It does not take long to realize that one who chooses to remedy a mold infestation on their own, as opposed to hiring a professional to do the deed, will probably be wondering as to what the safest way to do this is. It is important that safety is first and foremost on the long list of things to take into account when dealing with the scourge on one’s home that is mold. Aggravation of asthma, emphysema, respiratory infections, rashes, eye infections, and even death are just some of the health complications that can come about from having mold in the home.
One of the best ways to ensure that the remediation process is as safe as possible is to know the kind of tools the job will call for. And to know what the job will call for, you must know just how much mold needs to be removed. If there is mold growing on the walls of your home, then trying to wash the mold off with mold killing chemicals probably, and unfortunately, will not work. In fact, possibly the only solution is the most expensive solution and that would be completely removing and replacing the drywall. However, if the mold has not seeped all the way into the drywall, then this may not be required.
It comes highly recommended that one uses heavy duty mold killing chemicals in the remediation process. If you read product reviews, it should be easy to become committed to buying a particular cleaner. It is also recommended that you buy a high strength brand of trash bag to keep on hand, should any contaminated materials be discovered that should be disposed of immediately. It is very important that you do not touch anything contaminated that you throw away, as it is possible to cause cross contamination.
You should also purchase some sort of respirator during the remediation process, no matter how serious the contamination is. A half or full face mask respirator will most likely be required if you are going to be removing the drywall or any other possible building materials from your home or building. A full face mask can be purchased for roughly $130. You should also buy disposable protective clothing which is fairly inexpensive, especially when you consider the amount of protection that will be received from them. Breathable gloves should be, but these can often only be bought in bulk quantities.
You should also purchase a vacuum with a HEPA filter. These vacuums collect mold spores that have settled onto the floor and have possibly worked their way into the fibers of your carpet.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Water Damage Miami and
water damage restoration in atlanta companies.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Prevent Mold From Growing On Your Stuff
I know that I do not like mold on my stuff and you probably do not, either, but sometimes we dig into our closets and discover an old favorite item of clothing only to find that it is stinky and covered in mold. What a disappointment. This happens more often than some of us realize and the solution that we usually come up with is just to throw the item away. But, why let it get that way in the first place? What can you do to stop mold from getting on your things? There are a few different ways to help prevent mold from growing not only just in your home, but also on your stuff.
Since we are already talking about moldy clothes, one of the worst things that you can do is to pack your clothing extremely tightly into your closet. Maybe you have an aunt or a grandmother that has a closet packed to the brim with clothing that they never wear, but they might not realize that by trying to save space, they are actually helping mold to grow in the closet full of the clothes that they love so much. Air cannot circulate in these packed closets and add to that high humidity and warmth and you get mold. Some closets have vents installed in the floors to help alleviate this problem, but packing the closets so tight you can barely move them aside to get the shirt or pair of pants that you want completely defeats the purpose of the vent. Try not to pack your closets so full and if you cannot help it, simply get rid of some clothes.
Wet clothes are also particularly a problem, especially during the summertime when people go swimming. These are often thrown on the floor of the laundry room and left for some other person to pick up, but if you are the person that is supposed to pick them up, please do so. Wash wet clothes as soon as you can, especially if you can do this before they dry out. If you can help it, never throw dry clothes on top of wet ones because you will forget about them and mold will begin to grow pretty soon.
If you have baby bottles or any bottle that is oddly shaped, perhaps with a hollow handle that allows liquid inside, you probably have a hard time getting them completely dry if you do not have a dishwasher. To keep mold from growing in these, simply put them in the freezer after you wash them.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Los Angeles water damage and restoration services and Denver water damage restoration companies.
Since we are already talking about moldy clothes, one of the worst things that you can do is to pack your clothing extremely tightly into your closet. Maybe you have an aunt or a grandmother that has a closet packed to the brim with clothing that they never wear, but they might not realize that by trying to save space, they are actually helping mold to grow in the closet full of the clothes that they love so much. Air cannot circulate in these packed closets and add to that high humidity and warmth and you get mold. Some closets have vents installed in the floors to help alleviate this problem, but packing the closets so tight you can barely move them aside to get the shirt or pair of pants that you want completely defeats the purpose of the vent. Try not to pack your closets so full and if you cannot help it, simply get rid of some clothes.
