Mycotoxins: The secret cause of mold health problems

If you’ve researched molds and the health problems they cause, you may have encountered the term “mycotoxin” and wondered what a mycotoxin is.  You can find a lengthy explanation here, but we wanted to summarize it for you.

Strictly speaking, mold itself doesn’t make you sick.  It can trigger allergic reactions, but most of the health problems attributed to mold are actually caused by substances it produces.  These substances are mold’s defense mechanisms that destroy other organisms represent a threat.

We’re very familiar with some of these substances – antibiotics – because they don’t threaten humans and destroy organisms that do.  Other substances – mycotoxins – are poisonous to humans, and these do the major damage to people.

This site lists the most common mycotoxins, the kinds of health problems they cause, and the types of mold that produce them.  They’re all carcinogenic but cause many other problems as well.  They do so by attacking our cells, and too much exposure can have devastating health effects.

The bottom line is to avoid mold exposure at all costs.  Whatever kind of mold you have and what it does or doesn’t produce, it’s doing you no good in your home.  For help in removing mold, contact us and we’ll take care of all of your mold issues

September 2, 2010  Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,  Posted in: Uncategorized   No Comments

How quickly does mold cause health problems?

During the past couple weeks, we’ve blogged about how quickly mold can spread.  Another common question is how long people have until mold exposure makes them sick.  Unfortunately, there’s no one set answer or range of answers for this.  However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published this guide on the health effects of mold that can shed some light on the topic. This guide is meant for doctors and can be tough sledding, so we’ll pull out few useful points.

It’s hard to be specific about the health effects of mold because of the variety of different ways people react to it.  In general, mold will be more harmful to the very young, the very old, and those with compromised immune systems.  The guide presents the case study of a 1-month-old infant developing health problems, so that can tell you how quickly mold can act on one’s health.  Additionally, it can take a month or more to recover from mold exposure.

Another point made in the case studies is that once a person becomes sensitive to mold, it takes less exposure to create another reaction.  So, if you become sick from mold exposure, recover after the it’s been eliminated, and then re-exposed to mold, your symptoms can reappear quicker than they did the first time.

Although it’s hard to point to concrete figures, all the information points to the need to quickly respond to mold growth in your home.  Once again, any spills or leaks should be cleaned up within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.  If you notice mold growing, contact us right away.  We’ll assess the situation and figure out the best way to get rid of your mold problem.

August 25, 2010  Tags: , , , , , , , , ,  Posted in: Health Risks   No Comments

What can NAMP do for you?

On our homepage, we proudly state that we’re a member of the National Association of Mold Professionals (NAMP).  It’s a relationship that’s extremely beneficial for us and can benefit you as well.  Here’s how.

NAMP’s main benefit for consumers is its member directory.  Here, you can search by state and even by county to find mold professionals in your area.  We’re listed there and have had many customers come to us through the site.

What makes the NAMP directory better than other listings is that NAMP indicates which providers are certified.  NAMP offers numerous educational and training opportunities to companies like ours so they can stay current on the best ways to identify and fight mold infestation.  Companies that participate in these offerings can become certified by NAMP.

What this means for you is that whenever you contact us or any other NAMP-certified professional, you can be confident that you’re dealing with a professional organization that knows what it doing and is bringing the latest techniques to bear in solving your problem.

August 18, 2010  Tags: , , , , , , ,  Posted in: Uncategorized   No Comments

How fast does mold grow?

While discussing mold prevention last week, we mentioned the timeframe for mold growth.  This week we’d like to elaborate on that a little more to give you a better picture of the speed of mold growth.

As we mentioned last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that mold growth will begin 24-48 hours after an area has enough moisture.  According to this eHow article mold will begin spreading from its initial growth area anywhere between one and 12 days after it begins to grow.

A number of factors contribute to the spread of mold and affect how quickly it spreads.  Humidity is the biggest contributor to the spread of mold, and a humidity level greater than 55 percent will cause mold to spread much more quickly.  Heating and cooling systems which pull mold spores into ducts and blow them out through vents will also help mold spread more quickly and to a greater area.

