Month: November 2020

Why Mold Removal Is a Must for Homeowners in Manassas, VA

Mold can cause extreme structural damage to homes in Manassas, VA if not found early. Mold removal by a qualified environmental company such as Envirotex Environmental Services is essential when mold is first noticed, so damage is kept to a minimum.

Family members may be sensitive to mold exposure, including—

  • Individuals with existing allergies and asthma
  • Babies and young children
  • Elderly people
  • Immunocompromised patients

Mold can affect some and not others. Mold exposure may cause watery eyes, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, headaches, and fatigue.

When you detect mold growth inside your Manassas, VA home, mold removal is a must, along with fixing the source of the water problem that is causing the mold. If you don’t fix the moisture source, once the mold removal is complete, mold will only grow back in time. 

During mold removal, trained professionals will first identify the source of moisture with equipment, such as a thermal imaging camera. Potential moisture sources for homes in Manassas, VA include—

  • Leaky roofs
  • Damp basements
  • Flooding
  • Crawl spaces
  • Plumbing leaks

This is done before the actual mold removal and needs to be corrected; otherwise, mold will only come back. Technicians will then isolate any mold contaiminated areas to eliminate spreading mold spores to other areas of the Manassas, VA home.

HEPA air filters and negative air machines are used throughout the mold removal. Contaminated materials are either removed or remediated according to the particular situation for homes in Manassas, VA. Most often, drywall and carpet have to be removed and replaced, so mold doesn’t return.

Mold contaminated materials will be bagged up and taken to the appropriate landfills.

Mold growth can sometimes be prevented by using the following tips—

  • Fix leaky pipes as soon as possible.
  • Keep heating, ventilation, and air conditioning drip pans clean to flow properly.
  • Properly vent clothes dryers and other moisture-generating appliances to the outside.
  • Provide proper drainage and slope ground away from the foundation.

At the first sign of moisture, dry the area thoroughly within 48 hours to avoid mold growth.

For mold removal or other environmental issues at your home in Manassas, VA, call the team at Envirotex.

Personal Protective Equipment for Mold Remediation in Haymarket, VA

Once mold starts to grow, it affects the smell, air quality, and in some cases the structure integrity of homes in Haymarket, VA. Moisture issues can result from leaky roofs, leaky pipes, unvented appliances and bathrooms, and outside gutters that aren’t properly installed, leading to water seeping down the side of your house. When these issues are not properly addressed, moisture can build up, and mold growth is likely to happen at homes in Haymarket, VA.

When mold is visible, or you have a musty smell inside your home in Haymarket, VA, you should call an environmental professional such as Envirotex. The professional team will come to your home, evaluate the situation, and plan for mold remediation.

Mold remediation disturbs mold, which causes mold spores to become airborne. This procedure increases respiratory exposure; therefore, professionals must use personal protective equipment when dealing with any type of mold. Be prepared to see environmental specialists suited up at your home. During any mold remediation at your Haymarket, VA home, the remediation professionals are required to wear—

Eye Protection—The use of properly fitted goggles or a full face respirator must be used during mold remediation. Goggles prevent dust and small particles from entering the eyes. Safety glasses or goggles that have open vent holes should never be used for mold remediation.

Skin Protection—To prevent contact with mold and cleaning solutions, gloves must be worn to protect the skin. Gloves should be selected according to the type of chemicals/substances that are being handled.

Protective Clothing—Disposable protective clothing is required to protect the remediation professionals from the biological and chemical hazards they encounter during the mold remediation. The protective clothing prevents the spread of mold contaminants to street clothing, eliminates skin contact with mold and chemical exposure, minimizes the cross–contamination between the mold contaminated areas and any clean areas within the home in Haymarket, VA.

If you are experiencing any mold growth or musty smells inside your home in Haymarket, VA, give the team at Envirotex a call so their professional mold specialists can set up a plan to rid your home of unwanted mold growth and advise you on what you need to do to prevent mold from coming back.

When It’s Time to Hire Mold Companies in Gainesville, VA

In Gainesville, VA, homeowners who experience mold growth inside their homes know firsthand what a nuisance it can be. You never know when it pops up until it is there, and by then, the mold can damage your drywall, your carpet, and personal items as well. Not to mention, it could be causing respiratory illness among family members. So when is it time to hire mold companies for Gainesville, VA homes?

How much mold growth do you have? Do you even know? Looking at particular areas of your Gainesville, VA home for mold growth doesn’t give you the full picture. Mold companies are experienced in knowing where to look and have special equipment such as thermal imaging to detect and identify moisture sources that are causing the mold growth at your home in Gainesville, VA. Not all mold growth will be visible.

When you hire professional mold companies such as Envirotex Environmental Services, they will be able to locate your source of moisture that is causing the mold growth, any structural damage, what needs to be done to fix moisture issues and plan out a path forward to rid your home of any mold damage. Without taking care of the initial problem that is causing the mold growth, once mold removal is done by mold companies, the problem will only come back.

The procedures of mold companies are different depending on your home’s affected areas in Gainesville, VA. Special equipment and safety clothing is needed to avoid mold from entering the nose, eyes, and mouth and preventing it from coming into contact with the skin. Mold companies have the necessary equipment such as goggles, respirators, gloves, and disposable clothing and shoe coverings for the job.

Most mold companies use negative air machines along with other equipment to ensure safety. The molded areas will be contained so that any mold spores released during the removal will not drift into other areas of the Gainesville, VA home. Once the mold removal has been completed, the site will be tested to ascertain all mold spores are gone and safe for family members.

Call Envirotex for any questions you have regarding mold growth or other environmental issses you might be having at your home in Gainesville, VA.

What Happens During Mold Inspections at Homes in Fairfax, VA?

For the most part, mold inspections at homes in Fairfax, VA start with a visual inspection of the house. A professional mold inspector will discuss with homeowners any moisture problems they are noticing or water damage from previous leaks or floods.

Professionals who do mold inspections in Fairfax, VA are familiar with where to look for the most common areas of a home which are prone to mold growth. Sometimes a mold inspection may require tearing out a piece of drywall or paneling and pulling up carpet to get a better look of where mold could be growing in an inaccessible place.

Once mold is detected, the home inspection will determine where the moisture source is coming from, which is causing mold growth. Unless this moisture source is fixed, any plan to remove the mold from the home in Fairfax, VA will only come back sometime in the future. A plan for mold remediation will be developed during the mold inspection process, along with how to rid your source of moisture.

Suppose mold is visually noticeable at your Fairfax, VA home, which calls for mold remediation. In that case, the mold remediation company will determine the extent of the mold problem, which essentially is a mold inspection. Once the mold remediation is complete, a mold inspection should be done to ensure the remediation was done correctly and your house is mold–free.

Preventing mold growth is the best solution, but unfortunately, sometimes, it can’t be avoided. When you notice any leaks inside your home in Fairfax, VA, fix the problem as soon as possible. The sooner you clean and dry things, the less chance you have for mold growth. Mold needs moisture to grow, and if materials within the home aren’t allowed to dry within 24 to 48 hours, normally mold will start to grow.

Some homeowners in Fairfax, VA may notice a musty smell yet do not see any mold. Mold inspections are crucial to these type of incidences so that it doesn’t get worse over time.

Professionals such as the team at Envirtoex have special equipment that can determine mold growth that is not out in plain sight. Call Envirotex for all your environmental needs at your home in Fairfax, VA.