Mold is bad for us, we all know that, but just what different kinds of mold are there? They have been around since before the time of Christ and yet some people do not think that they need to be taken seriously as a real health threat. It grows everywhere and its one purpose in the natural world is to decompose dead organic matter. It is in our homes and on our lawns, on our food and on our clothes. You cannot truly do anything to completely get rid of it, but what you can do is educate yourself about what kinds of mold there are, what they can do to you, and how you can get rid of them.
There are about three different categories that a mold is classified into: pathogenic, allergenic, and toxic. The line between pathogenic molds and toxic molds is a little difficult to discern, but the allergenic mold class is not as dangerous as the other two.
Allergenic molds can either cause allergies or make allergies that a person already has even worse. It can make such things as asthma and emphysema aggravated and more difficult to deal with. The very young and the elderly particularly have a problem with these molds, because their immune systems are not as strong as a healthy young or middle aged adult. Symptoms include typical allergy symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, skin rashes, and etcetera.
Toxic molds produce what are called mycotoxins and even though these kinds of molds are not as common as allergenic or even pathogenic molds, they are extremely dangerous. These molds can even cause the death of a person if the circumstances are extreme enough and while “toxic black mold” has become a common term used in the news, it is usually referring to Stachybotrys atra or some other variant of Stachybotrys. This mold is typically found on wet items, especially on wet paper or woods. This mold has also been known to cause a baby to bleed from the lungs.
Pathogenic molds are molds that tend to cause opportunistic infections in people, such as penicilliosis, which is the third most common opportunistic infection in HIV patients in southeast Asia. This is a serious problem and anyone with a weakened immune system is very much at risk for contracting this condition, even if you are simply traveling to the region for a few days.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Learn How To Identify What Kind Of Mold You Are Dealing With
Mold is bad for us, we all know that, but just what different kinds of mold are there? They have been around since before the time of Christ and yet some people do not think that they need to be taken seriously as a real health threat. It grows everywhere and its one purpose in the natural world is to decompose dead organic matter. It is in our homes and on our lawns, on our food and on our clothes. You cannot truly do anything to completely get rid of it, but what you can do is educate yourself about what kinds of mold there are, what they can do to you, and how you can get rid of them.
There are about three different categories that a mold is classified into: pathogenic, allergenic, and toxic. The line between pathogenic molds and toxic molds is a little difficult to discern, but the allergenic mold class is not as dangerous as the other two.
Allergenic molds can either cause allergies or make allergies that a person already has even worse. It can make such things as asthma and emphysema aggravated and more difficult to deal with. The very young and the elderly particularly have a problem with these molds, because their immune systems are not as strong as a healthy young or middle aged adult. Symptoms include typical allergy symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, skin rashes, and etcetera.
Toxic molds produce what are called mycotoxins and even though these kinds of molds are not as common as allergenic or even pathogenic molds, they are extremely dangerous. These molds can even cause the death of a person if the circumstances are extreme enough and while “toxic black mold” has become a common term used in the news, it is usually referring to Stachybotrys atra or some other variant of Stachybotrys. This mold is typically found on wet items, especially on wet paper or woods. This mold has also been known to cause a baby to bleed from the lungs.
Pathogenic molds are molds that tend to cause opportunistic infections in people, such as penicilliosis, which is the third most common opportunistic infection in HIV patients in southeast Asia. This is a serious problem and anyone with a weakened immune system is very much at risk for contracting this condition, even if you are simply traveling to the region for a few days.
There are about three different categories that a mold is classified into: pathogenic, allergenic, and toxic. The line between pathogenic molds and toxic molds is a little difficult to discern, but the allergenic mold class is not as dangerous as the other two.
Allergenic molds can either cause allergies or make allergies that a person already has even worse. It can make such things as asthma and emphysema aggravated and more difficult to deal with. The very young and the elderly particularly have a problem with these molds, because their immune systems are not as strong as a healthy young or middle aged adult. Symptoms include typical allergy symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, skin rashes, and etcetera.
Toxic molds produce what are called mycotoxins and even though these kinds of molds are not as common as allergenic or even pathogenic molds, they are extremely dangerous. These molds can even cause the death of a person if the circumstances are extreme enough and while “toxic black mold” has become a common term used in the news, it is usually referring to Stachybotrys atra or some other variant of Stachybotrys. This mold is typically found on wet items, especially on wet paper or woods. This mold has also been known to cause a baby to bleed from the lungs.
Pathogenic molds are molds that tend to cause opportunistic infections in people, such as penicilliosis, which is the third most common opportunistic infection in HIV patients in southeast Asia. This is a serious problem and anyone with a weakened immune system is very much at risk for contracting this condition, even if you are simply traveling to the region for a few days.
Natural Born Mold Killers Can Save You From Chemical Exposure
While there are a lot of different commercial chemicals that are used to kill mold, a lot of people do not like to use a lot of household chemicals in their homes. There is a belief that the more we use chemicals in our daily lives, the more harm they will end up doing us and since there may be some truth to this, some people have found other ways to kill mold besides the cleaners that we find in department and grocery stores.
Three natural ingredients have been found to kill mold quite effectively, but two of them are quite expensive and one is, well… kind of stinky.
The most widely available and inexpensive of the three natural ways to kill mold is vinegar. It is by far the cheapest natural method and the most simple to use. Distilled white vinegar is the best kind to use because it has no color to it and there is no risk of discoloring anything you might put it on. Vinegar will reportedly kill around 82 percent of molds in your home. While it will not kill all kinds of mold, it will kill most of the kind that you find indoors and if it does not kill it, you will most assuredly know. All you have to do is put the mold into a spray bottle, spray it on the area of mold and if you can stand the smell, let it stay on the surface without rinsing it. The smell should go away after a few hours and the mold should have died soon after.
Another way to kill mold, even if it is a bit expensive, is tea tree oil. You can find this at most health food stores and it has a little more broad of a spectrum of fungi that it will get rid of than vinegar. Combine 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil with 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake it up to blend the two and spray on anything that has mold on it. Do not rinse it off. This should make about two cups and it should last indefinitely.
The last way to do this is by using grapefruit seed extract. The advantage of this is that grapefruit seed extract has no smell to it. 20 drops of the extract and two cups of water in a spray bottle should do the trick. Follow the same directions for the tea tree oil.
Three natural ingredients have been found to kill mold quite effectively, but two of them are quite expensive and one is, well… kind of stinky.
The most widely available and inexpensive of the three natural ways to kill mold is vinegar. It is by far the cheapest natural method and the most simple to use. Distilled white vinegar is the best kind to use because it has no color to it and there is no risk of discoloring anything you might put it on. Vinegar will reportedly kill around 82 percent of molds in your home. While it will not kill all kinds of mold, it will kill most of the kind that you find indoors and if it does not kill it, you will most assuredly know. All you have to do is put the mold into a spray bottle, spray it on the area of mold and if you can stand the smell, let it stay on the surface without rinsing it. The smell should go away after a few hours and the mold should have died soon after.
Another way to kill mold, even if it is a bit expensive, is tea tree oil. You can find this at most health food stores and it has a little more broad of a spectrum of fungi that it will get rid of than vinegar. Combine 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil with 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake it up to blend the two and spray on anything that has mold on it. Do not rinse it off. This should make about two cups and it should last indefinitely.
The last way to do this is by using grapefruit seed extract. The advantage of this is that grapefruit seed extract has no smell to it. 20 drops of the extract and two cups of water in a spray bottle should do the trick. Follow the same directions for the tea tree oil.
The Most Frequently Asked Questions About Mold
If you are a new homeowner or even an old one that is just wanting to do a little studying on what this whole concern about mold is that you have been hearing about on the news and in magazines, then there are a few basic things that you need to know about mold
What causes mold to grow?
Well, mold requires a few different things to grow and these are nutrients, air, and moisture. Molds can grow in cooler temperatures down to around 40 degrees Fahrenheit and up to even around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. If it gets cooler than 40 F, most molds will become simply dormant and cease growing. They are hard to kill by change in temperature alone. Temperatures above 100 F have been reported to kill mold and its spores, but the exact temperatures that are needed to kill specific species of mold are uncertain.
How does mold get into your house?
