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Water Damage and Restoration

 If you have a flood and the water was contaminated, avoid direct contact by using rubber shoes, gloves, etc. (Contaminated water is called gray water or black water depending on the water's impurities.)  Next, find the source of the leak, and shut it off. You may need to shut off the water at the main exterior valve. Then, call your insurance agent to get an adjustor out immediately if possible. Likewise, call FES  to extract the water. We extract from the carpet's surface to below the cushion.  If a camera is handy, you should take lots of pictures of the damage before beginning the restoration. Otherwise, have us take pictures or get the pictures later. All furniture and colored rugs should be immediately removed from the affected areas. Many types of wood and metal furniture pieces may not only suffer water damaged, but can also create permanent stains in the flooring surfaces. Remove all smaller items affected. Finally, attempt to contain the water if possible until we arrive with extraction equipment.

 The secondary damage is the damage that occurs in the days and weeks to follow. After the emergency extraction is done, a large amount of moisture will likely still remain in the walls, floor surfaces, and other items. We strongly recommend that you remove items from the affected areas (or, possibly out of the house) if the relative humidity (Rh) is heavy. We can give you the Rh reading with a digital meter. Paintings, pictures, posters, books, etc. will began to absorb the moisture in the air which can cause irreparable damage. The moisture will slowly begin to travel up the walls. Moisture can travel a few inches high or several feet high this is called wicking . We will place dehumidifiers throughout the affected area to pull the moister from the air. We measure moisture in various surfaces using a non-penetrating, infrared camera. Eventually, virtually all surfaces trapping moisture will grow mold or mildew if the temperature is warm enough and the moisture at threatening levels. Moisture residue will also create a souring smell throughout the room. 

The solution to these problems is ample drying equipment and a low relative humidity. You'll need air handlers (a.k.a., blowers) to circulate the air. Dehumidifiers are designed to dry out the air. Set your temperature to about 75 degrees F. Our technician will make the various determinations for the equipment after the emergency extraction or an on-site inspection. The drying process should be faithfully monitored until the all surfaces are safe again. 

Mold Removal

 

10 things to know about Mold*

  1. Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposures include allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory complaints.  
  2. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.
  3. If mold is a problem in your home or school, you must clean up the mold and eliminate sources of moisture.
  4. Fix the source of the water problem or leak to prevent mold growth.
  5. Reduce indoor humidity (to 30-60% ) to decrease mold growth by: venting bathrooms, dryers, and other moisture-generating sources to the outside; using air conditioners and de-humidifiers; increasing ventilation; and using exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing, and cleaning.
  6. Clean and dry any damp or wet building materials and furnishings within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.
  7. Clean mold off hard surfaces with water and detergent, and dry completely. Absorbent materials such as ceiling tiles, that are moldy, may need to be replaced.
  8. Prevent condensation: Reduce the potential for condensation on cold surfaces (i.e., windows, piping, exterior walls, roof, or floors) by adding insulation.
  9. In areas where there is a perpetual moisture problem, do not install carpeting (i.e., by drinking fountains, by classroom sinks, or on concrete floors with leaks or frequent condensation).
  10. Molds can be found almost anywhere; they can grow on virtually any substance, providing moisture is present. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods.

Fixing the Mold Issue

    The first step is to have your home or business tested for the presence of mold by a Certified Mold Hygienist. We do not test the structure ourselves because it would be a conflict of interest. After we receive the mold report we will go over it with you and plan a course of action to completely clean the mold and dry any water in the water-damaged areas. We do this by selecting the appropriate cleaning and drying methods for each customer’s damaged goods and contaminated materials on a case-by-case basis. We then begin the process of cleaning your building and ridding it of mold. Our technicians ensure proper containment procedures to protect all future building occupants by covering the affected area from ceiling to floor with polyethylene sheeting with a zipper door. We maintain the area under negative pressure with a HEPA filtered air scrubbing  unit. At this time, it is also necessary to block supply and return air vents within the containment area. The next step is to carefully contain and remove moldy building materials by  bagging all materials in 6-mil polyethylene sheeting. It is imperative to package mold contaminated materials before removal from the contaminated area to minimize dispersion of mold spores throughout the building during the disposal process. When we have finished the process and deemed the area clean and fit for living and/or working, we will test the area to make sure all of the mold is gone. Of course, at this point, you can hire a third-party tester again for the reasons we mentioned above, though we don’t find it necessary at this point to use a third-party tester as the conflict of interest has been eliminated.

Hurricane Emergency

During the Hurricane season there will be various functions and disaster relief provided by us. 
From giving out ice and water to helping recovery efforts every way we can. As the season approaches please visit to find out more. 

 

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*from - http://www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldresources.html