained to assess the severity of the mold damage in order to provide the best resolution. This is a quality of life issue as remediating the attic mold is vital for both the health of yourself and everyone else who resides in the home. We’re equipped with the necessary tools to contain the mold, mitigate its effects, and remediate the area through antimicrobial treatment that eradicates mold colonies.   

If your home or business requires our services whether for fire, water, or mold damage; perhaps even deep cleaning services, call the experts today – SERVPRO of Kernersville, (336) 748-0250.

Bathroom Flood Mitigation Efforts

5/6/2020 (Permalink)

The flooded kitchen of a residence.

There’s a lot of water output in your bathroom from the sink, toilet, bathtub faucet, and showerhead. Therefore the possibility of things going wrong in terms of mold damage caused by water damage is heightened. If you suspect that mold has infiltrated your bathroom it’s paramount that you respond swiftly and efficiently in order to mitigate the effects. Discovering that you have mold damage isn’t difficult if you know the signs. First and foremost if you smell any mildew or unpleasant smell while in your bathroom that is sustained for long periods of time that may mean that mold has infected your bathroom. 

Secondly, checking behind your toilet for any black spots may be another clear sign that mold has begun to build up. Checking underneath your sink vanity as well is also critical. Often times these places in your bathroom go unnoticed since they aren’t seen that often unless you’re searching for them. Lastly, review the area around your shower and bathtub for black spots. Water ma oftentimes spills out of the bathtub and if too much does spill out it may cause standing water outside your bathtub. 

When encountering mold it may require the use of an experienced and expert mold remediation crew to resolve your matter. Our Production Technicians at SERVPRO of Kernersville have been trained in these matters, respectively, and are equipped to assist when necessary. 

Your SERVPRO of Kernersville team is readily available to assess your fire, water, mold, or storm damage needs if such events arise. We can be contacted at 336-748-0250.

Kitchens are the heart of the home for many people, with all the traffic that they do receive throughout the day

4/20/2020 (Permalink)

Mold on a ceiling.

Kitchens are the heart of the home for many people. With all the traffic that they do receive throughout the day from breakfast in the morning to preparing dinner in the evening, it’s critical that you keep this part of your home up and running. Especially considering the preparation of food and its consumption in relation to the health of your loved ones. When attempting to found out if your kitchen has been affected by mold damage you want to check around the primary water sources for your kitchen. That, of course, would be the sink and the refrigerator. 

Sinks are your primary water source in the kitchen and whether you’re washing dishes or preparing a meal with water it’s easy to allow water to flop around. If that water is continually allowed to pile up it may result in standing water. Standing water around your sink may be the precursor to mold beginning to develop. Likewise, for your refrigerator, you should regularly check behind and underneath your refrigerator for any standing water as well as mold beginning to develop. Many refrigerators come equipped with water and ice dispenser. If those connections to the wall falter it may cause leaking which may ultimately lead to mold. 

If you encounter mold in your kitchen its best to respond quickly in order to mitigate the effects. The SERVPRO of Kernersville team is trained in these sorts of matters and are ready to assist when necessary. 

Your SERVPRO of Kernersville team is readily available to assess your fire, water, mold, or storm damage needs if such events arise. We can be contacted at (336) 748-0250.

Mold Is Best Dealt With Sooner Rather Than Later

4/8/2020 (Permalink)

Mold on the ceiling.

Mold poses a serious risk to your property whether it be your home, office, warehouse, or retail space. Essentially all spaces where there’s moisture gathering there’s the potential for mold to occur and being mindful of that puts you one step ahead of preventing it. Now is a great time since people are slowing down with the COVID-19 public health crisis to review your property for any anomalies that you may have not to notice before until now. 

First, be aware of any standing water in your property. That could be water that has circled your toilet, bathtub, or even underneath your sink. Checking underneath your sink and in the vanity for any water leaks is an important step in noticing mold damage, so that you may begin the mitigation process. Watermarks on walls in your home or place of business is possibly another sign of potential mold damage on your property. 

