4 Leading Causes of Mold in the North Carolina Winter

Mold is a chronic problem that can arrive any time of year in Triangle homes and businesses. Mold is a serious issue in the North Carolina winter when moisture grows and flourishes. It can be 20 degrees one day and 70 degrees the next. Cold season roof leaks can allow water to get into attics, ceilings, and inside walls, and can often go unnoticed for a long time. The recent cold and snowy Triangle weather may have caused an abnormal accumulation of ice on the roof, resulting in water intrusion from melting. Also in winter and during extremely cold weather, any drain or water supply pipes that are susceptible to freezing can crack and leak; this can happen slowly and go undetected inside walls and ceilings. The bottom line is moisture intrusion or excessive humidity into a building can easily turn into a mold problem. When that happens, a qualified member of the AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex team is often needed.

Here are the four leading causes of mold problems during a North Carolina winter:

• Undetected roof leaks can create moisture: These leaks can occur during wet and cold weather; melting snow can easily go through the roof instead of draining away. This situation usually occurs near the edge of the roof. When this happens, water can get inside walls. Check the attic at least once a week for signs of moisture, and look for stains on walls and ceilings. Early detection of moisture can often prevent a mold problem.
• Frozen pipes can thaw quickly and leak slowly: Triangle and Central Carolina winters are often very unpredictable. It could be below freezing one day and 70 degrees the next. Most leaks may not be sudden or obvious. Those leaks can be hairline cracks as well, leaking slowly where the potential for mold growth is high. The appearance of water stains on drywall can provide clues of a problem, but these sources of moisture are often very difficult to detect. The best mold prevention is to ensure the indoor temperature is 55 degrees or higher, and that pipes are insulated.
• Condensation can occur on colder surfaces exposed to warmer indoor air: This condition can happen in unexpected areas, such as underneath carpeting on a cold floor. Condensation can also occur on the back side of drywall, wallpaper, paneling or other wall coverings, especially during the cooler weather. If these areas stay moist, mold will often develop on the surface. In many cases, there will be little or no staining or other evidence of a problem until a smell is noticed. The best prevention is air circulation and proper wall insulation.
• Plumbing connections to appliances can be a problem: Rubber, plastic, and other flexible hoses that connect washers, dishwashers, refrigerators, and other appliances to water supply plumbing are well-known areas of possible moisture any time of year. Any area near the leak can eventually accumulate excessive moisture to create mold. Periodic inspection of these connections and replacement of the flexible hoses are the best preventions.

AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex is the contractor of choice in the Triangle when it comes to correctly assessing, cleaning up a mold problem, and helping home and business owners prevent mold. Think of us as the local mold specialists. We utilize a network of laboratories and testing partners to identify mold problems, and use specialized equipment with highly trained people to do the job right and keep mold from growing and spreading.

Call us today with any mold problems; from the Southwest Wake County to Lillington to Fayetteville and beyond, we will be there when the need arises.

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AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary and Apex is your environmental specialist in Wake and Johnston Counties. Our team of certified professionals is ready to address all your service needs.

Your air quality and restoration specialists in the Triangle!

Call 919 434 7249

AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex

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5 Critical North Carolina Winter Indoor Moisture Problems

Excessive indoor moisture and humidity are well-known problems North Carolina and throughout the Southeast summer. Lack of ventilation and the constant use of air conditioning between June and October enable very humid air to become trapped indoors; this can create mold growth and other problems. However, it is important to note that high indoor humidity and moisture levels can cause even more problems during winter. Condensation can occur on cold surfaces; walls, windows, and doors that are cooled by cold outdoor air as well. If the moisture is not corrected, this can eventually cause structural damage and poor indoor air quality. It’s important for Triangle home and business owners to know about moisture and all the problems it can cause, as well as how to get indoor moisture issues fixed.

AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex offers important advice on five very common indoor moisture problems during North Carolina’s winter months:

• Condensation on windows, exterior-facing doors, and walls: Moisture occurs when warm air comes into contact with cold surfaces inside a building. Poorly insulated windows, doors, and walls are common sources. Condensation causes water to accumulate in these areas and enable mold to grow, or if undetected or not corrected over a period of time, causes important building structural components to deteriorate.
• Mold growth in moist areas: The essential ingredients for mold growth are present in most indoor environments, as mold microbes are everywhere. They only need a food source and moisture to flourish. The food source, in the form of wood products and other cellulose-rich building materials such as drywall and furniture are abundant, and moisture is often the only missing ingredient. Remember, moisture accumulates indoors and mold can grow.
• Dust mites and insects thrive in elevated humidity levels: Dust mites are known to cause allergy and asthma symptoms for many people in homes and businesses. Even if mold isn’t present within an overly humid environment, dust mites will be plentiful enough to significantly reduce indoor air quality. And the problems become more serious when mold is present.
• Crawl space enclosures and dehumidifiers: Crawl spaces can be a source of excessive indoor moisture during winter months if the ground is moist. This moisture continuously evaporates and enters the indoor air, and mold can grow if the air is warm.  AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex can detect and resolve crawl space moisture problems with encapsulations. If the problem is not so severe, running a dehumidifier may be a solution.
• The key fact to solving indoor moisture problems: Moisture sources should be identified and controlled, and relative humidity levels should be maintained in the 40 to 60 percent range. Some common moisture sources are condensation, slow plumbing leaks, poorly ventilated bathrooms, damp crawl spaces, attics, and indoor activities such as cooking.

AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex specializes in helping home and business owners improve their indoor air quality, test, remediate and eliminate mold, and encapsulate crawl spaces. We offer the best available expertise certified by multiple standards-setting organizations. Add to this the best equipment and customer service available in the Triangle, and there’s no reason not to call now to solve building moisture and indoor air quality issues.

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May you and yours have the most joyous of Christmas Seasons and Happy New Year!

AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary and Apex is the regional environmental specialist in Wake and Johnston Counties. Our team of certified professionals is ready to address all regional service needs, from the Triangle to Sanford to Lillington to Faywetteville.

We are the air quality and restoration specialists in the Triangle!

Call 919 434 7249

AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/Apex

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4 Reasons Why AdvantaClean Environmental of Cary/ Apex is Certified in Restoration

Dealing with situations like fire damage, water damage, mold, and odors is unpleasant for any Triangle home or business owner. All of these serious problems require the involvement of expert help to recover and get back to normal. If cleanup and remediation is not done correctly, there will be lingering effects such as odors and structural damage, reducing the value and usability of the property. Therefore, it’s essential to hire a remediation contractor that is certified and qualified to handle the job. Fortunately, Triangle residents and their insurance companies can call AdvantaClean of Cary/Apex, a Triangle, NC cleaning and restoration contractor that is certified and trained by multiple standards-setting organizations.

AdvantaClean of Cary/Apex offers these four reasons why certifications are important:

• Certification means the best equipment and people: AdvantaClean has the knowledge, tools, and experience to handle tough jobs like mold remediation and sewage cleanup. An effective cleanup will prevent further harm to buildings and protect the health and safety of occupants. Our people are well-trained to make sure every outcome is the best achievable.
• AdvantaClean offers certification training and information: We continue to be involved with   research and testing and the continual promote of best practices. That information is shared with employees which helps us do the best job possible when it comes to our cleanup and restoration work. That’s good news for our customers.
• Certifications are important if an insurance claim is involved: Insurance companies are wary of price gouging, incompetence, and fraud, all of which are too common in our business. AdvantaClean is a contractor that can be trusted by both affected building owners and insurance companies. We work together in good faith and enable the claims process to go as smoothly as possible.
• Our certification helps prevent future remediation issues: When we’re in the process of cleaning up water, fire, smoke damage or mold, we look for any potential future problems that could arise out of the current situation. Even though restoration is our business, we would prefer that property owners not have a repetitive issue.  Our aim is to work with clients and permanently solve the problem.

AdvantaClean of Cary/Apex is certified in several areas by multiple organizations. These include: National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), EPA Lead Safe Certified Firm, Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC), Mold Inspection Consulting and Remediation Organization (MICRO), among others. We also provide excellent customer service, which makes AdvantaClean of Cary/Apex the best option in the Triangle for home and business owners with cleaning and restoration needs. Call us whenever a certified contractor is important.

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AdvantaClean of Cary and Apex is your environmental specialist in Wake and Johnston Counties. Our team of certified professionals is ready to address all your service needs.

Your air quality and restoration specialists

Call 919 434 7249

AdvantaClean

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5 Important Tips for Efficient Air Conditioning

July is usually the hottest month of the year in the Triangle, and that means air conditioning systems in homes and businesses are working extra hard to keep the indoors cool. It’s important from both a reliability and cost perspective to keep a building’s HVAC system operating at the peak efficiency. Since roughly 10 percent of all household energy use in North Carolina is air conditioning, it makes sense to keep HVAC systems running as smoothly as possible. There are a few simple tips home and business owners can do, in addition to having HVAC systems checked out by a trained and qualified technician once a year. AdvantaClean of Cary / Apex also offers a few services to help maintain HVAC system efficiency.

