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What are Molds?

Your Health

Molds

When to get Help

When is Mold a Problem?

​You know you have mold within 72 hours of any water intrusion.​ Even though​ ​mold growth may not be visible, it can be present in ceiling and wall cavities caused by previous or present water intrusion. Mold can also grow on personal belongings, window sills, shower ceilings, etc, due to a high level of indoor humidity. One way or another this problem should be ​address​ed by a professional.
What are Mycotoxins?

Molds can also produce toxic substances called mycotoxins which travel around via spores. More than 200 mycotoxins have been itendified from common molds and many more remain to be identified. Exposure pathways for mycotoxins can include inhalation, ingestion or skin contact.
Do Molds Affect My Health?

All molds have the potential to cause health effects. Molds produce allergens, irritants and in some cases toxins. The severity of symptoms depend, in part, on the type of mold present, the extent of an individual exposure, the ages of individuals and their existing sensitivities or allergies. Individuals can show symptoms such as, headache, breathing difficulties, allergic reactions, skin irritation, aggravation of Asthma symtoms and opportunistic infections.
What is Mold?

Molds belong to the kingdom of Fungi, and unlike plants, they lack chlorophyll and must survive by digesting plant materials. Without molds, our environment would be overwhelmed with large amounts of dead plant matter. Molds produce ​micron size spores just like plants produce seeds. Spores are ubiquitous, they settle on wet/damp areas, and they start growing within 48 to 72 hours.

Mycotoxins

Safety Steps

Questions About Health & Safety

Can I Control Mold Growth in my Home?

Yes you can. Dry out the House and fix any moisture problems in your home

• Stop water leaks, repair leaky roofs and plumbing. Keep water away from

concrete slabs.

 

• Open windows and doors to increase air flow in your home, especially along the inside of exterior walls. Use a fan if there are no windows available.

 

• Make sure that warm air flows into all areas of the home. Move large objects a few inches away from the inside of exterior walls to increase air circulation.

 

• Install and use exhaust fans in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.

• Ventilate and insulate attic and crawl spaces. Use heavy plastic to cover earth

floors in crawl spaces.

 

• Clean and dry water damaged carpets, clothing, bedding, and upholstered furniture within 24 to 48 hours, or consider removing and replacing damaged furnishings.

 

• Vacuum and clean your home regularly to remove mold spores.

 

• Check around your windows for signs of condensation and water droplets. Wipe them up right away so mold can’t start to grow.

Should I Paint Over Mold?

​It is not recommended to paint over mold, not even with anti-mold paint.  That type of paint can work to resist the development of mold if applied to a clean, mold-free surface. However, it will not kill mold already on the surface, at least not completely.  It simply makes it hard to see the growth of mold underneath and it can spread. The mold problem can get much worse!

Does Bleach Kill Mold?

Bleach only kills mold growing on non-porous surfaces like glass, tiles, countertops, bathtubs, etc. Bleach is not effective on porous materials such as wood, drywall, and personal belongings such as shoes, purses, etc., because root structure of mold called hyphae actually grow into porous material substrate.  The hyphae cannot be eradicated using bleach, because bleach cannot penetrate deeply enough into the roots that are protected by a special enzyme.  Bleach also emits potent fumes that can cause a variety of health problems and therefore is not recommended by the EPA for this purpose.

 

Indoor Air Quality

What Causes Indoor Air Quality Problems?

 

Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems in homes. Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home. High temperature and humidity levels can also increase concentrations of some pollutants.

Pollutants and Sources of Indoor Air Pollution

 

  • Biological Pollutants/Respirable Particles

         Mold spores, bacteria and viruses, Dust mites, animal dander and pollen

 

  • Household Products: Bleach, Ammonia, Personal Care, Pesticides

 

  • Odorless Gasses: Carbon Monoxide, Radon, Nitrogen Dioxide

 

  • Stoves, Heaters, Fireplaces, and Chimneys, and Second Hand Smoke

 

  • Construction Materials: Lead, Asbestos, Formaldehyde, Pressed Wood Products

Immediate effects

         Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Such immediate effects are usually short-term and treatable. Sometimes the treatment is simply removing the source of the pollution, if it can be identified. Some symptoms including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, may also show up soon after exposure to some indoor air pollutants. The likelihood of immediate reactions to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors. Age and preexisting medical conditions are two important influences. In other cases, whether a person reacts to a pollutant depends on individual sensitivity, which varies tremendously from person to person, as well as type and concentration of the pollutant.

        Some people can become sensitized to biological and chemical pollutants after repeated exposures. Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral diseases, so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the time and place symptoms occur. If the symptoms fade or go away when a person is away from home, for example, an effort should be made to identify indoor air sources that may be possible causes. Some effects may be made worse by an inadequate supply of outdoor air or from the heating, cooling, or humidity conditions prevalent in the home.

Long-Term Effects

Other health effects may show up either years after exposure has occurred. These effects, which include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer, can be severely debilitating or fatal. It is prudent to try to improve the indoor air quality in your home even if symptoms are not noticeable.

INSPECTION

Visual Inspection & Sensory Equipment Detection

The purpose of inspection is to evaluate and determine if there is a mold problem.