Wet clothes are also particularly a problem, especially during the summertime when people go swimming. These are often thrown on the floor of the laundry room and left for some other person to pick up, but if you are the person that is supposed to pick them up, please do so. Wash wet clothes as soon as you can, especially if you can do this before they dry out. If you can help it, never throw dry clothes on top of wet ones because you will forget about them and mold will begin to grow pretty soon.
If you have baby bottles or any bottle that is oddly shaped, perhaps with a hollow handle that allows liquid inside, you probably have a hard time getting them completely dry if you do not have a dishwasher. To keep mold from growing in these, simply put them in the freezer after you wash them.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Los Angeles water damage and restoration services and Denver water damage restoration companies.
Your Cell Phone, Water, and a Sticker
Water is a part of our everyday lives, but most of us who own electronic devices can readily admit that it is not only the source of live, but also the source of some pretty pricey problems. It is every cell phone or blackberry owner’s nightmare: dropping that $400 device into the bathtub or into the pool. What do you do with it after you drop it into water? How late is too late to save it? And if it can be saved, how do you do it?
Well, if you have a newer cell phone, odds are that if you drop it in water, you will not be able to get the phone’s warranty to cover the water damage. It is not covered under most cell phone warranties and this is one reason that you should be especially careful if you plan on getting your phone anywhere near water. The new phones have been equipped with small white stickers both inside the battery compartments and on the circuit board deeper inside the phone. When the phone gets wet (or when it is simply exposed to humidity that is just too high), the sticker changes color due to a powdered dye underneath it. When you take your phone to the manufacturer to try and file a claim, they tell you that they cannot give you any compensation because the phone has been water damaged, even if you have not actually dropped the phone in water. If humidity is too high, the sticker trips and you are out of luck.
What can you do to try and remedy this problem? If you live in an area that is subject to pretty high humidity, you can take a piece of satin finished scotch tape and place a piece over the sticker on the battery compartment. The problem is getting to the other sticker that is usually on the phone’s circuit board. If you can manage that, then hat’s off to you. If your phone stops working and you need to file a claim, remove the tape.
If you do happen to drop your phone in the water, get it out in under 20 seconds and remove the power supply completely. Submerge it in a bowl of uncooked rice at least overnight and do NOT try to power on the phone until you are completely certain it is dry. If you put the battery back in and it works, congratulations. If not, try using it with your AC adapter. If this works, all you need is a new phone battery.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Texas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Well, if you have a newer cell phone, odds are that if you drop it in water, you will not be able to get the phone’s warranty to cover the water damage. It is not covered under most cell phone warranties and this is one reason that you should be especially careful if you plan on getting your phone anywhere near water. The new phones have been equipped with small white stickers both inside the battery compartments and on the circuit board deeper inside the phone. When the phone gets wet (or when it is simply exposed to humidity that is just too high), the sticker changes color due to a powdered dye underneath it. When you take your phone to the manufacturer to try and file a claim, they tell you that they cannot give you any compensation because the phone has been water damaged, even if you have not actually dropped the phone in water. If humidity is too high, the sticker trips and you are out of luck.
What can you do to try and remedy this problem? If you live in an area that is subject to pretty high humidity, you can take a piece of satin finished scotch tape and place a piece over the sticker on the battery compartment. The problem is getting to the other sticker that is usually on the phone’s circuit board. If you can manage that, then hat’s off to you. If your phone stops working and you need to file a claim, remove the tape.
If you do happen to drop your phone in the water, get it out in under 20 seconds and remove the power supply completely. Submerge it in a bowl of uncooked rice at least overnight and do NOT try to power on the phone until you are completely certain it is dry. If you put the battery back in and it works, congratulations. If not, try using it with your AC adapter. If this works, all you need is a new phone battery.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Texas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
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