If you have mold damage to your home and it is due to something that’s covered in your insurance, such as water damage, a lot of the time it is covered. If it is a mold infection that has occurred over time, it is probably not covered. These are two general rules to go by if you’re trying to get your insurance company to cover the cost of removing the mold from your home.
Insurance companies are scrambling for reasons to deny insurance claims concerning mold and what adjusters and claim representatives like to tell people intending on filing a mold-related insurance claim is that mold has been around longer than people have and that it’s not as dangerous as all the hype is making it out to be. If you are going to file an insurance claim related to mold and they tell you that, it might be a good idea (especially if your claims adjuster is Jewish or Christian) to quote to them Leviticus 14:33-48. This is a scripture in the Bible that all but plainly records what the Lord has to say about mold and the dangers of it growing in the home. It says that the house is considered unclean and the mold should be removed and disposed of properly (i.e. away from where there are people). In this way, you will possibly have the upper hand because they will no longer be able to say that mold has only been recently seen as a problem when it grows in the home. Even if you are not Jewish or Christian, the text does prove that mold has not only existed as long as people have, but that it has been a problem just as long.
If you can prove that the mold in your home was a secondary problem caused by something that is covered by your insurance, your company might cover the funds needed to correct the problem. Read over your policy and determine what is covered by your insurance policy and what is not. Whatever you do, do not let your insurance adjuster sneakily get you to agree that the mold in your home has been around for a long time or that there could be a water leak hidden somewhere near the infection. As soon as you even remotely agree to something like this, they have you where they want you. Wait until any and all investigation into the problem is completed before you agree to anything with your insurance company.
List everything you need to have covered, including the cost of you having to relocate while the mold remediation is taking place and make sure you get all of the benefits that you are supposed to get under your policy.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingnc.info
http://www.floodnj.info
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Mold and Your Carpet
Nobody likes mold in the house, but whether we like it or not, mold will get into your home. It comes in the house attached to the bottoms of our shoes, attached to our clothing, and through the doors, windows, and the air conditioning unit. The only thing that you have control over is whether the conditions in your home are favorable for the mold to begin growing.
Something that mold loves to hide underneath is your carpet. If the carpet is old (especially if you have it in the bathroom), you can bet there is likely to be something living underneath it. Not only does mold like to hide under your carpet, it will also make a meal out of it. In order to reproduce, mold requires moisture, warmth, and food. The carpet provides part of the insulation that the mold needs to grow under it, so all that is left for you to provide is moisture either in the form of humidity or water spills that do not get cleaned up properly.
If you think that your carpet is moldy or mildewed, you can clean it with a biocide. Biocides are produced to stop things like mold and bacteria from growing where you do not want them to. Even if you use this, though, you will still have to remove the carpet padding underneath. This padding is not cleanable and will need to be thrown away. If your carpet has been completely submerged in water and it is not just a small area, it is advised to just tear it up and throw it away, as well. Cleaning a room’s entire carpet can be costly and it’s possible that you are better off just getting new carpet.
While you are cleaning your moldy carpet, you should wear gloves. After it has completely dried, using a vacuum that has a HEPA filter on it should remove any mold spores that still remain in the fibers of the carpet.
Having wall-to-wall carpeting is not advised. If you already have it, you can reduce the chances of mold and mildew growing by removing your shoes before walking on it and disallowing pets to enter carpeted areas. Using a good vacuum cleaner (with a HEPA filter) regularly will also help to stop mold from growing. HEPA filters are about 99.97 percent accurate in removing particles from your carpet and air.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Water Damage Restoration and other states such as
New Jersey Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Something that mold loves to hide underneath is your carpet. If the carpet is old (especially if you have it in the bathroom), you can bet there is likely to be something living underneath it. Not only does mold like to hide under your carpet, it will also make a meal out of it. In order to reproduce, mold requires moisture, warmth, and food. The carpet provides part of the insulation that the mold needs to grow under it, so all that is left for you to provide is moisture either in the form of humidity or water spills that do not get cleaned up properly.
If you think that your carpet is moldy or mildewed, you can clean it with a biocide. Biocides are produced to stop things like mold and bacteria from growing where you do not want them to. Even if you use this, though, you will still have to remove the carpet padding underneath. This padding is not cleanable and will need to be thrown away. If your carpet has been completely submerged in water and it is not just a small area, it is advised to just tear it up and throw it away, as well. Cleaning a room’s entire carpet can be costly and it’s possible that you are better off just getting new carpet.
While you are cleaning your moldy carpet, you should wear gloves. After it has completely dried, using a vacuum that has a HEPA filter on it should remove any mold spores that still remain in the fibers of the carpet.