 

The Inspection Consists of Two Phases

 

 

 

Sensory Equipment Inspection

 

We use specialized sensory detection equipment, including:

 

  • Moisture Meters
  • Humidity Meters
  • Infrared Thermometer
  • Thermal Imaging Cameras
  • Borescopes

 

 

 

Visual Inspection

 

Either exterior or interior, we look for all areas susceptible to water damage or water intrusion even in areas not easily seen.

 

Interior:

  • Kitchen, Bath and Laundry Room
  • Doors and Windows
  • Plumbing and Drains
  • Water Heater, HVAC

 

Exterior:

  • Grounds and Foundation
  • Roof and Crawl Space
  • Chimney and Gutters
  • Porch, Deck and Patio
  • Doors and Windows

Upon completion of inspection, if there are signs of potential microbial growth present, sampling is the next necessary step. Sampling can confirm the presence and type of contamination, as well as the concentration levels.

LAB SAMPLING

Lab Testing and Identification of Your Mold Samples

Air Sampling (Spore Traps)

 

Mold Spores are ubiquitous. Air samples can be used to gather data about mold spores present in the interior of a house. These samples are taken by using a pump that forces air through an Air-O-Cell which traps mold spores.

Surface/Bulk Sampling

 

This is a method to determine if the suspected area shows positive signs of mold growth.

Written Report

 

These samples are then analyzed by an accredited laboratory and an expanded fungal report is issued.

REMEDIATION

Remediation is a Process with 4 Main Objectives.

1. Containment

 

The first step is to pinpoint the source of the mold growth, isolate the location,

and create a negative pressure environment to prevent mold spores from spreading to uncontaminated areas.

2. Kill the Mold

 

After the area containment, a biocide solution is applied directly to kill surface mold, along with a ULV cold fogger application to kill airborne spores and penetrate unreachable places.

Download

Material Safety Date Sheet (MSDS)

IAQ 2000

3. Removal & Clean-up

 

Physical mold growth on all porous material must be removed carefully, bagged and disposed of. The standard practice is to cut the moldy material further away from where the visible growth is. Non-porous material such as ceramic tiles, counters, glass can be cleaned up using appropriate solutions and methods. All furniture, cloth, personal belongings, carpet or other flooring must be cleaned after remediation. Normally a dehumidifier is utilized to reduced the humidity during the remediation process.

4. Encasement

 

Encasement is a coating containing a fungi static agent which is applied to necessary remediated areas, to prevent and resist potential recurring mold growth.

Download

Material Safety Date Sheet (MSDS)

IAQ 6000

Effectively Killing Mold in Drywall is Virtually Impossible

 

The difficulty isn't necessarily that the surface mold can't be killed, but that dry wall is too porous to effectively kill the mold that has grown into and through the drywall substrate, thereby presenting a hazard. The safest measure will always be to remove the affected drywall, sometimes even up to two feet in all directions from the actual visible growth.

We Offer Certified Mold Inspection and Remediation

From major mold remediation to simple clean up or just air quality testing we have a long list of satisfied customers in both residential and commercial fields.

 

We will provide you with a professional consultation and an appropriate assessment that suits your specific condition.

In case of microbial growth we can pin-point, identify & eliminate any problem areas in your home or place of work.

We provide you with a detailed report on the type and count of microbial growth to determine the level of toxicity.

 

We submit air or surface samples to a national environmental laboratory specializing in microbial testing and analysis, which provides a detailed report on the type and concentration of microbial growth.

We are experienced in a variety of methods to remediate any problem areas.

 

We operate with integrity and we are dedicated to providing the best service and results for our customers!

Testimonials

Jennifer A.

Ahmad (the owner) and his complete staff were very respectful and understanding of my possible mold situation. His employee were on time, they told me exactly what their plans were for that day, when they were going to lunch, basically excellent communication for the 4 days they were working on my place. They vacuumed and cleaned up the mess as if it didn't even happen. I can't say enough nice things about this company. Highly, highly recommended for any of their work that they do! Great job!

Julie K.

I can't say enough nice things about working with Aames! He was refereed to us because of his expertise in mold remediation (we bought a very old fixer upper). We were so impressed with his professionalism, communication and competitive pricing we ended up using him for all of our flooring too! He took our stained, 80 yr old hardwood floors and made them gorgeous! Helped us pick the perfect stain to complement our historic home and now there is not a flaw in sight! Also did our carpeting on the second floor and it looks beautiful - very high quality and installed perfectly. We had a very complicated job, as we had to make many improvements in only 4 weeks, and Aames worked with our schedule and was very flexible. Having worked with a lot of contractors that don't show up on time, shirk responsibility and are a general disappointment, I so appreciate someone as professional AND affordable as Aames. We will absolutely use him again for future flooring jobs!

Pollutants and Sources of Indoor Air Pollution

 

  • Biological Pollutants/Respirable Particles

         Mold spores, bacteria and viruses, Dust mites, animal dander and pollen

 

  • Household Products: Bleach, Ammonia, Personal Care, Pesticides

 

  • Odorless Gasses: Carbon Monoxide, Radon, Nitrogen Dioxide

 

  • Stoves, Heaters, Fireplaces, and Chimneys, and Second Hand Smoke

 

  • Construction Materials: Lead, Asbestos, Formaldehyde, Pressed Wood Products

        

For A Free Consultation Call Direct Line

(562) 900-2587

Aames Mold Control

3226 E Willow St,

Signal Hill, CA 90755

 

Office: (562) 989-3636

Fax: (562) 989-3641

 

Aamesmoldcontrol@gmail.com

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