mold

Mold, Mites and Allergens Living Inside Your Home [infographic]

There are anywhere from 100 thousand to 10 million dust mites living in the average family bed.  Wait, what?  Yes, they are all over the place, they’re just so tiny, you can’t see them.  I bet you’ll start washing your bed sheets more often from this day on. 

Dust mites are just one of the tiny friends living inside the average home.  While most are harmless (in small amounts at least), others, like mold, can possibly lead to respiratory problems if exposed for an extended period of time or if you have pre-existing respiratory conditions.

Before you go and take a shower, and start scrubbing your house clean, check out the infographic below.  It’s provided courtesy of AllergyBGone, and has some great statistics and tips about the allergens living inside your home.

Mold mites and dust Mites and other allergens in the home

 

Courtesy of ClutterBGone

 

How to Clean a Basement Carpet after a Flood

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A water soaked carpet can be a real mess. Especially when it’s in your basement and it’s soaked from possibly contaminated sewer water.  Yuk! Every moment you delay, your carpet’s survival is under threat. At the same time, there’s little purpose in trying to do anything while the water’s still coming in. This is definitely no time to be rash. You need a cool head here.  Here in Toronto, between the weather and the age of many of our homes, basement flooding is quite common.  If you do experience a basement flood, and your have carpet down there, here are a few tips for you to follow.

flooded carpet with mold

Turn off the Water Supply – If a basement suddenly develops a leak, it’s quite possible an appliance down there has developed one too. Turn off the water at the entry point. Just don’t go below because it might not be safe to do so yet.

Switch off the Electricity – Don’t mess with this one. Your life could be at stake. Turning off the main switch is only good enough if the basement’s correctly wired. Rather ask an electrician to make your basement electrically safe for you.

Inspect the Area – Now you can take a good look around the basement, and hopefully find the root cause of the problem. Check the ceiling and the walls for obvious signs of running water. Look at every plumbed-in appliance carefully. Then examine the carpet for water-intrusion from beneath. The darkest, wettest spot is likely where your problem lies.

Salvage the Carpet

If the carpet is cheap, or clearly ruined, don’t waste your time with it. Put in an insurance claim and have a new one fitted. A carpet that isn’t cleaned and dried properly is a great candidate for mold.  However if you have a high insurance excess and consider it worth salvaging, here are two alternative solutions.

  • If the carpet is recoverable but really water-sodden (or you need to uplift it anyway to attend to an underground leak) clear the basement and use a commercial wet-vac to mop up as much water as possible. Then remove the carpet (watch out for rusty nails on edging strips) and take it someplace where it can dry out in the sun.

 

After that, you can find a carpet fitter to relay it for you. Don’t waste time trying to salvage the underlay though. It’s relatively cheap, and will stretch and tear as you take it up in any case.

 

  • If the water spill is localized and clearly not welling up from below, all you may need to do is mop it with the commercial wet-vac (don’t press down hard) and then turn on several large fans plus a powerful dehumidifier. Don’t rush things. When it’s finally dry, you can shampoo it clean.

Move Quickly

Ignore a damp carpet in a basement, and you’re inviting mold to settle down there, from where it could gradually migrate upstairs and affect your family’s bronchial health. Should you be unable to take any of the steps we recommend immediately, then it’s time to call in a commercial carpet cleaning service urgently.

Longer-Term Concerns

Clearly, there’s little point in reinstating a carpet until the root cause of the flooding has been solved. Depending on your skills you may be able to sort out a plumbing problem yourself. However, if you’re faced with water intrusion you’re going to need advice from a basement water-proofing specialist, because that’s probably a more serious concern that will require a professional inspection.

 

 

Why is there Mould in My Attic?

mould growth in Richmond Hill atticMould is a natural fungus that takes root in any humid or damp environment.  Here in Toronto, mould growth in the attic is common due to the change in seasons and temperature throughout the year.  If a roof leaks however slightly, the attic is rainwater’s first port of call. Moreover heat generated in a home rises upwards to combine with damp. In reality, the question really should be “why aren’t all attics mouldy”. Let’s take a look at the factors in the equation, and discover the reasons why.

Roof Seepage

Rainwater often seeps through roofing joints and hips especially when driven by accompanying rain. After the storm passes, sunlight bakes the roof and creates a haven for mould below. There really are only two solutions to avoiding this. Waterproof the roof and introduce cross ventilation.

Access Points between Home and Attic

Access panels and staircases provide essential access to roof-space for maintenance and inspection purpose. These also admit heat, and allow mould spores to enter. Access panels are easily insulated. However stairs usually require a pull-down box to address the problem properly.

Forced Ventilation from Below

Those innocent-looking bathroom, laundry and kitchen ventilation fans are actually your worst enemy, although you may look on them as your friends.  That’s because they not only incubate mould in cracks and crannies, they also literally blast the fungus into the attic in a cocoon of warm moist air.

Your first step is to track them down where they often lurk hidden under loft insulation (run them while you’re up there to locate them). You only have two options – either disable them, or duct them through to fresh air. Doing nothing is not a valid choice.

Gaps in Ceiling Insulation

Insulation gaps are another favourite friend of mould, because, just like water-proofing and security, insulation is only as good as its weakest point. Investigate all the tricky places where an installer might have been tempted to take short cuts. Skylights and dormer windows are a good start, as are pipes and cables that penetrate through walls and ceilings.