The truth is that mold is always in your home, but it only grows there when conditions are favorable. Spilled water on carpet that is never cleaned up, condensation on windows or water pipes is a sign of high humidity that helps mold grow, as well, and even something as seemingly harmless as packing your clothes too tightly in the closet can cause mold problems.
Do harmful molds exist?
Yes! While there are only a few different kinds of mold that cause human health issues compared to the thousands of different varieties of mold there are in the world, mold growing in your home can be a serious health risk.
Does mold cause health issues in everyone? Are they always the same?
No, mold does not typically affect one person the same as another. One person might be allergic to the mold growing in the home and another may not. Some molds can cause infections that are serious enough to see a doctor for and some can cause brain damage, miscarriages, birth defects, and in some cases, even death.
What can I do to prevent mold growth in my house or business?
There are a lot of things that you can do to prevent mold from growing both on the constructed parts of your home and the items that you have inside it, such as furniture, clothes, and etcetera. There are numerous articles online to help you in preventing mold from growing, but the general consensus is to not have a high level of humidity in any area of your home, such as in a bathroom that does not have a vent to allow steam to exit the room while bathing. A similar vent should be installed in the kitchen near the stove.
What causes mold to grow?
Well, mold requires a few different things to grow and these are nutrients, air, and moisture. Molds can grow in cooler temperatures down to around 40 degrees Fahrenheit and up to even around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. If it gets cooler than 40 F, most molds will become simply dormant and cease growing. They are hard to kill by change in temperature alone. Temperatures above 100 F have been reported to kill mold and its spores, but the exact temperatures that are needed to kill specific species of mold are uncertain.
How does mold get into your house?
The truth is that mold is always in your home, but it only grows there when conditions are favorable. Spilled water on carpet that is never cleaned up, condensation on windows or water pipes is a sign of high humidity that helps mold grow, as well, and even something as seemingly harmless as packing your clothes too tightly in the closet can cause mold problems.
Do harmful molds exist?
Yes! While there are only a few different kinds of mold that cause human health issues compared to the thousands of different varieties of mold there are in the world, mold growing in your home can be a serious health risk.
Does mold cause health issues in everyone? Are they always the same?
No, mold does not typically affect one person the same as another. One person might be allergic to the mold growing in the home and another may not. Some molds can cause infections that are serious enough to see a doctor for and some can cause brain damage, miscarriages, birth defects, and in some cases, even death.
What can I do to prevent mold growth in my house or business?
There are a lot of things that you can do to prevent mold from growing both on the constructed parts of your home and the items that you have inside it, such as furniture, clothes, and etcetera. There are numerous articles online to help you in preventing mold from growing, but the general consensus is to not have a high level of humidity in any area of your home, such as in a bathroom that does not have a vent to allow steam to exit the room while bathing. A similar vent should be installed in the kitchen near the stove.
Mold Just May Be Your Fresh Fruits Greatest Enemy
Fruit rot in blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries are usually the result of one chief offender and that offender is known as gray mold. Gray mold is able to affect not only the fruit itself, but the petals, stems, and the flower stalk. Fruit are a popular breeding ground for mold, due to the juices in the fruit. A wet environment is the ideal place for mold to try and grow, and the juices contained in the fruit helped provide just the environment mold calls for. Gray mold is considered the most serious disease, especially during a warm and rainy growing season.
The kind of fruit with the least amount of protection against gray mold infection is young fruit blossoms. And when the infection becomes apparent in large clusters of fruit. The blossoms will show the infection as a soft, light brown and the spot will continue grow at a fast rate. The fruit will become powdery and gray if the fruit is left defenseless against the mold. This is where the name “gray mold” originated from.
The areas of the fruit that are most susceptible to infection are located near the middle of the plant where the branches and leaves cause high humidity and air circulation is lacking. If the fruit has been exposed to the ground where soil has captured water condensation the risk is higher, as that condensation will attract bacteria and will cause mold to grow. As the mold grows, the rot will begin to set in and any fruits nearby could be infected if not tended to in a timely manner.
And while mature fruits are less susceptible after they are picked, they are susceptible never the less. However, recently harvested green fruits will become just as infected, and the disease isn’t usually detected until the fruit is fully ready to be harvested. Bruising or breaking of the skin is a major cause of the infection in mature fruits. This is, once again, because of the juice on the inside of the fruit attracting bacteria. The mature fruit can be completely rotted in as short an amount of time as forty eight hours.
There are, however, ways to prevent gray mold from infesting your fruit. First, you should select where to plant a fruit where there is a decent amount of soil drainage and air circulation. They need to be exposed directly to sunlight. You should also make sure to keep the garden weeded, as it helps airflow.
The kind of fruit with the least amount of protection against gray mold infection is young fruit blossoms. And when the infection becomes apparent in large clusters of fruit. The blossoms will show the infection as a soft, light brown and the spot will continue grow at a fast rate. The fruit will become powdery and gray if the fruit is left defenseless against the mold. This is where the name “gray mold” originated from.
The areas of the fruit that are most susceptible to infection are located near the middle of the plant where the branches and leaves cause high humidity and air circulation is lacking. If the fruit has been exposed to the ground where soil has captured water condensation the risk is higher, as that condensation will attract bacteria and will cause mold to grow. As the mold grows, the rot will begin to set in and any fruits nearby could be infected if not tended to in a timely manner.
And while mature fruits are less susceptible after they are picked, they are susceptible never the less. However, recently harvested green fruits will become just as infected, and the disease isn’t usually detected until the fruit is fully ready to be harvested. Bruising or breaking of the skin is a major cause of the infection in mature fruits. This is, once again, because of the juice on the inside of the fruit attracting bacteria. The mature fruit can be completely rotted in as short an amount of time as forty eight hours.
There are, however, ways to prevent gray mold from infesting your fruit. First, you should select where to plant a fruit where there is a decent amount of soil drainage and air circulation. They need to be exposed directly to sunlight. You should also make sure to keep the garden weeded, as it helps airflow.
A Few Tips For Employers To Protect Employees And Business Against Mold
When we go to our daily work place, we usually like to believe it to be a very safe environment. However, one safety aspect that is often and sadly overlooked is that of mold infestation. We usually believe that mold is not a problem to have to deal with in the work place and that mold is a problem that is only dealt with in the home. However, any building is equally susceptible to mold infestation. If you are an employer, you are therefore responsible for the safety of every person who is inside the building. If you do not make sure that mold is not in the building, you could be liable for any medical expenses that one of your employees may have as a result of exposure to mold in the work place. If you suspect that there may be mold in your building, you must first conduct your own testing. If you do, indeed, find mold, it is your responsibility to send off the mold samples to a laboratory that specializes in mold identification. You should receive your results within a few weeks to a month.
The first thing you should do upon finding out that there is a mold infestation, and what kind of mold it is, is to inform your employs that there is a problem. You should inform them of what measures are to be taken. You should next call an inspector as to determine how extensive the contamination is and if the case is mild, and can be dealt with in a short amount of time, or if the case is serious and could take up to several weeks to remedy. If the case is extreme, you should notify your employees that they are being laid off for the duration of the remediation process. You should tell them when the process will begin, and give an approximation of when the process will end.
You should also ask your employees if they have been experience any kind of health problems since working for you. Specific health problems that you should look for are respiratory problems, skin rashes, and any other kinds of complications commonly associated with mold.
If your building is indeed contaminated, it should never be ignored, be it your home or work place. If you can afford to pay for the medical bills of others, you still do not want there to be health problems for yourself.
The first thing you should do upon finding out that there is a mold infestation, and what kind of mold it is, is to inform your employs that there is a problem. You should inform them of what measures are to be taken. You should next call an inspector as to determine how extensive the contamination is and if the case is mild, and can be dealt with in a short amount of time, or if the case is serious and could take up to several weeks to remedy. If the case is extreme, you should notify your employees that they are being laid off for the duration of the remediation process. You should tell them when the process will begin, and give an approximation of when the process will end.
You should also ask your employees if they have been experience any kind of health problems since working for you. Specific health problems that you should look for are respiratory problems, skin rashes, and any other kinds of complications commonly associated with mold.
If your building is indeed contaminated, it should never be ignored, be it your home or work place. If you can afford to pay for the medical bills of others, you still do not want there to be health problems for yourself.
