Mold Safety in Central Honolulu: Protecting Your Home and Health

10/4/2023 (Permalink)

Mold on white leather couch in Central Honolulu.

Given our tropical climate, mold is a problem that many Central Honolulu residences frequently encounter. While mold growth could initially seem unproblematic, if left unattended it can pose serious health hazards and harm to your property. 

We at SERVPRO® of Central Honolulu are committed to assisting you in maintaining a safe and healthy living space. We'll give you important mold safety advice in this blog post so you can safeguard your house and well-being.

Determine and Fix Moisture Issues

Since mold prefers moist, humid environments, it's crucial to spot and take care of moisture problems as soon as possible. Leaks, plumbing issues, and inadequate ventilation are typical sources of dampness. Regularly check your home for any indications of water damage, and remedy them right away. By taking preventive measures, mold growth can be stopped in its tracks.

Keep the Humidity Levels Low

Environments with high relative humidity support the growth of mold. To keep track of indoor humidity, make an investment in a humidity meter. The ideal indoor humidity level is lower than 50%. Use a dehumidifier to lower moisture levels and produce an atmosphere that is unsuitable for the formation of mold if you observe an increase in humidity.

Maintain Good Ventilation in Your House

In order to lower interior humidity levels and make conditions less suitable for the growth of mold, proper ventilation is essential. Make sure your home has enough ventilation in damp areas like basements, kitchens, and bathrooms. To promote air circulation, think about turning on exhaust fans and opening windows, especially after cooking or taking a shower.

Quickly Clean and Dry Spills and Floods

Accidents can happen, as well as spills or floods. When they occur, the afflicted area needs to be cleaned and dried as soon as possible. In the correct circumstances, mold can start to grow in as little as 24 to 48 hours. To fasten drying, use fans, dehumidifiers, and absorbent materials.

Cleanup After Mold Properly

It's critical to treat mold in your house in a safe and efficient manner if you find it there. Because it can spread spores into the air, don't touch or disturb the mold. Instead, to safely remove and cure the mold issue, call a professional mold remediation company like SERVPRO of Central Honolulu.

Keeping your Central Honolulu homes safe from mold should be your first priority. You can safeguard the health of your family and your home by adhering to these mold safety recommendations. 

If your home or business has a mold problem, we can inspect and assess your property and use our specialized training, equipment, and expertise to remediate your mold infestation.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – (808) 744-2730

Mold Growth behind cabinets.

1/19/2022 (Permalink)

Mold growth behind cabinets in a Kitchen

"Mold is not something to mess around with."

Microscopic mold spores naturally occur almost everywhere, both outdoors and indoors, especially in Hawaii. This makes it impossible to remove all mold from a home or business without a professional. Therefore, mold remediation reduces the mold spore count back to its natural or baseline level. Some restoration businesses advertise “mold removal” and even guarantee to remove all mold, which is a fallacy. Consider the following mold facts:

• Mold is present almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors.
• Mold spores are microscopic and float along in the air and may enter your home through windows, doors, or AC/heating systems or even hitch a ride indoors on your clothing or a pet.
• Mold spores thrive on moisture. Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water. These colonies may produce health effects.
• Before mold remediation can begin, any sources of water or moisture must be addressed. Otherwise, the mold may return.
• Mold often produces a strong, musty odor and can lead you to possible mold problem areas.
• Even higher-than-normal indoor humidity can support mold growth. Keep indoor humidity below 45 percent.

This home in Kailua had a leak from the upstairs into the Kitchen a different company fixed the leak and then the home sat for almost 1 year. By the time we showed up and removed the cabinets there was mold present and we had to further mitigate.

If your home or business has a mold problem, we can inspect and assess your property and use our specialized training, equipment, and expertise to remediate your mold infestation.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – (808) 395-9545

Hidden Mold

12/9/2020 (Permalink)

Wet ceiling collapses leaving mold-ridden backing of the wallpaper

There are instances where microbial growth can be hidden. Especially here in Hawaii. The climate on the island is a perfect petri dish for microbial growth to grow quickly. The humidity and consistent temperature provide a perfect incubation environment for spores to root and grow. In this picture, you can see the backside of wallpaper. The wallpaper backing is full of adhesive which is a perfect food source for mold. The wallpaper itself acts as a moisture barrier trapping the humidity between the wall and the open-air space. This is a prime example of how growth can go undetected for extended periods of time. When considering cutting into a wall with wallpaper or removing the wallpaper to freshen up the look of a room, always consider the possibility of growth on the backside.  If growth is found, don't hesitate to call the professionals at SERVPRO immediately to reduce cross-contamination. The professionals at SERVPRO will set up mitigate the mold by setting containment which will stop the mold spores from spreading through the property making the renovation safer for all.

In Oahu, mold can spread through a home in as little as 48 hours.

7/1/2019 (Permalink)

Microscopic mold spores naturally occur almost everywhere, both outdoors and indoors. This makes it impossible to remove all mold from a home or business. Therefore, mold remediation reduces the mold spore count back to its natural or baseline level. Some restoration businesses advertise “mold removal” and even guarantee to remove all mold, which is a fallacy. Consider the following mold facts:

• Mold is present almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors.
• Mold spores are microscopic and float along in the air and may enter your home through windows, doors, or AC/heating systems or even hitch a ride indoors on your clothing or a pet.
• Mold spores thrive on moisture. Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water. These colonies may produce allergens and irritants.
• Before mold remediation can begin, any sources of water or moisture must be addressed. Otherwise, the mold may return.
• Mold often produces a strong, musty odor and can lead you to possible mold problem areas.
• Even higher-than-normal indoor humidity can support mold growth. Keep indoor humidity below 45 percent.

This Rental property had a slow leak in a drain line, when the plumber came to fix the leak, he opened up the drywall to access the pipe and found mold. The owner then contacted us to assess the damage. We found the mold had spread throughout the guest bathroom, living room, and master bathroom. We removed and abated all affected materials, and restored the property to preloss condition.

If your home or business has a mold problem, we can inspect and assess your property and use our specialized training, equipment, and expertise to remediate your mold infestation.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today – (808) 744-2730

Mold behind cabinets

5/1/2019 (Permalink)

Hidden mold found behind cabinets

This moldy wall was discovered after kitchen cabinets were removed. A leaky gasket on a dishwasher or a small crack in the ice maker line can slowly damage the walls or the floors of your home in hidden areas. It's these types of slow leaks that we see leading to mold damage quite regularly. Our technicians are trained to properly find all wet areas of your property, even the areas that are not yet visible, such as in wall cavities or behind cabinets. The faster we can get to the water damage the less likely the chances are that the water damage will turn into mold damage.