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Mold Cleanup In Your Home
Mold Cleanup:
If you already have a mold problem – act quickly. Mold damages what it grows on. The longer it grows, the more damage it can cause.
Leaky windows:
mold will begin to rot the wooden frame and windowsill of a leaky window.
Who should do the cleanup?
It depends on a number of factors. One consideration is the size of the mold problem. If the moldy area is less than about 10 square feet (less than roughly a 3 ft. by 3 ft. patch), in most cases, you can handle the job yourself, follow the Mold Cleanup Tips and Techniques. However:
If there has been a lot of water damage, and/or mold growth covers more than 10 square feet, consult EPA guide Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings. Although focused on schools and commercial buildings, this document is applicable to other building types.
Hiring A Contractor:
If you choose to hire a contractor (or other professional service provider) to do the cleanup, make sure the contractor has experience cleaning up mold. Check references and ask the contractor to follow the recommendations in EPA guide Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, the guidelines of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygenists (ACGIH), or other guidelines from professional or government organizations.
If you suspect that the heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) system may be contaminated with mold (it is part of an identified moisture problem, for instance, or there is mold near the intake to the system), consult EPA guide Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned? before taking further action. Do not run the HVAC system if you know or suspect that it is contaminated with mold – it could spread mold throughout the building.
If the water and/or mold damage was caused by sewage or other contaminated water, then call in a professional who has experience cleaning and fixing buildings damaged by contaminated water.
If you have health concerns, consult a health professional before starting cleanup.
Tips And Techniques:
The tips and techniques presented in this section will help you clean up your mold problem. Professional cleaners or remediators may use methods not covered in this publication. Please note that mold may cause staining and cosmetic damage. It may not be possible to clean an item so that its original appearance is restored.
Mold Inspections, Are They Necessary?
Mold Inspections:
In today’s world, many families suffer from various allergies. Mold spores present in a home can greatly aggravate
these allergies. In addition, water intrusion issues present in a home can cause mold growth within 24 hours.
So, The Question Is: Should I Have a Mold Inspection in Addition to a Home and Radon Inspection?
The Answer Is: Yes!
Who You Gonna Call?
■ Home Inspectors today are trained to look for visual signs of water and mold while they are inspecting
various components of the home that are within the normal scope of the home inspection.
■ Home Inspectors who are also Certified Mold Technicians will look at other areas that are not within the
normal scope of the home inspection and will use special equipment that allows the technician to
determine moisture and mold conditions that are not visible to the eye.
■ In addition, Home Inspectors who are not only Certified Mold Technicians but also are certified to
perform Air Quality Inspections on the contaminants and various mold spores that are present in the air
of the home. This information can also assist Allergists who treat families with allergies.
Garage Door Safety
Inspecting Garage Door Openers for Safety:
The garage door is generally the largest moving object on a home. A garage door can exert very
strong forces and should reverse if there is an emergency. Improperly operating automatic reversing
mechanisms on garage door openers have been linked to many injuries and even deaths. Making
sure the safety reverse is operating properly is important.
Safety Reverse Systems:
Modern openers have two safety reverse features on the door, which will automatically reverse the
door if it encounters an obstacle upon closing. In 1982, a voluntary industry standard was created that
requires an automatic reversing mechanism be part of the garage door opener. Under U.S. federal
law (UL 325), garage door openers manufactured for the U.S since 1993 must also include a
secondary safety reversing system, such as photoelectric eyes mounted no higher than six inches
above the ground, or an electric safety edge mounted on the bottom of the door, which reverses upon
contact.
Check To See If Your Garage Door Is Working Properly:
Before you check the safety reverses, run the door up and down noting movement and any unusual
noises, and check the tracks for any damage. Also check for loose/missing hardware on the door and
tracks. Have repairs completed by a qualified garage door professional. Identify the type of door
present and the condition of the overhead door noting any damage/deterioration on the door.
Testing the safety reverse of the garage-door opener:
With the door fully open, place a 2×4 flat on the floor, centered under the garage door. Do not attempt
to stop the door with your hands. Operate the door in the down direction. When the door hits the
board it should stop and reverse.
Testing the photoelectric eyes:
Operate the door, and as the door is coming down, use a long stick to cross the path of the sensors.
If operating properly, the door should stop and reverse as the stick crosses the sensors. A
malfunctioning safety reverse or photoelectric eyes is a safety hazard.
Other Things To Look For:
If the garage door has extension springs, check to see if there is a safety cable running
through the center of the springs and properly secured. If not, safety cables should be
installed.
Look for any extension cord wiring or any wiring that wasn’t professionally installed. The
garage should have a receptacle that the garage door opener can be directly plugged into.
Check that an emergency release handle is present (red handle) and that it works by pulling
down on the handle, which should detach the door from the door opener. Reset after testing.
The transmitter (open/close button) for the garage-door opener should be mounted at least 5′
above the floor so that small children can’t reach it.
Fire Safety
The Importance Of Fire Safety:
In less than 30 seconds, a small flame can get completely out of control and turn into a major fire.
It only takes minutes for a house to fill with thick black smoke and become engulfed in flames. By
preparing for a fire emergency, you can greatly reduce your chances of becoming a fire casualty.
What Steps Should I Take To Prepare?
► Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement. For extra safety, install
smoke alarms both inside and outside sleeping areas.
► Test your smoke alarms once a month and change the batteries at least once a year.
