Tag: mold

Mold, Food, and Health

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Mold, Food, and HealthMost people know not to eat food that’s been sitting out all day in a hot environment, but how does that apply to large feasts where food has already been out for an hour of preparation, through the meal, and throughout the day as we go back for seconds and thirds?  We all want to sit back, relax, talk with friends and family or just enjoy what’s on TV after the meal but it’s important to remember that food, wherever we leave it, becomes a breeding ground for mold and bacteria almost immediately.  So this Thanksgiving, take a few preventative steps to make sure that that you’re not one of the many Americans who suffer from food poisoning this year.

Food Safety

Clean off your counters.  While there’s no reason to pour pure bleach across the counter-tops (a teaspoon of unscented bleach with a quart of water is all you need), make sure that countertops, utensils, and any surface that will house food for even a short while are cleaned and ready in advance.  Be sure to repeat the cleaning process afterward.  Most countertops are mold resistant but leaving food or liquids spilled onto countertops or in the sink will lead to mold and bacterial growth that will release extra spores into the air (not to mention the smell).

Wash all fruits and vegetables.  Peel or no, you should wash everything before use.  Fruits and veggies can pick up bacteria on the rind or peel which transfers to the knives and surfaces you use.  Basically, the inside is safe until you cut into it if you haven’t washed the surface first.

Finally, when it comes to food, don’t leave it sitting out.  A few minutes to let food cool before eating is fine but you should seal and store everything as soon as the meal is ended.  Most food poisoning comes from food that has sat out too long and was then deemed ‘safe’ simply because it didn’t look or smell funny.  Most of the bacteria and contaminants that cause severe food poisoning leave no discernible symptoms early on.  If the meat has been sitting out for 2 hours or more, don’t risk it.  Even re-cooking the food isn’t safe enough because that only kills the bacteria, not the toxins left behind by living or dead bacteria.

Take a minute to read through this list of common food safety myths, compiled by foodsafety.gov before you start.

Cleaning Up

Cleaning up after an event is just as important as taking care beforehand, especially if you have small kids.  We’re quick to clean up floor spills and wipe down tables and countertops, but for many of us, lazing about after a full Thanksgiving Day feast is a must.  We recommend a little bit of work first, or at least before you go to bed tonight.

Any carpet spills should be treated right away. Liquids are especially dangerous as they can soak into the matting beneath a carpet even if they don’t stain the carpet itself.

Clothing should be cleaned or rinsed if food was spilled on it. As we mentioned in our laundry blog, take the time to rinse food or spilled drinks from clothing if you aren’t planning on washing them the same day.

Clean up dishes after the meal. Leaving food and liquids sitting in dishes is a fast way to fill your home with bugs and mold in a short order.  We know you want to relax with family but maybe you should clean up as a family first.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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Avoid Inviting Mold to your Laundry

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Avoid Inviting Mold to your LaundryWe don’t like mold and mildew, that’s why we push for you to waterproof your home, inspect for mold, and repair aging or damaged appliances and piping.  But even with all the proper safety measures in place, mold can still find its way into your home (yes, it is that determined).  One place we haven’t written about yet, but is a commonly forgotten mold trap, is your laundry pile.  So what is it that turns laundry from “need to do” to “need to replace?”

Sweat, Food, and Water

While we recommend doing laundry regularly and not letting it sit around, storing any clothing that is wet, has food (or sticky, sugary drinks spilled on them), or is sweat soaked from a workout in a hamper for too long is a sure road to pulling out moldy clothes when you do get around to doing laundry.

For wet laundry, regardless of how the clothing was soaked or dripped on, rinse it with hot water, wring it out, and hang it up to dry before throwing it in the hamper.  Heavier items such as rugs, comforters, or blankets should be washed and dried immediately.

If you’ve been working out, clothing that’s damp due to sweat shouldn’t be tossed into the hamper and left.  Wash out sweaty fabrics within a week or face the wrath of a moldy hamper.

