Recent Mold Remediation Posts

Protecting Yourself From Mold Cleanup

2/5/2019 (Permalink)

Tips for Protecting Yourself from Mold During Cleanup

During the process of mold remediation, it’s important to protect yourself, and your staff, with the proper safety gear and equipment. If you’re concerned about conducting the procedure yourself, SERVPRO of Jonesboro mold remediation specialist may be able to help. The recommendations for a safe cleanup remain the same for everyone involved.

1. Wear Protective Clothing

When cleaning up mold growth it’s important to wear protective clothing. A Tyvek suit is recommended in most cases, but long sleeves tucked into gloves, and long pants may work just as well. Protective gear is an important tool for keeping any cleaning agents and mold spores off of your skin. If wearing everyday clothing instead of a protective suit, it’s important to launder them in hot water immediately after use.

2. Change Before Entering an Uncontaminated Area

Another way to protect your business is to change out of your safety gear before entering uncontaminated areas. This can help prevent the spread of mold spores into areas where mold growth has not yet occurred. The necessity of changing gear is why many professionals use covers for their hair and shoes, as well as wear protective over-suits.

3. Wear a Mask and Goggles

The use of a respirator mask and protective goggles are also recommended. These can help prevent the inhalation of any cleaning fumes, and keep dust or debris common to clean up out of your eyes. The mask and goggles should fit snugly without pinching.

Using the proper equipment when cleaning up mold can help protect everyone, including the cleanup crew and the employees who regularly work in the building. Proper gear can not only help prevent the spread of mold to uncontaminated areas but allow for cleaning solutions to be used safely. If you’re unsure about the proper procedure or don’t want to conduct the cleanup yourself, a professional may be able to help.

Call SERVPRO of Jonesboro at 870-934-0501

Do You Have Mold?

2/5/2019 (Permalink)

Microscopic mold spores naturally occur almost everywhere, both outdoors and indoors. This makes it impossible to remove all mold from a home or business. Therefore, mold remediation reduces the mold spore count back to its natural or baseline level. Some restoration businesses advertise “mold removal” and even guarantee to remove all mold, which is a fallacy. Consider the following mold facts:

  • Mold is present almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors.
  • Mold spores are microscopic and 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 can lead you to possible mold problem areas.
Even higher-than-normal indoor humidity can support mold growth. Keep indoor humidity below 45 percent.

If your home or business has a mold problem, we can inspect and assess your property and use our specialized training, equipment, and expertise to remediate your mold infestation.

If you see signs of mold, Call SERVPRO of Jonesboro at 870-934-0501

10 Ways to Stay Safe as You Deck the Halls this Holiday Season

12/18/2018 (Permalink)

American Red Cross offers safety tips to help prevent home fires caused by holiday decorations

Washington, D.C., December 3, 2018—The holiday season is here, and the American Red Cross wants everyone to stay safe from home fires as they decorate their homes for the upcoming festivities.

Decorations like trees, lights and candles increase the risk of home fires during the holidays—with Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day being the top three days for home candle fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

The Red Cross wants people to stay safe from home fires—the nation’s most frequent disaster—by testing their smoke alarms and practicing their home fire escape plan with free resources at redcross.org/homefires. In addition, you can follow these 10 simple safety tips as you put up lights and ornaments:

1.     Check all holiday light cords to make sure they aren’t frayed or broken. Don’t string too many strands of lights together—no more than three per extension cord.

2.     If are buying an artificial tree, look for the fire-resistant label. When putting it up, keep it away from fireplaces, radiators and other sources of heat.

3.     If getting a live tree, make sure it’s fresh and water it to keep it fresh. Bend the needles up and down to make sure no needles fall off.

4.     If using older decorations, check their labels. Some older tinsel is lead-based. If using angel hair, wear gloves to avoid irritation. Avoid breathing in artificial snow.

5.     When decorating outside, make sure decorations are for outdoor use and fasten lights securely to your home or trees. If using hooks or nails outside, make sure they are insulated to avoid an electrocution or fire hazard.

6.     If using a ladder, be extra careful. Make sure to have good, stable placement and wear shoes that allow for good traction.

