When you are going to purchase a used vehicle, you have enough problems to worry about most of the time. The problems of what kind of vehicle you want, what kind you need, what color it should be, whether it should be a manual or automatic transmission and even where to purchase the vehicle from can be quite time consuming. Something most people do not think to ask when they purchase a used vehicle, however, is whether or not the vehicle has ever been underwater for any period of time. Most used car dealers and individuals are hesitant to mention this information and sometimes an insurance claim is not filed. This means that the flooding of the vehicle is not recorded in its vehicle report that you can get from companies like CarFax.com, so even if you order a report and it shows all the other damage to the car, the flooding may not show up. Damage to a vehicle only shows up if a claim was filed on it and this tends to be a problem, especially when the damage is as hidden as flood damage can be.
Take a look around the inside of the car first. Look in the glove box and check for signs of rust in there and around the floor near the seats. The vehicle should not have a musty smell inside or a clean, air freshener smell. You should smell next to nothing. The musty smell is due to mold growing in the carpet or the upholstery. If you smell air freshener, this may be an attempt by the dealer or owner to hide the musty smell underneath it. Be wary of cars that have been treated with air freshener. Also note whether the upholstery matches the rest of the car. It may have been taken up and replaced to hide water damage.
The engine is not safe, either. Sand, silt, and mud can seep into an engine along with the water and ruin it.
Make sure that all the electrical components in the vehicle work as they should, such as fuel gauges, the battery gauge, oil light, and etcetera. If these do not work as they should, you might be facing some water damage.
Check the trunk for rust around the tail lights, as well. Mud or silt inside the car in this area or around the seats in the car can be a sign of flooding, as well.
As always, you should get a mechanic that you trust to do a complete inspection of the vehicle so you can be almost certain that the car is in decent shape before finalizing the purchase.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Texas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Water Damage and Structural Inspection
Whether you are buying a new home or are considering possibly selling your old one, you need to know that the home is a good value for the price. Sometimes you might want to have someone professionally inspect the home for you to alert you of anything that might need to be repaired or any changes that might need to be made to the home, but this is not always the case if you know what you need to look for. There are several different things you should keep an eye out for when you do your own home inspection either before you buy or before you sell.
The dirt around the foundation of the home should be slanted away from it so that any rainfall will flow away from the home instead of settling around the foundation in a pocket. This water will seep down into your basement, if you have one. Downspouts should have extensions that will further help direct water away from the base of the home.
Go away from the home and stand a fair distance from it and just look at the structure. Taking someone with you is a good idea because a second opinion is usually wanted. Ask yourself and the person you took with you if the home appears to be tilted one way or another. The structure should not appear to be unstable. After you to this, go inside and be certain that all corners are at a right angle where they need to be. Go into the living room and in other rooms of the home and jump in the middle of it. If the floor flexes or shakes at all, you may have a problem.
Check kitchen and bathroom fixtures for leaks and for quality. Also note whether there is a steam vent in these two rooms so that steam is allowed to escape the home and not cause water damage to the walls and ceilings.
The roof on the home should not need to be replaced in at least the next five years unless you are unhappy with just the appearance of it. It should not require many repairs, if it requires any at all. Water damage can occur to the attic beams, the insulation, and the drywall underneath. Note that if fiberglass insulation gets wet, it becomes useless and needs to be taken out and replaced.
The house should have a central heat and air unit and if it does not, locate the furnace and determine what type it is. Determine how many rooms of the house do not have access to the heater, if there are any.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Orlando water Damage companies.
The dirt around the foundation of the home should be slanted away from it so that any rainfall will flow away from the home instead of settling around the foundation in a pocket. This water will seep down into your basement, if you have one. Downspouts should have extensions that will further help direct water away from the base of the home.
Go away from the home and stand a fair distance from it and just look at the structure. Taking someone with you is a good idea because a second opinion is usually wanted. Ask yourself and the person you took with you if the home appears to be tilted one way or another. The structure should not appear to be unstable. After you to this, go inside and be certain that all corners are at a right angle where they need to be. Go into the living room and in other rooms of the home and jump in the middle of it. If the floor flexes or shakes at all, you may have a problem.