Asian Food Is Highly Popular And Is Made With Mold
You can hardly find a person who does not like Asian food and anyone who enjoys soy sauce is not alone. In roughly two thousand years soy sauce has become one of the most popular and consumed condiments in history. Soy sauce originated in Asia, because in ancient times Asians had to package meat and fish tightly in salt in order to preserve the meat and excess liquid would be drained as a result. The liquid, which has soaked in the meat and salts flavor, would be used as a seasoning for other foods, like noodles or rice. However, when Buddhism began to rise in popularity, there was a shift from eating meat to eating vegetables and, therefore, the recipe for this seasoning also had to change. The recipe went to a salty paste of fermented grains. It was this recipe that became a prototype for soy sauce.
The recipe spread to Japan where it was modified and improved and a woman opened the world’s very first commercial brewery specializing in soy sauce. It was then that soy sauce’s popularity began to skyrocket.
Soy sauce, in the modern day, is made using mashed soy beans, wheat, salt, and a fermenting agent which is the very same kind as used in the production of sake, Aspergillus oryzae. Aspergillus oryzae is a popular alternative. This mold is the most important ingredient in the making of soy sauce. It is this mold that makes it true soy sauce.
The previously mentioned Aspergillus oryzae is used in other things as well, such as Japanese rice wine. The mold is used to ferment rice that has been steam and milled down to around 50 percent of its original mass and weight in order to remove amino acids, proteins, and fats that can make the smell of the wine less than pleasant.
Sake brewers take the cultivation of this mold at the utmost seriousness, because the mold is capable of absorbing surrounding odors. The same goes for flavors. For example, if the wood of the brewing wood is cedar, a slight cedar flavor will be absorbed. The mold is helpful for precisely these reasons. Sake and wine have a tendency to age in very different manners. Sake should be drunk almost as soon as it is purchased. While sake can, at times, taste better with age, it usually just tastes less than spectacular. Try some of these foods, You might find the you like them if you have not tried them.
The recipe spread to Japan where it was modified and improved and a woman opened the world’s very first commercial brewery specializing in soy sauce. It was then that soy sauce’s popularity began to skyrocket.
Soy sauce, in the modern day, is made using mashed soy beans, wheat, salt, and a fermenting agent which is the very same kind as used in the production of sake, Aspergillus oryzae. Aspergillus oryzae is a popular alternative. This mold is the most important ingredient in the making of soy sauce. It is this mold that makes it true soy sauce.
The previously mentioned Aspergillus oryzae is used in other things as well, such as Japanese rice wine. The mold is used to ferment rice that has been steam and milled down to around 50 percent of its original mass and weight in order to remove amino acids, proteins, and fats that can make the smell of the wine less than pleasant.
Sake brewers take the cultivation of this mold at the utmost seriousness, because the mold is capable of absorbing surrounding odors. The same goes for flavors. For example, if the wood of the brewing wood is cedar, a slight cedar flavor will be absorbed. The mold is helpful for precisely these reasons. Sake and wine have a tendency to age in very different manners. Sake should be drunk almost as soon as it is purchased. While sake can, at times, taste better with age, it usually just tastes less than spectacular. Try some of these foods, You might find the you like them if you have not tried them.
Your Allergies May Be More Related To Mold Than You Think
With the teeming masses of people in the world that suffer from allergies, no matter the number of medications used, it is nearly impossible for them to find an escape from their allergens. The reasons for seasonal allergy symptoms are many. Most allergies are attributed to grasses, pollens, and various kinds of mold. Now, these three allergens are incapable of growing during the winter time. And while some molds can withstand colder temperatures than others, the majority of molds cannot continue to grow in these cold temperatures. Instead they manage to lie dormant for quite some time. They go into a kind of suspended animation when frozen, and if they thaw they will continue to live and they are equally as dangerous as before the time they were frozen.
However, in some areas of the world there is not a winter, and therefore, no freezing temperatures. And in these areas, people who live in apartment complexes and places of this nature are faced with considerable risk of infection, especially those who are highly allergic to these molds. The list of symptoms experience from an allergic reaction is long and varied, depending entirely on the specific allergy. The most prominent symptoms are runny noses and skin rashes. Perennial allergic rhinitis can be brought on by the presence of mold, as well. However, these allergic complications are usually only brought on by a high population of mold. The symptoms, however, can worsen if food that has been created using a type of fungus, such as mushrooms, bread, beer, and even yogurt. Blue cheese is also a chief offender.
While there are thousands of species of molds on the planet, the number of highly allergenic molds are fortunately only in the dozens. Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Alternaria are the three most well known kinds of mold to cause many allergic reactions. As a bit of trivia, Penicillum is the only genus with both a medicine as well as a disease named after it.
It is important that you stay on constant watch for grass, mold spores and pollen counts for each day on the news, if you have allergies. These daily reports are recommended, especially for the elderly or anyone who has a small child who may be allergic, and are planning an outing. This way, it will be apparent which areas to avoid. Severe allergic reactions are rare occurrences, but they happen never the less.
However, in some areas of the world there is not a winter, and therefore, no freezing temperatures. And in these areas, people who live in apartment complexes and places of this nature are faced with considerable risk of infection, especially those who are highly allergic to these molds. The list of symptoms experience from an allergic reaction is long and varied, depending entirely on the specific allergy. The most prominent symptoms are runny noses and skin rashes. Perennial allergic rhinitis can be brought on by the presence of mold, as well. However, these allergic complications are usually only brought on by a high population of mold. The symptoms, however, can worsen if food that has been created using a type of fungus, such as mushrooms, bread, beer, and even yogurt. Blue cheese is also a chief offender.
While there are thousands of species of molds on the planet, the number of highly allergenic molds are fortunately only in the dozens. Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Alternaria are the three most well known kinds of mold to cause many allergic reactions. As a bit of trivia, Penicillum is the only genus with both a medicine as well as a disease named after it.
It is important that you stay on constant watch for grass, mold spores and pollen counts for each day on the news, if you have allergies. These daily reports are recommended, especially for the elderly or anyone who has a small child who may be allergic, and are planning an outing. This way, it will be apparent which areas to avoid. Severe allergic reactions are rare occurrences, but they happen never the less.
Taking Care of Your Water Damaged Laptop
Anyone who has ever owned a laptop or other electronic device knows that whatever you do, you should not let it come into contact with water, especially a large quantity of it. With laptops, water is usually spilled on the keyboard due to the misplacement of a drink or by knocking it over. The problem is not with the water itself, but with the electricity running through the device at the time the liquid is spilled. It is the combination of the two that does the damage to the motherboard, not the simple act of spilling water on it. During the manufacturing process, circuit boards like this are washed in clean water to remove anything from their surfaces before they are packaged and shipped. However, if you need to clean off your motherboard on your desktop or your laptop due to a collection of dust or spilling anything, you should use rubbing alcohol, not water.
As with your response to water coming into contact with any electronic device, it should be immediate.
As soon as it happens, you should turn the laptop upside down, remove the A/C cord, and remove the battery. Turning the laptop upside down serves to let the excess liquid drain out of it and you should do this until it stops dripping out. Proceed to dry off the outside of the laptop with a cloth or paper towels after this.
As long as you disconnect the power source as soon as possible and allow the device to dry out completely, it should be fine. Do not try to power on the device before you are certain that it is completely dry on the inside. Of course, this is only if you have only spilled water on it, not if you have spilled an acidic beverage such as cola or coffee onto it. This will require some extra steps to take care of and may require that you take the laptop apart.
If you think you may have to have it taken apart to clean the cola or coffee off of the circuit board on the inside, then you may want to consider having it taken to a computer repair shop. It will cost a little money, but unless you are familiar with electronics and really feel that you know what you are doing, this is your best option. They will make sure that your laptop is in working order, as long as you made sure that the liquid did not assist in frying the motherboard.
As with your response to water coming into contact with any electronic device, it should be immediate.
As soon as it happens, you should turn the laptop upside down, remove the A/C cord, and remove the battery. Turning the laptop upside down serves to let the excess liquid drain out of it and you should do this until it stops dripping out. Proceed to dry off the outside of the laptop with a cloth or paper towels after this.
