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.

**

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

Photo: june66, pixabay.com

 

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.

**

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

Photo: markusspike, pixabay

Five Ways to Identify and Eliminate Home and Business Odors

It’s the annual summer vacation season in North Carolina, and it has featured a very warm, humid, tropical, and rainy weather pattern across the Triangle in 2016. Some Triangle residents who headed out of town for a week or two came back to unpleasant issues when they returned from a great vacation. Walking in the door and noticing a musty or stinky smell. With all the moisture present in the air and falling from the sky in the form of heavy rains, unfortunate situations can arise for mold, sewage, and other moisture-enabled problems. When emergencies happen, something must be done quickly to find the source of the problem and eliminate it. Moisture is usually the main factor in the Triangle summer.

AdvantaClean of Cary/Apex offers five very important ways to effectively identify and eliminate indoor odors:

• The first step to eliminating odors is to find the source: The key factor isn’t just finding where the odor source is located, but what is enabling it to flourish and grow.  Sewage odors can enter a building when plumbing traps, or the deep bends underneath sink drains, become empty with lack of normal use. Most other odors are activated by moisture from a variety of causes.
• Mold is a common source or odors in North Carolina buildings: The essential ingredients for mold growth are present in nearly all buildings, in the building materials and furnishings. The missing ingredient is almost always moisture. Add enough moisture from the air, roof leaks, and plumbing leaks; and mold can multiply and spread, bringing a musty smell that lingers.
• Check the HVAC system for unusual smells or moisture intrusion: The HVAC system itself may be the source of odors due to moisture intrusion, malfunction of the drainage system for air conditioning, or just lack of cleaning and maintenance. Also, the air ducts may have accumulated mold, dust, chemical residues, or other matter over a period of time and could be spreading an odor.
• Don’t put off taking care of the problem: Mold growth and odors tend to get worse with time if not effectively eliminated, and tend to spread to other parts of a structure. Some common causes are humidity, plumbing leaks, roofing, siding, window leaks, and lack of ventilation with fresh air from outdoors. Fix these issues without delay or the problem will get worse.
• Seek the services of AdvantaClean of Cary/ Apex if the odor and moisture are not dissipating: We are always available to help home and business owners with odor and mold remediation. AdvantaClean is qualified to do the job.

AdvantaClean of Cary/Apex is the best qualified professionals when it comes to helping home and business owners with odors and anything involving mold. Our certified mold specialists utilize laboratories to properly identify mold problems and recommend the right remediation plan. AdvantaClean of Cary/ Apex is IICRC certified for mold remediation and we use HEPA vacuums to prevent mold spores from spreading. We are also certified by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) to perform qualified, expert inspection and cleaning of air ducts should the HVAC system be a source of water and odors.

**

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

Photo: patpitchaya, freedigitalphotos.net