Check kitchen and bathroom fixtures for leaks and for quality. Also note whether there is a steam vent in these two rooms so that steam is allowed to escape the home and not cause water damage to the walls and ceilings.
The roof on the home should not need to be replaced in at least the next five years unless you are unhappy with just the appearance of it. It should not require many repairs, if it requires any at all. Water damage can occur to the attic beams, the insulation, and the drywall underneath. Note that if fiberglass insulation gets wet, it becomes useless and needs to be taken out and replaced.
The house should have a central heat and air unit and if it does not, locate the furnace and determine what type it is. Determine how many rooms of the house do not have access to the heater, if there are any.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Orlando water Damage companies.
Water, Concrete, and Your Basement
You may not realize it, but concrete is a naturally porous building material and any water that is seeping through it and into your basement is not an uncommon problem. Unfortunately, since all concrete is porous and water will eventually seep through it, anyway, the problem usually lies not with the concrete itself, but with the construction of it.
Since basements are by nature underground and are areas that are generally pretty closed off from the outside environment, humidity is typically a problem unless you know how to deal with it. It can lead to flooding and excessive dampness, which in turn will eventually lead to mold growth. If your basement in your home is chronically wet, you should do what you have to in order to dry this area out and waterproof it as soon as possible to avoid structural rot.
The first thing that you need to do is check outside your home around the foundation and make sure that the basement is not taking on water from the outside due to clogged rain gutters on top of the house or downspouts that are not properly being drained. Just dumping some more dirt around the base of your home may solve the problem if the leaks and flooding only occurs during times of heavy precipitation. All of the soil around your home should be slanted away from the base so that water drains as quickly away as possible.
Most homeowners simply try to cracks in the wall this by caulking the crack shut, but this will not work. Water still seeps through it and in a couple of years, the caulk will peel away. Hydraulic cement also does not work very well, because it does not bond well to the concrete. Cement will be very rigid while the concrete is always moving, shrinking, and expanding over time. The cement that you place inside the crack will become just as loose as caulking would.
The best thing to do is to about cracks in the basement wall is to use a low-pressure crack injection of concrete. It used to require heavy and expensive equipment to do this, but these days you can accomplish this task with a simple conventional caulking gun.
Since most cracks in basement walls are caused by water seepage and are not structurally dangerous, expandable polyurethane is typically the best choice to repair them with. It does not add any structural strength to the concrete, but simply creates a waterproof barrier. No matter whether the crack is dry or wet at the time you are going to fill it, the polyurethane will still bond to it.
Epoxy injection can also be used, but it will not bond to wet surfaces, among other problems. It should be used only when there are cracks that appear in concrete block walls or big cracks in slabs of concrete.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Houston Fire Damage Water Restoration Contractor companies and
Los Angeles Water Damage and Restoration Services.
Since basements are by nature underground and are areas that are generally pretty closed off from the outside environment, humidity is typically a problem unless you know how to deal with it. It can lead to flooding and excessive dampness, which in turn will eventually lead to mold growth. If your basement in your home is chronically wet, you should do what you have to in order to dry this area out and waterproof it as soon as possible to avoid structural rot.
The first thing that you need to do is check outside your home around the foundation and make sure that the basement is not taking on water from the outside due to clogged rain gutters on top of the house or downspouts that are not properly being drained. Just dumping some more dirt around the base of your home may solve the problem if the leaks and flooding only occurs during times of heavy precipitation. All of the soil around your home should be slanted away from the base so that water drains as quickly away as possible.
Most homeowners simply try to cracks in the wall this by caulking the crack shut, but this will not work. Water still seeps through it and in a couple of years, the caulk will peel away. Hydraulic cement also does not work very well, because it does not bond well to the concrete. Cement will be very rigid while the concrete is always moving, shrinking, and expanding over time. The cement that you place inside the crack will become just as loose as caulking would.
The best thing to do is to about cracks in the basement wall is to use a low-pressure crack injection of concrete. It used to require heavy and expensive equipment to do this, but these days you can accomplish this task with a simple conventional caulking gun.
Since most cracks in basement walls are caused by water seepage and are not structurally dangerous, expandable polyurethane is typically the best choice to repair them with. It does not add any structural strength to the concrete, but simply creates a waterproof barrier. No matter whether the crack is dry or wet at the time you are going to fill it, the polyurethane will still bond to it.
