New Construction Mold

8/28/2018 (Permalink)

Mold growth on new building materials

SERVPRO of Berrien County, MI is expert at the remediation and restoration of mold damage.

Take Precautions: SERVPRO professionals handle water damages every day and know prompt action is required to prevent mold growth.  If there is an ongoing moisture problem in the building, be alert for:

- The presence of visible mold.

- Strong musty odors, which may indicate mold in present.

- Any evidence of past moisture problems that might have caused undetected mold growth.

- Excessive humidity.

In this case the builder was unable to control the environment during construction.  It was a very wet spring and the roof took longer than expected to install.  Mold grew on these new construction materials requiring remediation to kill the mold  and remove .  SERVPRO is expert at the removal and remediation of mold.

Hidden mold

8/28/2018 (Permalink)

Sometimes it's the water you don't see that caused the biggest problems.

SERVPRO of Berrien County, MI is expert in the removal and remediation of mold inpacted facilities.  Many times there are impacted areas that aren't visible.

A Stevensville, MI business had some water in their basement storage areas.  They removed the water themselves.  Weeks later more water got in the basement and a terrible smell began seeping into the rest of the facility through the air conditioning system.  They called SERVPRO to handle the situation.  We extracted water from affected areas and set drying equipment.  Then we sanitized the entire basement.  But the telltale odor of mildew was still present.  

We found a previously mold impacted cement wall covered with drywall.  This material was removed and the wall sanitized.  The odor was eliminated.  Sometimes hidden areas cause the biggest problems.

Moldy Environment

8/28/2018 (Permalink)

Uncontrolled humidity mold growth

SERVPRO of Berrien County, MI is expert at the removal and remediation of mold impacted materials.  

A Benton Harbor, MI hotel has carpeted meeting rooms totaling 5,000 sqft.  They discovered mold growing on door frames, wall paper and all over  the carpeting.  SERVPRO was called to help discover the cause and re mediate the issue.  The HVAC system was not consistently controlling the environment.  Relative humidity was 77%.  Mold was actively growing on the carpeting which they would vacuum off before meetings.

SERVPRO of Berrien County applied antimicrobial prior to steam cleaning the carpet, then steamed cleaned and again applied antimicrobial.  Dehumidifiers and air movers were set for 24 hours which decreased the relative humidity to 57%.  

Customers were very happy to have SERVPRO clean up the area and advise them on the importance of regulating the atmosphere. 

Backside of moldy cabinets

4/9/2018 (Permalink)

A perfect wet and warm place for mold to grow.

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 Us Today – 269-925-6841

Backside of moldy cabinets

4/9/2018 (Permalink)

A perfect wet and warm place for mold to grow.

SERVPRO of Berrien County cleans up mold.

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 Us Today – 269-925-6841

HVAC Cleaning

4/9/2018 (Permalink)

Mold spores can exist in the HVAC system. Have them cleaned and sanitized.

SERVPRO of Berrien County can clean your HVAC duct work and sanitize it.

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 Us Today – 269-925-6841

Is it mold?

4/9/2018 (Permalink)

Mold growth on carpeting

SERVPRO of Berrien County has been helping customers re-mediate mold in homes and businesses since 1995.

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 Berrien County 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 Berrien County 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 – 269-925-6841

The water you don't see causes mold.

3/6/2018 (Permalink)

Water in the walls

There's no such thing as a small disaster.  Especially when the water you don't see contains bacteria - or causes mold, rot and other unseen damage.  Water damage can affect the value of your property.  So before you get out the wet vac and fans to try and clean it up yourself, consider how this will affect your property.

The Feb 2018 floods affected many homes and businesses in Berrien County.  This water is Category 3 which is some of the most bacteria ridden. Water wicks up the drywall, soaks insulation, saturates baseboards, ruins carpet and padding and starts the mold growth process.

Anything the water touches must be disposed of or sanitized.  Please ask us to inspect your home or business for safe and proper remediation methods.