Mold! Do's and Dont's.

9/26/2018 (Permalink)

If you see visible mold, do not disturb it. You can inadvertently spread the mold infestation throughout your home. When mold is disturbed, the mold can release microscopic mold spores which become airborne and can circulate inside your home.

What to Do:

• DO stay out of affected areas.
• DO turn off the HVAC system and fans.
• DO contact SERVPRO of Jackson for mold remediation services.

What Not to Do:

• Do NOT touch or disturb the mold.
• Do NOT blow air across any surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth.
• Do NOT attempt to dry the area yourself.
• Do NOT spray bleach or other disinfectants on the mold.

We are prepared to help you face this issue when it arises.  Our team is prepared to deal with microbial growth and will help you take care of this issue quickly.  If you have any questions about microbial growth or have any concerns about your home or business, let SERVPRO of Forest and Magee put your mind at ease.  Call us today at 662-779-1070 for any mold or mildew issues you are dealing with in your home or business!

Tips for Mold Prevention

9/26/2018 (Permalink)

Mold is the enemy of every homeowner. Mold looks unsightly, smells bad, and can cause damage to your soft furnishings, carpets, clothes, and even your appliances or the structure of your home itself. Often the first sign of mold is a glimpse of discoloration on a wall or ceiling, or maybe noticing that telltale moldy smell in a bathroom or laundry room.

 
However, spores can grow in hidden places, too. You can reduce the risk of the fungus growing unnoticed and causing mold damage in your residence home by being proactive about looking for evidence of mold. SERVPRO recommends you check the following places for hidden contamination. 
 
Chimneys 
Chimneys are cold and can easily get damp from rain or even snow. Brickwork provides plenty of hidden crevices for spores to grow in. Make sure your chimney flashing is in good condition and replace it if need be. An annual visit from a chimney sweep is a good idea, too. 
 
Kitchen Appliances 
Most kitchen appliances get washed after every use, but there are still some hidden areas you must check regularly. Take a look at refrigerator drip trays, the door and seal of front-loading washing machines, and refrigerator and freezer seals. You can deal with mild cases using a weak bleach solution followed by a quick wipe with white vinegar. 
 
Carpets and Carpet Pads 
Carpets and carpet pads provide an environment where mold can propagate unnoticed, especially if a carpet gets wet. If your floor coverings get wet, call us at once. Our skilled teams come with free standing and truck mounted pumps and extraction tools to remove water and lessen the risk of fungus growing under your carpet or pad. 
 
SERVPRO of Forest and Magee recommends putting in a call to us at the first sign of mold in your home. Our IICRC- certified technicians come prepared to set up containment to protect the rest of your home before getting to work on thoroughly cleaning the affected area. We use powerful HEPA vacuums to vacuum loose spores from surfaces, along with a combination of sanding, wire brush scrubbing, dusting, and wiping with a detergent solution to ensure each surface is properly cleaned of mold. We also use negative air machines when needed, to vent contaminated air outside your home. 
 
When mold cleaning is complete, our trained experts bring in dehumidifiers and air movers to dry the affected room, carpet, or area back to its normal level of dryness and discourage further growth. 
 
If you suspect mold growth in your home, give SERVPRO of Forest and Magee a call at (662)779-1070 today.

Mold behind wallpaper. SERVPRO can Help!

9/26/2018 (Permalink)

Are you flipping a house? Do you find a lot of older homes have wallpaper? The wallpaper trend was very popular when those older homes were being built. Fast forward 20 years and you start to take that wallpaper off the walls and you see “Mold”. This is due to the long term moisture that could be trapped behind the wall paper and the sheetrock. This is more common in humid areas of the home such as in a bathroom. Such areas of mold are due to the inability of the areas to properly dry. SERVPRO of Forest and Magee has the knowledge, equipment, and certified staff to help eradicate most mold areas. Call us @ 662-779-1070

***Please note that we do not know it is mold by just looking at it; to properly and scientifically say it is mold an Air Quality test needs to be performed to verify.