Epoxy injection can also be used, but it will not bond to wet surfaces, among other problems. It should be used only when there are cracks that appear in concrete block walls or big cracks in slabs of concrete.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Houston Fire Damage Water Restoration Contractor companies and
Los Angeles Water Damage and Restoration Services.
Types of Sump Pumps
The purpose of a sump pump is to pump water out of your basement before it completely floods.
If you are thinking about installing a sump pump into your basement, this is a very good idea. The problem mainly lies with what kind of sump pump you need to purchase. There are about three different kinds of sump pumps and depending on your own circumstances, you may need one more than the other.
A pedestal sump pump is an electricity powered pump that stands up in your basement and has a motor that is a few feet over it. This motor should not be gotten wet at any point. It has a float that will activate a switch inside the pump to turn it on when water reaches a high level in the basement. This kind of sump pump is best for basements that need to be drained frequently. This is the least expensive kind of pump, but they tend to be a lot noisier than the submersible kind.
Submersible sump pumps are installed into the ground and as the name might imply, they are designed to work while they are under water. They also have a float activated switch that will turn the pump on as it is needed. These tend to be more expensive than the pedestal pump type, but these are quieter and usually last longer. They have a sealed and oil-cooled motor that protects them from dust and water.
Something else to consider is whether or not you need to acquire a plastic or a cast iron sump pump. Cast iron pumps last a lot longer than their plastic counterparts, but the plastic ones do not last as long. No matter which kind you might get, any sump pump that you get should feature a check valve on the pipe that lets the water out so water does not go back into the pump after it has shut off. If water flows in and out of the pump excessively, this will cause the pump to turn on and off more than it needs to and this will drastically shorten its life.
Water powered sump pumps run using the water pressure in your home plumbing system and they also have a float-activated switch. These require no electricity in order to function and can be used as a backup sump pump system during power failures.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
If you are thinking about installing a sump pump into your basement, this is a very good idea. The problem mainly lies with what kind of sump pump you need to purchase. There are about three different kinds of sump pumps and depending on your own circumstances, you may need one more than the other.
A pedestal sump pump is an electricity powered pump that stands up in your basement and has a motor that is a few feet over it. This motor should not be gotten wet at any point. It has a float that will activate a switch inside the pump to turn it on when water reaches a high level in the basement. This kind of sump pump is best for basements that need to be drained frequently. This is the least expensive kind of pump, but they tend to be a lot noisier than the submersible kind.
Submersible sump pumps are installed into the ground and as the name might imply, they are designed to work while they are under water. They also have a float activated switch that will turn the pump on as it is needed. These tend to be more expensive than the pedestal pump type, but these are quieter and usually last longer. They have a sealed and oil-cooled motor that protects them from dust and water.
Something else to consider is whether or not you need to acquire a plastic or a cast iron sump pump. Cast iron pumps last a lot longer than their plastic counterparts, but the plastic ones do not last as long. No matter which kind you might get, any sump pump that you get should feature a check valve on the pipe that lets the water out so water does not go back into the pump after it has shut off. If water flows in and out of the pump excessively, this will cause the pump to turn on and off more than it needs to and this will drastically shorten its life.
Water powered sump pumps run using the water pressure in your home plumbing system and they also have a float-activated switch. These require no electricity in order to function and can be used as a backup sump pump system during power failures.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Mold: The Benefits We Forget
Although molds growing unchecked can be harmful to human health, molds that are grown in laboratories for specific purposes have been used extensively for many years in order to improve the quality of life.
Penicillin as we know it today was discovered accidentally when Alexander Fleming saw a plate of Staphylococcus aureus had become contaminated by a blue-green mold. He noted that colonies of the bacteria next to the mold were being destroyed by it; he soon after grew a pure culture of the mold and found that penicillin killed not only Staphylococcus, but many other bacteria that cause disease. He named it penicillin, published the results of his experiment in 1929, and the medical community has been using it ever since.
Molds are also used to make different kinds of cheeses, including bleu cheese. Bleu cheese in particular is rumored to have been discovered by accident and since molds are not generally associated with good food, there is good reason for this assumption. Early cheeses were aged inside caves and these places often contained the perfect conditions for mold to grow in.