As long as you disconnect the power source as soon as possible and allow the device to dry out completely, it should be fine. Do not try to power on the device before you are certain that it is completely dry on the inside. Of course, this is only if you have only spilled water on it, not if you have spilled an acidic beverage such as cola or coffee onto it. This will require some extra steps to take care of and may require that you take the laptop apart.
If you think you may have to have it taken apart to clean the cola or coffee off of the circuit board on the inside, then you may want to consider having it taken to a computer repair shop. It will cost a little money, but unless you are familiar with electronics and really feel that you know what you are doing, this is your best option. They will make sure that your laptop is in working order, as long as you made sure that the liquid did not assist in frying the motherboard.
Stopping Mold Growth in the Bathroom
If you live in an older home, the probability that mold exists somewhere in your bathroom is pretty high, especially if the floor or walls are damaged in any way. Most people do not realize how hazardous mold can be to their health and do not go looking for mold in their homes when they really should. It can exist in several different areas, but the bathroom tends to be one of the best places to find it in large quantities since this room is naturally moist and large amounts of water travel in and out of it every single day.
There are a number of things that you can do to help prevent mold growth in your bathroom and most of them do not require much effort or money to be effective. One of the first things that you need to do is make sure that the entire floor of your bathroom is waterproofed. Whether you have tile, linoleum, marble, or anything else on the floor, it should be completely water tight to stop water from getting to the floor joists underneath. Water damage affects many bathroom floors across the country and the last time you want to happen while you are in the bathroom is the floor collapsing out from under you. The areas directly around the bathtub and toilet are particularly at risk, since both of these items can and commonly do overflow.
Something else you should worry about is the condition of the drywall on the ceiling. The steam created by hot water in the tub or shower is absorbed by this drywall on a regular basis if it remains trapped in the bathroom and is not allowed to escape to the outside of the house. Not only can this cause mold growth on the upper walls and ceiling, but it can also cause the drywall to buckle and collapse on you. The best way to let it out is either through a window or by installing an exhaust vent, which most building codes require be in the bathroom. You should have at least one of these two things in the bathroom, if not both. Leaving the window open for steam to escape may not always be practical due to bad weather outside.
The last thing that you need to do is keep a check on the plumbing around the toilet and under the sink. The toilet should not clog up and overflow often; if it does, you should have the lines checked by a professional.
There are a number of things that you can do to help prevent mold growth in your bathroom and most of them do not require much effort or money to be effective. One of the first things that you need to do is make sure that the entire floor of your bathroom is waterproofed. Whether you have tile, linoleum, marble, or anything else on the floor, it should be completely water tight to stop water from getting to the floor joists underneath. Water damage affects many bathroom floors across the country and the last time you want to happen while you are in the bathroom is the floor collapsing out from under you. The areas directly around the bathtub and toilet are particularly at risk, since both of these items can and commonly do overflow.
Something else you should worry about is the condition of the drywall on the ceiling. The steam created by hot water in the tub or shower is absorbed by this drywall on a regular basis if it remains trapped in the bathroom and is not allowed to escape to the outside of the house. Not only can this cause mold growth on the upper walls and ceiling, but it can also cause the drywall to buckle and collapse on you. The best way to let it out is either through a window or by installing an exhaust vent, which most building codes require be in the bathroom. You should have at least one of these two things in the bathroom, if not both. Leaving the window open for steam to escape may not always be practical due to bad weather outside.
The last thing that you need to do is keep a check on the plumbing around the toilet and under the sink. The toilet should not clog up and overflow often; if it does, you should have the lines checked by a professional.
Saving Up Water and Other Supplies For Hurricanes
The most important thing that you need to worry about if you plan on sticking out a hurricane in your home instead of evacuating is just how much clean water you have to drink. If you live alone and there will be no one staying with you, it will be a lot easier for you to prepare to stay at home during the storm, but if you have a family that will stay with you, you will have to gather a lot more supplies. You should also have a good supply of non-perishable food (preferably foods that you do not have to cook and are ready to eat out of the package), batteries for anything you think you will need, flashlights, a hand-crank radio, and blankets.
The hand-crank radio will ensure that you have the capability to hear what is going on in the outside world during the storm, even if your electricity does go out. This will let you know what your local, state, and federal government is doing at this time.
As far as your water supply, if you have just moved to an area that is prone to hurricane damage, you should start saving up water as soon as you get moved into your new home. You can do this by re-using milk jugs after you have rinsed them out and storing them in a safe, convenient place in your home. You should keep at least one gallon for yourself and for each person you will have with you during the storm to use each day you expect the storm to last. Saving up a week’s worth of water in this way is advised and will ensure that you do not run out of water.
While the storm rages outside, do not drink water from your faucet because of the fact that it may be contaminated with anything from bacteria, sea water, and leaves to sewage and other hazardous waste. You can boil water from your faucet if you run out of the supply that you have saved, but it is much better to make sure that you have enough water put back so that you do not have to do this. Boiling water does not remove all impurities or harmful materials, especially if it has been contaminated with chemicals.
You can also buy some water purification tablets from some department and outdoor supply stores. Anyone who hikes or camps purchases these if they plan on going into an area of wilderness where clean water is not always able to be obtained.
The hand-crank radio will ensure that you have the capability to hear what is going on in the outside world during the storm, even if your electricity does go out. This will let you know what your local, state, and federal government is doing at this time.
As far as your water supply, if you have just moved to an area that is prone to hurricane damage, you should start saving up water as soon as you get moved into your new home. You can do this by re-using milk jugs after you have rinsed them out and storing them in a safe, convenient place in your home. You should keep at least one gallon for yourself and for each person you will have with you during the storm to use each day you expect the storm to last. Saving up a week’s worth of water in this way is advised and will ensure that you do not run out of water.
While the storm rages outside, do not drink water from your faucet because of the fact that it may be contaminated with anything from bacteria, sea water, and leaves to sewage and other hazardous waste. You can boil water from your faucet if you run out of the supply that you have saved, but it is much better to make sure that you have enough water put back so that you do not have to do this. Boiling water does not remove all impurities or harmful materials, especially if it has been contaminated with chemicals.
You can also buy some water purification tablets from some department and outdoor supply stores. Anyone who hikes or camps purchases these if they plan on going into an area of wilderness where clean water is not always able to be obtained.
Rooms The Most At Risk For Mold
There are a number of places in your home that mold may start to grow and theoretically, they can grow anywhere in the house, but there are some areas that are more at risk than others. Any room in the house where there is an excess amount of moisture going through it every single day is particularly at risk for mold growth and this risk should not be underestimated. A casual inspection every few weeks or every month should be done, if not due to the cost of having mold removed from the house, but also due to the health effects that mold can cause if it is let to thrive.
The very first room that you need to be concerned with is the bathroom. This is the mold center of the house 99 percent of the time, since more water passes in and out of this room than any other. Every member of your family takes a bath or a shower every day (at least, they should) and this means gallons upon gallons of water moving to and from the room, either in the form of steam or liquid. The liquid form is the most dangerous to the floor, especially if the floor is not waterproofed. This will cause not only mold growth, but also water damage to the floor joists that can cause it to rot over time. Long term damage such as this has been known to cause toilets and tubs to fall through the floor, resulting in an expense that most people do not have the money to pay for immediately.
The steam produces a problem for the ceiling and upper walls if there is nowhere for it to escape to. Most building codes require that there be a window or an exhaust fan installed in the bathroom, but you should really have both of these. The fan will remove the steam from the room and direct it outside where it will do no damage to anything.
The next room you should take care of is the kitchen. Whether you have a dishwasher or do your dishes by hand, there is always a chance that water will be spilled onto the floor and seep into an area that you cannot completely dry. This is usually because your floor is not completely sealed or has cracks in the flooring. Mold can also grow due to the steam coming from your stove, but this problem can be solved if you have an exhaust vent installed over it.
The very first room that you need to be concerned with is the bathroom. This is the mold center of the house 99 percent of the time, since more water passes in and out of this room than any other. Every member of your family takes a bath or a shower every day (at least, they should) and this means gallons upon gallons of water moving to and from the room, either in the form of steam or liquid. The liquid form is the most dangerous to the floor, especially if the floor is not waterproofed. This will cause not only mold growth, but also water damage to the floor joists that can cause it to rot over time. Long term damage such as this has been known to cause toilets and tubs to fall through the floor, resulting in an expense that most people do not have the money to pay for immediately.
