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Mold Remediation Process for Homes in Northern, VA

Once excessive moisture accumulates inside your Northern, VA home, mold growth often occurs, which can trigger many different health issues, especially those with asthma. Anytime you see or suspect mold within your home in Northern, VA, call the team at Envirotex for mold remediation. Put back the clean air into your home by a team of professionals.

The first step in mold remediation will be an assessment of your situation to see the extent of your mold problem; sometimes, mold can be hidden, such as in air ducts and behind the walls. An identification of the source of the moisture inside your home will also be made. The source will also need to be fixed; otherwise, the mold will only come back in the future.

The next process of your mold remediation will include containing the area where the mold resides so that removing any moldy building materials will not lead to mold spores released and spreading to other parts of your home in Northern, VA.

During mold remediation, the professional team will be equipped with protective gear, including disposable coveralls, goggles, respirators, and shoe coverings. Any occupants of the Northern, VA home will be asked to leave during the mold remediation process for their safety.

Depending on where the mold is located as to what necessary cleaning supplies will be used. Each situation is different for different homes in Northern, VA.

Dust suppression by wet misting and wet vacuuming may be used.

Non–porous surfaces will be properly cleaned and dried so that further mold growth will not return.

Porous materials with signs of mold should be appropriately discarded in heavy–duty plastic bags and removed from the property in Northern, VA, and taken to the proper landfill.

HEPA (high–efficiency particulate air filter) vacuums are used for the final cleanup once the materials are completely dry, and all contaminated materials have been removed.

Once the mold remediation has been completed, a mold inspection should be done to ensure the remediation was done correctly.

If you ever need mold remediation for your home in Northern, VA, or have other environmental needs, call the team at Envirotex Environmental Services.

How an Asbestos Contractor Protects your Safety in Washington, D.C.

There are numerous older homes in Washington, D.C., and if you live in one, an asbestos contractor should be your first go-to person whenever doing any renovations in your home. Asbestos was used in a wide variety of materials because of its resistance to chemicals, heat and fire, durability, strength, and flexibility. These asbestos-related materials were manufactured years ago before the dangers of asbestos were known; some are still in use today.

An asbestos contractor knows what products to be aware of when looking for asbestos in your older home in Washington, D.C. These products include:

• Adhesives, Bonding, and Sealers
• Asbestos Cement (Transite)
• Roofing materials
• Ceiling tiles
• Floor tiles
• Insulation
• Plaster
• Shingles
• Siding
• Stucco
• And then some

As you can see, most anything that you might want to renovate in your older home in Washington, D.C. may contain asbestos. Hiring an asbestos contractor will ensure that whatever home renovation project you take on is safe to tackle. If the asbestos materials will not be disturbed in any way, usually, it will be safe if left alone. Still, if it will need to be disturbed, the asbestos contractor will professionally remove all asbestos that presents a problem at your home in Washington, D.C.

Asbestos is a known cancer-causing agent and, therefore, should only be handled by an asbestos contractor such as Envirotex Environmental Services. They are equipped with the necessary equipment to come into your Washington, D.C. home and identify and test for asbestos-related materials. Once the results have been analyzed, they can draw up a plan to remove any and all asbestos materials in your home.

Asbestos should never be handled by Washington, D.C. homeowners. You put your family at risk if you disturb any asbestos-related materials inside your home. Asbestos fibers linger in the air and can easily be inhaled into the lungs by you and your family members. This can be extremely dangerous.
Your asbestos contractor knows the safety procedures put into place to protect you and your family.

Prevention and a Mold Remediation Plan for your Home in Northern, VA

Mold needs moisture and food to grow inside your Northern, VA home. Moisture is a key factor that influences mold growth. By controlling the indoor humidity at your home in Northern, VA, you can limit mold growth from attacking your home and destroying its structure. Once mold growth takes over your home in Northern, VA, mold remediation will be necessary.