Without molds, we would have neither bread nor beer and even butchers inject mold into animals before they butcher them for preservation. Aspergillus oryzae is used in Japan to convert the starch in rice into sugar in order to make the traditional alcoholic beverage of sake. Red yeast rice is also made by being cultivated with a mold called Monascus purpureus and was used as a natural food coloring before the discovery of modern chemical food coloring.
Agriculturally, molds also help to decompose different kinds of natural debris such as taking care of the leftovers from forest fires and begin building a base for new plants and trees to grow on. Decaying organic matter is also eaten by mold and thus they are the natural recyclers of the world. If it is organic in origin and needs to be gotten rid of, overtime mold can accomplish this task.
Something most people outside the medical community don’t realize is that if a medicine’s name has the ending of “mycin”, it was made using mold
Mold only becomes a problem if it begins to inhabit the same places that humans and their domesticated animals inhabit. If they remain in a checked status, they do us next to no harm and as shown here, can even provide civilization with many benefits.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Orlando water damage restoration companies and
Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Penicillin as we know it today was discovered accidentally when Alexander Fleming saw a plate of Staphylococcus aureus had become contaminated by a blue-green mold. He noted that colonies of the bacteria next to the mold were being destroyed by it; he soon after grew a pure culture of the mold and found that penicillin killed not only Staphylococcus, but many other bacteria that cause disease. He named it penicillin, published the results of his experiment in 1929, and the medical community has been using it ever since.
Molds are also used to make different kinds of cheeses, including bleu cheese. Bleu cheese in particular is rumored to have been discovered by accident and since molds are not generally associated with good food, there is good reason for this assumption. Early cheeses were aged inside caves and these places often contained the perfect conditions for mold to grow in.
Without molds, we would have neither bread nor beer and even butchers inject mold into animals before they butcher them for preservation. Aspergillus oryzae is used in Japan to convert the starch in rice into sugar in order to make the traditional alcoholic beverage of sake. Red yeast rice is also made by being cultivated with a mold called Monascus purpureus and was used as a natural food coloring before the discovery of modern chemical food coloring.
Agriculturally, molds also help to decompose different kinds of natural debris such as taking care of the leftovers from forest fires and begin building a base for new plants and trees to grow on. Decaying organic matter is also eaten by mold and thus they are the natural recyclers of the world. If it is organic in origin and needs to be gotten rid of, overtime mold can accomplish this task.
Something most people outside the medical community don’t realize is that if a medicine’s name has the ending of “mycin”, it was made using mold
Mold only becomes a problem if it begins to inhabit the same places that humans and their domesticated animals inhabit. If they remain in a checked status, they do us next to no harm and as shown here, can even provide civilization with many benefits.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Orlando water damage restoration companies and
Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Mold Prevention in Your Bathroom
Your bathroom is the room in your home that most people associate with cleanliness, but it’s one of the worst places for you to allow mold to propagate. Along with the kitchen, this is one of the most common places for mold to be found in the home. What can you do to prevent mold from growing in your bathroom? Here are a few tips.
Check the caulking around the bath tub or shower stall and make sure it isn’t cracked, broken, or even missing in certain areas. If you feel cold air coming in through a hole in the caulking, you should re-caulk it immediately.
It’s not uncommon to find mold growing around the base of your toilet, especially if the toilet has overflowed often in the past or worse, if you have carpet in your bathroom instead of tile. Carpet is generally a bad idea in a bathroom unless you’re very diligent in cleaning up spills of water as soon as they’re made.
You want a vent or a fan in your bathroom so that heat and moisture can escape to the outside of the house. Mold grows not only on the floors of the bathroom, but also on the ceilings where water has been absorbed due to the steam of taking a shower being unable to escape the room.
If you can see mold on the outer surface of your bathroom wall, odds are that you’re looking at a mold problem inside the wall, as well, and cleaning the mold off the outer surface of the wall isn’t going to be enough. If you truly want to get rid of all the mold, you’ll want to replace mold-contaminated building materials, except for wood supports. This includes plywood, carpet, papered sheetrock, plasterboard, and etcetera. If your bathroom has carpet in it and you find mold growing anywhere near the floor, replace the carpet.
