How to Avoid a Costly Mold Treatment in McLean, VA

Homeowners should always be on the lookout for mold growth in homes. Overlooking the following will end up costing you more in mold treatments in McLean, VA:

  • Failure to ignore stains or discolorations on materials such as drywall, carpet, and wood when first noticed will, no doubt, cost you more in mold treatments for damaged property at homes in McLean, VA.
  • Failure to identify where mold might be coming from will continue to cost you in excessive mold treatments until you fix the problem including leaky pipes, roofs or windows. Any overflow of water in your home in McLean, VA, if left unattended, within 48 hours can allow mold to grow within your home.
  • Failure to investigate moldy, mildew smells within your home can cause massive damage to the back side of your drywall or paneling, the underside of carpet or vinyl, the top side of ceiling tiles or your wooden studs. Any mold, musty odors should be looked into as soon as possible to avoid a mold infested home costing a significant amount in mold treatments and repairs and quite possibly unexpected doctor bills. So many times allergies or flu-like symptoms are misdiagnosed as such but actually come from being exposed to mold growth inside homes in McLean, VA.

A professional environmental services company should be called once you have any warning signs of mold growth. They will take the proper precautions in handling mold-related materials, taking samples of different materials and sending to a certified lab to identify the type of mold.

Professionals have the up-to-date tools including moisture meters, infrared cameras, and borescopes to detect the mold spore count and find hidden mold that isn’t visible to the naked eye. Once the mold is identified, a crew will come in and remove some of the moldy materials and perform certain mold treatments to other materials to rid all mold growth. Proper containment and HEPA vacuums are necessary when removing mold-related materials. Professionals are equipped with the proper clothing, gloves, and respirators and goggles to protect them from the dangers of breathing in mold spores when disturbing the mold-related materials during the treatment, removal, and cleanup.

Reducing humidity in your home in McLean, VA can easily be done by venting appliances such as clothes dryers. Always use air conditioners or dehumidifiers when needed. While bathing or showering, run your bathroom fan or open a window. When cooking, use your exhaust fan or open a window, the same when running your dishwasher or washing dishes. Paying attention to these easy things that you can control can avoid future mold treatments for your home.

How Asbestos Testing in Arlington, VA Can Save Your Life

The more asbestos a person is exposed to, the greater risk a person has of developing an asbestos-related disease. Asbestos exposure comes from inhaling airborne microscopic asbestos fibers. Asbestos can become airborne during a renovation or demolition of buildings containing asbestos materials, or remodeling your home that contains asbestos materials.

If your home was built before 1980, your home probably has asbestos-containing materials that were used in the construction of your home. Asbestos was used in materials including insulation, roofing shingles, floor tiles, and adhesives. If you believe any of these materials in your home could be asbestos-containing materials, do not disturb or damage in any way. Sawing, sanding, scraping, or cutting into any of these asbestos-containing materials will cause these asbestos fibers to release into the air which you breathe.

If you suspect asbestos-containing materials in your home, it is best to have a professional asbestos testing done at your home in Arlington, VA. Asbestos released fibers are not seen by the naked eye. It takes a certified asbestos testing professional to come into your home in Arlington, VA and take samples to send off to a certified lab for analysis.

Asbestos exposure can be deadly if not dealt with in a professional manner. When asbestos fibers are released into the air and you breathe in these fibers, they can get trapped in your lungs and remain there for a long, long time. When these fibers accumulate, they cause scarring and inflammation which can affect breathing and lead to serious health problems.

Asbestos has been classified as a known human carcinogen, a substance that causes cancer. Exposure to asbestos may increase the risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma which is a rare cancer of the thin membranes that line the chest and abdomen.

What are Asbestos Related Health Symptoms?

• Shortness of breath, hoarseness, and wheezing
• A persistent cough that continues to get worse
• Blood coughed up from the lungs
• Pain or tightening in the chest
• Difficulty swallowing
• Swelling of the neck or face
• Loss of appetite and weight loss
• Fatigue or anemia

Call for asbestos testing at your home in Arlington, VA if you suspect you have asbestos-related materials that have been damaged or disturbed or if you are getting ready to do any remodeling where these materials might be located in your home.