A quick response is the key to mold prevention, and cleaning up any spills, floods, or damp areas is the best way to prevent the spread of mold.  However, if you’ve observed mold growth and know you’re beyond the time period required for initial mold growth and spread, you should consider a professional company like Advance Mold Remediation to determine how much mold has spread and the best ways to get rid of it.  Contact us to learn more.

August 13, 2010  Tags: , , , , , ,  Posted in: Uncategorized   No Comments

6 tips for avoiding mold

At Advance Mold Remediation, we stand ready to help eliminate any mold problem that develops in your home or office.  However, the best option for homeowners is to avoid mold growth in the first place.  The main thing to remember about mold is that it needs a damp environment to grow, so we wanted to offer some suggestions for reducing moisture and humidity in your home courtesy of the Environmental Protections Agency’s (EPA’s) Web site.

  1. Clean up any spills or leaks ASAP.  It generally takes mold 24-48 hours to begin to grow, so eliminate standing water or dampness before that.
  2. Ensure gutters and downspouts are clear and don’t back up.  If they do, they’ll back up into your home where mold can grow in hard-to-see-and-reach places.
  3. Ensure water does not collect around the foundation of your home where it could seep into the structure.
  4. Vent moisture-producing appliances (clothes dryers, stoves, kerosene heaters) outdoors whenever possible.
  5. Use exhaust fans and/or open windows while showering, cooking, and dishwashing.
  6. Reduce condensation forming on metal surfaces by using fans or dehumidifiers, opening windows, insulating cold surfaces, and raising the air temperature.

These steps should help you avoid mold growth, but if you still experience a problem in your home or office, contact us and will determine the extent of your problem and what can be done to get rid of it.

August 8, 2010  Tags: , , , , , , , , ,  Posted in: Uncategorized   No Comments

Duct hunting for mold

HVAC duct cleaningIf you visit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Mold Resources Web site, you’ll find information on duct cleaning as a method for dealing with mold.  It actually is quite useful because it goes beyond mold investigation and remediation and looks at other supposed benefits of duct cleaning and gives advice on choosing a good inspector.  At Advance Mold Remediation, we know a thing or two about duct cleaning and believe this is a worthwhile site that consumers should use to avoid unscrupulous duct cleaning companies.

Although the EPA points out that it can’t verify the claims some proponents of duct cleaning make, the one thing it says for sure is that mold can grow in you ductwork.  This causes particular problems because mold spores can easily spread throughout your house through your ducts.

However, because it’s difficult for average homeowners to inspect ductwork on their own, unethical service providers can use an inspection to create a problem where none exists.  Aside from a musty smell in your ducts, the only sure way of determining whether mold is present is to actually see it.  The EPA recommends asking your service provider to show you any mold it claims to find and to have the substance tested by a laboratory. The EPA provides a full rundown on its Web site.

At Advance Mold Remediation, we follow procedures and protocols developed by the EPA when serving our customers, so you can trust us to make a thorough and honest inspection of your heating and cooling system.  If, and only if, we find mold, we’ll walk you through our process for cleaning out your system and keeping you and your family safe. Contact us to learn more.

July 26, 2010  Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,  Posted in: Uncategorized   No Comments

Moldy foreclosed homes

While the housing crisis has been a nightmare for many, it’s presented other with the opportunity of purchasing a cheap foreclosed home.  However, it’s not always all good news for these buyers.  Lurking in these discounted homes can be hidden problems that can quickly eat up the money their saving.  An an article in Popular Mechanics listed mold as the top problem home buyers should look for when considering a foreclosed home.

We’ve blogged a lot about how easily mold can grow out of sight and cause real health problems.  All this occurs in occupied homes where families, whether they intend to or not, create inhospitable environments for mold.  Summer is a time for air conditioning and dehumidifiers, which combat the warm, wet environments that mold needs to grow.  Leaks are quickly dealt with, and if mold does rear its ugly head, homeowners are usually quick to deal with it.

With a foreclosed home, which usually goes unoccupied for months, the air conditioning, dehumidifiers, and vigilance all go away.  What’s left is a musty space where leaks can go unnoticed and mold can easily spread.  It can get into ductwork and then spread through the rest of the house.  Even then, a prospective buyer still may not notice it until it’s too late.

For sure, this sort problem is more common in Florida where the conditions are better for mold growth and there are many more foreclosed homes on the market.  However, last summer brought the story of a Rockville, MD home that sat empty after foreclosure, and became infested with mold.

