While you may think that HEPA filters are overrated and you do not need to have any appliances in your home that have them, you may want to rethink that logic and take a moment to consider all the things that contaminate the air inside your house. As people are spending more and more time making a living while working from home, we do not realize just how many airborne particles we are inhaling. Whether it is smoke, pet dander, dead skin cells, mold spores, chemical fumes, dust mites, or anything else that might become airborne, having a HEPA filter either on your vacuum cleaner or having an air purifier equipped with one can improve the quality of your health by leaps and bounds.
High Efficiency Particulate Air filters are becoming more and more popular these days, but many of us are still skeptical about what exactly their qualifications are. These filters are made up of fibers that are arranged randomly so that dust and other small particles in the air have a hard time navigating through them. They are capable of removing 99.97% of all particles in the air down to 0.3 microns in diameter. This is approximately 1/300 the width of a human hair.
Removing mold spores and other possible allergens are of particular concern for parents of children who have allergies and respiratory conditions. A household that suffers from a high mold spore count can benefit from the purchase of a vacuum cleaner that is equipped with a HEPA filter until they can afford to remove the mold from the property.
HEPA filters used in hospitals and other clean areas have also been known to incorporate ultra-violet lights to kill some live bacteria that often become trapped by it. Some of the most effective HEPA filters are capable of removing 99.995% of particles from the air and this means that they are very effective in reducing incidences of airborne disease transmission.
Some vacuum cleaners also come equipped with HEPA filters, although in order to be effective, all the air that the machine takes in must be pushed out through the filter and none of the air can be allowed to get past it. To get through the extra amount of air resistance, the motor of the vacuum also needs to be much more powerful, so these machines are typically quite a bit more expensive than your normal vacuum.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New Jersey mold inspections and other states and cities such as
north carolina mold inspections companies across the united states.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Avoid Purchasing a Flooded Car
If you are looking to purchase a vehicle, odds are fair that you cannot afford to purchase a brand new one right off the lot. Buying a new vehicle is often not necessary and you can get some pretty good deals, since most vehicles depreciate in value by thousands of dollars right after you drive them off the lot that you bought it from.
While there are many factors to consider when you purchase a used vehicle, one important thing to avoid when you do go looking is a vehicle that shows signs of water damage. The car could have been driven into a river or any other body of water and you simply not realize it, because the signs are often difficult to spot. You can purchase a vehicle history report from sites like Carfax.com, but you should be aware that these reports are not always entirely accurate. If damage was done to a vehicle and a claim not filed on it with the owner’s insurance company, then the damage will not show up on the history report. Unless the owner tells you the car was flooded, you will often not realize it until it is too late.
Look at the nooks and crannies of the vehicle for signs of silt or rust, especially in the trunk and the glove box. The area around the tail lights in the trunk is one of the first areas on a vehicle that will rust.
The upholstery in the vehicle also needs to be looked at. Smell the inside of the car and note if it is musty at all. This can be a sign that mold has started to grow inside either in the upholstery or the carpet itself. Be wary if the vehicle has been treated with air fresheners, since this may be being used to cover up an odor.
Flex the wires located under the dashboard. If they are brittle and crack at all, then they have probably been exposed to water.
Another thing to take into consideration if you can stand the condition of the interior of the car is the engine. Sand, dirt, and silt getting inside an engine like this can potentially ruin it and the last thing you want to do with a car you just purchased is replace the engine.
Always get a vehicle history report when you purchase a vehicle, but be sure to do your own inspection before buying anything. Hire a trusted mechanic to inspect the technical parts of the car if you have no experience in them, as well.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New York Sewage Damage Clean-up and other states and cities such as
North Carolina Water and Sewage Extraction companies across the united states.
While there are many factors to consider when you purchase a used vehicle, one important thing to avoid when you do go looking is a vehicle that shows signs of water damage. The car could have been driven into a river or any other body of water and you simply not realize it, because the signs are often difficult to spot. You can purchase a vehicle history report from sites like Carfax.com, but you should be aware that these reports are not always entirely accurate. If damage was done to a vehicle and a claim not filed on it with the owner’s insurance company, then the damage will not show up on the history report. Unless the owner tells you the car was flooded, you will often not realize it until it is too late.
Look at the nooks and crannies of the vehicle for signs of silt or rust, especially in the trunk and the glove box. The area around the tail lights in the trunk is one of the first areas on a vehicle that will rust.
The upholstery in the vehicle also needs to be looked at. Smell the inside of the car and note if it is musty at all. This can be a sign that mold has started to grow inside either in the upholstery or the carpet itself. Be wary if the vehicle has been treated with air fresheners, since this may be being used to cover up an odor.
Flex the wires located under the dashboard. If they are brittle and crack at all, then they have probably been exposed to water.
Another thing to take into consideration if you can stand the condition of the interior of the car is the engine. Sand, dirt, and silt getting inside an engine like this can potentially ruin it and the last thing you want to do with a car you just purchased is replace the engine.
