Worried About Mold? Get Inspected

One of the wonderful things about living in Prescott is the grand amount of historic and charming older homes that we have in the area.  However, sometimes these come with hidden issues. Have you noticed a new odd or musty smell in your home or office lately?  Or maybe you have seen some dark or black spots showing up in cracks or crevices of your tile or walls.  It may be time to think about scheduling a mold inspection.

Mold can go a lot deeper than the surface of your paint.  That is probably just the beginning.  ServiceMaster of Prescott brings you a few good things to know when it comes to your mold inspection:

• Mold inspections need to be performed by a qualified mold inspector, one with formal training and experience.
• Your mold inspector should look for evidence of past or current mold growth.  This may mean looking deeper into the walls and floors of your home as mold growth, past or present may indicate a water problem which will come back when certain conditions return such as a recurring leak.
• Some mold growth in buildings may be perfectly normal. For example, Ceratosystis and Ophiostoma are two molds that grow on lumber. These molds grow on the sap of wood and stop growing once the wood has dried.
• The mold inspector looks for sources of moisture. Without water or moisture you will not have a mold problem.
• Mold inspections are a subset of investigations called "Indoor Air Quality" (IAQ) investigations.  The question is "What irritants are present in the air causing discomfort to the occupants?" If you are having a mold inspection because you feel ill when you are in a certain building or room, it could be other irritants that may be causing the discomfort; these tests should be included in the investigation.

Some of the common signs of mold may be present already and you just don’t know it.  Here are some things to look for and reason you may need an inspection.

• Itchy eyes, sneezing, runny nose when you walk into a room or building.
• You can verify that a past water problem is no longer an issue.
• To confirm that there is not an existing moisture or mold problem associated with a new building or home that you plan to rent or purchase.

If these are some things that you may be worried about, or if you need to make an appointment for a mold inspection, contact ServiceMaster Prescott today 928-445-9205 or visit: http://www.servicemasterofprescott.com

More Information:
Mold Inspection in Prescott
Prescott Mold Removal
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Hidden Water Damage Information from ServiceMaster of Prescott

Prescott Arizona has a lot to offer, including wonderful seasons that come with some hidden costs. One of these costs can include water damage. Once given a chance due to a freeze, extreme heat or an old broken pipe, water flows anywhere it wants to. This includes the walls and floors of your house. Once it’s loose inside your house, it’s important to be aware of signs of water damage in hidden places. 

ServiceMaster of Prescott brings you these signs of water damage to be aware of:

Distasteful odors. Hidden residual water stagnates and fosters mold and bacterial growth. This will produces a musty, earthy smell that’s a red flag indicating undetected water damage.

Visual signs of mold growth. Airborne mold spores are microscopic and find their way into hidden nooks and crannies in the structure of the home. So does water. When moisture contacts dormant spores, active mold growth begins. If you notice fuzzy discolorations in out-of-the-way spaces, have them evaluated by a ServiceMaster of Prescott technician.

Seeping Stains on walls and ceilings. Water that seeps into wall voids and the space between levels often manifests as a stain or blotch as it slowly saturates the adjacent wall board or ceiling.

Flaking paint. Another symptom of loose water inside wall spaces is peeling paint on the exterior of the wall.  Drywall saturates and causes paint to lose adhesion.

Drooping walls and ceilings. Saturated drywall or ceiling materials become very heavy with the added water weight. Eventually, they begin to deform and buckle. Water-soaked walls and ceilings present a safety hazard if they collapse.

Damaged Floors. Water always seeks the lowest level and seeps under floor coverings like carpet, tile, and vinyl, soaking into the sub floor. Removal of some floor coverings, particularly carpet and padding, may be necessary to effectively dry the area.

For a free visual inspection of water damage or mold growth, contact ServiceMaster of Prescott at (928) 445-9205 and (928) 634-5402 or visit us online at http://www.servicematerprescott.com for more information on water damage you may have.

More Information:
Water damage in Prescott
Prescott Water Restoration
Types of Water Damage