Why does mold grow.

9/26/2018 (Permalink)

Why does mold grow?

 Any discussion about mold cleanup should start with understanding why mold begins to grow in the first place. Customers with a mold damage problem are always surprised to learn that toxic mold spores are present not just in their home, but every home, and in fact almost every environment. It’s a naturally occurring element and in low levels is completely safe to humans and pets and your home in general. So when does it become a problem? When too much moisture is introduced in the organic surfaces mold feeds on to grow. Things like drywall, insulation, wood, cabinets, etc. become mold’s food source when mixed with water and the right temperature. While there are many strains of toxic mold, most thrive in temperatures ranging from 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’ll notice, the average temperature in home’s ideal to our own comfort sits squarely within that range. So when it comes to mold growth, 2 things are always present: the right temperature and food. It’s when you introduce that 3rd element, water, that problems can quickly grow out of hand!

Most common moisture problems that lead to mold

 If your home suffered a massive water damage event, you’re obviously going to know about it and hopefully you’re going to hire a competent water damage restoration company to fix it (hint hint, that’s us!). So the likelihood of that event unleashing a chain reaction that leads to a big mold problem is small assuming you have the moisture removed quickly. The real big mold jobs we see are from much smaller, long-term moisture problems that just never went diagnosed. Below are some of the most common persistent water damage problems we see that can result in a massive amount of black mold damage.

 Leaks under sinks

Whether it’s from a supply line with a loose connection or a drain pipe that has a small hole, slow leaks under seats (or any other sink for that matter) can go unnoticed for some time because your cabinets can hide the problem. It’s always a good idea to check under your sink cabinets to look for any signs of moisture or musty odors. If you detect a problem, it may be a good idea to have a professional come out and inspect things further. In some cases the problem is isolated and will be something you can handle on your own. But in some cases, the visible signs are only the tip of the iceberg. You’d be shocked what we have seen on and in walls and under flooring after pulling out cabinets!

 Small roof leaks

In some instances, the symptoms of a significant roof leak are discovered pretty quickly. Usually you see discoloration in the top floor’s ceiling or worse, it collapses entirely. But in other cases when you have a very small leak, the problem can go undetected for quite some time and never result in water damage you can see from inside the home. It’s usually discovered when someone goes up into the attic for some unrelated reason and sees the problem: mold growth everywhere. On the roof decking, insulation, support beams, you name it. At that point, you’ve got an expensive problem on your hands and your insurance company likely isn’t going to pay for the damages.

The best way to prevent this particular mold problem from occurring is to perform both an exterior as well as interior inspection at least once a year. For the exterior, actually walk the roof of your home (if it’s safe) to look for damaged or missing shingles. Replacing them is easy! For the inside, climb up to your attic and inspect the roof decking for signs of water intrusion.

 Pipe leaks inside walls

A lot of times we are called to a home to do a mold inspection because a homeowner noticed a small patch of mold growing on the floor next to a wall. When we dig further, we usually discover there is a plumbing pipe housed in that wall that is slowly leaking and depositing water on the floor inside the wall cavity. Once we start to remove the drywall, often times we discover the problem is much larger than just the small visible spot on the floor. Usually the mold has traveled throughout the wall cavity and inside the subfloor. The damage can be extensive and the costs high.

You obviously can’t go tearing out sections of your walls often to figure out if you have a problem, so what can you do? The main thing you should be doing is watching your water bill. If you notice a spike and can’t determine a cause for that spike, you may have an undetected leak. At that point, you may want to hire a leak detection company to come out and perform an inspection to determine if you have a bigger problem you need to deal with. They’re better equipped at finding the problem, at which point we would come in and remove the excess moisture and black mold as well as repair any surfaces or structures that were torn out during the process!

Mold In Your Home? Call SERVPRO of Forest and Magee at 662-779-1070.

