By Jeremy Neel
Dear Apex,
I have been having symptoms similar to allergies, but can’t seem to shake them. My doctor told me to have my home checked for possible mold growth, but I do not know how to find it, or what to do if I do have a mold problem. Can you please give me some pointers on where to start? ~Katherine T.
Dear Katherine,
We would like to thank you for your question, and hope we can help you find some answers to put your mind at ease. Please keep in mind, every situation is different, and each case we handle has variables that cause us to specify remediation within that environment. With that being said, our first piece of advice to our clients is to not disturb any mold spores growing out of an area bigger than a 3ft by 3ft section (or 10 sq. ft). According to EPA standards, this will need to be professionally remediated. Mold can be visible to the naked eye on surfaces, but the underlying effects that stem from hidden places such as inside the walls, underneath pad and carpeting, above ceiling tiles, and inside heating and air conditioning ducts can cause greater harm because they remain undetected for longer amounts of time. This is why it is important to call our company to remediate mold and mold growth. We are able to diagnose where the mold growth is located; we can tell you if your soft surfaces such as carpet and padding, clothes, bedspreads, and furniture should be removed, remediated, replaced, or discarded. If the situation calls for it, we will remove a small section of drywall to see if there is a mold problem behind your walls. We are able to measure moisture within your walls to see if the environment is conducive to mold growth. If this is the case, our experts are able to stabilize the humidity in order for mold to discontinue growth, as long as everything has been properly cleaned and remediated. It is very important that the source is eliminated.
If not, mold will be allowed to recontaminate and regrow. Apex follows a protocol for every job, and according to that protocol, we are required to test post remediation. If our test fails, we happily return to the job, and continue the remediation. To date, Apex has not failed a post remediation verification, proving the fact that our company is extremely competent at what we do.
Now, let’s talk about how mold can affect your health. You had mentioned seeing a doctor about persistent allergy symptoms. While we cannot diagnose any health symptoms, we can agree that, according to third party independent research, mold can have ill effects such as fatigue, sore throat, headaches, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, sneezing, watery/itchy eyes, and even nosebleeds. These are just a few minor symptoms from mold exposure. Other, more concerning symptoms can include, but are not limited to asthma, depression, chronic sinusitis, respiratory infections, bleeding in the lungs, and even memory loss. Of course, if you have any of these symptoms, we recommend following your doctor’s advice and treatment plan.
We highly recommend that if you suspect you may have a mold problem, either from visibly seeing mold growth, or chronic health problems, give Apex a call. Our initial inspections are free, and we will be more than happy to be honest with you and let you know whether you need our services or not.
