Monthly Archives: April 2018

DIY Ways For Carpet Mold Removal

Carpet mold can damage your carpet, produce unpleasant odors and cause wheezing in asthma sufferers. If you suspect you have a moldy carpet, it is always best to get rid of it right away. Mold removal from your carpet is a difficult task. While opting for DIY ways get mold out of the carpets during the initial stages is a good idea, seeking professional help is always recommended if the situation becomes worse. To learn more about DIY ways of carpet mold removal, take a look at this interesting guide below.

DIY Ways for Carpet Mold Removal

#1: White vinegar

Combine water (1 cup) with white vinegar (2 cups) within an empty spray bottle. Apply the prepared solution to any mold or mildew areas of the carpet and allow it to sit for a few minutes. The acidity of the vinegar will loosen and lift the mold or mildew deposit, making it easier for you to remove it from the carpet. Use a washcloth or sponge to wipe any mold from the affected area. Rinse the cleaned area with warm water and ensure that dry them thoroughly.

#2: Baking soda

Using baking soda helps absorb the moisture and dries out the mold, allowing easy mold removal from the carpet. Start by generously sprinkling baking soda over the moldy sections of the carpet. Use a brush to get the baking soda deep into the carpet fibers. Add some baking soda on the top of the carpet and leave it for about 28- 48 hours. Use a powerful vacuum cleaner to lift all the dry mold and baking soda from the carpet.

#3: Rent a HEPA Vacuum

Using a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuum is one of the best ways to get rid of mold from the carpets. For best results, use the vacuums after removing the infestation. The HEPA vacuums or filter helps remove the last spores from the area, reducing the risk of a whole new mold problem.

Factors to consider before removing mold from carpets

• Always wear protective gear such as face mask, gloves or goggles before you begin removing mold from carpets.
• Keep the room well ventilated. Ensure that the doors are closed to prevent the spores from getting to other areas of the house. However, keep the windows open for air circulation.
• Before starting with any diy treatment, sweep the affected area of the carpet with a broom. This will help loosen the mold.
• Remove the carpet and allow it to dry under the bright sun for about 48 hours. If the carpet cannot be removed use a humidifier, blow function or fan mode on your vacuum to dry the carpet thoroughly.
• Use ant- fungal solution to clean the floor area that was in contact with the carpet.

Carpet mold removal can be a real challenge. However, inspecting your carpet at regular intervals and taking prompt steps to kill mold in the carpet can not only help increase the life of your carpet but will also keep your loved ones safe and healthy.

Mold: No Laughing Matter

Finding mold in your home is no laughing matter. Where there’s mold, there’s usually a moisture problem, i.e. leaky roof, leaky water pipes, poor ventilation, etc. Left unattended, moisture problems can cause stains, cracking, rotting and the growth of mold. In addition to ruining your home, mold can cause any number of respiratory and allergy problems.

Once you discover mold in your home, it’s time to take action. Professional mold removal will help cleanse your home of mold and restore it to its healthy state. If you’ve discovered mold in your home, take these steps right away.

Eliminate Moisture Problems

The first step towards getting rid of mold is to find and eliminate the source. Mold on the ceiling or in the attic could be due to leaks in your roof or lack of ventilation. Mold on kitchen or bathroom cabinets could be coming from leaky pipes. By fixing water leakage and ventilation problems, you keep the mold from spreading and reduce its damaging effects on your home and health.

Professional Mold Removal

Once moisture problems have been fixed, you can tackle the issue of removing the mold. When it comes to mold removal, carefully consider your options. As one of your most valuable assets, you want to do all you can to preserve and protect your home. At the same time, you don’t want to risk developing health problems due to avoidable exposure to mold. Taking these factors into consideration, your best bet to effectively get rid of the mold in your home would be to call a pro.

Working with a licensed mold remediation contractor ensures the problem is handled safely and effectively with the best possible results. Mold remediation isn’t exactly a DIY project, particularly if you have a serious mold problem in your home. By calling a mold remediation specialist, you benefit from the knowledge, experience, and resources that a pro has to offer in eliminating mold.

Depending on the extent of the problem, mold removal requires a series of procedures, starting with sealing off the area that needs to be cleansed so spores aren’t distributed to the rest of your home. Your contractor will then assess the damage and determine what chemicals and equipment are required to get rid of the mold. Your specialist will ensure the area is cleaned thoroughly and that contaminated materials are removed and disposed of properly. Once the mold has been removed, the area is dried out completely before any restoration work is begun.

For optimal mold removal results, your best recourse is working with a pro.

Inspecting For Mold During The Home Buying Process

Buying a home is a complicated process that carries with it all sorts of pitfalls. For many people, a home is not only the most valuable investment they will ever make, it is also one of the most complicated transactions they will be involved with.

Any number of issues can arise from poor construction, title issues, liens, contract disagreements, and hidden problems even the seller was unaware of.

One large issue is the presence of mold in a home. Some kinds of mold are harmless but others can be incredibly dangerous and even deadly. Mold inspection is a necessary part of purchasing any home and remediation may be necessary if mold is discovered.

Why is Mold So Bad?

To be clear, the term mold encompasses hundreds of different species of the plant-like organism. Mold can be found on virtually any organic substance and not all mold is bad. Some molds are used to create important medicines while others are perfectly harmless although unsightly.

The species of mold that gives the whole category a bad name is Stachybotrys or Black Mold. Black mold can easily grow in homes where there has been water damage or poor maintenance over time. Just because mold is black in color, however, does not mean it is Stachybotrys.

Los Angeles Mold Remediation & Mold Inspection

In the city of Los Angeles, many real estate transactions require a mold inspection. Deadly molds tend to thrive in dark, damp, and hot environments. This makes Los Angeles and surrounding areas and an ideal environment to promote mold growth when combined with darkness and water.

What Happens When Mold is Found?

If you are looking at purchasing a particular home, have it inspected for mold, and find that there is deadly mold present; there are different avenues you can take.

The extent of mold found: The first thing an inspector will advise you on is the scope and eventual cost of remediation for the mold found. For instance, if mold is found all throughout the infrastructure of a home, it may not be worth remediation. If it is only found in one small area of a bathroom or kitchen, however, that’s not a big deal.

Cost to remediate: The scope of mold in a home does not always determine how much it will cost to remediate it. To get rid of mold, anything it’s growing on needs to be removed and properly disposed of. If mold is growing in critical areas of a home, the could mean far more expensive to remove and rebuild those portions.

Ultimately, finding the mold in the first place during an inspection will put you ahead of the game. Even if it costs way too much to remove it, you still have the ability to back out of a real estate transaction.