Cincinnati OH - Dayton Ohio Mold Testing & Inspection Services
Ten Things You Should Know About Mold
- Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposures include allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory complaints. Some effects can be drastic as death (see article below) although, these cases are rare.
- There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture. Our mold inspection and testing service will give you tips on performing these measures.
- If mold is a problem in your home or school, you must clean up the mold and eliminate sources of moisture. Perform testing to see the extent of the area that needs re mediated.
- Fix the source of the water problem or leak to prevent mold growth. Our mold inspection and testing service will aid you in determining the source of moisture.
- Reduce indoor humidity (to 30-60% ) to decrease mold growth by: venting bathrooms, dryers, and other moisture-generating sources to the outside; using air conditioners and de-humidifiers; increasing ventilation; and using exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing, and cleaning.
- Clean and dry any damp or wet building materials and furnishings within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth. If any interior living area is exposed to wet or moist conditions for this time, mold testing and possibly cleanup are recommended.
- Clean mold off hard surfaces with water and detergent, and dry completely. Absorbent materials such as ceiling tiles, that are moldy, may need to be replaced. This will not guarantee complete mold removal. Further testing will later be needed (around 5 days) to ensure that the mold has not reoccurred.
- Prevent condensation: Reduce the potential for condensation on cold surfaces (i.e., windows, piping, exterior walls, roof, or floors) by adding insulation.
- In areas where there is a perpetual moisture problem, do not install carpeting (i.e., by drinking fountains, by classroom sinks, or on concrete floors with leaks or frequent condensation).
- Molds can be found almost anywhere; they can grow on virtually any substance, providing moisture is present. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods. House To Home Inspections tests for many species of mold.
Health & Ohio Mold
How do molds affect people?
Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation. People with weakened or under developed immune systems such as children (read below), the elderly and sick can have deadly reactions if exposed to mold over a prolonged period of time. Some people, such as those with serious allergies to molds, may have more severe reactions. Severe reactions may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as farmers working around moldy hay. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath. Some people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs.
The Cleveland Outbreak reference The Centers For Disease Control
Over the past ten years in the Cleveland, Ohio area there have been 45 cases of pulmonary hemorrhage (PH) in young infants. Sixteen of the infants have died. Thirty-two of the infants have been African American. Most of these cases have occurred within ten contiguous zip codes area in the eastern portion of the metropolitan area. In November/December, 1994, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lead a case-control investigation on the first ten cases. This study found an epidemiological association of PH in these infants with water-damaged homes containing the toxic fungi, predominantly Stachybotrys. Several lines of evidence suggest that the most likely causal agents are fungal toxins from a fungus called Stachybotrys atra. This somewhat unusual fungus was found in high quantity in the home environments of the affected infants but also to a lesser degree in some of the comparison homes. Stachybotrys requires water soaked cellulose to grow, and was found in homes where there had been water damage from flooding, plumbing leaks or roof leaks involving wood or paper products (e.g. insulation, gypsum board, ceiling tile). The spores of this fungus contain very potent mycotoxins which appear to be particularly toxic to the rapidly growing lungs of young infants. The linkage of Stachybotrys to PH in infants is on the basis of epidemiological data and has not been conclusively demonstrated. Other factors such as environmental tobacco smoke appear to be important triggers in precipitating overt pulmonary hemorrhage.
More cases continue to occur, a few infants having had only very subtle initial symptoms such as nose bleeds and chest congestion. Concern that there may be a larger number of undetected young infants with this disorder, led to the examination of all infant coroner cases over a three year period, 1993-1995. This revealed seven "SIDS" (sudden infant death syndrome) cases with evidence of preexisting major pulmonary bleeding. All but one of these infants had lived in the ten zip code cluster area.
This disorder is likely to extend beyond Cleveland since an informal national survey of all pediatric pulmonary centers and continued reporting has identified over 100 similar cases of pulmonary hemorrhage in infants across the country over the last seven years.
Play It Safe... Don't Be A Hero
Don't put yourself or your family at risk by postponing a mold test or performing amateur's cleanup. There are many factors to consider when diagnosing, testing, remediation, retesting and if necessary re-re mediating the interior portions of your home. Call House To Home Inspections today, to perform your professional mold inspection and test. We will give you peace of mind and you can tap our minds to initiate a mold recovery plan.
Call Us Today 513-255-0298
Toll Free 1-866-PROBE-66
Dayton Ohio Mold Testing
Cincinnati Ohio Mold Inspection
Frequently Asked Questions
You have a leak roof. Do you have mold?
Only a professional on-site mold inspection via a certified International Air Quality (IAQ) specialist (such as this company) can give you an accurate analysis. We cannot conclude anything over the phone even with extensive descriptions.
Can you tell me that I have mold by looking at it?
No. As International Air Quality Certified mold inspectors, we can professionally observe areas that appear to be mold and recommend laboratory testing in those areas. The lab makes the final conclusion on whether or not mold is present, what those type(s) of mold are and what potential health effects those molds may have on human health.
Does your company provide "free" mold inspections?
Companies in the business of cleaning up mold (mold remediation) will sometimes perform free mold inspections (we do not) in the hopes that you have mold. Would you want the person(s) inspecting your house wishing you to have mold? Some mold inspection companies (not us) will perform "free" mold inspections and recommend testing every discoloration stain without much professional discretion for a fee that is much higher than what you would expect to pay during your initial phone call to that company. Would this make you feel comfortable with their level of service? The questions come down to do you want salespeople or professionals performing the mold inspection that will affect you and your families/tenants/co-workers health? Are you able to afford professional mold inspection, testing & remediation services? Call us today for a mold inspection price quote - 513-255-0298 or 866-776-2366.
Do mold inspections include inspecting behind finished walls or ceilings?
No. Doing so, will damage the interior materials. Any molds concealed behind walls, ceilings and etc are a problem only if they are affecting the living area air space. The living area air space is the area that we will be testing (with your approval). Therefore if there is mold behind your walls & ceilings that has escaped the building envelope, that will be found by the living area testing. Our mold inspection report (if purchased) will provide insight in stopping any visible moisture/ventilation problems in the wall & ceiling areas that may lead to future mold exposures.
How long will it take for the laboratory mold results?
Four (4) to Five (5) business days. The results will be e-mailed to you at that time.
Your laboratory testing come back positive for mold. What do you do now?
You should follow the recommendations outlined in our mold inspection report (if purchased) and/or e-mail that we sent with your mold laboratory results. Follow up testing will be required once all of the recommendations are performed.
How do you know if the mold is all gone after remediation performed?
Hire an independent mold testing company such as House To Home Inspections to perform follow up testing. |