Always get a vehicle history report when you purchase a vehicle, but be sure to do your own inspection before buying anything. Hire a trusted mechanic to inspect the technical parts of the car if you have no experience in them, as well.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New York Sewage Damage Clean-up and other states and cities such as
North Carolina Water and Sewage Extraction companies across the united states.
The Affect of Mold on Your Pets
If you have pets, you probably care for them about the same as you would care for the rest of your family. They are a part of most of our lives and have been for thousands of years, but unfortunately, they are not able to communicate to us with words that there is something wrong with them. Sometimes we notice symptoms or signs of disease or of pain, but they cannot really tell us what is wrong or where it hurts.
One example of this unfortunate situation is when mold spores form a yeast infection inside the body of the animal and by the time you notice symptoms, it is too late and it has to be put to sleep. This is a horrible situation for a pet owner to be in, but if you have mold in your home, you may not realize that there is anything wrong with your pet until the outcome is unavoidable. If you are experiencing allergy symptoms when you have no known allergies or suspect that there may be mold in your home, you should have the property inspected as soon as possible.
The symptoms of mold allergies are often the same as normal allergy symptoms, but the presence of mold can aggravate the allergies that you already have. Children, infants, the elderly, and pets are the most susceptible to health complications resulting from mold and if you are experiencing problems, odds are good that your pets are, as well.
Some mold remediation companies have even taken to the inhumane practice of using dogs to detect mold growth in homes. This is cruel and particularly unusual, since we as human beings are told repeatedly to never inhale mold spores, since they can lodge in the lungs and possibly lead to what is called aspergilloma (fungus balls) growing inside the body. There are often no symptoms of this until the infection is very advanced.
Birds are also particularly sensitive to changes in their atmosphere and physical environment. Keeping a bird, especially an expensive and exotic one, in a home that has a significant mold spore count in the air is not advised at all. This is not only for the sake of the animal, but also for the sake of your own investment.
If you believe mold is in your home and your pets are being affected adversely by it, take them to your veterinarian as soon as you can.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New York water damage restoration and other states and cities such as
Connecticut mold remediation companies across the united states.
One example of this unfortunate situation is when mold spores form a yeast infection inside the body of the animal and by the time you notice symptoms, it is too late and it has to be put to sleep. This is a horrible situation for a pet owner to be in, but if you have mold in your home, you may not realize that there is anything wrong with your pet until the outcome is unavoidable. If you are experiencing allergy symptoms when you have no known allergies or suspect that there may be mold in your home, you should have the property inspected as soon as possible.
The symptoms of mold allergies are often the same as normal allergy symptoms, but the presence of mold can aggravate the allergies that you already have. Children, infants, the elderly, and pets are the most susceptible to health complications resulting from mold and if you are experiencing problems, odds are good that your pets are, as well.
Some mold remediation companies have even taken to the inhumane practice of using dogs to detect mold growth in homes. This is cruel and particularly unusual, since we as human beings are told repeatedly to never inhale mold spores, since they can lodge in the lungs and possibly lead to what is called aspergilloma (fungus balls) growing inside the body. There are often no symptoms of this until the infection is very advanced.
Birds are also particularly sensitive to changes in their atmosphere and physical environment. Keeping a bird, especially an expensive and exotic one, in a home that has a significant mold spore count in the air is not advised at all. This is not only for the sake of the animal, but also for the sake of your own investment.
If you believe mold is in your home and your pets are being affected adversely by it, take them to your veterinarian as soon as you can.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New York water damage restoration and other states and cities such as
Connecticut mold remediation companies across the united states.
Renovating a Home With Mold
The house flipping craze is not all that old and people often jump right into it without doing much research about anything, whether it is the cost of the materials necessary to renovate a property, the building codes for the area that need to be followed, or what it takes to repair certain kinds of damage to a home. If you do your research before deciding to get into the housing market, you should do just fine, but if you do not, you are liable to get burned pretty easily.
One thing that many first time flippers do not think about is the issue of mold growing in the property they are trying to renovate and flip. If you run into mold when trying to renovate a property of any kind, you need to know just what it will take to get rid of that infestation, because no one is going to want to buy it with it as-is. You cannot just cover up the contamination, because you will be liable for it later unless your contract with the buyer specifies that the sale is an “as-is” one.
Mold can be cleaned from these properties often, but sometimes the infestation can be more widespread than you might think that it is, so mold testing is necessary before you decide to put the house on the market. Sometimes entire slabs of drywall or building lumber need to be removed in order to completely get rid of it. Using bleach to rid the property of the contamination can work on hard surfaces like tile, but when it comes to getting it off of drywall, this will not be a great option. If it is embedded into the wall, the whole slab will need to be removed.
Also be aware that you should not touch mold growth with your bare skin. Use latex gloves and respirators when you have to remove drywall and suspect that there is mold behind it.