Having wall-to-wall carpeting is not advised. If you already have it, you can reduce the chances of mold and mildew growing by removing your shoes before walking on it and disallowing pets to enter carpeted areas. Using a good vacuum cleaner (with a HEPA filter) regularly will also help to stop mold from growing. HEPA filters are about 99.97 percent accurate in removing particles from your carpet and air.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Water Damage Restoration and other states such as
New Jersey Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Home Water Damage Causes
Despite the general knowledge that water damage is bad for any building, especially one’s home, it is not so well known just what all the possible causes for water damage are, or what factors can lead to it. The most common known causes of water damage are leaky plumbing, and leaking roofs, but there are mounds of other causes that are not as well known.
If you have a basement, and you have it insulated with fiberglass, it is easy for moisture to become trapped behind the walls, and air between one floor of the home and the basement floor can leak into them. It is because of this that insulating your home with fiberglass is not recommended, nor is installing plastic sheeting, as it is capable of trapping just as much moisture. A good idea for the insulation is using blue board, as it allows the moisture to move about the wall freely and makes the wall better able to dry off.
Problems, however, can arise if the land your home is on is sloped towards its foundation. If water is flowing towards the home, as opposed to away the home, it can seep into the basement and cause serious damage to the structure of your home, and can cause sink holes, which can cause your house to sink.
You should especially be careful to have your ceilings properly insulated in a cold climate, on account of the fact that they are not, water can leak into your house by way of what are called “ice dams”. In a warmer climate, flaws in air conditioning or air ducts can cause water damage by the formation of steam and humidity that likes to attach itself to things like roofing. And this build up can cause rotting on your roof as well as the infestation of mold, which can be harmful on one’s respiratory system as well as many other sicknesses that may result.
Improperly shielded attic hatches are another chief offender of water damage to one’s ceilings, as condensation is far more likely to gather in this manner. Lighting fixtures should be as tight as humanly possible when you install them, especially the recessed kind and exhaust fans are not directed outside from the house, it should be, whether they are in the bathroom, or places of this nature. Exhaust fans should have vents to the outside so moisture does not condense and cause avoidable water damage.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingct.info
http://www.floodedbasementnj.info
If you have a basement, and you have it insulated with fiberglass, it is easy for moisture to become trapped behind the walls, and air between one floor of the home and the basement floor can leak into them. It is because of this that insulating your home with fiberglass is not recommended, nor is installing plastic sheeting, as it is capable of trapping just as much moisture. A good idea for the insulation is using blue board, as it allows the moisture to move about the wall freely and makes the wall better able to dry off.
Problems, however, can arise if the land your home is on is sloped towards its foundation. If water is flowing towards the home, as opposed to away the home, it can seep into the basement and cause serious damage to the structure of your home, and can cause sink holes, which can cause your house to sink.
You should especially be careful to have your ceilings properly insulated in a cold climate, on account of the fact that they are not, water can leak into your house by way of what are called “ice dams”. In a warmer climate, flaws in air conditioning or air ducts can cause water damage by the formation of steam and humidity that likes to attach itself to things like roofing. And this build up can cause rotting on your roof as well as the infestation of mold, which can be harmful on one’s respiratory system as well as many other sicknesses that may result.
Improperly shielded attic hatches are another chief offender of water damage to one’s ceilings, as condensation is far more likely to gather in this manner. Lighting fixtures should be as tight as humanly possible when you install them, especially the recessed kind and exhaust fans are not directed outside from the house, it should be, whether they are in the bathroom, or places of this nature. Exhaust fans should have vents to the outside so moisture does not condense and cause avoidable water damage.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingct.info
http://www.floodedbasementnj.info
Different Kinds of Mold
Mold has been a problem for human beings ever since even Biblical times. There are thousands of species of it and while many are harmless, some of them can be pretty detrimental to your and your pet’s health. They can grow on wet clothes left laying anywhere on the floor or stuffed animals in the closet. Anywhere that has a high amount of humidity and heat is a place where mold can begin to grow. Mold has become more of a problem in the past few years not really because the population of mold in the world has increased, but because people have become aware that this is a problem that they need to try and deal with. There are about three general categories of mold and you should be familiar with what each of them are.
Pathogenic molds can cause health issues in people who have weakened immune systems like those who are going through chemotherapy due to cancer or anyone who has HIV or AIDs. Infants and the elderly are also particularly at risk. If you have this kind of mold living in your home, it’s best to call a professional mold remediation company and have them remove it. If you try to remove this yourself, you may just stir it up and cross-contaminate another area of your home.
Allergenic molds affect many people and these, as their classification may indicate, tend to cause allergies in people and sometimes in pets. Anyone who has a problem with asthma or anyone with a weak immune system might have some trouble if these live in the same place they do.
Toxic molds produce mycotoxins and while they tend to be rare, they can cause many serious kinds of health effects and can even cause death in some extreme circumstances. You should contact a professional as soon as possible once you have determined (via a mold test kit) that the mold is toxic.
