Month: January 2018

Is Mold Testing Necessary for Virginia Beach, VA Homes?

With the hot, humid summers in Virginia Beach, VA and living near the beach, homes are more prone for moisture. Consequently, mold testing might be necessary for your Virginia Beach, VA home.

Mold needs three things to grow—

  1. A food source includes most building materials such as insulation, drywall, and wood, etc.
  2. A water source such as flooding, leaks or condensation, etc.
  3. High humidity above 60%. Keep your humidity level below 50% to be safe at your Virginia Beach, VA home.

Mold can be different colors including green, white, gray, yellow, black and brown. It may look powdery, slimy or furry. Once you see signs of mold at your Virginia Beach, VA home, it normally means you have elevated amounts of mold. With that being said, often times mold growth can also be hidden so if you are not sure, you need mold testing.

Mold may be hidden behind places including—

  • The backside of drywall, wallpaper or paneling
  • Underneath carpets and pads
  • Top-side of ceiling tiles
  • Inside walls around pipe that leak or condensate
  • Inside ductwork
  • Roof materials and above ceiling tiles due to roof leaks or inadequate insulation

Mold producing conditions that warrant mold testing in Virginia Beach, VA homes—

  • Basement flood. Even a one time occurrence of a burst water pipe where your basement may look dry after the cleanup—mold contamination may be present in walls, under carpets or tiles or behind insulation.
  • Poor roof ventilation. If you have condensation, you may experience mold contamination on the attic insulation, roof sheathing or ceiling drywall.
  • Plumbing leaks. Leaky pipes over a period of time can lead to mold growth in cabinets or behind walls and under flooring.
  • Wet or damp crawl space. Crawl space insulation that draws moisture will produce mold spores that may move upwards into occupied space.

Mold testing should always be done at homes in Virginia Beach, VA that have experienced any type of dampness due to leaks, floods, condensation, or high humidity levels. If your home is smelling musty or family members have recently been experiencing more health issues, you might want to have mold testing for your Virginia Beach, VA home.

Even though you cannot visually see mold but have had moisture issues with your home in Virginia Beach, VA, mold testing should be scheduled. Mold testing will give you peace of mind to either know you do or you don’t have mold. However if you do have mold, get in touch with the experts at Envirotex for mold remediation.

Damp Basements in Gainesville, VA Call for Black Mold Removal

Most people know of someone who has been stricken with health problems due to black mold. Quite a few apartment buildings in Gainesville, VA have basements that have been converted into apartments. Some of these Gainesville, VA apartments might also contain black mold; whereas, some apartments have already undergone black mold removal to rid of black mold growth.

Older basements in Gainesville, VA tend to be prone to dampness and in time might need black mold removal. Dampness is a breeding place for black mold. Anytime you start to smell a musty odor or a family member starts to have more health issues than normal, you might want to check for mold growth.

Health issues that might be a result of black mold growth include—

  • Fatigue and weakness
  • Poor memory, difficulty in finding the right words.
  • Morning stiffness, joint pain
  • Shortness of breath, sinus congestion or a chronic cough
  • A headache, sensitivity to light
  • Difficulty in concentrating

Any allergy-like symptoms that you never had before could be the result of black mold. Black mold removal is necessary to rid your home in Gainesville, VA of any black mold. It is just as important to find the source of moisture in a damp basement. If you fail to locate the source of moisture and eliminate it, the black mold growth will return. Investing in a black mold removal should be a long-term value for your home in Gainesville, VA, not just a short-term fix. It is imperative during a black mold removal that the moisture source be found and fixed.

If you are faced with a damp basement in Gainesville, VA and family members are sickly, call the experts at Envirotex. They specialize in black mold removal and remediation, asbestos abatement, air duct cleaning, lead-based paint removal, meth labs and clandestine drug lab clean-up. Any environmental issues you are having with your home or business should be directed to a company such as Envirotex who has been in business since 2000 serving the Northern Virginia region, including Gainesville, VA.