The goal of mold remediation is to find the source of the moisture issue, fix it, and then to clean up the mold damage. The highest priority in any mold remediation is to protect the health and safety of the family members living in the house in Northern, VA, where mold is a concern. Part of the mold remediation plan should include—

  • A plan to fix the moisture problem so that the mold does not come back?
  • Workers should wear protective clothing at all times during mold remediation at your Northern, VA home.
  • The mold growth areas of the home should be contained.
  • A wet vacuum designed to collect water should be used to remove water that has accumulated on floors, carpets, and other hard surfaces. Carpets need to be pulled up and allowed to dry before reinstalling. The pad underneath must also be dried. Dehumidifiers and fans should be used to accelerate the drying time
  • Hard surfaces should be wiped or scrubbed with special detergents and dried to prevent further mold growth. Porous materials most likely will have to be discarded.
  • A HEPA vacuum should be used in the final cleanup during any mold remediation after the areas have been allowed to thoroughly dry and contaminated materials have been removed.
  • Contaminated materials should be appropriately bagged to prevent the mold spores from spreading through the rest of the Northern, VA home and then taken to a waste site to be disposed of.

Mold remediation should only be performed by qualified, licensed environmental companies such as Envirotex. If you have any questions about mold growth in your Northern, VA home, call the experts at Envirotex and they will be glad to help you.

Protect Yourself by Hiring an Asbestos Contractor in Virginia Beach, VA

Even though asbestos is now limited in its use in the U.S., asbestos-containing materials still do exist in older homes, businesses, and schools that were built prior to 1980. If you suspect any asbestos-containing materials in your home, you should always hire an asbestos contractor.

Asbestos abatement consists of identifying, removing, repairing, and encapsulating any asbestos materials in your home or business in Virginia Beach, VA. This will eliminate any threats of possible exposure to toxic asbestos fibers and should always be handled by a professional asbestos contractor in Virginia Beach, VA.

Materials in your home that could contain asbestos include—

  • Roof shingles and siding
  • Vermiculite insulation
  • Ceiling tiles and coatings
  • Popcorn ceilings
  • Drywall and cement sheets
  • Plaster, putties, and caulking
  • Plumbing fixtures
  • Pipe and duct coverings
  • Thermal boiler and fireplace insulation
  • Vinyl floor tiles

Asbestos-containing materials are normally safe if they are not disturbed, but over time they can become brittle and crumble. If this happens, you will want to bring in an asbestos contractor to handle any asbestos-related issues you have within your home and outside the home in Virginia Beach, VA.

If you live in an older home in Virginia Beach, VA and are getting ready to do some remodeling, call in an asbestos contractor to check for any asbestos materials. Never saw, hammer, sand, drill, or break up any asbestos materials. Always leave this for professional asbestos contractors.

Asbestos contractors know what to look for and can do a thorough inspection of your home. Once asbestos has been found, your contractor will set up a time to come in and remove or encapsulate the asbestos-containing materials.

This will mean all members of your family will have to leave your Virginia Beach, VA home until the abatement has been finished. A Virginia Beach, VA asbestos contractor, such as Envirotex, is a professional environmental company who has the knowledge and experience to handle this process. The abatement team will wear special disposable coveralls and gloves, respirators, eyewear, and rubber boots. They will fully protect themselves during the process.

Inhaling or ingesting asbestos could lead to serious health problems such as mesothelioma cancer and asbestosis. Never handle asbestos on your own. Leave it to the professionals at Envirotex.

How Mold Treatment in Northern Virginia Ensures Health Safety

Mold can be either a visible intruder or can be lurking behind walls, underneath flooring and under appliances such as a dishwasher, washing machine, water softener or water heater. Just a tiny leak coming from one of these appliances left unfixed can allow mold growth to infest your Northern Virginia home. Mold treatment is vital to homeowners in Northern Virginia who can either see mold growing or have smell musty odors in their home.

Health Issues Related to Mold Growth

Mold is not good for anyone, but those who have allergies and asthma are more at risk to develop mold infections in the lungs. Symptoms to be aware of include:

  • Wheezing
  • Nasal stuffiness
  • Eye irritation
  • Skin irritations

If household members are constantly getting sick, you should consider having a mold treatment for your home in Northern Virginia. Black toxic mold can be deadly to family members, and symptoms should never be excused for just a minor cold if you see any mold growth at your Northern Virginia home. Any type of mold should be inspected by a professional, and a proper mold treatment to rid the home or business of any mold growth should be implemented.

Work areas in Northern Virginia which have high mold exposure that might need mold treatment include:

  • Saunas and pools
  • Greenhouses
  • Flower shops
  • Antique shops

Being around mold for long periods of time can infect your health and mold treatment should be done to prevent further damage to your health.

