Estero, Florida Mold Remediation

Interrupted by the scourge that is Estero mold

Estero, Florida represents everything “old Florida”. Long front porches facing west to view the spectacular sunsets over the horizon, lush fields, and an old-world feel all define Estero. Don’t let your piece of Americana be interrupted by the scourge that is Estero mold. There are many steps to a proper Estero mold assessment and Estero mold remediation, and Estero is no exception to that rule. Estero folklore is full of old wives tales about secret methods to remove the odor and damage caused by humidity-driven Estero mold. Vinegar, Bleach, and aerosol-sprays might curtail the aroma and appearance of the Estero mold damage, but ultimately homeowners that use these methods are just putting perfume on a skunk. The skunk doesn’t go away, and neither does the Estero mold.

Estero’s tropical climate poses a unique threat to healthy indoor air because of its high humidity. Biological growth is common in air-conditioned buildings, where moisture and dust in ventilation systems create ideal conditions for microbial contamination, including Estero mold and bacteria. Changes in building design and operations may increase exposure levels to higher concentrations of a variety of air pollutants. Negative health effects from poor air quality, from allergies to harmful disease, can occur.

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Ten things you can do to prevent Estero mold from growing inside your home

First and foremost; if anything gets wet in your home; dry it out with air movement and dehumidification if necessary. The idea is to draw moisture out of materials like drywall and wood products

Second; maintain your Air conditioning unit. The A/C equipment not only cools but also dehumidifies your home. Put an Estero antimicrobial tab in your A/C drain pan, change the return filters every 30-60 days, keep the drain lines clear with a shop vacuum and keep the cooling coils and compressor coils clean.

Third; Vent your attic space and check the A/C ducting for cold air leaks. Cold air in a hot attic causes condensation and can wet you insulation and the back of your drywall ceilings.

Fourth; Calk and seal all wall penetrations to prevent warm moist air from contacting the cool dry air in your home. Condensation again.

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The new Estero Regulation

The new Estero Regulation of Professions and Miscellaneous Professions and Occupations of 2008 went into effect on July 1st 2010.

Chapter 468 of this statute “Miscellaneous and Occupations” regulates 16 occupations and professions. Among these are: Part XV: Estero Home inspectors
And Part XVI: Estero Mold Related Services.

Chapter 469 regulates Estero Asbestos Abatement.

Chapter 489 regulates Contracting. Part I: Estero Construction Contracting and Part II: Electrical and Alarm System Contracting.

Chapter 468 states “That it is necessary in the interest of the public safety and welfare, to prevent damage to real and personal property, to avert economic injury to the residents of the state, and to regulate persons and companies that hold themselves out to the public as qualified to perform Estero mold-related services.

1. The following persons are not required to comply with any provisions of this part relating to Estero mold assessment.
(a) A residential property owner who performs Estero mold assessment on his or her own property. (b) A person who performs Estero mold assessment on property owned, leased or operated by the person or their employer unless that person is in the business of Estero mold assessment to the public. (c) An employee of a Estero mold assessor while directly supervised by a Estero mold assessor. (d) Persons or organizations acting within the scope of the respective licenses require under Part XV of this chapter on behalf of an insured who hold themselves out for hire to the public as a Professional Estero Mold Assessor. (e) An authorized employee who is conducting Estero mold assessment within the scope of their employment as long as that employee does not hold out for hire to the general public.

2. The following persons are not required to comply with any provisions of this part relating to Estero mold remediation
(a) A residential property owner who performs Estero mold remediation on his or her own property (b) A person who performs mold assessment on property owned, leased or operated by the person or their employer unless that person is in the business of Estero mold remediation to the public. (c) An employee of a Estero mold assessor while directly supervised by a mold remediator. (d) Persons or organizations acting within the scope of the respective licenses require under Part XV of this chapter on behalf of an insured who hold themselves out for hire to the public as a Professional Estero Mold remediator. (e) An authorized employee who is conducting mold assessment within the scope of their employment as long as that employee does not hold out for hire to the general public.

