Professional Restoration Services of Tampa Bay, Inc

Mold Facts

What is Mold?

Molds are microscopic organisms found virtually everywhere, indoors and outdoors. Mold is alive, but it is neither a plant nor an animal. Mold is a type of fungus. It is part of a group of living organisms that are very common and serve an important role in the environment. Penicillin, an antibiotic that has saved many lives, is a type of mold, as is yeast. Mold is formed by microscopic creatures belonging to the Fungi Kingdom. When tiny airborne spores of mold burst, and then land on a favorable surface, they proliferate into visible colonies, and find new favorable surfaces on which to further develop.

How Does Mold Grow?

Mold seeks MOISTURE, WARMTH and FOOD, and all three conditions are necessary for it to grow. Mold is most likely to find a place to grow in a bathroom, basement or kitchen, but it can grow in other rooms if conditions are favorable. The climate where you live and the living habits in your household can affect the ability of mold to grow. Mold spores can thrive and reproduce in wet or damp parts of your home: areas that have had flooding or where leakage has occurred in roofs, pipes or walls, or areas around house plants, especially ones that sometimes are over-watered. In just 48 hours, a moist environment combined with room-temperature conditions and an organic food source can lead to mold growth.

After it gets the food it needs, mold can move to virtually any kind of surface. Mold growth prefers temperatures between 40 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. If a warm enough area in your home is humid or damp and contains items that mold likes to eat, your home could develop a mold problem.

Can Mold Make Me Sick?

Yes, Mold can make you sick. In addition to its unpleasant odor and sight, mold can cause harmful effects to human health that might turn to allergic infections and toxic reactions.

The most common Allergic Effects are:

Nasal congestion and irritation
Mucous membrane irritation
Allergic reactions - Rhinitis and Asthma
Sneezing and coughing
Throat and eye irritation
Difficulty breathing
Asthmatic attacks
Itching and skin stains

How Can Mold Affect You?

Allergy

Allergic reactions are typically the most common health problem. For some people, the "moldy odor" can be irritating to mucous membranes, cause headaches and other symptoms.

Infectious Effects

There are an estimated 100 species of mold known to cause infections in humans. Immune suppressed individuals are especially at risk.

Toxic Effects

Toxicosis: Many types of mold produce toxic metabolites called mycotoxins, which are believed to be most prevalent in spores (both living and dead spores).

Mold toxins studies suggest that toxins may be the cause of:

Pulmonary hemorrhage
Reactions in the immunological system (reducing the ability of the organism to react to diseases)
Neurotoxin effects, such as fatigue, headaches, memory loss, depression, erratic moods, convulsions and shaking
Potential cancer trigger

Black Mold

What is "black mold"? The news media often refer to " black mold" or toxic black mold". It has usually been associated with the mold Stachybotrys chartarum, a type of greenish-black mold commonly associated with heavy water damage. Known health effects are similar to other common molds. It has been inconclusively associated with more severe health effects in some people. While there are only a few molds that are truly black, many can appear black. Not all mold that appears to be black is Stachybotrys.

How do I know if I have a Mold Issue in my Home or Building?

Hire a licensed mold assessor to help determine if you have a mold issue in your property. If the results come back positive for mold, then make sure you use a licensed mold remediation contractor to ensure the problem is taken care of correctly the first time. Inexperienced contractors can make a mold situation worse if the don't know what they are doing.Call PRS today for mold inspection and testing. PRS can take care of all mold remediation services required.

Odor Removal

Hydroxyl Technology

Professional Restoration Services of Tampa Bay, Inc. only uses Odorox hydroxyl generators to completely eliminate odors. The Odorox Hydroxyl generators use a two-part treatment process to eliminate odors, decontaminate surfaces and purify the air.

The processing chamber alone is sufficient to treat the air. As air passes through, it is exposed to multiple wavelengths of UV light. The first segment of the optics produces wavelengths that deodorize the airflow. It will break down chemical vapors, volatile organic compounds and odors as they travel through the chamber. The second segment of the optics produces wavelengths that kill microorganisms and prevents them from multiplying. It will kill bacteria, viruses and mold as they travel through the chamber. As water vapor (H2O) passes through the chamber, it is broken down into a hydrogen atom (H) and a hydroxyl (-OH). The hydroxyl molecules are the key to the second part of the treatment process.

Call PRS of Tampa Bay, and we're sure to save you time, money and a huge headache. We'll get your home and life back to normal - fast. We cover the entire Tampa Bay area.

Odorox hydroxyl generator