The steam produces a problem for the ceiling and upper walls if there is nowhere for it to escape to. Most building codes require that there be a window or an exhaust fan installed in the bathroom, but you should really have both of these. The fan will remove the steam from the room and direct it outside where it will do no damage to anything.
The next room you should take care of is the kitchen. Whether you have a dishwasher or do your dishes by hand, there is always a chance that water will be spilled onto the floor and seep into an area that you cannot completely dry. This is usually because your floor is not completely sealed or has cracks in the flooring. Mold can also grow due to the steam coming from your stove, but this problem can be solved if you have an exhaust vent installed over it.
Renter’s Rights Concerning Mold
Even though we know that mold exists everywhere around us, having excess amounts of it in our homes or workplaces can be hazardous to our health and should be taken care of as soon as it is noticed. If you are renting an apartment or a house and discover a mold issue on the property, you need to take this up with your landlord as soon as possible. There are a number of rights that a renter has and being guaranteed a safe and sanitary living space is most certainly one of them.
As long as the mold issue was not caused by you, your landlord is responsible for having any removal done. You can also hold the landlord responsible for any medical bills that you may incur due to being exposed to the mold, but depending upon your relationship with your landlord, having them take care of the problem may be enough for you. If your landlord has been good to you throughout the course of your stay on his or her property and you wish to continue renting from them after the incident is over, it could be in your best interest to not cause too much trouble over the issue. If you feel that your landlord has neglected the property and has allowed it to fall into disrepair and has repeatedly ignored your request for maintenance and mold removal, then seek the maximum the law will grant you under the circumstances. You should seek the compensation that is right for your situation.
The first thing that you need to do, no matter how much you trust your landlord, is send him or her a certified letter stating that mold exists on the property along with proof of this. You can obtain this proof most easily by performing a do-it-yourself mold testing kit and sending in the results or you can hire a mold inspector to look at the property.
If you do not receive a response from your landlord, a second letter should be sent in the same manner and state that you will withhold your rent until the matter is solved. This should get the reaction that you want, but sometimes even this is not enough.
The last thing that you need to do if you do not feel that your landlord has responded in a timely fashion is to send yet another certified letter and state your intent to move and bring legal action within a certain amount of days unless the problem is taken care of immediately. At this point, charging your landlord for any medical bills you may have incurred that are directly related to mold exposure is completely ethical and acceptable.
As long as the mold issue was not caused by you, your landlord is responsible for having any removal done. You can also hold the landlord responsible for any medical bills that you may incur due to being exposed to the mold, but depending upon your relationship with your landlord, having them take care of the problem may be enough for you. If your landlord has been good to you throughout the course of your stay on his or her property and you wish to continue renting from them after the incident is over, it could be in your best interest to not cause too much trouble over the issue. If you feel that your landlord has neglected the property and has allowed it to fall into disrepair and has repeatedly ignored your request for maintenance and mold removal, then seek the maximum the law will grant you under the circumstances. You should seek the compensation that is right for your situation.
The first thing that you need to do, no matter how much you trust your landlord, is send him or her a certified letter stating that mold exists on the property along with proof of this. You can obtain this proof most easily by performing a do-it-yourself mold testing kit and sending in the results or you can hire a mold inspector to look at the property.
If you do not receive a response from your landlord, a second letter should be sent in the same manner and state that you will withhold your rent until the matter is solved. This should get the reaction that you want, but sometimes even this is not enough.
The last thing that you need to do if you do not feel that your landlord has responded in a timely fashion is to send yet another certified letter and state your intent to move and bring legal action within a certain amount of days unless the problem is taken care of immediately. At this point, charging your landlord for any medical bills you may have incurred that are directly related to mold exposure is completely ethical and acceptable.
Removing Mold And The Equipment You Need
The process of removing mold from your home can be a long and tedious one, depending on how large the infection is and whether you are choosing to take care of the problem yourself or have a professional take care of the problem for you. The most efficient solution for those who have the money, but not a lot of time is to have a professional mold remediation company remove the mold and all affected materials from the property, but not everyone can afford to have this done. So, the option of removing the mold yourself is available, but only for those who have the knowledge and proper equipment to do so.
You can perform most mold removal projects on your own, but projects that require you remove material from walls, floors, or ceilings are best undertaken by those who have experience in interior remodeling and renovation. Scrubbing mold off of certain areas of the home is fairly easy and is an efficient way to deal with a mold problem, as long as the mold has not embedded itself into the surface. Drywall is particularly at risk for having to be replaced if the mold infection becomes too extensive.
You will need buckets of water and the cleaning solution of your choice, along with sponges, rags, or whatever you decide to use while doing the cleanup. Wearing latex or rubber gloves is recommended for this, since coming into contact with mold can cause skin rashes. Heavy trash bags will be needed to dispose of waste in.
Something else you may want to purchase is a respirator, particularly if you are going to be opening up any walls and releasing mold spores into the air. An N-95 respirator can be purchased from your local hardware store and is the lowest level of protection available. If you want more protection than that, you can purchase a half or full face mask respirator with a HEPA filter attached to it.
Wearing disposable protective clothing is also recommended if the mold problem is extensive in any area of the house. Protective shoe covers should also be worn and duct tape used to seal up the gaps in the suit on the wrists and ankles.
Something else you may want to purchase is an air purifier with a HEPA filter built into it. This will help clean the air in your home and remove almost anything you can think of, including mold spores stirred up by the removal, and your health will improve. Depending on your financial situation, you may not be able to afford this, but if you can afford it, purchasing one of these air purifiers will be one of the best health investments you can make.
You can perform most mold removal projects on your own, but projects that require you remove material from walls, floors, or ceilings are best undertaken by those who have experience in interior remodeling and renovation. Scrubbing mold off of certain areas of the home is fairly easy and is an efficient way to deal with a mold problem, as long as the mold has not embedded itself into the surface. Drywall is particularly at risk for having to be replaced if the mold infection becomes too extensive.
You will need buckets of water and the cleaning solution of your choice, along with sponges, rags, or whatever you decide to use while doing the cleanup. Wearing latex or rubber gloves is recommended for this, since coming into contact with mold can cause skin rashes. Heavy trash bags will be needed to dispose of waste in.
Something else you may want to purchase is a respirator, particularly if you are going to be opening up any walls and releasing mold spores into the air. An N-95 respirator can be purchased from your local hardware store and is the lowest level of protection available. If you want more protection than that, you can purchase a half or full face mask respirator with a HEPA filter attached to it.
Wearing disposable protective clothing is also recommended if the mold problem is extensive in any area of the house. Protective shoe covers should also be worn and duct tape used to seal up the gaps in the suit on the wrists and ankles.
Something else you may want to purchase is an air purifier with a HEPA filter built into it. This will help clean the air in your home and remove almost anything you can think of, including mold spores stirred up by the removal, and your health will improve. Depending on your financial situation, you may not be able to afford this, but if you can afford it, purchasing one of these air purifiers will be one of the best health investments you can make.
Mold Prevention All Over the House
Mold growing in your home can be a serious problem not only for you, but also for the building itself. The negative health effects it can have on you, your family, and your pets are bad enough by themselves, but when you add the structural damage it can do, what it costs to have it removed, and how unsightly it can be, it is a nightmare for any homeowner to deal with. There are a number of places in your home that are at risk for mold growth and you should do a casual inspection of these areas often, since it can start to grow in about 48 hours.
The bathroom is the worst area of the home at risk for mold because this room sees so much water going in and out of it every day. Hopefully everyone in your home takes a bath or a shower at least once a day and if they do, then this is somewhere around or even over a hundred gallons a day. Steam collects and becomes soaked up by the ceiling and will cause mold to grow there over time. Ceilings have been known to collapse due to this kind of moisture buildup, so having an exhaust vent installed in the room to let the steam outside into the atmosphere is a good idea. The bathroom floor should also be waterproofed. Hard, non-porous surfaces are not good environments for mold to grow on, but if they get underneath to the wooden sub-floor, they will thrive.
The kitchen is another area of the home at risk and an exhaust vent should be here, too, and preferably located over the stove. This is also an area that needs to have a water tight floor, since it is also a place where spills of liquid happen often. Dishwashers and ice makers in the refrigerator also have a tendency to malfunction if they are old or in disrepair.