Laundry rooms are also potential havens for water to fester and create a mold damage situation requiring an immediate response in order to mitigate the damage. Along with your eyesight also using your nose is a critical tool. A musty smell in your laundry room or bathroom can potentially be a sign that mold has developed. Checking behind your washer machine for any irregularities that may lead to water seeping out. 

Mold can damage your property to the extent requiring a professional crew to remedy the situations. The health risk can also mount especially for the most vulnerable to sickness.  

The SERVPRO of Kernersville team can be reached at (336) 748-0250 for all your fire, water, mold, and proactive cleaning needs. 

Moldy Mythes

5/29/2018 (Permalink)

At SERVPRO of Kernersville we have mold remediation services. Most of the time it’s in an un-used part of the home like a basement or attic.

Some customers try to handle the project themselves and find that the mold comes back a few weeks later. Here are some myths & facts about mold and the dangers. If you think you have mold, you should contact SERVPRO of Kernersville to discuss the plans of actions.

MYTH NO. 1 BLEACH KILLS MOLD?

Liquid bleach is a solution of chlorine in water, usually 6 percent sodium hypochlorite, thus 94 percent water. Smearing bleach on mold may appear to kill it, but the effect is superficial and very temporary. Once the chlorine is gone - and it evaporates rapidly - what's left is all that water, feeding the mold.

There are many chemicals that kill mold. They're called biocides.

MYTH No. 2   'Toxic' Mold is the only dangerous type of mold.

"Toxic" mold or "black" mold is often touted by the hucksters in the mold industry as being the one that makes people sick, the one you must eliminate. This is pure scare tactic. 

Yes, there are some strains of mold that seem to be more toxic than others. But there is no such thing as good mold, or even tolerable mold, unless you like stinky cheese. Mold in your home is a problem, because it signifies a moisture problem. Moisture inside your home enables mold growth, and it can also lead to rot, threatening the structure itself.

On top of that, any mold problem that's allowed to continue often will pave the way for the dreaded "black mold." The most infamous "black mold," stachybotrys chartarum, is what's known as a tertiary mold. It's very slow to develop and usually follows earlier mold growths, actually feeding off the previous mold colony.

MYTH No. 3, Homeowners can properly remediate mold themselves?

Homeowners are not trained or knowledgeable about mold enough to properly remediate the damages, most times homeowners cause more damage when they don’t hire a professional. Most of the errors are in the contamination process. Not using vapor barriers or the proper equipment to clean the air during removal stages. When it’s not properly sectioned off, they can cross contaminate mold threw other area of the home that previously did not have mold spores.

Fact No. 1 :  Mold is everywhere and mold problems exist indoors in every climate.

Mold is, literally, everywhere on the planet, in every climate. A house in the Mojave Desert can have a mold problem as easily as one in Florida or New Orleans. 

Mold needs three things to thrive: moisture, food, and the right temperature. Moisture can collect in walls, attics and crawl spaces in the driest of climates with a little help, such as a roof or siding leak, plumbing flaw, and pressure differentials created by air conditioning, or even a poorly vented bathroom.

Food for mold is pretty much everything we build with and everything we own. Mold loves household dust... even in the kitchen sink. And the warmth mold needs is the same temperature range humans prefer.

Bottom line: Every home has mold but not every home has a mold problem. If you think you might have a mold problem, don't ignore it. Get help.

Fact No. 2 Home inspectors don't know mold.
 
Home inspectors - the ones who check out a house prior to sale - are generally ignorant about mold. Many inspectors will see mold and ignore it because there's no rot or obvious moisture. Others may not see it at all.

If you think you have mold in your property, call a professional remediation company like SERVPRO of Kernersville– (336-748-0250)

Tips For Avoiding Spring Mold

5/29/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Kernersville has seen a lot of mold begin to form this time of the year.  Here are some things that we have learned. 

The last thing most people want to find in their home is mold. Many people find mold in their home and have to go through mold remediation, however there are some things you can do to help prevent mold from growing in your home.