Food is probably the worst source.  From cleaning up spills to simply having dribbled mustard on your shirt, food is a breeding ground for mold.  If you own a washer and dryer, go ahead and do the laundry, otherwise, rinse out the clothing and let it dry before adding it to the laundry hamper.

You may be wondering why we recommend rinsing and drying clothes that will just end up in the wash anyway.  It’s a matter of timelines.  You may be planning to head to the laundromat this weekend or to do the laundry tomorrow, but what if something comes up?  There’s always a chance that your cleanup gets pushed to later in the week or to next week entirely and that extra time is all that a few mold spores need to get started eating away at your clothes.

Washing Laundry

Follow standard practices for washing clothes.  Separate whites and colors, use detergent that matches the load, and use the right temperature setting to protect your clothes from damage while still killing off bacteria and mold spores.  But part of preventing mold is making sure that you continue to prevent it even after finishing up the wash.  Don’t end the dry cycle too quickly, wait until it finishes.  Don’t remove them before they’re dry.  If you do, don’t fold damp items up and put them away.  If you’re in a time-crunch that demands you stop the dryer, take those clothes out and hang them up to dry!

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Save Money by Fighting Small Mold

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Save Money by Fighting Small MoldMold remediation is expensive.  Between equipment costs, time lost to repair and dehumidification, and the cost of actively replacing and rebuilding portions of your home, it is not small task.  But if the infestation is small enough, you can take steps to clean it up yourself.  The same is true of water damage from dripping pipes or small roofing leaks (though the latter two will still require some expense spent on home repairs).

Cleaning Mold on Your Own

First off, identify the size of the infestation.  If it’s a small area creeping in a cupboard underneath a sink or just behind an appliance, it may not be much of an issue.  Unfortunately, what first appears to be a small problem can, upon further inspection, lead to more mold hidden behind wallpaper or behind wood paneling.  If you can swipe from one end of the mold growth to the other without having to step sideways, then it’s small enough to deal with on your own.

If you’re allergic to mold or suffer from asthma, get someone to help you clean up the mold.  Even if you aren’t, you’ll want to get a mask or respirator.  You’ll also need rubber gloves for cleaning.  Your cleaning materials aren’t the danger here, the mold spores are.  Without knowing exactly what kind of mold you’re dealing with, it’s difficult to know what kind of danger it poses.  A mask and gloves will keep spores from reacting to your lungs and skin.

Use warm water mixed with detergent to clear the mold away.  Once the surface is clean, rinse it thoroughly and immediately dry the area.  Leave a fan running in the room to keep fresh air circulating, forcing water evaporation and making the area inhospitable to future mold growth.  Dispose of any sponges and rags used to clean up the mold.  They’ll be harboring spores and it’s easier to replace them than to clean them out.

Absorbent and porous materials are extremely difficult to save once infested with mold, and they’re often not worth the effort.  If you can, replace them immediately.  If part of your repair required or involved damage to drywall, replace any infected drywall.  Be sure to fix the source of water that lead to the damage so there is not a repeat occurrence.

Hiring a Professional

If the mold is spread too far to be handled with a simple clean-up, then it’s time to call in professionals.  When you’re looking for mold remediation specialists, you can save on cost and future headaches by doing a little advanced research.

Take a look at the company’s BBB rating and customer reviews.  Stuff happens, but this will let you see just how a company responds to their clients.  We want to keep our customers happy so we do what we can to reach out when there’s a problem.

The cost of your repair is going to be based on the size of your home and the amount of damage present.  There are a few places where you can cut corners without issues, however.  Take, for example, mold infesting space within a wall.  Rather than going through expensive bathroom tile (so long as the tile grout and space behind the tile has not been infected) find a company that’s willing to go through the drywall on the other side.

Of course, the most important thing to keep in mind is insurance.  You want to find a mold remediation company that works directly with your insurance provider to provide services they will cover.  Many companies are used to dealing with specific providers and can help find ways to have the project paid for while still delivering service provided you have insurance that covers the cost.