Basements have their own humidity problem to deal with most of the time and you can fix this by repairing any water leaks that may be there and installing a dehumidifier can also help. If you do laundry or have an extra bathroom here, an exhaust vent is a must. Replacing window wells and piling more soil around the foundation of your house can help stop water from seeping inside, as well.
The bathroom is the worst area of the home at risk for mold because this room sees so much water going in and out of it every day. Hopefully everyone in your home takes a bath or a shower at least once a day and if they do, then this is somewhere around or even over a hundred gallons a day. Steam collects and becomes soaked up by the ceiling and will cause mold to grow there over time. Ceilings have been known to collapse due to this kind of moisture buildup, so having an exhaust vent installed in the room to let the steam outside into the atmosphere is a good idea. The bathroom floor should also be waterproofed. Hard, non-porous surfaces are not good environments for mold to grow on, but if they get underneath to the wooden sub-floor, they will thrive.
The kitchen is another area of the home at risk and an exhaust vent should be here, too, and preferably located over the stove. This is also an area that needs to have a water tight floor, since it is also a place where spills of liquid happen often. Dishwashers and ice makers in the refrigerator also have a tendency to malfunction if they are old or in disrepair.
Basements have their own humidity problem to deal with most of the time and you can fix this by repairing any water leaks that may be there and installing a dehumidifier can also help. If you do laundry or have an extra bathroom here, an exhaust vent is a must. Replacing window wells and piling more soil around the foundation of your house can help stop water from seeping inside, as well.
Mold and Home Inspections
Mold grows everywhere, but something new homeowners may not realize is that a mold inspection of a home before they sign the final papers is essential to make sure that their new place is not contaminated with it. This should be done in addition to a structural inspection that ensures that the building is not structurally compromised in any way. This crucial information can make or break a real estate deal and cost the buyer thousands of dollars if it is not discovered, but the unfortunate thing is that a great many people in the process of purchasing a home do not think to have a professional inspection done.
Before you purchase a home, hire a building inspector to look all around the property, including the grounds it is built upon, to look for problems with the structure or the surrounding area. The area underneath the home needs to be checked for foundation issues like the rotting of support beams and floor joists. Infestations of snakes or anything else under the home is also considered a problem, since the new owner will have to pay for an professional to exterminate or remove the problem. The same extermination problem can be faced in attics where large numbers of bats and birds have been found.
An inspection should also be done of the central heat and air system. Having this repaired or purchasing a new air conditioner is a major expense and you should consider having the seller have it fixed or replaced unless the sale is noted as being “as-is”.
The home should also be inspected for areas of water damage. Where there is water damage, there is usually mold growth, and both can be terribly expensive to repair, depending upon the extent of the damage.
The mold inspection should include the entire house, but there are four major risk areas for mold growth that should be scrutinized the most heavily. This is the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, and basement. If you inspect all 4 of these areas and do not find any mold on your own, then you can feel somewhat safe that the mold inspector will not find anything when he completes his own inspection of the property. It is somewhat unlikely that you will find mold growing in other areas of your house as long as these 4 areas are found to be clean.
Getting a home and mold inspection should be the first thing on your list once you pick a home that you wish to purchase. It can potentially save you tens of thousands of dollars in the long run.
Before you purchase a home, hire a building inspector to look all around the property, including the grounds it is built upon, to look for problems with the structure or the surrounding area. The area underneath the home needs to be checked for foundation issues like the rotting of support beams and floor joists. Infestations of snakes or anything else under the home is also considered a problem, since the new owner will have to pay for an professional to exterminate or remove the problem. The same extermination problem can be faced in attics where large numbers of bats and birds have been found.
An inspection should also be done of the central heat and air system. Having this repaired or purchasing a new air conditioner is a major expense and you should consider having the seller have it fixed or replaced unless the sale is noted as being “as-is”.
The home should also be inspected for areas of water damage. Where there is water damage, there is usually mold growth, and both can be terribly expensive to repair, depending upon the extent of the damage.
The mold inspection should include the entire house, but there are four major risk areas for mold growth that should be scrutinized the most heavily. This is the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, and basement. If you inspect all 4 of these areas and do not find any mold on your own, then you can feel somewhat safe that the mold inspector will not find anything when he completes his own inspection of the property. It is somewhat unlikely that you will find mold growing in other areas of your house as long as these 4 areas are found to be clean.
Getting a home and mold inspection should be the first thing on your list once you pick a home that you wish to purchase. It can potentially save you tens of thousands of dollars in the long run.
Home and Mold Inspections When Buying a House
Everyone who wants to purchase a home should have an inspection of the property done before any final papers are signed. This inspection is not considered an appraisal and no grading system exists, so a house cannot “fail” one of these inspections. They exist simply to show the buyer what is wrong with the house and give advice on what can be done about any problems that do exist.
Most contracts to buy a home in the United States will include a clause that the contract will not be considered valid until the property has been looked at by a home inspector. Some states require that home inspectors are to be licensed, but those who are professional engineers do not have to have this license, since their engineering license covers these inspections.
Inspections will usually include checking the basement, water heater, central heat and air conditioning, structural integrity, electrical system, plumbing, and the roof. Other aspects of the building will also be looked at, including areas of the home that are not considered up to code and need extensive repair, general maintenance issues, and etcetera.
Mold is something, however, that is not generally covered under a general home inspection. Having a home inspected for mold growth is typically considered to be a separate act and so a contract to purchase a home should be amended to include a mold inspection before the contract is considered valid. One clue as to whether you will really need a mold inspection or not will be whether the home inspection finds that the home has had a water damage to any area of it. Mold will typically grow where water damage has occurred, but it can also grow in homes that show no signs of this, so purchasing a mold inspection is advised whether your home inspector finds water damaged areas of your home or not.
If damage to the home or mold is found, then you need to decide whether or not to go ahead and purchase the home after having this information in your hand. Some sellers may give you a credit on the price of the home if you choose to buy it and repair the damage yourself and some may repair the damage done for you. Others may insist that the sale is “as-is” and will not give any leniency one way or another on the issue. Judge the scale of the problem and what it will cost to have it repaired and make the decision that is right for you.
Most contracts to buy a home in the United States will include a clause that the contract will not be considered valid until the property has been looked at by a home inspector. Some states require that home inspectors are to be licensed, but those who are professional engineers do not have to have this license, since their engineering license covers these inspections.
Inspections will usually include checking the basement, water heater, central heat and air conditioning, structural integrity, electrical system, plumbing, and the roof. Other aspects of the building will also be looked at, including areas of the home that are not considered up to code and need extensive repair, general maintenance issues, and etcetera.
Mold is something, however, that is not generally covered under a general home inspection. Having a home inspected for mold growth is typically considered to be a separate act and so a contract to purchase a home should be amended to include a mold inspection before the contract is considered valid. One clue as to whether you will really need a mold inspection or not will be whether the home inspection finds that the home has had a water damage to any area of it. Mold will typically grow where water damage has occurred, but it can also grow in homes that show no signs of this, so purchasing a mold inspection is advised whether your home inspector finds water damaged areas of your home or not.
If damage to the home or mold is found, then you need to decide whether or not to go ahead and purchase the home after having this information in your hand. Some sellers may give you a credit on the price of the home if you choose to buy it and repair the damage yourself and some may repair the damage done for you. Others may insist that the sale is “as-is” and will not give any leniency one way or another on the issue. Judge the scale of the problem and what it will cost to have it repaired and make the decision that is right for you.
Having Home and Mold Inspections Done Saves You Money
Purchasing a new home is not an easy task by any means for most people, since there are all kinds of considerations that you have to think of. You have to take into account what style of home you want, how many bedrooms it has, whether it has a yard, where it is located, and many other things, but what most people do not think to have done before they finally purchase that perfect home is a home inspection. Most sellers will insist that there is nothing wrong with the home, but taking their word for it has been the worst mistake that some new homeowners have ever made. Not all sellers are honest, especially if the home has any hidden problems that need to be looked for.
The home inspection will need to cover several different areas of the home and is not to be considered an appraisal by any means. It is intended to give you an accurate depiction of the home’s physical condition and enable you to make an informed decision on whether or not to ultimately purchase the home. Going without these inspections has been the regret of a large number of homeowners who thought that they were getting a great deal, but in reality, they would have to pay thousands of dollars in extensive repairs.
