Defense Against Mold in Richmond

2/23/2021 (Permalink)

Rain, snow, and ice have been wreaking havoc on Richmond for weeks now. With the increase of precipitation affecting our area, there are heightened chances for moisture to breach your home or business. Old or damaged roofs, basements and poorly sealed windows and doors present perfect conditions for the possibility of water damage, and in turn mold growth to form.

Prompt  mitigation is vital to avoid mold growth, which can be visible in as little as 24 to 48 hours under the right conditions.

Follow these tips to limit the chances for mold to form:

• keep the humidity between 30-60%
• provide proper drainage away from building foundations
• regularly inspect plumbing and appliances for leaks
• keep gutters and drains clear or debris
• inspect roof, windows, and other areas where water might enter the building
• take swift action on all water intrusions immediately
• contact your SERVPRO of Richmond professionals for assistance after a water damage or if you discover mold.

RVA Mold Removal

1/14/2021 (Permalink)

The Truth is, It's Everywhere

Let’s face it, mold is everywhere. It can be found indoors and outdoors. It can enter your home or business through windows, vents and HVAC systems. Mold from outdoors can attach to clothing, shoes, pets and can be carried indoors. It grows anywhere, especially where there is moisture. And the worst part is, it can cause a variety of health effects. Children, the elderly, and anyone with respiratory problems are more likely to suffer the effects mold can have.

Mold’s Best Friend:

Water. Any home or business can quickly become infested with mold with the introduction of a water source, like a roof or plumbing leak. Mold can spread throughout a property in as little as 48-72 hours

Consider the following mold facts:

• Mold is present almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors.
• Mold spores are microscopic, float along in the air, and may enter your home through windows, doors, or AC/heating systems or even hitch a ride indoors on your clothing or a pet.
• Mold spores thrive on moisture. Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water. These colonies may produce allergens and irritants.
• Before mold remediation can begin, any sources of water or moisture must be addressed. Otherwise, the mold may return.
• Mold often produces a strong, musty odor, and that odor can lead you to possible mold problem areas.
• Even higher-than-normal indoor humidity can support mold growth. Keep indoor humidity below 45 percent.

“Mold Removal” vs. Remediation

Because mold is everywhere, removing all mold from your home or business is impossible. A qualified restoration company understand the science behind mold and mold growth and knows how to remediate the problem area. So what do you do when you find mold growth in your home or business?

• Step 1: Contact SERVPRO of Richmond 804.740.6151
• Step 2: Inspection and Mold Damage Assessment
• Step 3: Mold Containment
• Step 4: Air Filtration
• Step 5: Removing Mold and Mold-Infested Materials
• Step 6: Cleaning Contents and Belongings
• Step 7: Restoration

Moldy Soft Goods Cleaning

2/26/2020 (Permalink)

When you have a water damage in your home, typically the floors, walls and ceilings are affected. Not only does SERVPRO take care of the water damaged structure, but we also clean the affected contents in the home as well. Whether it is clothes, stuffed animals, shoes, purses, etc., SERVPRO carefully packs up the contents and brings them back to our facility to be cleaned.

SERVPRO of Richmond and SERVPRO of Henrico County has state-of-the-art Esporta cleaning system on-site that can make water damaged, mold damaged, and even smoke and soot damaged items look like new again. When the crew arrives to your home after a damage has occurred, our trained professionals with pack up each affected item and thoroughly clean the contents to be delivered back to the customer. This is so important for customers who have items they would rather try and restore rather than replace.

SERVPRO of Richmond and SERVPRO of Henrico County has been fighting fire and water damages for over 30 years and we will continue to make our customers happy by restoring their home as well as their personal contents.

Prepping Your Home for Winter Weather

1/15/2020 (Permalink)

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get your home winterized. Heating your home is expensive but there are a few things you can do with a low budget that can quickly address problem areas. Follow this checklist of quick fixes to make your home more energy efficient.