Mold. DO's and Don'ts

10/3/2017 (Permalink)

If you see visible mold, do not disturb it. You can inadvertently spread the mold infestation throughout your home. When mold is disturbed, the mold can release microscopic mold spores which become airborne and can circulate inside your home.

What to Do:

• DO stay out of affected areas.
• DO turn off the HVAC system and fans.
• DO contact SERVPRO of Jackson for mold remediation services.

What Not to Do:

• Do NOT touch or disturb the mold.
• Do NOT blow air across any surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth.
• Do NOT attempt to dry the area yourself.
• Do NOT spray bleach or other disinfectants on the mold.

We are prepared to help you face this issue when it arises.  Our team is prepared to deal with microbial growth and will help you take care of this issue quickly.  If you have any questions about microbial growth or have any concerns about your home or business, let SERVPRO of Forest and Magee put your mind at ease.  Call us today at 662-779-1070 for any mold or mildew issues you are dealing with in your home or business! 

Mold and Wallpaper ..SERVPRO can help

9/14/2017 (Permalink)

Are you flipping a house? Do you find a lot of older homes have wallpaper? The wallpaper trend was very popular when those older homes were being built. Fast forward 20 years and you start to take that wallpaper off the walls and you see “Mold”. This is due to the long term moisture that could be trapped behind the wall paper and the sheetrock. This is more common in humid areas of the home such as in a bathroom. Such areas of mold are due to the inability of the areas to properly dry. SERVPRO of Forest and Magee has the knowledge, equipment, and certified staff to help eradicate most mold areas. Call us @ 662-779-1070

***Please note that we do not know it is mold by just looking at it; to properly and scientifically say it is mold an Air Quality test needs to be performed to verify.

Why Does Mold Grow?

9/12/2017 (Permalink)

Why does mold grow?

 Any discussion about mold cleanup should start with understanding why mold begins to grow in the first place. Customers with a mold damage problem are always surprised to learn that toxic mold spores are present not just in their home, but every home, and in fact almost every environment. It’s a naturally occurring element and in low levels is completely safe to humans and pets and your home in general. So when does it become a problem? When too much moisture is introduced in the organic surfaces mold feeds on to grow. Things like drywall, insulation, wood, cabinets, etc. become mold’s food source when mixed with water and the right temperature. While there are many strains of toxic mold, most thrive in temperatures ranging from 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’ll notice, the average temperature in home’s ideal to our own comfort sits squarely within that range. So when it comes to mold growth, 2 things are always present: the right temperature and food. It’s when you introduce that 3rd element, water, that problems can quickly grow out of hand!

Most common moisture problems that lead to mold

 If your home suffered a massive water damage event, you’re obviously going to know about it and hopefully you’re going to hire a competent water damage restoration company to fix it (hint hint, that’s us!). So the likelihood of that event unleashing a chain reaction that leads to a big mold problem is small assuming you have the moisture removed quickly. The real big mold jobs we see are from much smaller, long-term moisture problems that just never went diagnosed. Below are some of the most common persistent water damage problems we see that can result in a massive amount of black mold damage.

 Leaks under sinks

Whether it’s from a supply line with a loose connection or a drain pipe that has a small hole, slow leaks under seats (or any other sink for that matter) can go unnoticed for some time because your cabinets can hide the problem. It’s always a good idea to check under your sink cabinets to look for any signs of moisture or musty odors. If you detect a problem, it may be a good idea to have a professional come out and inspect things further. In some cases the problem is isolated and will be something you can handle on your own. But in some cases, the visible signs are only the tip of the iceberg. You’d be shocked what we have seen on and in walls and under flooring after pulling out cabinets!

