Addressing Hidden Mold Damage Is Essential in Knoxville

3/10/2024 (Permalink)

Finding mold damage in your home is always an unpleasant surprise. Contact SERVPRO 24/7 for certified professionals who are ready to help you.

Call SERVPRO® for All Mold Damage Cleanup Needs

In our daily operations at SERVPRO, we've seen firsthand the importance of addressing not just the visible signs of mold but also the hidden ones. Mold damage, especially the concealed kind, can compromise the integrity of your Knoxville property. We are happy to review why tackling hidden mold is crucial and how we approach this challenge.

Unseen Threats, Unseen Damages

Mold thrives in dark, moist environments, making it a common unseen intruder in many buildings with water damage. While visible mold is a clear signal for action, hidden mold can silently affect the structure and aesthetics of your property. At SERVPRO, our experience underscores several reasons to address this issue:

• Preservation of Property Value: Mold can weaken building materials, leading to costly repairs.
• Maintaining Aesthetic Appeal: Hidden microbial growth can eventually lead to visible signs that detract from your property's appearance.
• Ensuring Structural Integrity: Water damage and mold growth can degrade various building materials, posing risks to the structure's longevity.

Our Approach to Hidden Mold Damage Cleanup

We follow stringent fungal cleanup protocols to ensure comprehensive detection, safe removal, and disinfection. Our techniques include:

• Thorough Inspection and Assessment: Utilizing advanced technology to detect mold in hidden areas.
• Containment and Air Filtration: Preventing the spread of microscopic spores during the cleanup process.
• Removal and Disposal: Safely remove contaminated materials and dispose of them properly.
• Cleaning and Disinfection: Thoroughly clean affected areas and apply antimicrobial treatments to thwart future microbial growth.

Addressing hidden mold damage is a critical step in preserving your property's value, appearance, and structural integrity. At SERVPRO of Rocky Hill/Sequoyah Hills/South Knoxville, we're committed to ensuring your Knoxville property is returned to its pre-mold condition, tackling both visible and invisible threats with our proven cleanup protocols. Remember, the key to mold management is not just removal but also prevention and ongoing vigilance. Call our offices at (865) 862-8907 to mobilize a team.

The Mold Damage Mystery in Knoxville Revealed

1/30/2019 (Permalink)

Mold can appear suddenly and spread quickly throughout your home. Call our certified SERVPRO team to root out the cause and remediate any damage.

Fast and Efficient Mold Remediation for Knoxville Homes

Microbial growth in your Knoxville home can pose significant threats to both the structural integrity of the property and potential health risks for those that occupy the house. We strive to provide immediate assistance to any emergency that affects your home by offering 24/7 support for our communities. Our experienced applied microbial remediation technicians can arrive shortly after you call to assess the damage, set up containment, and remove the existing mold quickly from the damaged areas of your home.

While many homeowners might not consider mold damage in Knoxville to be something that requires quicker or faster service than other disasters, it can damage their home substantially to allow it to grow and spread without incident. Our SERVPRO professionals have effective containment strategies that can prevent the spread of mold spores and the movement of the active organism beyond the affected area. Our goal is to provide efficient service to prevent things from getting worse.

From the moment that our technicians arrive at your home, we begin our assessment of the damage that has already occurred. We can quickly get an idea of the affected surfaces and what must occur to remove the damage and to restore your home entirely after the organism gets eliminated. While you cannot ever rid a home of mold spores entirely, as they are naturally occurring, we can work quickly to remove the active colonization from your home to return it to being a safe place for the occupants of the property.

Removal of the organism can happen in many different ways depending on the severity of the damage and the material that the colony is using. Soda blasting and sanding are among the chief approaches, but if the damage has become too severe to preserve the material reasonably, it is more cost-effective and efficient to remove it entirely and reconstruct these areas later.

Mold can cause serious effects for the property and the family living in it. Give our SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville remediation specialists a call today at (865) 862-8907.

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How Remediation Companies Remove Mold From Your Knoxville Home

10/2/2018 (Permalink)

Mold spores can quickly grow and cause damage. SERVPRO of Knoxville can safely remove the mold from your Knoxville home.

Stopping, Cleaning, And Removing Mold Damage In Knoxville 

Every Knoxville home has mold spores. Each one is smaller than the eye can view unaided, and a clump of hundreds is smaller than a pinhead. Mold spores are usually inert and pose no threat to property or cause health concerns for some people.

Mold damage in a Knoxville home only happens when the spores are in contact with a source of water. SERVPRO teams train to stop mold growth, remove active and inert spores, and repair or replace damaged items.