1. Install a door sweep – exterior doors, especially older doors, can allow drafts into your home. A sweep can be installed at the bottom base of the door and can stop the draft from entering your home.
2. Install weatherstripping – you can seal drafty doors inside the door frame a foam or felt weatherstripping. A low-cost trick to find a draft is holding a candle along the edges of the door and seeing if the flame is moving towards you.
3. Add attic insulation – although this isn’t a very low-cost option, it can have huge effects on your bill. Use a professional to install this insulation but ask which steps you can perform yourself to lower the cost.
4. Seal furnace ducts – start by sealing the exposed ducts in the attic, crawl space, garage and basement with high focus on where the ducts and vents come close to the floors, ceilings and walls. Instead of duct tape use a more durable option like metal tape.
5. Lower the hot water temperature – lowering the temperature to about 120 degrees will save money and the water is still hot enough for dishes, bathing and washing clothes.
6. Check outside leaks – use caulk for small problem areas or foam sealer for bigger holes and pay attention to chimneys, vents, doors frames, windows.
7. Cover windows – using your drapes, curtains and blinds can actually have a big impact on keeping the heat inside your home. Although when it is a warmer day, opening the curtains to let the sun warm the room can also be beneficial.

How to Deal with Mold in Your Richmond Home

6/20/2018 (Permalink)

Mold in Richmond, and Why a Remediation Team is the Answer  

When mold infestation becomes a problem at your residential property in Richmond, mold remediation is the solution. To learn more about what mold infestation is and how mold remediation can correct the issue, refer to the following short outline:

Mold: A Brief Overview

Have you ever noticed at your Richmond library, local university, or government building, a musty, dank odor? Often, people have this experience and assume the odor was caused by dust, old papers, or poor ventilation. However, it's important to note that the smell could have resulted from mold spores located somewhere in the building's structure. Additionally, the smell could be coming from the air conditioning and heating systems. In many cases, this health hazard goes ignored because visitors and employees are unaware that the culprit is mold. 

Richmond private homes, schools,  government buildings and public offices all contain natural amounts of mold spores. These spores are endemic in the environment. Once a natural disaster such as a flood or fire occurs, commercial and residential spaces become breeding grounds for mold. Water and moisture are conducive conditions for this explosive growth. These mold spores breed and grow within the building, and this can result in a toxic environment. In the event that a mold infestation becomes too profound for regular removal methods, it is appropriate and advantageous for you to seek professional services. 

What Is Mold Remediation? 

Although defined broadly, mold remediation is the process of eliminating any mold growth that exceeds a size of 10 square feet. Mold remediation differs from conventional mold removal methodologies. Specifically, the potential health hazards involved in the remediation process, coupled with the challenges of effectively removing the spores, necessitates the assistance of a professional team that has extensive experience in this field. These experts will use advanced techniques and specialized tools to get the job done. When you hire a professional remediation company such as SERVPRO to complete the mold remediation process, the crew will use precautionary containment procedures and industrial chemicals to prevent further contamination and proliferation of the mold spores. Experienced technicians with HEPA breathing equipment are the only individuals who should be completing this work.  Safety always comes first.

How Does The Mold Remediation Process Work?

Prior to cleaning the mold, expert mold remediation technicians will contain the area. This objective utilizes special plastic sheeting. The poly sheeting is thick enough to stop the small spores from escaping. Next, the remediation specialists will use an HEPA filtered vacuum, industrial strength cleansers, and wet vacuums to clean the mold and prevent it from spreading. Once this process is complete,  the remediation specialist can suggest if your furniture and books can be saved or if you'll need to replace them. 

Conclusion 

If you find your home subjected to the presence of mold, it's time to hire a professional remediation team. The team to call is SERVPRO. As mold remediation specialists, these experts provide detail-oriented, customer-centric services that yield results and earn high ratings on customer satisfaction. 

Locally Owned, with National Resources

SERVPRO of Richmond is locally owned and operated, so we are part of the Richmond community too. When you have a mold or water damage issue, we’re already nearby and ready to help. 

We use specialized mold remediation equipment. We can help.

Call (804) 740-6151.

Mold Removal vs. Mold Remediation

6/20/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Richmond has been remediating mold in homes and businesses for over 30 years. Since microscopic mold spores exist naturally almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors, removing all mold from a home or business is impossible. Many restoration businesses advertise “mold removal” and even guarantee to remove all mold. This is a fallacy. We understand mold and mold growth. SERVPRO of Richmond has the training and expertise to remediate the mold in your home or business.