On the list of things that need to be inspected in your possible new home are the basement, roof, the electrical system, the plumbing, checking for infestations underneath the house and in the attic, the floors, the air conditioning, and the home’s foundation. Having repairs done on any of these areas in your home can be very expensive and it is left up to you after receiving the information whether to buy the home or not.
One thing not generally included in the normal home inspection is the search for mold. Mold growth is a separate problem altogether, even though homes that have been water damaged in the past are hotbeds for mold. The rooms in the house that are the most at risk for this problem tend to be areas that are moist like the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, and basement. If these rooms pass a casual visual inspection, then you may not have much to worry about, even though you should still have a mold inspection done simply to find out if there is any hidden mold growing under the floor, in the walls, or in the ceiling.
The home inspection will need to cover several different areas of the home and is not to be considered an appraisal by any means. It is intended to give you an accurate depiction of the home’s physical condition and enable you to make an informed decision on whether or not to ultimately purchase the home. Going without these inspections has been the regret of a large number of homeowners who thought that they were getting a great deal, but in reality, they would have to pay thousands of dollars in extensive repairs.
On the list of things that need to be inspected in your possible new home are the basement, roof, the electrical system, the plumbing, checking for infestations underneath the house and in the attic, the floors, the air conditioning, and the home’s foundation. Having repairs done on any of these areas in your home can be very expensive and it is left up to you after receiving the information whether to buy the home or not.
One thing not generally included in the normal home inspection is the search for mold. Mold growth is a separate problem altogether, even though homes that have been water damaged in the past are hotbeds for mold. The rooms in the house that are the most at risk for this problem tend to be areas that are moist like the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, and basement. If these rooms pass a casual visual inspection, then you may not have much to worry about, even though you should still have a mold inspection done simply to find out if there is any hidden mold growing under the floor, in the walls, or in the ceiling.
Have Clean Water During Hurricanes
Most of us know just how dangerous hurricanes can be, especially since the disasters of Hurricane Rita and Katrina a few years ago. If you live further inland, you are probably not as concerned about these events, but if you are planning on moving to the coast, there are a few things that you need to know, since you will probably have to deal with a hurricane at your new home at some point or another. It is not as easy as you may think and sometimes the best thing that you can do is leave the area.
Probably the most important resource that you can save up ahead of time is clean water to drink. Flood waters from the sea, burst pipes, rivers running over their banks, and even sewage from the city can get into the local water supply, so you should never trust the water that comes out of your faucet after the storm has already begun. Always assume that it is contaminated with something and do not drink it until the storm is over and you are sure it is safe.
You can save up clean water by filling up milk jugs that you have rinsed out and saved over time. You should have at least one gallon for every person in your house to use for each day, preferably for a week’s time. This will give you the peace of mind that you will probably not run out of clean water during the storm and have to make more.
How can you make clean water? You can boil the water that comes out of your faucet, although if your local water supply has been contaminated by sewage due to hurricanes or flooding in the past, this may not be a good idea. No one wants to drink sewer water, even if it has been boiled.
Water purification tablets can also be bought at some camping and department stores. People who go hiking or camping often use these if they are going into the wilderness where a clean water supply is not guaranteed.
To help protect your home from the storm damage that could occur to it, one thing that almost everyone does is put plywood over their windows and doors. This keeps the glass from blowing in, but if you plan on staying in your home, you will have to leave at least one door uncovered.
Lastly, if there is a chance that your home will flood during the storm, you should evacuate. The horror stories of victims of Hurricane Katrina who stayed in their homes and were flooded are extremely well known and should not be ignored.
Probably the most important resource that you can save up ahead of time is clean water to drink. Flood waters from the sea, burst pipes, rivers running over their banks, and even sewage from the city can get into the local water supply, so you should never trust the water that comes out of your faucet after the storm has already begun. Always assume that it is contaminated with something and do not drink it until the storm is over and you are sure it is safe.
You can save up clean water by filling up milk jugs that you have rinsed out and saved over time. You should have at least one gallon for every person in your house to use for each day, preferably for a week’s time. This will give you the peace of mind that you will probably not run out of clean water during the storm and have to make more.
How can you make clean water? You can boil the water that comes out of your faucet, although if your local water supply has been contaminated by sewage due to hurricanes or flooding in the past, this may not be a good idea. No one wants to drink sewer water, even if it has been boiled.
Water purification tablets can also be bought at some camping and department stores. People who go hiking or camping often use these if they are going into the wilderness where a clean water supply is not guaranteed.
To help protect your home from the storm damage that could occur to it, one thing that almost everyone does is put plywood over their windows and doors. This keeps the glass from blowing in, but if you plan on staying in your home, you will have to leave at least one door uncovered.
Lastly, if there is a chance that your home will flood during the storm, you should evacuate. The horror stories of victims of Hurricane Katrina who stayed in their homes and were flooded are extremely well known and should not be ignored.
Getting Rid of Mold On Your Own
The last thing that anyone wants to discover in their home is mold, but unless you do at least a casual inspection of your property on a regular basis, you might end up finding it in larger quantities than you are capable of dealing with. Mold is a health hazard for anyone that comes into even just indirect contact with it, since the spores float in the air that we breathe every single day. Larger quantities are noted indoors than outdoors only in environments where there is an excess growth of mold somewhere in the property that needs to be taken care of as soon as possible. If you discover a growth that is large and appears to be more than you can handle, do not be afraid to hire a professional to get rid of it for you.
However, if you cannot afford a professional mold remediation, then there are a number of things that you can do to get rid of the mold in your home. If you discover it on a non-porous surface, then you can get rid of it using normal chemicals that are advertised as killing mold, such as Tilex.
Most of the time, though, you will find it growing on items like drywall or on organic materials like floor joists or papers and cardboard boxes that have gotten wet. Standing water in your home will be one of the worst areas for mold to grow in, since species such as the deadly Stachybotrys atra enjoy this level of moisture and thrive heavily on it. Remove standing water from your home wherever it may occur, even if it is just a slow drip underneath the kitchen or bathroom sink. It is these slow leaks that cause the majority of the problems, not the huge bathtub or toilet overflows.
If you have experience in interior remodeling, you can perform the removal of materials contaminated by mold yourself. Hiring a professional to do this for you can be expensive, but as long as you take the proper safety measures, doing it yourself is much less so.
Purchase some protective, disposable clothing made of plastic and a respirator from a local hardware or department store. Purchase them online if you need to, but do not continue the remediation without them. Breathing in or coming into contact with mold and its spores can be hazardous and bring about long term health problems.
However, if you cannot afford a professional mold remediation, then there are a number of things that you can do to get rid of the mold in your home. If you discover it on a non-porous surface, then you can get rid of it using normal chemicals that are advertised as killing mold, such as Tilex.
Most of the time, though, you will find it growing on items like drywall or on organic materials like floor joists or papers and cardboard boxes that have gotten wet. Standing water in your home will be one of the worst areas for mold to grow in, since species such as the deadly Stachybotrys atra enjoy this level of moisture and thrive heavily on it. Remove standing water from your home wherever it may occur, even if it is just a slow drip underneath the kitchen or bathroom sink. It is these slow leaks that cause the majority of the problems, not the huge bathtub or toilet overflows.
If you have experience in interior remodeling, you can perform the removal of materials contaminated by mold yourself. Hiring a professional to do this for you can be expensive, but as long as you take the proper safety measures, doing it yourself is much less so.
Purchase some protective, disposable clothing made of plastic and a respirator from a local hardware or department store. Purchase them online if you need to, but do not continue the remediation without them. Breathing in or coming into contact with mold and its spores can be hazardous and bring about long term health problems.
Clean Water and Supplies During a Hurricane
Hurricanes are devastating events that occur on a yearly basis around the world and in the United States and any homeowner that has gone through this event knows that it is often a much better idea to evacuate than it is to stay behind and ride out the storm. People still insist, however, upon staying behind in their homes instead of leaving along with most of the people in the area, but if you are going to do this, you need to know exactly what you will require during the storm.