 Small roof leaks

In some instances, the symptoms of a significant roof leak are discovered pretty quickly. Usually you see discoloration in the top floor’s ceiling or worse, it collapses entirely. But in other cases when you have a very small leak, the problem can go undetected for quite some time and never result in water damage you can see from inside the home. It’s usually discovered when someone goes up into the attic for some unrelated reason and sees the problem: mold growth everywhere. On the roof decking, insulation, support beams, you name it. At that point, you’ve got an expensive problem on your hands and your insurance company likely isn’t going to pay for the damages.

The best way to prevent this particular mold problem from occurring is to perform both an exterior as well as interior inspection at least once a year. For the exterior, actually walk the roof of your home (if it’s safe) to look for damaged or missing shingles. Replacing them is easy! For the inside, climb up to your attic and inspect the roof decking for signs of water intrusion.

 Pipe leaks inside walls

A lot of times we are called to a home to do a mold inspection because a homeowner noticed a small patch of mold growing on the floor next to a wall. When we dig further, we usually discover there is a plumbing pipe housed in that wall that is slowly leaking and depositing water on the floor inside the wall cavity. Once we start to remove the drywall, often times we discover the problem is much larger than just the small visible spot on the floor. Usually the mold has traveled throughout the wall cavity and inside the subfloor. The damage can be extensive and the costs high.

You obviously can’t go tearing out sections of your walls often to figure out if you have a problem, so what can you do? The main thing you should be doing is watching your water bill. If you notice a spike and can’t determine a cause for that spike, you may have an undetected leak. At that point, you may want to hire a leak detection company to come out and perform an inspection to determine if you have a bigger problem you need to deal with. They’re better equipped at finding the problem, at which point we would come in and remove the excess moisture and black mold as well as repair any surfaces or structures that were torn out during the process!

Mold In Your Home? Call SERVPRO of Forest and Magee at 662-779-1070.

SERVPRO Tips For Mold Prevention

8/29/2017 (Permalink)

Mold is the enemy of every homeowner. Mold looks unsightly, smells bad, and can cause damage to your soft furnishings, carpets, clothes, and even your appliances or the structure of your home itself. Often the first sign of mold is a glimpse of discoloration on a wall or ceiling, or maybe noticing that telltale moldy smell in a bathroom or laundry room.

 
However, spores can grow in hidden places, too. You can reduce the risk of the fungus growing unnoticed and causing mold damage in your residence home by being proactive about looking for evidence of mold. SERVPRO recommends you check the following places for hidden contamination. 
 
Chimneys 
Chimneys are cold and can easily get damp from rain or even snow. Brickwork provides plenty of hidden crevices for spores to grow in. Make sure your chimney flashing is in good condition and replace it if need be. An annual visit from a chimney sweep is a good idea, too. 
 
Kitchen Appliances 
Most kitchen appliances get washed after every use, but there are still some hidden areas you must check regularly. Take a look at refrigerator drip trays, the door and seal of front-loading washing machines, and refrigerator and freezer seals. You can deal with mild cases using a weak bleach solution followed by a quick wipe with white vinegar. 
 
Carpets and Carpet Pads 
Carpets and carpet pads provide an environment where mold can propagate unnoticed, especially if a carpet gets wet. If your floor coverings get wet, call us at once. Our skilled teams come with free standing and truck mounted pumps and extraction tools to remove water and lessen the risk of fungus growing under your carpet or pad. 
 
SERVPRO of Forest and Magee recommends putting in a call to us at the first sign of mold in your home. Our IICRC- certified technicians come prepared to set up containment to protect the rest of your home before getting to work on thoroughly cleaning the affected area. We use powerful HEPA vacuums to vacuum loose spores from surfaces, along with a combination of sanding, wire brush scrubbing, dusting, and wiping with a detergent solution to ensure each surface is properly cleaned of mold. We also use negative air machines when needed, to vent contaminated air outside your home. 
 
When mold cleaning is complete, our trained experts bring in dehumidifiers and air movers to dry the affected room, carpet, or area back to its normal level of dryness and discourage further growth. 
 
If you suspect mold growth in your home, give SERVPRO of Forest and Magee a call at (662)779-1070 today.