Whatever you do, don’t try to cut corners by painting on top of your mold problem. Mold eats paint like candy and it’s nowhere near an effective solution. Even paints containing mildicides are not effective, because these are not strong enough to kill toxic mold infestations.
If you leave moist dirty clothes or towels on the floor in your bathroom closet often, expect mold to grow there. Toss your clothes in a plastic clothes basket instead of directly on the floor and this is one of the best things that you can do to prevent mold in the bathroom that most people don’t think about. We tend to let damp or even wet towels stay on the floor indefinitely, especially if we live in busy households. Clean out your dirty clothes bin often, especially if the clothes are wet.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami water damage restoration companies and
mold remediation companies across the united states.
Check the caulking around the bath tub or shower stall and make sure it isn’t cracked, broken, or even missing in certain areas. If you feel cold air coming in through a hole in the caulking, you should re-caulk it immediately.
It’s not uncommon to find mold growing around the base of your toilet, especially if the toilet has overflowed often in the past or worse, if you have carpet in your bathroom instead of tile. Carpet is generally a bad idea in a bathroom unless you’re very diligent in cleaning up spills of water as soon as they’re made.
You want a vent or a fan in your bathroom so that heat and moisture can escape to the outside of the house. Mold grows not only on the floors of the bathroom, but also on the ceilings where water has been absorbed due to the steam of taking a shower being unable to escape the room.
If you can see mold on the outer surface of your bathroom wall, odds are that you’re looking at a mold problem inside the wall, as well, and cleaning the mold off the outer surface of the wall isn’t going to be enough. If you truly want to get rid of all the mold, you’ll want to replace mold-contaminated building materials, except for wood supports. This includes plywood, carpet, papered sheetrock, plasterboard, and etcetera. If your bathroom has carpet in it and you find mold growing anywhere near the floor, replace the carpet.
Whatever you do, don’t try to cut corners by painting on top of your mold problem. Mold eats paint like candy and it’s nowhere near an effective solution. Even paints containing mildicides are not effective, because these are not strong enough to kill toxic mold infestations.
If you leave moist dirty clothes or towels on the floor in your bathroom closet often, expect mold to grow there. Toss your clothes in a plastic clothes basket instead of directly on the floor and this is one of the best things that you can do to prevent mold in the bathroom that most people don’t think about. We tend to let damp or even wet towels stay on the floor indefinitely, especially if we live in busy households. Clean out your dirty clothes bin often, especially if the clothes are wet.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami water damage restoration companies and
mold remediation companies across the united states.
Mold in Your Apartment - Who is Liable?
If you move into an apartment or a home and you sign a lease, some people might think that they’re stuck with that lease even if they discover that the property has a substantial mold problem. This is not true.
No matter who you’re renting from or what kind of property, it is the landlord’s responsibility to provide you with a healthy place to live. If you or your children become sick due to the mold located in the home, apartment, or business you are leasing, your landlord can be held responsible.
The only thing that you have to do first is prove that mold exists in your rented space. That burden or proof is on you because in most leases, mold testing, inspections, and removal are not covered by the landlord. Landlords do not pay for these; you do. If there is a problem, you have to prove it.
If the rental property is infested with mold, the landlord might be liable for the damage to the tenant’s health, the medical bills associated with mold, loss of income due to sickness, and for the damage to clothing and other possessions. Other possible liabilities include the expense it takes to move to a mold-free environment, the difference between the rent at the mold-infested rental and the new, habitable rental, and for any mold inspections, testing, and remediation of the rental that were paid for by the tenant before moving out.
You should mail a notice to your landlord via certified mail that there is a mold problem first and foremost and provide proof within the envelope. An analysis and identification of the mold sample you collected using a mold test kit signed by a mold laboratory is a good way to prove that mold exists in the property. Even better than this is to have a written report signed by a certified mold inspector along with the above mentioned laboratory report. If notice is ignored by your landlord, you can choose to send a second notice stating that due to the failure to have the mold removed from the property, you are withholding your rent. Lastly, if that is ignored by your landlord, you should send another notice via certified mail that you are vacating the premises and that legal action is going to be taken, especially if you have suffered health complications due to the mold. You shouldn’t need a lawyer to draw up these notices for you, as long as you are clear and to the point that mold exists on the landlord’s property that you are renting and you want it removed and if you are suffering any health complications, these should be stated very clearly and with proof, as well. Most landlords will respond promptly.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Mold Remediation and
water damage restoration> companies across the united states.
