Our Epa Registered Product
Our licensed and/or certified technicians utilize a multifaceted approach to restore your homes indoor environment to a state of normal fungal ecology. While specific protocols may vary from project to project, the underlying basis follows guidelines from the ANSI/IICRC S520 and EPA. Using our proprietary EPA registered products, we can restore and preserve more building materials than conventional remediators. Our approach is direct, fast-acting and highly effective. The health and safety of families is always our goal. The products we use in our services are selected with that in mind. Your home will be restored to a fresher and more breathable space because we never use harsh chemicals!
When you have a mold or mold odor problem in your home, you want it fixed fast! But you dont want to compromise the well-being of your family or pets by using products that are unsafe or toxic. It can be difficult to know which products are the best to use and if those sold at big box stores will really solve your problem.
You can count on Green Home Solutions to always use EPA registered products that are effective because we are committed to a healthier planet. Our products are proven to treat mold, mold spores, and odors to ensure better indoor air environments in homes, offices, and commercial spaces.
How Do You Test For Mold
There are a couple of different ways to test for mold. Some tests check for mold on a particular surface. Other tests check for mold spores floating in the air. Sampling the air for mold can help you find hidden mold. For instance, if there is mold in your heating and air conditioning ducts, you may not be able to see it, but every time you turn on your furnace or air conditioner, mold spores will blow out into the room. A mold tests that samples the air for mold spores should let you know mold is present somewhere nearby. Youll still need to track down the exact location, though.
There are mold tests homeowners can buy and use themselves its not necessary to hire a professional to test your home for mold. However, the do-it-yourself mold tests are very limited and may not provide accurate results. Improper handling can give incorrect results as well.
How To Test For Mold At Home
Wondering if your house has mold in it? Heres everything you need to know about testing your house for mold.
Ever catch a whiff of something musty or earthy while youre in the basement doing laundry? Wonder why your child is coughing and sneezing for no apparent reason? Questioning why the rash on your husbands arm keeps coming back?
It might be that four-letter word every homeowner hates to hear: mold.
While they might not be a huge issue, mold allergies are more common than you think. So if youre wondering if you might have a mold problem and how to know for sure, keep reading.
But first, as the famous Chinese general Sun Tzu said, its important to know the enemy. Lets take a look at exactly what mold is and why it might be living in your house.
FYI: Some species of mold have bad reputations. Take black mold, for instance. While it is toxic to humans, there is no proof it is any more dangerous than other, similar types of mold. Scientists say that the toxic mold syndrome hyped in the media is largely overblown.1
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Perform A Visual Inspection
If you suspect you have mold, the first step is to perform a thorough visual inspection of your home. You will recognize mold as spots that can appear in many different colors. Mold thrives on moisture, so pay particular attention to roofs, windows, pipes, basements, laundry areas, bathrooms, previously flooded spaces, and so on. Mold commonly appears on fibrous surfaces like drywall, upholstery, wallpaper, fabrics, and cardboard. If you see any signs of mold, call a professional.
Costs Of Mold Testing
Mold testing costs vary and will depend on the size of your home. The larger the home, the more areas that will need to be tested and the more expensive the test will be. The average of a professional air test is around $400 to $600. While this may seem like a significant amount to invest, knowing that your home and family are safe makes the cost worthwhile.
If you need your home tested for mold, then contact Service Master of Pittsburgh. Service Masters experts can test your home for mold and give you the peace of mind knowing that your family is safe.
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What Testing Cannot Do
As described earlier, the commonly used testing methods are limited in what they can detect and measure. Skilled investigators are aware of these limitations and dont rely on testing when it is not appropriate. However, many people have unrealistic expectations of what mold testing can do and they can be taken advantage of by those who perform testing poorly or for inappropriate reasons. Below are some impractical reasons commonly given for requesting mold testing.
How Much Does A Mold Inspection Cost
The cost of mold inspection can vary slightly from region to region, but the difference is generally pretty small. In fact, you are just as likely to find wider variations from one contractor to another in the same region.
As a rough guideline, a mold inspection costs about the same as a regular home inspection, the kind that is done when you purchase a new home. On average, mold inspection costs $300 to $400 for small to medium-sized houses . Above 4,000 square feet, the cost increases to the $700 to $900 range. Keep in mind that these costs are for inspection only and do not necessarily include testing. Skipping the unneeded mold testing can save you some money.