Technicians trace the mold growth to its origin point to find and eliminate the source of water. With no moisture, spores quickly shrink and return to their usual, inert state. That means no further growth is possible unless the expanding mold finds another source. In most cases, the water comes from a dripping pipe or another plumbing issue. Our restoration teams can quickly repair minor issues such as a cracked connector, but for major plumbing problems, we recommend the homeowner brings in a licensed plumber.

With new growth halted, SERVPRO team members begin removing the mold. They isolate the affected areas by covering entrances and exits with plastic sheeting to prevent spreading the mold spores. Once sealed, technicians set up fans to draw the inside air and any loose spores in the air outside the home. As the air clears, they begin cleaning spores from each surface.

For small amounts of mold, technicians can often wipe surfaces clean with only a dry sponge. For thicker layers of mold, they use a cleaning agent with an anti-microbial agent to break up the growth for easier removal. As team members remove them, they wipe off every surface in the direction of the fans, so spores released into the air move toward the exit.

Mold spores can grow through the surface of some property. If spores penetrated deeply into items like drywall panels, team members remove and dispose of them. Disposal and replacement are cheaper than expending the labor cost to try and remove mold.

At SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville, our goal is to help each homeowner return his residence to its pre-infestation condition. If you can see mold growing along a bathroom ceiling or anywhere else in your home; call us at (865) 862-8907 for assistance. At SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville, our goal is to help each homeowner return his residence to its pre-infestation condition. If you can see mold growing along a bathroom ceiling or anywhere else in your home; call us at (865) 862-8907 for assistance.

Knoxville was once known as "The Marble City."  Learn more fun facts about Knoxville by clicking here.

What Mold Damage Actually Does To Your Knoxville Home

7/26/2018 (Permalink)

While many homeowners are aware of the threat of mold growth in their houses, they do not fully understand what mold can do to the house its itself.

Mold Damage To Your Home

While many Knoxville homeowners are aware of the threat of mold growth in their houses, they do not fully understand what mold can do to the house itself. Many people understand the potential health risks with exposure to colonies but do not fully appreciate the toll that an active colony can have on the structural integrity of your residence. The better you can appreciate this destructive force, the better prepared you are to combat it upon discovery.

The trouble with a general lack of information about mold damage in your Knoxville home is that many homeowners begin to assume that it is not as harmful as they previously believed. Moreover, they are given an idea that basic cleaning methods can remove the present growth and eliminate the problem. However, this is rarely the case.

One of the main things you should know about mold growth is that the colony is constantly feeding. Mold spores seat into organic materials like wood, drywall, and fabrics throughout the affected area of your house. This organism continues to eat at these materials until they rot and fall apart, and the organism continues to move on to new areas to grow and thrive. With enough time spent eroding materials, areas of your home can become unsalvageable to our SERVPRO remediation specialists and require demolition and replacement.

Failure to stop the spread of these active spores throughout your home, as they can easily move through ductwork for your central air system, can lead to widespread concerns for your entire house. Mold found in your ductwork is incredibly intricate to remove and requires specific training and specialized equipment. Our SERVPRO professionals have this specific training and expertise to prevent the further spread of the colony throughout your home and remove the presence that exists.

If you find mold growing in your home, you are better off to call professional remediation services right away. Our SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville applied microbial remediation technicians can respond quickly and help you to remove this threat before it causes much irreparable damage to your home's structural elements. Give us a call anytime at (865) 862-8907.

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Dripping Drains and 100-Year Floods Equally Capable of Causing Mold Damage in Knoxville

7/8/2018 (Permalink)

Finding mold in your home can leave you quite upset and frustrated. Contact SERVPRO to determine the cause of the infestation and to remediate.

Our SERVPRO Technicians are Equipped With Updated Moisture Detection Tools to Find the Cause of the Mold Infestation in Your Home

Knoxville homeowners whose properties sustain one type of damage from a disaster sometimes find themselves faced with other crises soon after. This happens because one disaster often paves the way for another to take its place. Just like damage from water often follows after a fire, microbes gain a long-lasting foothold on homes that have suffered intrusive water in the recent past. Mold can grow easily from condensation on an un-insulated water line or trace moisture left behind by a flood.
 
Because water vapor can easily escape and hide in your home, mold damage in Knoxville can quickly take root. Microbes do not need very much moisture to thrive and can reach into materials like drywall and stucco to obtain any moisture available. This 'mining' for water steadily eats away at these materials and causes them to crumble at the gentlest touch.
 
