Mold is around us all the time, in fact you are surrounded by it every time you walk outside in Sarasota FL. The problem is when it grows in confined spaces such as our homes and businesses our bodies can’t always cope. This really becomes a problem when people have immune issues such as COPD, emphysema, cancer, and the HIV virus. Just because you don’t have one of these doesn’t mean you won’t be affected by the close proximities of mold growth. The most susceptible people to mold are the very young and the elderly. In many cases you don’t even know you have excessive amounts of mold in your home or office. It can start with as little as a drip from a pipe in your wall, bathroom, or even under the slab of your home in Sarasota. When water pools for an extended period of time it allows bacteria, mold, and other fungi to grow.
One case of this was a customer that called us out because her kitchen sink had busted a pipe and flooded her cabinets. We arrived an hour after she called but soon figured out this hadn’t just happened, it had been going on for a long time. It was only when the pipe completely busted that she thought she had a real problem. It turns out she was right, her kitchen was ruined and would need to be replaced. Water had completely dilapidated one of the bottoms of her cabinets over time.
It’s not surprising that she didn’t see it, as it was behind her lazy Susan. Water follows the path of least resistance and said cabinet was in the lowest corner of the kitchen. We only found it because the all of the cabinets needed to be demolished. When all of her cabinets were removed we found that the walls around the entire area were covered in mold growth. To our credit we had already contained the area with plastic walls so it was isolated to the kitchen. After removing the drywall, treating the area with anti-microbial solutions, drying the wall studs using dehumidifiers, and scrubbing the air for spores we had an air quality test done. We were proud when our test came back with a zero spore count. A week later she called to tell us how much better she was breathing and that for the first time in years she went for a bike ride.
Remember we are surrounded by mold all the time and the process of getting rid of all of it in a confined space is a science and in some cases art. ServiceMaster SRQ will use experience, knowledge, science, art, and sheer determination to get your home back to the way it should be. Call us day or night 941 377-2455.