Terms:

Estero Mold: An organism of the class Fungi that causes disintegration of organic matter and produces spores, and includes any spores, hyphae, and mycotoxins produced by Estero mold.

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Living with Estero mold – Estero Allergy Issues

People with allergies and Estero mold sensitivity have a difficult time during allergy season but even in the winter months the symptoms can linger. Sometimes the source of the allergic reaction can be inside their personal living space.

Estero Mold spores are in the outdoor air all the time and just coming and going, in and out, of our own Estero homes lets outdoor air and Estero mold spores inside. When a Estero mold spore lands on a food source, such as drywall or wood, and has sufficient moisture it will begin to grow on that surface. Once the Estero mold spore grows into a colony and reproduces, the source of the Estero mold spores and related allergen are now inside your home.

Estero Mold has been linked to many health conditions. Some of these are well-documented. Others are still unproven. Most everyone has some of the symptoms attributed to Estero mold some of the time.

Several state government agencies list conditions that can be caused or made worse by Estero mold exposure. Some experts say more research is needed before it can be determined if some of the conditions listed below are linked to Estero mold.

Conditions attributed to Estero mold include:

- Allergy to Estero mold – Estero Mold allergy has been well documented. We test for it in our office, as do most allergists. Symptoms can include runny nose, itchy eyes, wheezing, and skin rashes. Allergic fungal sinusitis is also a form of mold allergy.

- Infections - Usually infection from Estero mold occurs only in persons on chemotherapy or with diseases which may make them more susceptible to infection. Skin, eyes, and lungs are often affected. Aspergillis is the most notable fungus to cause infection (aspergillosis), but others have been associated with infections also.

- Irritation of the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory system.

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Estero Molds reproduce by launching very tiny mold spores into the air

Estero Molds reproduce by launching very tiny mold spores (seeds) into the air. Estero Mold spores can be as small as .05 microns and they are very aerodynamic. Normal

breezes and air movement keep spore in the air for long periods of time. But… when the Estero mold spores land on a damp spot or wet material indoors they may begin to grow. Southwest

Florida Mold’s favorite foods are wood and paper. Our home have lots of wood, in structural, furnishings and trim materials; and paper as the covering on drywall and wall paper. So when Southwest

Florida mold begins to grow on wood product surfaces in our homes it is literally eating and digesting these materials.

When moisture or high humidity exists in a home, particularly if the problem is undiscovered or not addressed, Estero mold growth can occur.

There is no practical way to keep Estero mold spores from entering your home. Every time you open a door or window spores blow in to your home. The only way to prevent and control

Central Florida mold growth from occurring in your indoor environment is to control the humidity in your indoor air.

The process of cooling your home with an air conditioning unit will normally keep the humidity in your home below 55%. Also air movement from the A/C unit and ceiling fans will help to discourage

Estero mold spores from landing and will create evaporation of surface moisture. You can also keep moisture out of your home by caulking any cracks and places where moist outside air

might leak inside and bring higher humidity and condensation. Keep you’re A/C evaporator drain line clear to prevent drain pan leaks on your ceilings. Have you’re A/C technician check your supply

ducts, especially flex duct, for small air leaks. This cool air will cause condensation when it contacts the warm moist air in your attic space. This may cause moisture to wet the back of your

ceiling drywall. Replace worn sweeps on exterior doors to prevent warm moist air from entering. Inspect the weep holes in your windows to insure that rain water can drain to the outside. Insulate

any piping exposed to the inside environment (toilets and under sinks) to prevent condensation. Be sure your dryer and bath exhaust fans are vented to the outside. Not to the attic space.

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It is a seller’s responsibility to disclose problems with a home at the time of sale. For a Estero mold problem you must have documentation that the Estero mold growth was properly

and completely removed. This documentation can be a paid invoice from a certified Estero Mold Remediation Company detailing the protocol or methods used to remove the mold problem or Air testing results from a certified Air Quality laboratory.

