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The BIG FAQ’s About Mold in Your Dutchess County Home
8/24/2021 (Permalink)
Learn the facts about mold to help keep it out of your Dutchess County home!
The plain truth: Mold spores naturally occur in the environment. Floating in the air, attaching themselves to everything and everyone is how they get inside. What they love is a perfect place of moisture and/or humidity and comfy temps that can make your home in Poughkeepsie become their new home. You can’t avoid them, stop them or eradicate them from the outdoors but what you can do is avoid having an ideal environment for them to thrive in.
Roof leaks, pipe problems, clogged gutters, ventilation issues, AC leaks, etc. can all cause water damage. The quicker the water damage is repaired and remediated, the less of a chance of mold growth to occur. Mold (or microbial growth) can start growing in the right environment in as little as 24-48 hours!
Here are a few of the top questions that our SERVPRO licensed mold remediation professionals get asked the most about mold:
- “I smell something off but I can’t see or find anything.”
-It’s possible there’s been a leak or build up of moisture behind a wall, like in a bathroom, kitchen or basement. Contact a plumbing professional to see if they can locate and repair the source of the water. If you aren’t able to locate a leak or source of moisture, try a home inspection company that could help hunt further into the issue.
If the problem is ground water or intrusion into your basement or foundation, get a hold of a contractor to get that sealed up tight or there will be moisture there no matter what you do.
- “I don’t want to wait to get the leak fixed, can you just clean it?”
-If the repair isn’t fixed or the moisture source hasn’t been taken care of, then the mold will keep coming back. Without the needed repairs, you’ll be seeing mold growing back over and over again. Remember, the drier the area, the less favorable for mold growth. Constant moisture equals constant mold.
- “Can I just use bleach or some mold killer I found at the store?”
-That won’t destroy what’s lurking under or behind the surface. In fact, bleach only changes the pigmentation of mold spores, so it looks like it’s gone but it isn’t. Hiring a certified mold remediation company who has the experience, uses the proven products and technology, is the best way to rid your home of active mold growth.
- “How much will it cost to get rid of it?”
-No two mold damages are the same. We won’t throw out a number sight unseen as there are too many variables that go into each estimate. The best thing to do is have our estimator take a look at what’s going on. Once they’ve determined the extent of the growth and that the source of the moisture or water has been repaired, they can be more thorough in the cost for remediation.
- “Will my homeowner’s insurance cover the remediation?”
-Everyone’s insurance policy is different; you’ll need to contact your local insurance agent or adjuster to find out specifics. If it is covered, we’ll work directly with your insurance to get the remediation taken care of. If coverage is a problem, we'll formulate a plan to help no matter what.
- “I’ve heard there’s testing for mold, do you do that too? And why would I have to have it tested?
-Per New York State Department of Labor Law, no one company can test and remediate for mold, it’s a conflict of interest. They can test OR they can handle the remediation (cleaning) of it.
SERVPRO of Western Dutchess County performs mold remediation. We do not perform mold testing, however we are happy to give the information for several reputable mold assessors (also known as industrial hygienists) that we have worked with. Once they do their testing, we’ll work with their protocols to create and execute a remediation plan customized to your damage.
If you’ve got mold questions, we’ve got the answers, we understand unique situations and are always here to help. If you have or think you have mold growth in your home, we’re here for you. Call the local leaders in property restoration, SERVPRO of Western Dutchess County at (845)831-3600. We’ll help make it "Like it never even happened."