7.     Don’t use electric lights on metallic trees.

8.     Don’t forget to turn off all holiday lights when going to bed or leaving the house.

9.     Keep children, pets and decorations away from candles.

10.  If hanging stockings on the fireplace mantel, don’t light the fireplace.

HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN SAVE LIVES Every eight minutes, donations to the Red Cross help someone affected by a disaster—most often, home fires. Sadly, these events take more lives each year than all other natural disasters combined in the U.S. To prevent these tragedies, the Red Cross launched the national Home Fire Campaign in October 2014, working with volunteers and community partners to install free smoke alarms and help families create escape plans.

Through the campaign, the Red Cross and its partners have reached more than 1.6 million people and helped save at least 474 lives across the country by:

  • Installing more than 1.5 million free smoke alarms
  • Making 623,000 households safer from the threat of home fires
  • Reaching more than 1.2 million children through youth preparedness programs

You can help save lives by making a financial donation to support our mission, signing up to become a volunteer or taking steps to protect your own family from home fires. Visit redcross.org to learn more.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/press-release/2018/10-ways-to-stay-safe-as-you-deck-the-halls-this-holiday-season.html

If you need service SERVPRO of Jonesboro can be reached at 870-934-0501 or online at SERVPROjonesboro.com

Controlling Mold

3/27/2018 (Permalink)

You Can Control Mold

Inside your home you can control mold growth by:

  • Controlling humidity levels;
  • Promptly fixing leaky roofs, windows, and pipes;
  • Thoroughly cleaning and drying after flooding;
  • Ventilating shower, laundry, and cooking areas.

If mold is growing in your home, you need to clean up the mold and fix the moisture problem. Mold growth can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of household laundry bleach in 1 gallon of water.

Mold growth, which often looks like spots, can be many different colors, and can smell musty. If you can see or smell mold, a health risk may be present. You do not need to know the type of mold growing in your home, and CDC does not recommend or perform routine sampling for molds. No matter what type of mold is present, you should remove it. Since the effect of mold on people can vary greatly, either because of the amount or type of mold, you can not rely on sampling and culturing to know your health risk. Also, good sampling for mold can be expensive, and standards for judging what is and what is not an acceptable quantity of mold have not been set. The best practice is to remove the mold and work to prevent future growth.

If you choose to use bleach to clean up mold:

  • Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners. Mixing bleach with ammonia or other cleaning products will produce dangerous, toxic fumes.
  • Open windows and doors to provide fresh air.
  • Wear non-porous gloves and protective eye wear.
  • If the area to be cleaned is more than 10 square feet, consult the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guide titled Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings. Although focused on schools and commercial buildings, this document also applies to other building types. 
  • Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using bleach or any other cleaning product.

www.cdc.gov

When in doubt call your local Jonesboro SERVPRO franchise at 870-934-0501. We are Here to Help!

Industrial Hygienist

3/27/2018 (Permalink)

Mold on Drywall

In some cases, our mold jobs need to be referred to an industrial hygienist. If you were like me then you're asking "what exactly is that and what do they do?" 

According to www.aiha.org ,  "Industrial Hygiene is a science and art devoted to the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, prevention, and control of those environmental factors or stresses arising in or from the workplace which may cause sickness, impaired health and well being, or significant discomfort among workers or among citizens of the community."

They describe Industrial hygienists as "scientists and engineers committed to protecting the health and safety of people in the workplace and the community."

SERVPRO of Jonesboro does not do inspections but we can give you a quote on the visible substance you can SEE. 

The steps listed below illustrate our process for a “typical” mold remediation infestation:

  1. Emergency Contact - 870-934-0501
  2. Inspection and Mold Damage Assessment
  3. Mold Containment
  4. Air Filtration
  5. Removing Mold and Mold-Infested Materials
  6. Cleaning Contents and Belongings
  7. Restoration

Mold Remediation

3/27/2018 (Permalink)

When there is water in your home, mold can quickly become an issue. It can cause health issues and damage to your property. SERVPRO of Jonesboro has the training, protective gear, and specialized equipment to handle your mold problem. 

Call SERVPRO of Jonesboro

The mold cleanup and restoration process begins when you call us. One of our employees will ask a series of questions to help determine the necessary equipment, resources, and personnel needed. 

Assessment 

Your property will be carefully inspected for signs of mold using various technologies to detect mold and hidden water sources. Mold feeds on cellulose and water and can be hidden from plain view. 

Containment

Different containment procedures will be placed to prevent the spread of mold, like negative air chambers to isolate the contaminated area with physical barriers and negative air pressure to keep the mold spores from spreading during the cleanup process. 