The technicians at SERVPRO know how to use the latest types of technology to locate moisture in materials before it can damage anything. This same technology keeps mold damage from spreading. When we remediate an area in your home, we check elsewhere that moisture might hide. We also examine the amount of water vapor in the air. Higher than normal levels can assist microbes and increase the possibility of future mold damage.
 
Our use of forced air, ventilation, heat, dehumidifiers, and desiccant machines help extract all of the moisture from hidden areas. Moisture always moves from moister areas to drier ones. SERVPRO technicians use this natural characteristic to efficiently remove all latent moisture from your home's interior, stopping any future old damage. We use our readings from infrared thermography devices to help us locate the sources of the moisture so we can eliminate it from happening again.
 
You can reach SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville by calling us at (865) 862-8907. Our 24-hour service line is always ready to help you prevent and remediate mold damage, protecting your Bearden, Holston Hills, or Lyons View residence.

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Mold Damage Remediation In Knoxville

5/8/2018 (Permalink)

Mold Remediation in Knoxville? Call SERVPRO

Knoxville Homeowners Rely on SERVPRO for Restoration After a Mold Infestation

It is possible for mold to exist inside your Knoxville townhome and nobody even realizes it. Mold spores survive throughout most buildings in places such as heating ducts, carpets, and crawlspaces. When moisture gets introduced to an area inside the townhouse, these mold spores can get activated and cause a fungus to form.
 
It is possible to smell the pungent odor affected materials put off and once it grows it is visible. If you ever notice any sign of a fungus SERVPRO's mold damage technicians in Knoxville can help. As soon as signs of mold are noticed, it is a good idea to begin the remediation process.
 
Since mold can cause health effects, it is vital to remediate the fungal issue before health issues occur. Once fungi form they release microscopic spores into the air for reproduction purposes. These spores become airborne and travel to other areas of the structure, then settle to new locations. If the environment is ideal for mold growth in other areas of the home, then colonies can grow in multiple areas of the building.
 
Since mold spreads so quickly, it is crucial to take measures to prevent spores from traveling through the townhouse. To deter spores from getting into the air, containment chambers in the affected area get implemented. The part of the structure that is already infested with mold gets sealed off with plastic so that the remediation process does not cause spores to get all over.
 
An air scrubber then gets attached to the outside of the containment chamber. The air scrubber provides negative air pressure that sucks up any dust created by the workers and runs it through a HEPA filter before exhausting the air out. The HEPA filter traps spores, pollen, microbial, and dust particles that are 1 micron in size and smaller.
 
After all of the affected materials get removed inside the containment chamber they get put in sealed trash bags and disposed of properly. The area then gets vacuumed with a HEPA vacuum to remove any remaining dust particles. After the area is cleaned, anti-microbial chemicals get sprayed all over the affected region to kill most remaining mold spores. For professional help with remediating a fungi problem, call SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville at (865) 862-8907 24/7.

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Removing Mold in Knoxville Homes

4/8/2018 (Permalink)

Removing mold from an area is a complicated process. Contact SERVPRO, and we will walk you through the entire process.

Mold Remediation is a Process Made Up of Many Steps

Knoxville homeowners and residents usually pay little attention to mold unless it is to cut off a suspicious-looking corner off of a block of cheese. That is the experience most people ever have with mold, even though we all live with it everywhere we go.
 
For the most part, mold spores are dormant and pose no more threat than ordinary house dust. When mold damage does occur in Knoxville homes, SERVPRO is ready with an extensive inventory of chemical agents to stop mold growth, destroy active spores, and return an infested home to its normal condition.
 
The first agents we use are Commercial Disinfectants. They destroy 98 percent of organisms we find on most surfaces in the home. The types of disinfectants we commonly use are phenols, formaldehyde, chlorine, and alcohols.
 
To slow and stop the rate of growth of fungi, we apply Fungistats and Mildewstats. They are especially effective on paper products, textiles such as wool or cotton, and organic materials like leather. A benefit to using them is that they do not stain or otherwise damage surfaces.
 
For quickly reducing mold levels to a safe level, SERVPRO technicians use Sanitizers. These agents are especially useful on mold spores in kitchens and bathrooms, but they need reapplication on a regular basis. If not, mold can quickly start a new colony and spread to other areas of the home.
 
Sporicides also work very well to eliminates mold spores. They are stronger, however, and can pose a health threat in large quantities. To prevent this, we use all sporicides strictly to manufacturer recommendations.
 