Mold treatments should be done by a professional environment services company. These experts are equipped with the necessary equipment to do the job right and also to advise you how to prevent further mold damage to your Northern Virginia home or business. Mold treatments without preventive measures to ensure the mold from coming back are costly and can be detrimental to the health of family members or workers for businesses in Northern Virginia.

If you have signs of mold growth, call a professional mold treatment company in Northern Virginia to ensure the safety of family members and employees.

Effective Products Used in Home Mold Removal for Alexandria, VA Homeowners

Great care should be taken by homeowners in Alexandria, VA who choose d-i-y home mold removal.  Some cleaning agents are quite toxic to use indoors so make sure you work in a well-ventilated area and by all means wear a respirator and gloves to protect yourself.

Effective Home Mold Removal Products

  • Ammonia—This cleaning agent is a good disinfectant and does a great job of killing mold on hard, non-porous surfaces such as bathroom sinks, shower doors and kitchen counters around your Alexandria, VA home. It does not kill mold on penetrating porous materials like sheetrock, particle board or ceiling tiles. Ammonia’s fumes are quite toxic, and it will also irritate the skin and eyes. It is poisonous and could cause health issues if ingested or inhaled especially in a non-ventilated area. It should never be mixed with chlorinated bleach.Combine ammonia and water, 50/50 proportions in a spray bottle. Spray the mold contaminated area and allow the solution to sit for about 5 or 10 minutes to kill mold. Then scour the mold area with a brush and wipe clean. Repeat if needed.
  • Bleach—Use on hard, non-porous surfaces to kill nearly any type of mold spores. Bleach is not effective on porous surfaces because the same moisture used to kill the mold will promote additional mold growth to the area just cleaned.Combine one cup of bleach to no less than a gallon of water and mix together thoroughly and add to a spray bottle. Apply evenly to the mold infected area or use a sponge or disposable towel and wipe the area clean. Do not rinse. Allow the bleach to disinfect the area to inhibit future mold growth in your Alexandria, VA home.

Seven Natural Products for Home Mold Removal

  • Baking Soda—A natural cleaning solution that is safe around pets and children.Mix baking soda with water at a 50/50 ratio to form a paste. Apply paste and let dry. Scrub with a brush if needed and then wipe away mold debris.
  • Vinegar—White distilled vinegar is inexpensive and is an anti-bacterial agent that is great in home mold removal.Simply spray vinegar straight onto the surface, let sit, then wipe away.
  • Borax—It deodorizes, disinfects and cleans and borax does not put off toxic fumes or It is toxic so do not ingest. It is also non-carcinogenic.Mix one cup of borax with one gallon of water, mix together well and spray or wipe on mold infected surface. Scrub with a brush if needed and then wipe. Do not rinse because borax will continue to work as a disinfectant and deodorizer. Allow to air dry and repeat if needed.
  • Hydrogen Peroxide—Non-toxic, inexpensive and produces no toxic fumes. It serves as an antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial Can be used in home mold removal for porous materials such as walls and clothing.Mix two parts water with 1 part 3% hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle or soak a disposable towel and wipe mold. Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Use a brush if needed and then wipe away the mold. Allow to dry.
  •  Grapefruit Seed Extract—Similar to tea tree oil, this is natural and non-toxic in home mold removal.Add ten drops of grapefruit seed extract oil to each cup of water needed for mold removal. You can strengthen if needed for stubborn stains. Spray area and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes or longer if needed. Wipe away mold. Do not rinse as the acid will penetrate mold growth and prevent any future mold spores from coming back.
  • Tea Tree Oil—This is a natural fungicide effective in killing black mold spores and removing mildew, and it will also fill your home in Alexandria, VA with a lovely medicinal scent. Make sure it is made from the Australian tree “melaleuca ” It is toxic if swallowed.Add ten drops of tea tree oil to a spray bottle and fill with water. Spray, let sit and wipe away the mold.

Be extremely careful when combining two or more cleaning agents together to prevent harmful accidents. Read all labels and be extremely cautious around children and pets when working with bleach and ammonia cleaners at your home in Alexandria, VA. Be safe at all times!

Depending on how much mold is infecting your Alexandria, VA home, it is advised to call a professional such as Envirotex for mold removal from your home. They are the experts in their field. Envirotex is an environmental service company licensed and certified in mold inspection, mold removal, and remediation.