Some contractors that specialize in mold remediation will do a mold inspection for free, though they will obviously hope to be hired for the remediation itself.
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Testing For Mold In Your Home
If you hire a professional mold inspector to come to your home, theyll take samples from three areasthe air, the surface, and surrounding dust. They send these samples to a third-party laboratory to find out the concentration and kinds of mold in those particular areas.
However, this procedure takes time and isnt cheap. Fortunately, testing for mold in your home is a relatively easy task that can give you faster results and save you money. If youve done everything you can to prevent mold but still have reason to think the air you breathe is compromised with mold spores, check strategic locations for visible signs of mold.
Common areas of mold growth include:
- Areas around plumbing lines, even behind the drywall
- Coils of HVAC air handlers or ductwork
- Between the furniture and exterior walls, particularly in basements or concrete block houses
How Do Molds Get In The Indoor Environment And How Do They Grow
Mold is found both indoors and outdoors. Mold can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents, and heating and air conditioning systems. Mold in the air outside can also attach itself to clothing, shoes, and pets can and be carried indoors. When mold spores drop on places where there is excessive moisture, such as where leakage may have occurred in roofs, pipes, walls, plant pots, or where there has been flooding, they will grow. Many building materials provide suitable nutrients that encourage mold to grow. Wet cellulose materials, including paper and paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood, and wood products, are particularly conducive for the growth of some molds. Other materials such as dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation materials, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery, commonly support mold growth.
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What To Do If You Have Mold In Your Home
What should you do if you see mold in your home? The first thing is to do some investigation. Mold is a sign of excess moisture. You need to determine the source of moisture and control or eliminate it. Moisture can come from many sources, including leaks, condensation, and ground water. Once you determine the source, take measures to correct the problem.
The Minnesota Department of Health created a fact sheet explaining why it does not support mold testing as a first response to indoor air quality problems. For more information about MDHs stance on testing, visit Testing for Mold.
How Do You Get Sick From Mold
Mold toxins can be ingested, inhaled or even absorbed through the skin. In North Carolina, the health problems from mold exposure are at an all-time high. Mold test Company exclusively offers tests that can check your environment for mold toxins that can make your family sick. With our extensive and accurate results, we can point your family in the right direction to a healthier environment. If you or any family members are experiencing health issues from suspect mold, contact us to speak with an environmental consultant.
Generally, symptoms include respiratory problems, skin inflammation, hemorrhage, irritation of mucus membranes, damage to internal organs, mental impairment fatigue, nausea and immune system suppression. In extreme cases the CDC reports, exposure to black mold can also lead to death.
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Poor Reason For Testing #2 To Identify What Type Of Mold Is Present
Some testing can be used to identify a portion of the live mold in a sample by growing it in the lab. This gives only a partial description of the total amount of molds, because those not present at the sampled time and location or those that didnt grow in the sample are not seen by the analysis. Most importantly, nonliving molds will not be identifiable, but they can still contribute significantly to health complaints.
From a practical, health-protective perspective, knowing the types of molds is usually not very important because any indoor mold growth represents a problem. The problem should be corrected regardless of the types of molds that can be identified.
How Mold Affects Your Health
Mold produces irritants and allergens that can cause various reactions when inhaled or touched. Reactions to mold often display as allergic symptoms such as sneezing, red eyes, runny nose, and skin rashes.
Sensitive individuals may experience immediate reactions when in contact with mold. Others, on the other hand, might have delayed symptoms .
Individuals with asthma may have a tough time when in a room with mold. Mold can trigger asthma attacks while irritating the throat, lungs, nose, and eyes.
People who dont suffer from allergies or asthma may also experience irritation in the eyes, nose, lungs, and throat.
One mold species, in particular, can be more hazardous than others Stachybotrys chartarum. This species is generally called black mold or toxic mold. Despite the name, this mold is more greenish and is gooier in texture compared to other species.
Black mold can grow on surfaces high in cellulose and low in nitrogen. These include fiberboards, paper, dust, and lint. This mold requires constant moisture in order to grow, so its commonly found near water damage, leaks, and after floods.
While mold, in general, isnt toxic or poisonous, some species, such as black mold, can produce toxic byproducts. One of these is called mycotoxins. However, little research is available on how it affects peoples health .
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How Much Does It Cost To Get Rid Of Mold
Mold inspection and remediation costs will vary based on the severity of your mold infestation. But typically, the cost can range from as low as $135 to $1,592.