No matter who you’re renting from or what kind of property, it is the landlord’s responsibility to provide you with a healthy place to live. If you or your children become sick due to the mold located in the home, apartment, or business you are leasing, your landlord can be held responsible.
The only thing that you have to do first is prove that mold exists in your rented space. That burden or proof is on you because in most leases, mold testing, inspections, and removal are not covered by the landlord. Landlords do not pay for these; you do. If there is a problem, you have to prove it.
If the rental property is infested with mold, the landlord might be liable for the damage to the tenant’s health, the medical bills associated with mold, loss of income due to sickness, and for the damage to clothing and other possessions. Other possible liabilities include the expense it takes to move to a mold-free environment, the difference between the rent at the mold-infested rental and the new, habitable rental, and for any mold inspections, testing, and remediation of the rental that were paid for by the tenant before moving out.
You should mail a notice to your landlord via certified mail that there is a mold problem first and foremost and provide proof within the envelope. An analysis and identification of the mold sample you collected using a mold test kit signed by a mold laboratory is a good way to prove that mold exists in the property. Even better than this is to have a written report signed by a certified mold inspector along with the above mentioned laboratory report. If notice is ignored by your landlord, you can choose to send a second notice stating that due to the failure to have the mold removed from the property, you are withholding your rent. Lastly, if that is ignored by your landlord, you should send another notice via certified mail that you are vacating the premises and that legal action is going to be taken, especially if you have suffered health complications due to the mold. You shouldn’t need a lawyer to draw up these notices for you, as long as you are clear and to the point that mold exists on the landlord’s property that you are renting and you want it removed and if you are suffering any health complications, these should be stated very clearly and with proof, as well. Most landlords will respond promptly.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Mold Remediation and
water damage restoration> companies across the united states.
Mold in the Workplace
Mold is a serious problems not only in homes, but also in the places where we work. Employers and landlords should take special care to make sure their properties are not infested with mold and they should do this not only because the value of their property will decrease as the infestation spreads, but also because anyone working or living in the property will suffer adverse health effects.
All kinds of medical conditions can be attributed to mold: development of asthma, bleeding in the lungs, chronic dandruff, colds, coughing incessantly, fatique, skin rashes, and more. If you notice any more than a few of your employees exhibiting these and other health complications, you should take a look around your property and see if you can detect any mold growing on your own. If you can’t, talk to your employees, especially new hires, and ask them if they had these problems before they started working for you. If the answer is “no”, you might have a hidden mold problem on your hands and it could be time to call in a professional.
If the mold inspector does indeed find mold, it’s time to inform your employees that remediation is going to begin and what measures are going to be taken. Telling your workers that mold exists where they work is a recommendation of the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and you should follow it.
Inform your employees when the remediation will begin and approximately when it will begin. Any employees that exhibit any health complications that could have been caused by exposure to mold should be advised to go to their doctor and be referred to someone who knows about mold health consequences and treatments that can be done to encourage recovery.
After the remediation is completed, the property must pass a test proving that it is safe for people to return to work. Don’t try to cut corners here; the sooner you get the mold problem fixed, the sooner you can allow your workers to return and resume production.
If someone develops a medical condition because of the mold you allow to grow on your property (meaning you were notified that it existed and did nothing), you could be liable for more than just their medical bills, but it’s up to them to prove that you knew about the problem. Your best bet to make sure you don’t suffer legal consequences for the mold growth in your workplace is to have it removed as soon as you discover it.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
All kinds of medical conditions can be attributed to mold: development of asthma, bleeding in the lungs, chronic dandruff, colds, coughing incessantly, fatique, skin rashes, and more. If you notice any more than a few of your employees exhibiting these and other health complications, you should take a look around your property and see if you can detect any mold growing on your own. If you can’t, talk to your employees, especially new hires, and ask them if they had these problems before they started working for you. If the answer is “no”, you might have a hidden mold problem on your hands and it could be time to call in a professional.