Air Filtration

Specialized filtration equipment captures microscopic mold spores out of the air. SERVPRO of Jonesboro technicians use powerful air scrubbers and HEPA vacuums to prevent the spread of these mold spores while the mold remediation is in progress. 

Removing 

The process of mold remediation depends on the amount of mold growth and the type of surface it's on. Anti-fungal and antimicrobial treatments will be used to eliminate mold colonies and help prevent new ones from forming. Removing and disposing of mold-infested porous materials, like drywall and flooring, may be necessary.

Cleaning  

SERVPRO of Jonesboro cleans your furniture, decorative items, curtains, and other restorable items affected by mold. We use a variety of cleaning techniques to clean and sanitize your belongings. 

Restoration

Depending on the level of mold damage, some building materials may have to be removed. Restoration may involve minor repairs  or major repairs such as reconstruction. 

Musty Odors In Your Home Or Business

11/15/2017 (Permalink)

Visible Mold On Drywall

The adverse effects of mold growth inside your home can be catastrophic. Homeowners who have mold problems have complaints ranging from basic sinus infections and headaches to upper respiratory issues. It can cause debilitating problems to the value of a home and one's health and remediation can be costly.

With that being said, it is no wonder that one of the most dreaded four letter words you can mention in any home is mold. Detecting mold, however, is not as daunting as many may think. It can sometimes be as easy as looking at your A/C vents, smelling the air when you return from the home after being gone for awhile or even spotting discoloration underneath cabinets or on walls.

In most cases, microbial growth is facilitated or activated by sources of constant moisture and high humidity levels. Leaky pipes and drains and faulty A/C Units often produce a presence of moisture in your walls and ceilings that can create mold if not dried properly. This is the first and most important step in detecting and preventing a problem in your home.

Sometimes sources cannot be identified and could be caused by a crack in your foundation or bad seals on showers and windows. At this point, finding mold growth becomes somewhat invasive. If no surface mold is apparent, drywall or floors may need to be pulled back in order to detect the problem.

If a problem cannot be detected, it is always recommended that air samples be taken in order to properly identify the amount of spores and the type of microbial growth that is present in your home. We can refer you to the appropriate company if you desire to have air quality testing completed. Our office is always happy to inspect your home using our moisture meters to help locate a source of unwanted moisture. Give us a call for more information at 870-934-0501.

With using SERVPRO of Jonesboro you get the knowledge of our Applied Microbial Remediation Technicians who are certified by IICRC. Learn more by visiting www.IICRC.org  

Learn more about mold remediation and our other services by visiting our website at www.SERVPROjonesboro.com and please know that our office can handle your full mold remediation and reconstruction services.

North East Arkansas Residents: Follow These Mold Safety Tips If You Suspect Mold

8/10/2016 (Permalink)

Be careful! Without proper training, you could be spreading mold throughout your home.

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:

  • Stay out of affected areas.
  • Turn off the HVAC system and fans.
  • Contact SERVPRO of Jonesboro for mold remediation services.

What Not to Do:

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

About Our Mold Remediation Services

SERVPRO of Jonesboro specializes in mold cleanup and restoration, in fact, it’s a cornerstone of our business.  Our crews are highly trained restoration professionals that use specialized equipment and techniques to properly remediate your mold problem quickly and safely.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – 870-934-0501

Does Your North East Arkansas Home Have A Mold Problem?

7/12/2016 (Permalink)

In North East Arkansas, mold can spread through a home in as little as 48 hours.

Microscopic mold spores naturally occur almost everywhere, both outdoors and indoors. This makes it impossible to remove all mold from a home or business. Therefore, mold remediation reduces the mold spore count back to its natural or baseline level. Some restoration businesses advertise “mold removal” and even guarantee to remove all mold, which is a fallacy. Consider the following mold facts:

  • Mold is present almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors.
  • Mold spores are microscopic and 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.
  • Keep the A/C unit running while on vacation or in unoccupied homes.
  • 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 can lead you to possible mold problem areas.
  • Even higher-than-normal indoor humidity can support mold growth. Keep indoor humidity below 45 percent.

If your home or business has a mold problem, we can inspect and assess your property and use our specialized training, equipment, and expertise to remediate your mold infestation.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – 870-934-0501