Restoring Chicago Mold Damage in a Home

12/18/2017 (Permalink)

Mold Cleanup and Remediation in Chicago Means a Call to SERVPRO

SERVPRO Offers Mold Remediation to Property Owners in Chicago

Mold is not what Chicago homeowners think of when considering home disasters. Fire is loud and bright, and everyone has that nightmare about walking down into their basement and stepping in water halfway up to their knees.

The reality is that mold damage to Chicago homes can cost just as much to remove and restore as fire or water damage. Worse, the presence of mold may cause health effects in people with existing respiratory conditions. SERVPRO response teams understand that this should not happen when the mold is found and dealt with quickly.
 
The first sign of mold is often that distinctive musty odor. However, it is not noticeable until enough mold has grown to generate the odor and is not present in all types of mold. Homeowners must look in any location where there might be enough moisture for mold spores to expand and grow. It is not an easy task, as even a large group of hundreds of spores is smaller than the dot at the end of this sentence.
 
It takes very little for mold to get started. Once the first spores expand, they extend hyphae across and into surfaces, searching for food and moisture. That is why SERVPRO technicians quickly move to dry all water-soaked building materials and items like carpets and rugs. Removing the source of water halts spore growth and forces them back into an inert state.
 
If the spores have already grown into ceiling tiles or drywall, removing the water source does not make them retreat though. When compromised, it is much cheaper to a homeowner for us to remove and replace these building materials.
 
If the mold is only on the surface, we spray the affected areas and items with an anti-fungal agent that kills the spores on contact. Next, we wipe down the surfaces with cloths or sponges to remove the spores. If the layer is thick, our teams use commercial vacuum cleaners with specially designed HEPA filters. These filters can capture and trap mold as small as a single spore.
 
Safely removing mold from your home requires training and special equipment. It is not a simple process. If you have or just suspect you have a mold problem, contact us here at SERVPRO of West Loop / Bucktown / Greektown. Call today at (773) 434-9100 to schedule an inspection.

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