If the mold inspector does indeed find mold, it’s time to inform your employees that remediation is going to begin and what measures are going to be taken. Telling your workers that mold exists where they work is a recommendation of the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and you should follow it.
Inform your employees when the remediation will begin and approximately when it will begin. Any employees that exhibit any health complications that could have been caused by exposure to mold should be advised to go to their doctor and be referred to someone who knows about mold health consequences and treatments that can be done to encourage recovery.
After the remediation is completed, the property must pass a test proving that it is safe for people to return to work. Don’t try to cut corners here; the sooner you get the mold problem fixed, the sooner you can allow your workers to return and resume production.
If someone develops a medical condition because of the mold you allow to grow on your property (meaning you were notified that it existed and did nothing), you could be liable for more than just their medical bills, but it’s up to them to prove that you knew about the problem. Your best bet to make sure you don’t suffer legal consequences for the mold growth in your workplace is to have it removed as soon as you discover it.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Mold Health Effects
Most people don’t realize just how dangerous mold can be if you live in a contaminated home or work in a contaminated building for prolonged periods of time. Elevated levels of mold can cause some health complications that most people aren’t aware of and of course, some home sellers (whose homes for sale are sometimes contaminated) are skeptical. They want proof, when there is quite a lot of evidence that proves that the mycotoxins produced by mold cause diseases in human beings.
The inhalation of a large amount of mold spores can cause significant health problems like allergy symptoms, asthma, colds, coughing incessantly, bleeding in the lungs (particularly in infants or pets), trouble breathing, and even cancer. Problems with the central nervous system of a person are also known to be a problem.
Problems with vision, chronic or excessive fatique, mood swings, hives, headaches, sinus problems, tremors, trouble speaking, vomiting, and vertigo have been known to occur. A recent study even shows that children who are exposed to molds and workers who are exposed to them in working environments are more likely to develop asthma.
A condition that affects the lungs like hypersensitivity pneumonitis is developed by inhaling the mold spores (or anything like dust or other fungus spores) for prolonged periods of time. If the air conditions that cause the condition are not improved significantly or the person is not removed from the situation, the lungs can become irreparably damaged and cannot function. This is one of many serious conditions that can be caused due to prolonged exposure to mold.
Basically, there are more health complications associated with mold than you can shake a stick at and most people don’t realize that there are this many problems associated with mold growing in their homes. They think that it’s not that big of a deal and can afford to put off getting it removed from their homes or that they can’t afford to relocate until it is removed, but the fact is that if you’re a healthy adult, you might be able to hold up for a short period of time in these conditions before it starts to take its toll on you, but your baby, elderly relative living with you, or your pet very well may not. It’s best not to take chances with your or your family’s health. Do whatever is necessary to get out of the mold contaminated home or apartment or have it removed as soon as possible.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
The inhalation of a large amount of mold spores can cause significant health problems like allergy symptoms, asthma, colds, coughing incessantly, bleeding in the lungs (particularly in infants or pets), trouble breathing, and even cancer. Problems with the central nervous system of a person are also known to be a problem.
Problems with vision, chronic or excessive fatique, mood swings, hives, headaches, sinus problems, tremors, trouble speaking, vomiting, and vertigo have been known to occur. A recent study even shows that children who are exposed to molds and workers who are exposed to them in working environments are more likely to develop asthma.
A condition that affects the lungs like hypersensitivity pneumonitis is developed by inhaling the mold spores (or anything like dust or other fungus spores) for prolonged periods of time. If the air conditions that cause the condition are not improved significantly or the person is not removed from the situation, the lungs can become irreparably damaged and cannot function. This is one of many serious conditions that can be caused due to prolonged exposure to mold.
Basically, there are more health complications associated with mold than you can shake a stick at and most people don’t realize that there are this many problems associated with mold growing in their homes. They think that it’s not that big of a deal and can afford to put off getting it removed from their homes or that they can’t afford to relocate until it is removed, but the fact is that if you’re a healthy adult, you might be able to hold up for a short period of time in these conditions before it starts to take its toll on you, but your baby, elderly relative living with you, or your pet very well may not. It’s best not to take chances with your or your family’s health. Do whatever is necessary to get out of the mold contaminated home or apartment or have it removed as soon as possible.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
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