It is important, especially after a water damage, to quickly address any signs of mold in the home or business. If there is moisture present, growth can start in as little as 48 hours. If not addressed in a timely manner, mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water. These colonies may produce allergens and irritants. Mold can also produce a strong, musty odor, and that odor can lead you to possible mold problem areas.

If you discover mold in your home, don’t hesitate to call the professionals who will abide by a remediation process:

1. Emergency Contact - (804) 740-6151
2. Inspection and Mold Damage Assessment
3. Mold Containment
4. Air Filtration
5. Removing Mold and Mold-Infested Materials
6. Cleaning Contents and Belongings

Mold Removal Richmond - A Professional Guide to Mold Removal in Your Home

6/20/2018 (Permalink)

By: Andrew M. Bahen

Mold removal is the last thing that any home owner wants to worry about. That is because mold has a nasty reputation of destroying homes from the inside out. An untreated mold problem can spread easily, damaging walls and other property in no time. Mold removal services may one day become a necessity, but with a little hard work, any home owner can prevent a mold problem before it starts.

What To Know Before A Mold Removal Project 

The first and most obvious question to ask is, how much mold damage is present in the home? A home owner can attempt to complete their mold removal without professional assistance, but there may come a time when that home owner is in over their head. The EPA has estimated that any mold spreading within a ten foot radius is manageable by the home owner. Beyond that, it is highly recommended that you seek the aid of a professional mold removal crew. 

Your second question should be, what objects are affected? If the mold has spread to the structure of the home, such as the walls or floor, then you will have to clean immediately. However, if the mold has only affected moveable objects, such as tables or chairs, then you must remove them from the home to prevent the mold from spreading further. Such objects may be cleaned elsewhere, such as in a yard or garage. 

How To Deal With Mold Damage 

It is important that you contain the mold problem before it spreads. Improper mold removal may actually cause the mold spores to spread, reaching other regions of the home and continuing the infection. 

Health is your number one concern when dealing with a mold problem. If you suffer from asthma or serious allergies, than you must seek the help of a professional removal service. There is no reason to put your health at risk. Use respiratory protection and protective clothing at all times when completing mold removal. Any clothing worn during the mold removal process must be thrown out or cleaned as soon as possible. 

All moveable objects should be bagged and taken away from the home. While moving an infected object, the mold spores may fall off and spread elsewhere, which is why a cleanup bag must be used. Even so, be sure to clean your home once the mold removal process has been completed, to be sure that no spores were left behind. Even previously uninfected items must be cleaned, or you may experience another mold problem down the road. 

Mold damage can affect the structure of your home. If this is the case, you should schedule an inspection with a professional mold removal service, to be sure that your home is safe. In most cases, cleaning the walls or floor will be enough to stop the problem, but be aware that more severe infections may require reconstruction. Nevertheless, timing is key. Deal with any mold problems as soon as they are discovered to reduce the damage done to your home and your health. 

SERVPRO of Richmond is locally owned and operated and serves Richmond, Henrico, Glen Allen, Chesterfield, Midlothian, Short Pump, Petersberg, Colonial Heights, Chester, Hopewell and surrounding communities. 

SERVPRO of Richmond's fully certified water removal staff can perform a complete damage assessment to your home of office, and then recommend and follow the industries standards to get your water removal restoration repaired properly available 24 hours a day.

Moisture Control is Key to Mold Control

6/4/2018 (Permalink)

• Keep humidity levels as low as you can—no higher than 50%--all day long. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the level low. Humidity levels change throughout the day as changes occur in the moisture in the air and the air temperature, so check the humidity levels more than once a day.
• If you see condensation or moisture collecting on windows, walls or pipes ACT QUICKLY to dry the wet surface and reduce the moisture/water source.  Condensation can be a sign of high humidity.
• Be sure your home has enough ventilation. Use exhaust fans, which vent outside your home in the kitchen and bathroom. Make sure your clothes dryer vents outside your home.
• Fix any leaks in your home’s roof, walls, or plumbing so mold does not have moisture to grow.
• Clean up and dry out your home thoroughly and quickly (within 24–48 hours) after flooding.
• Remove or replace carpets and upholstery that have been soaked and cannot be dried promptly. Consider not using carpet in rooms or areas like bathrooms or basements that may have a lot of moisture. 

Call SERVPRO of Richmond at 804.740.6151 to remediate your mold growth.