► Replace smoke alarms every 8-10 years or as the manufacturer guidelines recommend.
► Plan your escape from fire. The best plans have two ways to get out of each room.
► Practice fire escape plans several times a year. Practice feeling your way out of the house in the
dark or with your eyes closed.
► Purchase only collapsible escape ladders evaluated by a competent, nationally recognized
laboratory.
► Check that windows are not stuck, screens can be taken out quickly, and that security bars can be
properly opened.
► Make sure everyone in your family understands and practices how to properly operate and open
locked or barred doors and windows.
► Consider installing residential fire sprinklers in your home.
Ozone Generators, Are They Effective?
Do They Really Work?
Available scientific evidence shows that at
concentrations that do not exceed public health
standards, ozone has little potential to remove indoor air
contaminants.
How Does Ozone Affect Us?
Whether in its pure form or mixed with other chemicals,
ozone can be harmful to health. When inhaled, ozone
can damage the lungs. Relatively low amounts of ozone
can cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath and
throat irritation.
It may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as
asthma as well as compromise the ability of the body to
fight respiratory infections.
Some studies show that ozone concentrations produced
by ozone generators can exceed health standards even
when one follows manufacturer’s instructions.
Ozone Concentrations:
Many factors affect ozone concentrations including the amount
of ozone produced by the machine, the size of the indoor
space, the amount of material in the room with which
ozone reacts, the outdoor ozone concentration, and the
amount of ventilation. These factors make it difficult to
control the ozone concentration in all circumstances.
Available scientific evidence shows that, at
concentrations that do not exceed public health
standards, ozone is generally ineffective in controlling
indoor air pollution. The concentration of ozone would
have to greatly exceed health standards to be effective
in removing most indoor air contaminants. In the process
of reacting with chemicals indoors, ozone can produce
other chemicals that themselves can be irritating and
corrosive.
Air Purifiers, Do They Work?
Simple Air Cleaners:
Indoor air pollutants are unwanted, sometimes harmful
materials in the air. They range from dusts to chemicals
to radon. Air cleaners are devices that attempt to
remove such pollutants from the indoor air you breathe.
The typical furnace filter installed in the duct work of
most home heating and/or air conditioning systems is a
simple air cleaner. This basic filtering system may be
upgraded by using another filter to trap additional
pollutants or by adding additional air cleaning devices.
Portable Air Cleaners:
An alternative to upgrading the induct air cleaning
system is using individual room, portable air cleaners.
Air cleaners generally rely on filtration, or the attraction
of charged particles to the air cleaning device itself or to
surfaces within the home, for the removal of pollutants.
The use of “air cleaning” to remove pollutants from the
air in residences is in its infancy.
How To Reduce Air Pollutants:
Source Control
eliminates individual sources of
pollutants or reduces their emissions, and is generally
the most effective strategy. Some sources, like those
that contain asbestos, can be sealed or enclosed;
others, like combustion appliances, can be adjusted to
decrease the amount of emissions. Unfortunately, not all
pollutant sources can be identified and practically
eliminated or reduced.
Ventilation
this works by bringing outside air indoors. It can be
achieved by opening windows and doors, by turning on
local bathroom or kitchen exhaust fans, or, in some
situations, by the use of mechanical ventilation systems.
However, there are practical limits to the extent
ventilation can be used to reduce airborne pollutants.
Costs for heating or cooling incoming air can be
significant, and outdoor air itself may contain undesirable
levels of contaminants.
Should I Use An Air Purifier?
Because many factors need to be considered in
determining whether use of an air cleaner is appropriate
in a particular setting, the decision whether or not to use
an air cleaner is left to the individual. As of yet, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not taken a
position either for or against the use of these devices in
the home.
How To Choose An Air Cleaning Device
Air Cleaning:
Air cleaning may serve as an adjunct to source
control and ventilation. However, the use of air cleaning
devices alone cannot assure adequate air quality,
particularly where significant sources are present and
ventilation is inadequate. Air cleaners are usually
classified by the method employed for removing particles
of various sizes from the air.
Types Of Air Cleaners:
There are three general types of air cleaners on the
market: mechanical filters, electronic air cleaners, and
ion generators. Air cleaners may be in-duct units
(installed in the central heating and/or air-conditioning
system) or stand-alone portable units.
The effectiveness of air cleaners in removing pollutants
from the air is a function of both the efficiency of the
device itself and the amount of air handled by the
device. A product of these two factors (for a given
pollutant) is expressed as the units clean air delivery rate
(CADR).
Choosing An Air Cleaner:
Things to consider when choosing an air cleaner:
- The potential effectiveness of the device under the conditions it will be used;.
- The need for routine maintenance, including cleaning and replacing filters.
- The estimated capitol and maintenance cost.
- The installation requirements ( e.g. power, access).
- The manufacturers’ recommended operating procedures.
- The possible production or re-dispersal of pollutants, such as ozone, particles, formaldehyde and trapped gaseous pollutants.
- The inability of some air cleaners to control gases and some odors, such as those from tobacco smoke.
- Possible health effects from charged particles produced by ion generators.
- Possible soiling of surfaces by charged particles produced by ion generators.
- The noise level at the air flow rates that will be used.
Plumbing: How Long Before It Needs Replacing?
Calling the plumber is one of a homeowner’s most unpleasant experiences, but alas, occasionally it comes to pass. Plumbing wears out.
Read more about replacing your plumbing here.