When you have Estero mold growth in your home a professional Estero Mold Remediation and Water Damage Restoration Company should be hired to:

1. Determine where the water entered your home that caused the Estero mold growth. Make sure the source of the intrusion is fixed and that the materials that were wet are now dry. If not then to dry them.

2. Through inspection and testing determine the extent of the Estero mold growth and what areas are affected and not affected. Protect any non affected areas with containment and negative air flow.

3. Remove all Estero mold affected materials while protecting the occupants of the home, the workers and the home owner’s possessions.

4. Clean and sanitize affected surfaces following IICRC S520 guidelines and methods.

If the Estero mold growth is extensive there is a possibility that mold spores are air borne and that the A/C system and ducting may be affected. In this situation air testing is recommended to determine the type of Estero mold and the spore count in the air as compared to the spore count in the outside air and the air in non affected.
 

The process of Estero mold remediation includes:

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There are always Estero mold spores everywhere

There are always Estero mold spores everywhere - in the air and on surfaces. Estero Molds have been on the Earth for millions of years. Estero Mold grows anywhere there is suficient moisture. The key to keeping Estero mold from growing inside your home is to control the humidity in the air and keep surfaces dry. Always run your bathroom exhaust fan while and after showering. Maintain your air conditioning unit and promote air movement. Be sure that air can move behind furnishings. Do not place furniture in direct contact with walls. Run ceiling fans on low. Open closet doors and dresser drawers in unused bedrooms. If you have a flood, clean it up and dry it out completely and thoroughly immediately.

Exposure to damp and Estero moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Some people are sensitive to Estero molds. For these people, Estero molds can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or, in some cases, skin irritation. People with Estero mold allergies may have more severe reactions. Immune-compromised people and people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may get serious infections in their lungs when they are exposed to Estero mold. These people should stay away from areas that are likely to have mold, such as compost piles, cut grass, and wooded areas.

Estero Mold is found both indoors and outdoors. Estero Mold spores can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents, and heating and air conditioning systems. Estero Mold spores are in the air outside can also attach itself to clothing, shoes, bags, and pets can and be carried indoors. Estero Mold spores can be a small as .5 microns and are difficult to filter form the air. A HEPA rated vacuum will capture most settled Estero mold spores from horizontal surfaces.

Estero Mold will grow in places with a continuous or repeated source of moisture, such as around leaks in roofs, windows, or leaking or sweating pipes, or where there has been flooding that has not been dried quickly or completely. Estero Mold grows well on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Estero Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery.

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Estero mold growing on the ceiling in the laundry room

A home owner in your town recently asked me why he cannot just paint over our cut out and throw away a 2X2 foot spot of Estero mold growing on the ceiling in the laundry room. The mold was caused by an overflow from his A/C condensation pan under the air handler in the attic space.

The answer has several parts but first taking action to prevent a reoccurrence is paramount. The A/C drain pan probably overflowed because the drain line was clogged or obstructed. The A/C condensate pan is like a culture dish in your attic. Estero Mold spores are present in the air almost all the time. All they need to grow is water and a food material. The A/C condensate pan is wet most of the time. Any biological material that falls into the pan will supply the food and grow a slime Estero mold. This slime mold clumps up and blocks the drain line and when enough water backs up into the pan it overflows onto the insulation below and eventually onto the back of your drywall which is your ceiling below. There are two important actions you can take to prevent future overflows and subsequent water and mold damage.

1. Ask your A/C service technician to put an antimicrobial tablet into the A/C condensate drain pan. This tablet will discourage Estero mold growth and help to keep the drain line clear.

2.Attach a wet/dry vacuum to the drain line outside your home where it drains onto the ground. It is a PVC pipe with a “P” trap bend on the end. Do this quarterly and you will most likely never have a blockage again.

First: Why can’t I paint the Estero mold spot with kilz paint and just cover it over? Kilz does not kill, it just covers. The Estero mold will continue to grow in and on the back of the drywall, on the studs or roof trusses and on the plywood decking in the attic space and on the paper backing of the insulation. Appling a sealer to drywall will also slow the drying process and the Estero mold will stay viable longer. Any further wetting or high humidity will jump start the Estero mold growth and it will spread to adjacent building materials.