If you do have to do a lot of new wall construction in the home you are renovating, it is probably a good idea to invest in some paperless drywall. Mold loves to eat the paper on both sides of the drywall that you hang in your home, but if you remove the paper, the chances for mold growth are significantly reduced because they do not have as much material to eat.
Also, invest in some mold and mildew resistant paints when you start re-painting the home. This will help keep the infection either from returning or starting anew.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration chicago and
mold remediation companies across the united states.
One thing that many first time flippers do not think about is the issue of mold growing in the property they are trying to renovate and flip. If you run into mold when trying to renovate a property of any kind, you need to know just what it will take to get rid of that infestation, because no one is going to want to buy it with it as-is. You cannot just cover up the contamination, because you will be liable for it later unless your contract with the buyer specifies that the sale is an “as-is” one.
Mold can be cleaned from these properties often, but sometimes the infestation can be more widespread than you might think that it is, so mold testing is necessary before you decide to put the house on the market. Sometimes entire slabs of drywall or building lumber need to be removed in order to completely get rid of it. Using bleach to rid the property of the contamination can work on hard surfaces like tile, but when it comes to getting it off of drywall, this will not be a great option. If it is embedded into the wall, the whole slab will need to be removed.
Also be aware that you should not touch mold growth with your bare skin. Use latex gloves and respirators when you have to remove drywall and suspect that there is mold behind it.
If you do have to do a lot of new wall construction in the home you are renovating, it is probably a good idea to invest in some paperless drywall. Mold loves to eat the paper on both sides of the drywall that you hang in your home, but if you remove the paper, the chances for mold growth are significantly reduced because they do not have as much material to eat.
Also, invest in some mold and mildew resistant paints when you start re-painting the home. This will help keep the infection either from returning or starting anew.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration chicago and
mold remediation companies across the united states.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Detecting Mold with Light
There is almost nothing that plagues one’s house quite as badly as the pest called mold. Mold is usually very easy to find, because more often than not it is brightly colored and absolutely hideous. However, not all molds are as easy to detect. Some mold is actually very well hidden from the naked eye. There are a few types of molds, such as members of Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus sp. groups, which are capable of being next to invisible. However, it is not impossible to find these molds. In fact, you can use one of the simplest objects in your house to your advantage. A flashlight.
While it may sound simplistic enough to use a flashlight to find mold, there is a trick to it. Using the flashlight will not help you to detect the mold unless you shine it in the right way. You cannot simply shine the light directly on the surface where you suspect mold, because you will most likely see absolutely nothing. Instead, you must shine the light along the surface. Doing this will make the difference between getting rid of the mold or just using up battery power for nothing.
Mold is very tricky because it likes to hide in little areas that are difficult to get to without tools. One of these places is inside wooden paneling. Using the light along the paneling can show whether or not the paneling is buckled and in need of removal or replacement. There may be drywall or perhaps even a cavity behind the drywall because some people like to replace water damage drywall with paneling.
Moisture does not exactly mean that there is mold in the area, but this does not mean that you should neglect to look in areas where there is moisture. This is because it will help you realize that mold has the potential to grow in almost every single area in your home. It will also teach you that the mold can especially grow in the places you cannot see it. It is very much like the phrase “knowing is half of the battle.” In this case, knowing can make the difference between a house devoid of mold and a house infested with mold. If you do not know how to find mold, then you cannot combat it.
Do not just look for the black mold that you may constantly hear about. You should know that some black molds are merely cosmetic and if you don’t have the mold tested to confirm whether or not it is dangerous, you could end up wasting thousands of dollars.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
South Carolina Water Damage Restoration and and other states such as
Chicago Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
While it may sound simplistic enough to use a flashlight to find mold, there is a trick to it. Using the flashlight will not help you to detect the mold unless you shine it in the right way. You cannot simply shine the light directly on the surface where you suspect mold, because you will most likely see absolutely nothing. Instead, you must shine the light along the surface. Doing this will make the difference between getting rid of the mold or just using up battery power for nothing.
Mold is very tricky because it likes to hide in little areas that are difficult to get to without tools. One of these places is inside wooden paneling. Using the light along the paneling can show whether or not the paneling is buckled and in need of removal or replacement. There may be drywall or perhaps even a cavity behind the drywall because some people like to replace water damage drywall with paneling.
Moisture does not exactly mean that there is mold in the area, but this does not mean that you should neglect to look in areas where there is moisture. This is because it will help you realize that mold has the potential to grow in almost every single area in your home. It will also teach you that the mold can especially grow in the places you cannot see it. It is very much like the phrase “knowing is half of the battle.” In this case, knowing can make the difference between a house devoid of mold and a house infested with mold. If you do not know how to find mold, then you cannot combat it.
Do not just look for the black mold that you may constantly hear about. You should know that some black molds are merely cosmetic and if you don’t have the mold tested to confirm whether or not it is dangerous, you could end up wasting thousands of dollars.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
South Carolina Water Damage Restoration and and other states such as
Chicago Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
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