The most important thing that you need during a hurricane is a good sized supply of drinking water. The human body cannot survive very long without water, so you should make sure that you and anyone else staying with you at the time has at least one gallon of water to use for every day you plan to be there. The last thing that you want is to run out of water and then resort to drinking water from the faucet. You should never drink water out of your tap while the storm is raging outside, due to the fact that it may be contaminated with more than just rain and sea water. Sewage and the bacteria that comes with it has been known to get into water supplies during these storms, so drinking water out of your faucet is never advisable. You can boil it if you need to, but it is much safer to make sure that you have a clean supply ahead of time.
Having an electricity generator to run things with is a good idea, since you may end up needing to boil water to finish riding out the storm. If the electricity goes off (and it very well may), you can survive without it as long as you have clean water to drink, but if you run low, you may end up in trouble.
A decent supply of non-perishable food is a good thing to have, since water is not the only thing your body needs to survive. Try to have some foods that are ready to eat and do not have to be cooked or refrigerated, like granola bars, cereal, and canned food.
To keep in contact with the outside world, you should also purchase a radio that has a hand crank on it to produce electricity for the radio to work on. This will make sure that you hear what is on the radio and if anything important is happening.
You should also have a sturdy flashlight and extra batteries.
The most important thing that you need during a hurricane is a good sized supply of drinking water. The human body cannot survive very long without water, so you should make sure that you and anyone else staying with you at the time has at least one gallon of water to use for every day you plan to be there. The last thing that you want is to run out of water and then resort to drinking water from the faucet. You should never drink water out of your tap while the storm is raging outside, due to the fact that it may be contaminated with more than just rain and sea water. Sewage and the bacteria that comes with it has been known to get into water supplies during these storms, so drinking water out of your faucet is never advisable. You can boil it if you need to, but it is much safer to make sure that you have a clean supply ahead of time.
Having an electricity generator to run things with is a good idea, since you may end up needing to boil water to finish riding out the storm. If the electricity goes off (and it very well may), you can survive without it as long as you have clean water to drink, but if you run low, you may end up in trouble.
A decent supply of non-perishable food is a good thing to have, since water is not the only thing your body needs to survive. Try to have some foods that are ready to eat and do not have to be cooked or refrigerated, like granola bars, cereal, and canned food.
To keep in contact with the outside world, you should also purchase a radio that has a hand crank on it to produce electricity for the radio to work on. This will make sure that you hear what is on the radio and if anything important is happening.
You should also have a sturdy flashlight and extra batteries.
Checking Out Your House For Mold
Checking your home for mold is something that every homeowner should do if they want to protect their investment and the health of their family, since mold has been known to cause health problems for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Breathing problems and numerous different types of infections have arisen from breathing in or coming into contact with mold and its spores, not to mention the allergic reactions that some people have. Around one third of the population is allergic to mold, but most people do not realize that even dead mold spores can cause allergic reactions.
There are a number of reasons that you should check for mold in your home and signs that should tell you where to check. Any room that has a large amount of water going in and out of it every day should be considered at risk for mold growth and while this usually includes the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room, it can also include the basement.
The basement should be considered for another reason: it is underground. Humidity builds up easily in basements, especially those that have not been properly waterproofed. Water can leak into this room from the outside of the house, but it can also leak in from cracks in the concrete formed by ground water. If you have any plans on finishing your basement with drywall, you should get the water issues in the basement solved as thoroughly as you can.
The floor of your bathroom and kitchen should also be completely waterproofed. You can install any kind of flooring that you like (although hardwood is not recommended) as long as it is sealed so that water does not get underneath and soak into the floor boards. This can rot the floor over time and cause it to fall right out from underneath you, but before that happens, mold growth is very common.
Mold has also been known to grow on bathroom and kitchen ceilings and walls because the steam has nowhere to go. Both of these rooms should have exhaust vents that will pull the steam out of the room. If not, it becomes absorbed by the ceiling and upper walls and will cause mold growth.
Another problem occurs when people put carpet in moist areas of their home. While most people do not put carpet in the kitchen, some have been known to put carpet in the bathroom. Since water is dripped onto the floor almost every single day in the bathroom, this is one of the worst bathroom remodeling ideas going. No matter how careful you care, mold will eventually start to grow underneath this carpet and you will have to throw it out.
There are a number of reasons that you should check for mold in your home and signs that should tell you where to check. Any room that has a large amount of water going in and out of it every day should be considered at risk for mold growth and while this usually includes the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room, it can also include the basement.
The basement should be considered for another reason: it is underground. Humidity builds up easily in basements, especially those that have not been properly waterproofed. Water can leak into this room from the outside of the house, but it can also leak in from cracks in the concrete formed by ground water. If you have any plans on finishing your basement with drywall, you should get the water issues in the basement solved as thoroughly as you can.
The floor of your bathroom and kitchen should also be completely waterproofed. You can install any kind of flooring that you like (although hardwood is not recommended) as long as it is sealed so that water does not get underneath and soak into the floor boards. This can rot the floor over time and cause it to fall right out from underneath you, but before that happens, mold growth is very common.
Mold has also been known to grow on bathroom and kitchen ceilings and walls because the steam has nowhere to go. Both of these rooms should have exhaust vents that will pull the steam out of the room. If not, it becomes absorbed by the ceiling and upper walls and will cause mold growth.
Another problem occurs when people put carpet in moist areas of their home. While most people do not put carpet in the kitchen, some have been known to put carpet in the bathroom. Since water is dripped onto the floor almost every single day in the bathroom, this is one of the worst bathroom remodeling ideas going. No matter how careful you care, mold will eventually start to grow underneath this carpet and you will have to throw it out.
Benefits of a Home and Mold Inspection
Home inspections are the most important thing that you can have done before you purchase a home, since many, many people who have not had them done have thoroughly regretted it. Those who do not have home inspections are typically the victims of problems with their home that cost thousands of dollars to have repaired, even though the seller of the property insisted that there was nothing wrong with it at all. It is important to include a clause in your purchase contract that states that the contract is not valid until a home inspection and if possible, a mold inspection, has taken place. This will ensure that there is either nothing wrong with the home that you wish to purchase or it will let you know every problem that there may be. Home inspections are vital to make an informed decision on whether you want to purchase a particular property or not.
Several areas of the home will be inspected, including the electrical system, plumbing system, roof, basement, foundation, attic, air conditioning system, and any other structural part of the home. If there is any hidden damage to the home that an untrained eye may not be able to detect, then this inspection will reveal it to you. Failing to have a home inspection done before you purchase a property can cost you thousands of dollars, especially if you plan on renovating the property for profit. House flippers have failed to have home inspections done in the past and have gone terribly over their budget due to problems they did not know existed.
Any water damage done to the home in the past that has not been repaired should be reported to you, as well. Mold inspections should always be done whether water damage is found or not, even though mold is more likely to grow in homes that have had water damage. Mold cannot survive without moisture and any problems with the plumbing should also yield clues as to whether mold might be found in the home, especially near the area of the leak.
The price of mold and home inspections is not too cheap, but when you think about the possible money that you could be saving, the cost is pretty negligible. When you purchase a structurally sound home not in need of many repairs for a good price, you will most likely not miss the money spent on these inspections and if you turn down a home due to the inspections revealing problems that could cost you large sums of money, you will be more than thankful for having it done.
Several areas of the home will be inspected, including the electrical system, plumbing system, roof, basement, foundation, attic, air conditioning system, and any other structural part of the home. If there is any hidden damage to the home that an untrained eye may not be able to detect, then this inspection will reveal it to you. Failing to have a home inspection done before you purchase a property can cost you thousands of dollars, especially if you plan on renovating the property for profit. House flippers have failed to have home inspections done in the past and have gone terribly over their budget due to problems they did not know existed.
Any water damage done to the home in the past that has not been repaired should be reported to you, as well. Mold inspections should always be done whether water damage is found or not, even though mold is more likely to grow in homes that have had water damage. Mold cannot survive without moisture and any problems with the plumbing should also yield clues as to whether mold might be found in the home, especially near the area of the leak.
The price of mold and home inspections is not too cheap, but when you think about the possible money that you could be saving, the cost is pretty negligible. When you purchase a structurally sound home not in need of many repairs for a good price, you will most likely not miss the money spent on these inspections and if you turn down a home due to the inspections revealing problems that could cost you large sums of money, you will be more than thankful for having it done.
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