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8 Symptoms of Mold Exposure

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8 Symptoms of Mold ExposureOften we talk about how to spot mold, where to find it, and what it looks like when damage to walls and foul smells are the results of mold creeping through your home.  However, there are times when mold is so well hidden that no damage is apparent to your home.  When mold has taken root into your ventilation system or is hiding out in a corner of the carpet beneath an end table, it’s difficult to realize it’s even there.  But your body also gives off warning signs that something is wrong, and there are a few key reactions to mold and mildew spores in the air.

Symptoms:

Headaches

The source of a headache is always difficult to find.  People with regular migraines or those sensitive to mold can suffer from a headache as a reaction to mold spores in the air.  If you’ve had an increase in headaches recently (and a few other symptoms from this list) it might be due to mold hiding somewhere in your home.

Eye Irritation

While eye irritation is usually associated with dust or allergies, mold spores and mildew can aggravate eyes leading to red-watery eyes.

Runny Nose or Sinuses

Just as with irritated eyes, a constantly runny nose or sinus congestion can be caused by exposure to mold.  Since it shares so many similarities with allergies it can be difficult to discern if the reaction is related to mold (especially during allergy seasons such as ragweed season).  Since many responses to mold are due to allergic reactions to the spores, diagnosis is difficult.  If the response is out-of-season and not a simple head cold, it’s best to look around for mold.

Nose Bleeds

This is a more uncommon symptom of excess mold growth in a home.  People who are more sensitive to mold or suffer from mild allergic reactions to mold spores can suffer damage to nasal membranes, leading to regular bleeding.  An occasional nose bleed is typically not a sign of anything series, but regular nose bleeds should be looked into, and an examination of your home is not a bad use of time.

Sore Throat

Sore throats are also indicative of mold exposure since spores can become lodged inside the trachea or esophagus.  If you experience a raw feeling when swallowing or sound a little hoarse, it could be mold related.  Double check the humidity settings in your home to make sure they’re set to roughly 45%.  Dry air can also lead to these symptoms, but overly humid air will lead to mold growth.

Shortness of Breath

Some people react to mold with respiratory difficulty.  If you’ve been having trouble breathing recently or get winded easily at home, it might be due to mold spreading throughout the air in your home.  If you do not suffer from asthma but have asthma like symptoms, consult a doctor and inspect your home for mold.

Skin Rash

Mold can infect and irritate skin even without direct contact.  Inhalation or indirect contact with airborne mold spores can lead to redness and irritating rashes that have no explained source.

Lethargy (Feeling Tired)

Ongoing lethargy despite regular sleep is a symptom of mold exposure.  If you can’t seem to get rested after several days of regular sleep, consult a physician and inspect your home for mold.

What to Do:

Remember that any one of these symptoms can just as easily be a symptom of mild illness or other issues not related to mold.  The more of these symptoms you suffer at once, the greater the likelihood that it’s due to mold.  If you notice a decrease in allergy-like symptoms when you’re away from home or the office (even when you step out of your car) then there’s a great chance that there’s a mold problem at that location.  Your best solution is to call a mold inspection and remediation professional to deal with the source of the problem.  Most mold symptoms fade away after exposure has been removed.

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What to Look for During a Mold Search

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What to Look for During a Mold SearchIt sounds simple: “I’m looking for mold, so that’s all I need to find.”  But finding mold isn’t just about looking in a corner and spotting mold growth.  It’s about finding the signs of growth, seeking out their source, and looking for possible future problems.  So what should you be looking for?

Musty Smells

Mold spores carried in the air fill a room with a strong, musty odor.  Enclosed and poorly ventilated areas are especially susceptible to this.  In fact, that ‘scent of rain’ that many people enjoy after a rainstorm is actually caused by airborne mold spores and dust spread through the atmosphere by rainfall.  High concentrations of this released by mold growth and mildew in your home generate an earthy-musty odor in rooms.  When you walk into a room or turn on the ventilation, if the air smells musty, take some time to search the room for signs of mold.