Furnaces and Water Heaters

Homes without basements often have heating systems installed in attics in separate rooms. Failure to insulate these properly can undo all the good intentions mentioned above. Pay special attention to seals around pipes and ducting where these pass through to living space, as these could admit mould spores in either direction.

Essential Maintenance

Nothing lasts forever (at least unless you keep a hand to it) and that includes all the mould defenses mentioned. Lint from ceiling fans and bird and ant nests are just a few of the things that can break down your mould barriers. If you suspect mould growth in your attic, the best thing to do is to call a qualified mould inspector to come in and conduct the proper testing.

 

Should I Use A Home Mould Testing Kit?

Should I use a mold testing kit?Mould is definitely something you don’t want around your home. Although it’s not poisonous, it is unsightly, puts other people off, and over a period of exposure, could cause chronic, upper respiratory illness too. It’s also the outward sign of water problems, especially in the basement. We’ve been doing mould removal and  mitigation for a long time now in and around Toronto, and there is one thing that we know.  The source of the water problem needs to be removed before your mould problem can successfully be eliminated.

Mould Testing Kits

Although some stores still sell these kits, they’re almost useless. Putting out a “settling plate” is about as sensible as leaving a ripe banana out on the kitchen counter. OF COURSE mould will develop naturally on the fruit. That’s what mould does. And it will settle on the settling plate because that’s what it’s designed for too. But this DOES NOT necessarily mean that the mould came from somewhere in your house – or for that matter tell you where it came from either.

Moreover, the decreasing popularity of mould kits also means that they may sit on shelves for ages, even though the testing chemicals have shorter sell-by-dates. Some scientists investigating them have also recorded conflicting findings. This means that mould test kits are `at best, unreliable.

A Total Lack of Logic

Knowing you have mould in your home is a problem statement, and not a solution. And the mould you are concerned about is obviously concealed, or else why would you need to test for it? The far bigger risk you run by using a mould testing kit is that you might get a clear result, while all the time intruding water is causing permanent damage to the structure of your home.

Manufacturers of the test kits know this. That’s why they use scare tactics like “mould could potentially kill you”, when it’s patently not true. Mould, inhaled over a period of time, or if you have respitory problems, can be dangerous, but it’s still not poison.We’ll say it one more time so there’s no possibility of misunderstanding. Mould is not the problem. It’s the dampness and leaking water behind the mould you should be worrying about.

Damp Inspections versus Mould Tests

Every basement should be inspected annually for dampness and other wet basement problems. That’s because basements attract moisture the same way overripe bananas attract mould. A mould test kit is a blind test for fungi that tells you virtually nothing. You’re just wasting time and money.

A damp inspection, on the other hand, is a detailed survey of your entire home by specialists who know just where to look for problems. If there’s mould there too, they’ll be sure to spot it. This information is secondary in nature though, and it effectively comes free.

Choosing the Right Basement Specialist

Although the internet is cluttered with information about damp and mould, this is no more useful than background static, because there’s no substitute for training and experience. Sourcing and addressing damp problems – especially in basements – is no job for casual handymen with mould test kits. If you have signs of water problems and mould in your home, the best bet is to have a certified professional come in and do a full inspection in your home.

 

 

What Are Mould Mites?

What Are Mould Mites?

Mould is a fungus that’s found growing naturally outside, where there’s damp and rotting plant material. It propagates itself by releasing tiny seeds called spores that are light enough to travel through the air, enter a home through an open door or window, and colonize any space that’s either damp or humid.

Mould mites in Toronto home

Everything has its purpose in life, and that goes for mould too. In this instance, its part of the food chain of a tiny creature called the Tyrophagus Putrescentiae, or mould mite. A scientist first noted the tiny, hairy small white insect in Austria in 1781. Since then, it’s spread world-wide, and is found crawling inside homes all over Toronto.

Must I Move Out?

No, that’s not necessary. In fact, Tyrophagus Putrescentiae doesn’t even bite (although it does shed its long hairs – and these can cause irritating allergic reactions when inadvertently inhaled). However it is also an indicator of a far more serious problem. Somewhere in your home you’ve got damp, and that can cause permanent damage to your largest investment by far.

Can I Get Rid of Them?

It’s not always practical to spray mould mites, because they share your favourite spaces like your vegetable rack, computer keyboard and even television. However, if you get rid of the things they live off, they’ll likely vacate your space without even giving notice. By all means, wipe the ones you see away with a damp cloth. For a more permanent solution, consider doing the following:

  • Get rid of any plant matter that’s not completely fresh. This could be a tired flower arrangement, or fresh broccoli left out overnight in the kitchen. Chances are that both are harbouring spreading mould.

 

  • Ventilate your home on a daily basis to get rid of accumulating humidity. Inspect your attic, living space and basement for any signs of damp. Appoint a damp-proofing specialist to address any problems that you notice.

 

  • Eliminate all mould by wiping it away with a solution of one cup of household bleach to a five gallon bucket of water, remembering to use a facemask and waterproof gloves just to be sure.
damp and mould mites in home

In the Long Run

It’s a fact of life that once you’ve got mould in your home, it can be difficult  to get rid of it completely – and that means that from time-to-time you’re going to find mould mites too. This does not mean you cannot manage the situation though. You just need to ventilate your home, eliminate mould when you see it, and arrange a for a certified mould inspector or contractor to conduct a proper inspection, to prevent deep-seated problems from developing undetected.