Frequently Asked Questions
If You’ve Got Questions. We’ve Got Answers!
Here are some common signs of mold:
Odors-musty like, fowl, lingers or appears on clothing/furniture
Symptoms – Common cold like – runny nose, headaches in particular areas or only when in the house
Discolored walls/ceilings or spots appearing/reappearing. Sometimes if mold is present it will spread to furniture and clothing. Mold is one of the oldest microorganisms on the planet. It feeds on organic matter- such as dead insects. With the right conditions and other factors it can spread very easily.
Depending on the type of mold, what it is on, and many other factors it can appear differently. I have attached some images of projects we have been on for you.
*One concern with a house that age is that there is likely lead paint or asbestos so proper testing should be done before any mold remediation or other construction to avoid contamination of unaffected parts of the home. This is a reason to hire WATER FIRE MOLD as we are properly trained and certified.
When a fire occurs there are multiple materials that are burned from plastics to metals and these toxins are in the soot that settles on everything. Based on the materials burned one product we try will not always work so we have to apply it multiple times or use different ones to clean it properly. What Water Fire Mold handles has a full science behind it from the particles to the microorganisms.
There are a few reasons why mold remediation is not a do it yourself project.
One is Massachusetts requires lead testing in properties built prior to 1978, and asbestos testing in some situations. Disturbing either can cause a property owner hefty fines and potential health risks that can be avoided. Mold is one of the longest known living organisms in the world, if disturbed it will strive to live elsewhere. There is more to it than cleaning what is visible. Mold can grow just about anywhere from clothing, books, insulation to furniture. It feeds off organic matter so a carcass from a spider is enough organic matter to feed mold. There are also misconceptions about using bleach or other household cleaners for mold. There are many factors that come into play with handling mold.
This is why using Water Fire Mold should be hired; we are properly trained and certified by IICRC to handle the microorganisms of mold to the carbon particles of soot. There is not license for our industry, but there are standards to properly handle restoration projects. We pride our self with meeting or going beyond for every customer.
In addition to this when people hire Water Fire Mold they are supporting communities as we are always supporting and giving back to local organizations and charities in the communities we reach. From Scouts, Veterans, Emergency Responders, Food Pantries, Cancer Patients to children in foster care.
We recently started using a tag line of “RAPID RESPONSE TEAM” as Owners of Water Fire Mold, Jerry & Mary Lee share an interest – cars.
We never close- so we answer every call to our EMERGENCY LINE (978) 548-9618 no matter what time of day or night every day of the year.
Our time to arrive on site is based on the location of the customer and where we are at that time. Typically this time frame is within 40 minutes. The shortest arrive time was 4 minutes – the longest was 1 hour & 15 minutes.
After water damage or while standing water is present, mold can begin to grow within 48-72 hours. Although this is the average time frame, there are many factors including whether the water is clear, grey or black. In addition to the humidity and moisture in the air levels of the home..The term clear, grey or black is based on whether the water is contaminated by any micro-organisms or other bacteria. Typically sewage water can cause mold to grow faster than a water heater tank failure. This is another reason to call a professional to handle water damage. If there are microorganisms growing simply cleaning up the water and drying out what is seen can be seen as not properly mitigating the damages. Massachusetts mandates that property owners have mold coverage on their homeowner’s policy. Water damage is often the cause of mold growth. Mold can often be covered under property insurance in most water damaged scenarios. As a property owner you must mitigate your damages for a claim to be covered. You can validate you have done this by hiring Water Fire Mold Restoration.
There are a few tests that can be done to inspect for mold.
Our typical inspection begins is talking with a customer on the phone and asking lots of questions. Sometimes we also request photos. We do a visual test which includes walking through the home and looking in the common areas that mold grows – basements, bathrooms, attics. During the walk through we also see if there are lingering odors if the customer mentions this issue. We do offer swab testing which is done with a ATP (Adenozine Tihosphate Meter) This piece of equipment we use measures the energy molecule found in all animal, plant, bacterial, yeast, and mold cells. We take the samples then send them to a lab for testing. There is an additional charge for this based on how many samples the customer would like. We may make additional suggestions to make the property mold free – which sometimes will mean having ducts cleaned, removing and disposal of porous items depending on the contamination level.