Look in cabinets and under furniture for mold growth.  Mold can also hide inside ventilation systems so it’s a good idea to shine a flashlight into the vents and look for signs of mold growth.  This is especially true if the smell only arises when the fan is running.

Watch for Water Damage

Keep an eye out around your home for signs of water intrusion.  Bubbling wallpaper and warped boards are clear signs of wood damage from water leaks.  Puddles and drips from air conditioners, burst pipes, and leaky roofs are clear signs of water intrusion.  If there’s been a recent rainstorm, examine any places where water has pooled around your home.  When water pools near the foundation, it can start leaking into the foundation and eventually work its way into basements and cellars.  Of course, water stains on carpet, ceilings, and walls can all hint at possible places where you’ll find mold.

If water has found its way into your home and you can’t account for it, look around the site of the damage.  You may need to pull up carpet or peel back damaged wallpaper but there’s a better than average chance you have mold hiding in those spaces.

Listen for Drips

This is a little less obvious, but if you hear water dripping take notice.  Not only is dripping water a good way to lose money every month (leaks and drips can add up to hundreds of dollars each year) it’s also a prime way to feed mold and mildew growth.  Always find the source of any drips you can hear and keep an eye on them while you’re waiting to have them fixed.

Honestly, the best times to search for mold are after heavy rainstorms and extended stays away from home.  If you’ve been absent for more than two weeks, it won’t hurt to look around your house and check around appliances.  Refrigerators, freezers, washers, air conditioners, and water heaters are all prime real estate for leaks and condensation spills.  A power loss can lead to excess condensation as temperatures balance out, leading to dripping water that you missed while you were gone.  It’s better to take a look around and catch mold growth while it’s still small.

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Mold and your Air Conditioner

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Mold and your Air ConditionerUnknown to most homeowners, your air conditioner is caught in a complicated love-hate relationship with the mold in your home.  It’s a strange fate since your central cooling unit can be both a mold fighter and a source for mold growth at the same time.

Humidity Control

Your air conditioner is a simple de-humidifier.  It’s not directly intended but, due to how refrigeration works, your air conditioner actively dries out the air when it’s running properly.  As the temperature changes around the unit, vents, and evaporator coils, water condenses on their surfaces.  Mold thrives in humidity when it’s great than 45% (if you have a smart thermostat, it should list the average humidity inside your home) and air conditioners will often reduce the humidity inside your home to 45% or less.

Of course, dry air is not all it’s cracked up to be.  Excessively dry homes can leave you with cracked skin, a sore throat in the morning, and will make it harder to stay warm in the winter.  Likewise, keeping the air dry during the summer has the added benefit of making it easier to cool down.  So dry air, mixed with a fan, will decrease how much mold is in your home and help you to keep cool (both are excellent for the DFW Metroplex).

If the humidity in your home isn’t exactly what you’d like (aim for 45%), try using a humidifier or de-humidifier to reach the desired temperature.  This is especially true for rainy seasons like we’ve been experiencing recently.  When it’s cool enough outside to avoid using the air conditioner, it’s usually due to rainstorms.  The high humidity is a breeding ground for mold and mildew.  A dehumidifier is a cheaper alternative to running your AC.  So use a dehumidifier when it’s cool outside instead of cranking up the AC to keep your air dry.

Condensation

While your air conditioner does a good job at controlling the climate, it does have one drawback.  Central cooling pulls water out of the air during the cooling process.  That water has to go somewhere and it usually ends up on the condenser coils and evaporator.  Once water has collected, it drips away into a spill drain or drain pan.  This water is usually led to the outside or evaporates quickly enough that it isn’t a problem.  High humidity in the home, a malfunctioning AC unit, or a clogged condensate drain line can lead to water that leaks out and spills into your home.  Once this water has leaked out, it can damage walls, insulation, and flooring.  As an added ‘bonus,’ the water both inside and out of the drain line can be a safe-haven for mold growth.  If you notice water pooling around your AC unit, we recommend calling a repair man and inspecting the unit and walls for mold growth.