Second: The affected drywall must be cut out bagged and thrown away. Not just the visible growth but 2 feet beyond the visible. The wet insulation in the attic should be thrown away. The drywall should be cut inside containment with negative pressure. In plain language, a sheet of 6 mil poly is set up to isolate the growth area from the rest of the home space. Ideally, an air scrubber, a unit that filters the air through a HEPA filter, is attached to the containment. This draws a negative pressure inside the containment and does not allow air from inside to escape. The drywall is carefully cut with a utility knife followed by a hand held HEPA vacuum to prevent Estero mold spore from becoming airborne. Any affected materials, drywall and insulation, must be bagged inside containment and thrown away outside the home.

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Musty smell when he was putting holiday decorations away

A condominium owner in Estero Florida noticed a musty smell when he was putting holiday decorations away in a hall closet. He sprayed some Lysol in the closet and manually turned on the Air conditioning to get rid of the smell. The next weekend he decided to change the air conditioning filters and noticed that something was growing on the dust on the filter. So he decided to look around and found that the guest bedroom, near the hall closet, had Estero Florida mold growing on the wall below and to either side of the window. He called his association’s management company and they recommended a trusted Estero Florida water damage and mold remediation company. Further investigation by the Estero Florida mold remediation company found that the irrigation sprinkler head outside the guest bedroom window was mis-directed and had been spraying water on the stucco wall for months. This water had infiltrated the bedroom wall and wet the paper on the back of the drywall in the bedroom allowing Estero Florida mold to grow. Because the homeowners rarely went into the guest bedroom they did not notice until the musty odor alerted them.

The Estero Florida mold remediation company inspector also noticed the beginnings of surface mold growth in the master bath on the wall and under the sink in the kitchen. Could these three occurrences of Estero Florida mold growth be connected?

The Estero Florida mold remediation company inspector explained that when mold begins to grow inside your home because of a water intrusion it produces mold spores that are released into your indoor air. The return air register in the bedroom transported the Estero Florida mold spores through the Air Conditioning system to the rest of the home. The Estero Florida mold spores settled out of the air and landed on many surfaces. Surfaces that were wet and had a food source supplied the necessary ingredients to allow the mold spores to grow into a mold colony.

The master bathroom had a high humidity level every time the owners used the shower. Even though the Master bath dried out after each shower use the Estero Florida mold spores had enough moisture to begin to grow, not in the wall but on the surface. And each time the humidity went up the growth continued.

The kitchen sink area got wet every day and was wiped dry. The problem occurred because the cold water supply line to the sink fixture had a slight drip. This drip wet the cabinet floor. The cabinet is made of wood which is a food sources for mold.

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Estero Mold spores can easily be breathed into the lungs

Estero Mold spores can easily be breathed into the lungs. Exposure to mold can cause cold-like symptoms and can trigger asthma attacks. It is not safe to live in a Estero home with high levels of mold in the air. Lengthy or repeated exposure to high levels of mold can also be harmful to health and may cause development of an allergy to mold. Allergic reaction to mold spores can occur even when the Estero mold is dead. Estero Mold must be removed to be safe.

Exposure to Estero mold should be minimized for all people but especially children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with respiratory problems. If you can smell a musty odor or see mold you should have a Estero Mold Professional assess the problem and propose removal and cleaning of surfaces and the air to prevent risk to your health.

Estero Mold grows on organic matter. It will grow on paper, dirt, wood and soap scum. Estero Mold likes wet materials and must have moisture to grow but high humidity alone is enough to support mold growth. Any flooded area that is not quickly and properly dried is likely to have mold growth. Interior and exterior walls need air circulation inside the wall to completely dry the structural materials. Any area that is stained from water should be examined for Estero mold growth. Peeling or bubbles in paint may also be an indication of wet walls.

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