Stachybotrys mold is more commonly thought of as the “toxic black mold” of legend. This tends to be found on wet materials that are cellulose based, such as paper or wood. One strain of stachybotrys mold can cause death in pets and another type can cause bleeding in the lungs in babies. It is commonly a hidden mold growth and cannot be detected by the naked eye, as it likes to grow under ceilings and behind walls and can go unnoticed for a long time.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration New Jersey and and other states such as
Connecticut Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Pathogenic molds can cause health issues in people who have weakened immune systems like those who are going through chemotherapy due to cancer or anyone who has HIV or AIDs. Infants and the elderly are also particularly at risk. If you have this kind of mold living in your home, it’s best to call a professional mold remediation company and have them remove it. If you try to remove this yourself, you may just stir it up and cross-contaminate another area of your home.
Allergenic molds affect many people and these, as their classification may indicate, tend to cause allergies in people and sometimes in pets. Anyone who has a problem with asthma or anyone with a weak immune system might have some trouble if these live in the same place they do.
Toxic molds produce mycotoxins and while they tend to be rare, they can cause many serious kinds of health effects and can even cause death in some extreme circumstances. You should contact a professional as soon as possible once you have determined (via a mold test kit) that the mold is toxic.
Stachybotrys mold is more commonly thought of as the “toxic black mold” of legend. This tends to be found on wet materials that are cellulose based, such as paper or wood. One strain of stachybotrys mold can cause death in pets and another type can cause bleeding in the lungs in babies. It is commonly a hidden mold growth and cannot be detected by the naked eye, as it likes to grow under ceilings and behind walls and can go unnoticed for a long time.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration New Jersey and and other states such as
Connecticut Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Easy Ways To Maintain A Smoke Free Fireplace
Quite a few homes have fireplaces, but not all of them are fit to be used as they are because they have not been cleaned in so long that when you do try to use them, it fills the house with smoke. This can do a lot of damage to the inside of the home, including ruin the paint on your walls, your curtains, and discolor your carpet. It is also a health risk, since breathing this in is not good for anyone, but the elderly, people with allergies, pets, and children are especially affected. Fortunately, though, in most situations you can make a fire that will not smoke up your house without much trouble as long as you follow a few rules.
The damper of your chimney needs to be open before you do anything. Burn some paper or other easily combustible materials in the fireplace, because you want to warm the chimney up. Cold air in the chimney is will push the warm air down and cause the smoke to fill up the room.
Open up the windows in the house and make sure that there is enough air circulating to ignite the fire. A home that is insulated well might not have enough of a draft to allow the wood to catch on fire.
You should also have some fireplace bricks underneath the grill to add some more air circulation to the process. More draft in the fireplace will make it easier for the fire to ignite.
The top of the fireplace also needs to be cleaned out regularly, since anything that gets stuck in it like leaves, sticks, bird nests can keep the smoke from being able to escape and so it floods back into the house, which is exactly where you do not want it.
You should also have the fireplace cleaned by a professional cleaning service if possible, since a layer of creosote is likely built up on the inside of the chimney. This is a tar-like substance that results from burning wood in the fireplace and if your chimney has not been professionally cleaned before and you have lived in your house for many years, then it is time for it to be. Creosote can catch on fire and cause the whole house to burn down, so having it cleaned out is essential.
To keep your fireplace functioning the way that it should, you need to know how to use it and take care of it and by the time winter gets to you, you will be able to enjoy your fireplace once again.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodchicago.info
http://www.damagewatersc.info
The damper of your chimney needs to be open before you do anything. Burn some paper or other easily combustible materials in the fireplace, because you want to warm the chimney up. Cold air in the chimney is will push the warm air down and cause the smoke to fill up the room.
Open up the windows in the house and make sure that there is enough air circulating to ignite the fire. A home that is insulated well might not have enough of a draft to allow the wood to catch on fire.
You should also have some fireplace bricks underneath the grill to add some more air circulation to the process. More draft in the fireplace will make it easier for the fire to ignite.
The top of the fireplace also needs to be cleaned out regularly, since anything that gets stuck in it like leaves, sticks, bird nests can keep the smoke from being able to escape and so it floods back into the house, which is exactly where you do not want it.
You should also have the fireplace cleaned by a professional cleaning service if possible, since a layer of creosote is likely built up on the inside of the chimney. This is a tar-like substance that results from burning wood in the fireplace and if your chimney has not been professionally cleaned before and you have lived in your house for many years, then it is time for it to be. Creosote can catch on fire and cause the whole house to burn down, so having it cleaned out is essential.
To keep your fireplace functioning the way that it should, you need to know how to use it and take care of it and by the time winter gets to you, you will be able to enjoy your fireplace once again.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodchicago.info
http://www.damagewatersc.info
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