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7 Tricky Mold Hiding Spots

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The 7 Trickiest Mold Hiding PlacesMold can grow anywhere, provided it finds three things: a comfortable climate, a surface, and a food supply.  Most things are a food supply to mold and most things have multiple surfaces.  So the last thing it needs is the right combination of humidity and temperature to grow unimpeded.  As soon as the climate matches, mold spores (which are everywhere) immediately begin to grow and reproduce, spreading across a surface and slowly eroding it away.

You know to check the problem locations: the utility closet, the bathroom, and the basement.  But there are other places where mold is not only surprisingly common, but often grows unchecked.  After storms, humid days, damaged plumbing, or even just once a month you should do a quick inspection of all these special hiding places to make sure you don’t have secret mold hiding away.

Chimneys

Brick crevices and molding give plenty of places for water and dirt to accumulate.  The inside of your chimney is also protected from harmful UV rays, which can kill off mold.  When chimney caps and damaged flashing allow water and moisture into the chimney, it creates a perfect breeding ground for mold.  Unfortunately, due to how difficult (and dangerous) it is to clean a chimney, your best option is to hire a professional mold cleaner (or get regular chimney sweeps).

Windowsills and under Sink Cabinets

Overhangs that are protected from direct sunlight but are still close to condensation spots or water leaks make great places for mold.  Sink cabinets (where a single drip from a leaky pipe can raise humidity) or around windowsills (where moisture can arise from the window condensation or from small leaks) make great places for mold to hide out.

The best thing you can do is clean up after storms or after you find a leak.  When a storm is through, open the windows and wipe away excess water and moisture.

On Dishes

Wet dishes drying on a rack are fine, but placing damp or wet dishes in cabinets (or leaving them sitting the dishwasher) will provide extremely humid and warm environments for mold to grow on the surface of dishes.  Fortunately, this can become obvious pretty quickly when you grab a dish and find spots on it.  But if you’ve left them sitting in the dishwasher it’s best if you give the dishwasher a thorough cleaning before putting any more dishes through.

Washing Machines

Anywhere you find water, there’s risk of mold.  So of course your cleaning appliances are at risk.  This includes your washing machine and clothes dryer.  For front loading machines, check the seals around the door for accumulated moisture and leave them open to dry after you run a load of clothes through.  Check the detergent chamber of your washing machine as well, since water can pool inside it start mold growth.  Mold here is especially damaging since it will eat through clothing over time.

HVAC Drain Pans

Your HVAC and Furnace are both going to generate a lot of water in the form of condensation.  Check the drain pans and drip lines, not to mention the areas around your HVAC unit for signs of mold growth or water spills.

Carpets and Carpet Mats

If there’s been a water spill in any room with a carpet, then you need to keep careful watch on that room for a few weeks.  The matting underneath your carpet will absorb and hold onto water, sometimes staying damp for far longer than the carpet above.  Whenever there is a major spill, use a wet-vac to try and remove as much water from it as possible.  Adding a desiccant or running an air conditioner to dry out the air will help as well.

Mold thrives especially well underneath the carpet and can stay hidden for months before anyone is the wiser.  With every step on the carpet, mold spores are spread into the air, leaving you with aggravated allergies and a higher chance of mold growth elsewhere.

If you find mold growing under your carpet, it may be time to call a professional.  If it’s a large infestation, then you need mold remediation immediately.  In either circumstance, replacing the matting is probably going to be necessary.

Inside Walls

Usually this one is hard to spot.  Plumbing drips, leaky roofs, and general flooding all have the chance to spur mold growth inside the walls of your home.  The easiest way to identify this will be in water stains on walls and ceilings.  Unfortunately, it’s too late to do much else but call for remediation by this point.  Performing regular leak detection for plumbing and roofs will go a long way toward preventing this unfortunate case.

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