Mold and Water Restoration Awareness
By: Rachel Haversat
Let’s face it; mold has been around since the beginning of time. Legend has it dating back to 323 B.C.E. of Alexander the Great being buried in honey for its antimicrobial assets. However, the first true documented research on mold only started in the late 19th century by Carnelly, Haldane & Anderson who theorized that mold played a vital role between social classes and felt various diseases were a direct result from poor air quality.
So what is Mold? Mold is a fungus that has roughly 100,000 known visible and invisible species worldwide. Mold’s optimizing room temperature is between 32 and 122 F. Becoming conscious of mold and how to protect yourself and your business is vital to your overall wellness and professional sustainability. An important question you have to ask yourself is what is the standard procedure for identifying, treating, and/or restoring my property? Below are some key details on mold and water restoration classifications and how to protect yourself this upcoming rainy season.
According to The IICRC S520, (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification) , defines mold as, “A common term for filamentous fungi, often seen as superficial or “wooly” growth of long chains of fungi cells formed on damp organic materials. Toxigenic fungi may produce a potentially harmful substance called mycotoxin.” Mold thrives in damp, moist areas, and has a preference for humid environments. Indoor examples at risk would be wood-framed construction properties, a leaky roof, AC sweating, indisposed, aged foods or any remote object directly or indirectly interconnected with moisture. Outdoor examples could be damp, shaded settings, unkempt debris such as trash or dead animals, and/or ponds and wooded areas. Please visit http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldcourse/ for any questions, concerns and resources you might have concerning mold.
Just like any other growing mechanism, mold is dependent on air and water to survive. Listed below are the three standard water categories that water restorators follow showing mold severity and common illustrations for each.
- Category 1 is the least threatening of the three. This category is non-life-threatening water contact with humans. Examples such as an overflowing tub, sink or of melting of ice or snow.
- Category 2, formally known as grey water, is a basis of contaminated water with high levels of biochemicals that can cause illness or irritation when tampered with. Examples of a category 2 threat would be contaminated toilet water, overflowing dishwasher or machine washer fluids.
- Category 3 water damage or “black water” is polluted, germ-infested water that if ingested could cause serious health concerns. Samples like gutter water, and a backed up sewer drain to name a few are a high risk of hazardous molds and toxins.
Safety Tips and Removal Handling
- It is imperative that ALL employees comply with the all safety regulations during the removal process. Also, be aware that your provider implements all safety measures including health guidelines and standards such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification). You can visit http://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib101003.html for more regulation guidelines.
- Finally, don’t leave out your basic instincts. Using the olfactory and visual senses is essential to alerting you of any suspicious areas of concern. Moreover, if you or anyone on site is experiencing insistent health problems that appear to be related to mold exposure, you should seek out medical attention, preferably a physician who is trained in occupational/environmental medicine or related specialties and are knowledgeable about these types of exposures. Having effective communication with your provider is crucial to a fast, cost- efficient remediation job.
Insurance policies may or may not include mold coverage in the event of a mold situation. If your building is currently at risk for property loss, mold, and/or you have any insurance coverage questions, please contact Chip Storm at 813.865.0528. If ever in the need of an inspection or restoration job, we recommend Rainbow International and Cleaning of Tampa Bay. Rainbow International specializes in the field of water, fire, smoke, and mold, 24 hours a day seven days a week.