AdvantaClean of Cary/Apex offers five important tips for efficient air conditioning system operation:

• Replace the filters: Every HVAC system has filters that remove dust, debris, and small particles from the air flowing through the system. Over time, the filters become full of dust and particles, and air flow through them becomes restricted, making the HVAC system work harder. Changing filters at the proper interval, which varies by type of filter, prevents this from happening.
• Keep the air ducts clean: Large volumes air move through an HVAC system, whether heating or cooling is underway. While every system has a filter to trap dust and particles, a significant amount still accumulates in the air ducts. AdvantaClean is certified by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) to clean HVAC air ducts to maintain HVAC operating efficiency.
• Minimize internal sources of heat: Certain activities such as running the clothes dryer or turning the oven on can generate large amounts of heat, causing the air conditioning system to work harder; this is very important during hours of peak outdoor heat. Limiting these activities to morning and evening hours will reduce the peak cooling load on the AC system, reducing energy use.
• Keep the air conditioner evaporator coils clean: These coils are located in the air handler or blower unit, typically located in the attic. They cool the air and can also accumulate dust and debris over time, reducing their efficiency. AdvantaClean performs expert cleaning of residential and commercial air conditioning coils to maximize cooling system efficiency.
• Keep the condenser unit clear from obstructions: This is the outdoor unit that takes heat out of the air conditioning system, or removes heat from the home. It won’t function properly if obstructed by trees, shrubs, or anything else on the sides and top. Remove any obstructions so air can flow freely around the condenser.
  

AdvantaClean of Cary/Apex is a local Triangle company offering an array of services to help home and business owners maintain HVAC efficiency, maintain and improve indoor air quality, and recover from disasters. Along with regular inspection and maintenance from a qualified HVAC technician, our air duct cleaning and air conditioner coil cleaning services contribute to keeping people cool and healthy at home or work.

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AdvantaClean of Cary and Apex is your environmental specialist in Wake and Johnston Counties. Our team of certified professionals is ready to address all your service needs.

Your air quality and restoration specialists

Call 919 434 7249

AdvantaClean

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5 Tips for Improving Summer Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) from AdvantaClean of Cary/ Apex

Summer in the Triangle means almost constant use of air conditioning systems in homes and businesses. Some components within these units can become a possible source for mold and bacteria; each is easily spread when blown into and recirculated through air ducts. To maintain healthy indoor air quality (IAQ) in the Triangle, it’s important that the HVAC system and components be inspected and cleaned about once a year. Any unusual odor, like mustiness, when the air conditioning is running, could be good indicator that something normal. Often it can be the air conditioning cooling (evaporator) coil. In addition, moisture and mold from other sources, such as a plumbing leak; may be getting into the HVAC system. These situations can occur during a hot North Carolina summer, especially in modern tightly-sealed buildings. AdvantaClean of Cary / Apex offers a range of important services to help home and business owners improve and maintain IAQ.

AdvantaClean of Cary/Apex offers five important tips for improving summer indoor air quality:

• Have an annual air conditioner coil cleaning: During normal A/C operation, water condenses from warm air blown over the cool coils in the air handler unit, and is drained to the outdoors. Because moisture is present, mold can develop, especially if the system isn’t draining properly or dust has accumulated. Getting the coils cleaned increases air conditioning efficiency and improves IAQ.
• Test for mold if odors or allergy symptoms persist: Mold may not be visible anywhere in the building, but could be growing in unseen areas or even within the HVAC system. Mold testing and laboratory analysis of collected samples can verify the presence or absence of mold. AdvantaClean is IICRC Certified to perform the testing and remove mold.
• HEPA vacuum cleaners remove fine particles: Conventional vacuum cleaners, especially the common bag design, tend to blow fine particles such as dust mites, pet dander, mold, and their allergens back into the air. HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuum cleaners incorporate the use of filters to eliminate this problem, and their use can thus significantly improve IAQ.
• Common materials and activities can be problematic: Many common floor coverings and furnishings can affect IAQ. These often contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other chemicals, especially when new, and ventilation with outdoor air is necessary. The same applies with many household cleaners, candles, air fresheners, and cooking.
• Keep HVAC air ducts clean: The large volumes of indoor air that move through an HVAC system every day contain dust, microbes, and chemicals. Using good HVAC filters and changing at recommended intervals can help, but ultimately the ducts may still need cleaning. AdvantaClean is certified by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) to perform this work.
  

AdvantaClean of Cary/Apex is the local Triangle firm to call for improving and maintaining indoor air quality in homes and businesses. We are the go-to solution for air duct cleaning, mold testing and remediation, and air conditioner coil cleaning. We offer great customer service and 24/7 availability.

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AdvantaClean of Cary and Apex is your environmental specialist in Wake and Johnston Counties. Our team of certified professionals is ready to address all your service needs.

Your air quality and restoration specialists

Call 919 434 7249

AdvantaClean

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