The total square footage of your mold damage and mold colonization, the accessibility of the areas to be treated, and any demolition and repair work required will all affect how much it costs to get rid of mold. Mold remediation crews may also have a minimum fee for services to ensure their business expenses are met even when they take on small mold jobs.
To find out how much it will cost to remove mold from your home, contact the best mold remediation experts near you.
Poor Reason For Testing #5 To Determine If The Environment Is Safe
At this time, it is unknown what level of mold is safe or how much is necessary to cause health problems. Mold tests cannot measure all the molds in an environment or how much occupants are exposed to. Such testing can also miss evidence of problems and results may mislead or be misused. MDH recommends assuming that any visible amount of mold may potentially cause illness and advises that the best approach is to remove this potential threat as soon as it can be done safely. MDH also suggests that it is also reasonable to conclude that an area should be relatively safe with regard to mold, if all visible growth was removed, the surrounding areas thoroughly cleaned, and it remains dry and free of mold odors.
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Eventually all mold will be visible. However, if it is caught early, some spots or darkening may not be visible yet. Here are a few precursors to the visual stage of mold:
- Mildew or sour smell that comes back even after deep cleaning
- Unexplained illness, especially associated with the lungs or blood
When mold has developed to the point that it can be seen, it can appear in various colors and textures. Note any of the following visual features:
- Pink, green, black, or white fuzzy material
- Flat, dark, circular spots
- Discoloration or darkening of porous material, such as wood or sheetrock.
Can You Use Playdough As A Mold
The kids and I did some plaster casting a couple of days ago using playdough for our molds. It was completely a spur of the moment and kind of a way to rescue a plaster of Paris disappointment. I was actually surprised at how well the playdough worked as a plaster mold. It held minute detail so well!
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How To Test For Mold In Your House: A Complete Guide
There is no better detector of mold in a house than your own nose. Whether you can smell it yourself, or you or another house member begins to sneeze when they walk into a room, there may be a mold issue growing out of sight in a wall. Have no fear well go over all the things you need to know about mold and your health, where to look for mold, how to help prevent mold, and of course, how to test for mold. Lets dive right in.
Poor Reason For Testing #3 To Learn If The Mold Is The Toxic Kind
Many, if not all, molds may produce one or more substances broadly called mycotoxins. Molds that are known to be able to produce mycotoxins are referred to as “toxigenic.” Mycotoxins may harm living tissue if enough of the agent enters the body, but science does not yet know how much of the many mycotoxins that could be present are necessary to harm a person, especially by breathing it. It is simply safest to assume at this time that any molds may produce mycotoxins or other harmful substances in some circumstances and they ought to be removed.
Testing for mold is not the same as testing for mycotoxins. Since toxigenic molds may or may not be producing mycotoxins depending on the environmental conditions, their presence does not necessarily indicate that known mycotoxins are also present or that occupants will be harmed. Likewise, failing to detect molds that are currently recognized to potentially produce mycotoxins, does not mean that mycotoxins or other harmful substances are absent. MDH advises that any mold growth indoors should be safely removed regardless of whether toxigenic species have been found.
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A Qualified Environmental Lab Took Samples Of The Mold In My Home And Gave Me The Results Can Cdc Interpret These Results
Standards for judging what is an acceptable, tolerable or normal quantity of mold have not been established. 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 do decide to pay for environmental sampling for molds, before the work starts, you should ask the consultants who will do the work to establish criteria for interpreting the test results. They should tell you in advance what they will do or what recommendations they will make based on the sampling results. The results of samples taken in your unique situation cannot be interpreted without physical inspection of the contaminated area or without considering the buildings characteristics and the factors that led to the present condition.
Check Your Petri Dish
After 48 hours, check your petri dish for signs of mold growth. If you do not see mold, wait another 24 hours and check again. If you still dont see mold, wait again for 24 hours and check one last time. If you do not see mold growth after 96 hours, your test did not detect any mold. If you do see mold on your test plate, you should take additional steps to remove the mold.
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Is Eating Mold On Fruit Dangerous
Is moldy fruit dangerous? For the most part, our experts agree: while moldy fruit isnt the most delicious, its usually not a health hazard. Mold on food is much more common than you think, says Dr. Of course, just because you like Brie and blue cheese doesnt mean its pleasant to bite into a moldy berry.