The wise homebuyer will use some of the money saved from purchasing a foreclosure to have it inspected by a mold specialist before signing on the dotted line.  At Advance Mold Remediation, we’re ready to help you determine whether you’re truly getting a good deal on a foreclosure and give you some peace of mind as you go to settlement.  Contact us to learn more.

July 23, 2010  Tags: , , , , , , , , ,  Posted in: Uncategorized   No Comments

Mold hide and seek

Have you checked your house for signs of mold?  If not, check out earlier post to learn what you should be looking for.  Of course the problem is, many of these signs indicate only that you could have mold.  Often you don’t see the mold itself, and it’s difficult to check the place where there’s an indication of mold.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a page dedicated to this “hidden mold.”

One of the main points of the page that we’d like to highlight is the risks you face when you just investigate possible mold growth.  If you peel back wallpaper, move ceiling tiles, or take up areas of carpeting, the disturbance to any mold growing there can cause the release of spores.  Suddenly the mold growth in one part of your house can spread to other parts. 

The page also points out the dangers of using chlorine bleach to deal with mold infestation.  It’s harmful to mold but is also hazardous to other things in your home including kids, animals, and plants (and you if the area’s not well ventilated).

The best option is to call in a professional like those at Advance Mold Remediation.  Contact us, and we’ll tell you how we can minimize the risk of releasing mold spores during our investigation and then safely eliminate the mold without harming your family.

July 16, 2010  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  Posted in: Uncategorized   No Comments

Getting to know the Indoor Air Quality Association

We’ve long been aware of outdoor airborne particles that can adversely affect our health.  One has to look no further than seasonal allergy sufferers to find evidence of this.  Lately, indoor air has come under more scrutiny as we learn more about the presence and effects of mold and other indoor air contaminants.  As you seek ways of keeping yourself safe from these dangers, the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) can be a helpful resource.

The IAQA is a non-profit organization based right here in Maryland that supports research and education about indoor environments to promote the safety and well being of the general public.  It also monitors legislation nationwide that concerns indoor air and promotes activity that encourages better air.  Its communications keeps members abreast of the latest research and legislative developments.

As part of its mission, the IAQA establishes and promotes standards and protocols that different industries and the public can use when grappling with issues of indoor air quality.  These standards can help you determine when poor air quality threatens the health of building inhabitants.  They help us at Advance Mold Remediation correct problems.  Afterward, the standards again help you to figure out whether contractors like us have done a good job.

Probably the most useful resource for you is the IAQA’s Consumer Information section.  You’ll find all kinds of individuals and companies that can help you identify and correct indoor air problems.  You can work with these service providers knowing that they’re the most qualified experts in the field and they’ve undergone an extensive education, training, and certification process to ensure you have the best indoor air quality possible.

You’ll find us on that list.  Advance Mold Remediation is a proud IAQA member and relies on it to help us provide the best service possible for our customers.  Contact us to learn more about how we put out IAQA membership to work for your benefit.

July 6, 2010  Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,  Posted in: Uncategorized   No Comments

6 signs you have a mold problem

One of the scariest aspects of mold is its ability to grow and affect people without them being aware of its presence.  However, if you know what to look for, you can spot a mold problem or the conditions that promote its development.

For starters, we’ve provided some signs the you have a mold problem on our web site.  In general, these warning signals are seeing mold, a musty smell, and inhabitants showing symptoms of mold allergies. 

However, there are other signs you should look out for.  While most of these don’t necessarily indicate mold, they do indicate excessive moisture which encourages mold growth.

  1. Condensation on pipes, windows, or walls inside a building.
  2. Rusting on metal, especially pipes.
  3. Discoloration of walls (yellow indicates moisture; green, brown, or black indicates mold).
  4. Cracked and peeling paint
  5. Warped wood
  6. High humidity.  (All of the above indicate high humidity, but the best way to tell is with a humidity sensor.  Ideally, your home should have a relative humidity of 30-50 percent.  If it’s 55 percent or greater, mold can grow easily.)

If you suspect or are concerned about mold growth in your home, contact us to schedule a free estimate or an inspection.

June 30, 2010  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  Posted in: Uncategorized   One Comment