A Sterilant is the strongest chemical agent in our inventory. It destroys all microorganisms it comes into contact with, so we handle them with protective gloves, at least, on every task. A common sterilant available commercially is chlorine bleach. The ones we use are more powerful than bleach, which makes them very effective on metal and glass items since the agents kill everything on them, but do not mar the surfaces.
 
Removing mold is not a simple process, but SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville has the tools and the training to use them to get the job done. If you have, or suspect mold is in your home, call us today at (865) 862-8907 to schedule a visit.

Click here for more information on the city of Knoxville.

SERVPRO - Finding Mold Damage in Knoxville

2/23/2018 (Permalink)

You can trust our SERVPRO team to remediate the mold on your residential property "Like it never even happened."

When mold damage strikes your Knoxville home, SERVPRO strikes back. 

Knoxville residents have seen a lot of floods and other water damage this year. Every home affected has different needs when it comes to restoration, and if it is not done quickly enough, many of them also wind up with a mold issue.

Restoring a home in Knoxville after mold damage requires a professional service, just like after a major storm system dropped thousands of gallons of water on and into a home. SERVPRO has the restoration experience to know that mold is just as damaging and costly as other disasters. To deal with it properly, we ask the homeowners a set of questions before we even begin our initial inspection.

“Why do you think you have mold?” – The usual answer is that they can smell it or see it. Not every mold strain gives off the usual musty odor though. Spotting a streak of mold across ceiling tiles or along the floor trim gives us a single location, but not necessarily the point of origin. To get that, our inspector can use an air content meter to trace the mold back to where the spores first expanded.

“Have you had mold problems before?” – If the homeowner answers yes, that gives us our first location to examine. Common areas where mold growth is a recurring threat are places with high humidity and a greater chance of leaks such as attics, basements, bathrooms, and kitchens.

“When did it start?” – This answer helps identify the extent of the growth. It takes more than just a few days for mold to grow into a visible problem. If the homeowner tells us that he just saw mold under a sink, then it is very likely the spores started behind the sink, in another room; possibly even the attic or basement.

The answers to these questions mean that SERVPRO technicians need to remove sink cabinets and probably at least one or two sections of drywall behind them to trace the mold and the leak or another source of water. Depending on how long the mold was growing, cleaning and remediation can take a few days to several weeks.

Locally Owned Company with National Resources

Restoring your home is not a quick process, but asking the right questions can save not just days and weeks, but hundreds of dollars in costs as well. If you have a question or to schedule an inspection, contact SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville at (865) 862-8907 today.

For more on Knoxville, click here. 

Hidden Attic Mold Damage in Knoxville

12/7/2017 (Permalink)

Clogged gutters can lead to water intrusion and mold growth in your home.

Clogged Gutters Can Cause Water and Mold Damage

Gutters and downspouts clogged with leaves and other debris in the autumn lead to the growth of attic mold colonies in Knoxville. Water pools and does not drain, leading to the excess moisture entering your home in areas not often inspected. We are familiar with this phenomenon and have the strategies to remediate the current infestation and offer recommendations to avoid the problem in the future.

When water has its path impeded with materials that hold back the intended flow it must go somewhere. Damaged and poorly maintained gutter systems force pooled up water under shingles and through the siding, brick, or other cladding materials of your Knoxville home, causing mold damage in attics and between interior and exterior walls. Calling for our services at this point does not even cross your mind because you are entirely unaware of the problem.

As this water intrusion goes unnoticed, the mold growth and subsequent damage are missed as well. Not until you smell the characteristic musty odor or see feathery or leathery mold colonies moving across ceilings and down walls in your living areas do you begin to make the connection. Whenever you suspect mold damage, SERVPRO is ready to lend a hand.

Not only do we remediate mold according to EPA protocols, but we also inspect for and locate the genesis of the mold colonies, evaluating how the moisture necessary for mold growth entered the picture. SERVPRO technicians are masters at following the clues water leaves, and we also help you understand why moisture is such an issue with mold growth and how to eliminate it as a growing medium for the tiny fungi.

Your outdoor gutter and drain system works wonders at keeping water out of your home when cleaned regularly and installed and maintained properly. When water flows off the roof and into a working drainage system, it is directed away from your foundation and walls leaving interiors dry. When blockages develop, or the gutters and drains are bent or leaking, the water takes the most accessible route right into your home. Slush, snow, and ice buildup in the gutters create ice dams, which force even more moisture into your attic or walls. SERVPRO technicians are trained to identify these issues and help you arrange to have the gutter system rehabbed so that the water stays out and mold has no fuel to grow.

SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville has the technical knowledge and tools needed to remediate a mold infestation. Call (865) 862-8907 to start the process in motion, resulting in mold abatement and restoration of a working gutter and drain system.

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How a Hot or Cold Day Affects Mold Damage in Knoxville

9/18/2017 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Is the Solution to Mold Remediation in Knoxville. Don't Let Unsightly Mold Remain in Your Home.

Mold Proliferation Does Vary with Temperature Changes and Other Factors

While stopping mold growth is very difficult without adequate tools and training, slowing (or accelerating) expansion could be as simple as changing your thermostat. Mold is hardy by nature, but that does not mean it is invulnerable to environmental changes. The key to controlling mold damage in Knoxville could very well be careful climate control. Before calling SERVPRO to your home, consider what each of these conditions can do to affect mold growth.
 
Warm Temperatures
The ideal conditions for mold damage in Knoxville tend to involve temperatures at or slightly above room temperature. These temperatures are not only the most comfortable for humans, but also for most types of mold. Mold usually grows fastest when your home is in its default state. While cranking up the air conditioning or turning off the heat may help to slow the spread of mold, it will also likely create uncomfortable conditions for you, so consider carefully any changes you make. Ask SERVPRO about the moisture factor in mold proliferation.
 
Cold Temperatures
Few types of mold grow well in colder climes as warmer ones. In northern parts of the country, the fungi are much more common in the summer, as freezing temperatures present a serious impediment to efficient growth. However, living in low temperatures can create safety hazards, meaning that a cold day only tends to advantage non-climate-controlled parts of the home such as garages and outdoor areas.
 
Summer Heat
Particularly hot summer days can be either harmful or helpful, depending on conditions. Unfortunately, most hot days in Knoxville tend to carry with them conditions of high humidity, fostering increased mold growth. Sometimes, however, hot and dry air can help to eliminate moisture and deny vital nutrients to the mold. Using those principles, SERVPRO technicians may also take advantage of specialized lamps to target patches of mold growth with concentrated heat.
 
SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville is available year-round to respond to your call for help. If you have found mold damage in your home, call us today at (865) 862-8907.

More information on Knoxville click.
 

Quarantines for Rocky Hill Mold Damage Are Rarer Than You Think

9/8/2017 (Permalink)

If you spot mold in your home, call SERVPRO to assess and remediate the mold before it spreads further.

SERVPRO can determine the extent of remediation your mold damage requires

One of the biggest fears homeowners have - and one of the most common reasons why small issues can spiral out of control - about mold damage is quarantine. It is natural to fear your home being quarantined, as this represents not a mere inconvenience but a complete (if temporary) upheaval of your lifestyle. While quarantines do happen, they are thankfully rare, and it is highly unlikely that your Rocky Hill home has mold damage severe enough to warrant a full quarantine. However, if mold is especially severe in one room or section of the house, that portion alone may be sectioned off to prevent its contamination from spreading around the home.

SERVPRO technicians typically do not institute a quarantine for mold damage in your Rocky Hill home unless it is absolutely necessary. That means that either mold has so consumed the home that any movement in it is likely to aggravate the fungus, or there is a massive infestation of potentially harmful black mold. Some types of mold can cause health effects, so while we do not like issuing quarantines, it is always to protect you and your loved ones. Quarantining the mold allows us to use harder-hitting treatments and, more importantly, prevent spores from escaping and spreading elsewhere.

We work to get quarantines removed as fast as possible. Typically, you can move back in once the mold has been killed off and while deodorization and restoration procedures are underway. However, it is important to heed the advice of SERVPRO technicians, as they understand the situation better than anyone else and have trained extensively on when and how to institute restrictions and warnings concerning mold growth. The worst type of quarantine, a full condemnation, is very rare and almost never applied for mold damage scenarios unless the structure itself is at risk of collapse.

SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville is available around the clock to respond to mold damage at your home. Just call us at (865) 862-8907 to find out how we can help.

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Remodeled Rooms Hit Hard By Mold

5/24/2017 (Permalink)

Even a small amount of water soaked into these areas encourages mold growth as spores are always present.

Mold In Remodeled Rooms

House hunters find an older home in a desirable neighborhood and make it their own by upgrading and remodeling. Expanded kitchens and basements transformed into living areas are common household projects. Modern materials replace lathe and plaster or cinder block walls. Amid the pleasure of gaining comfortable space in your new-to-you comes the surprise of unexpected mold growth. SERVPRO is ready to investigate, remediate, and plan for your mold-free future.

The components used to rehab or remodel increase the possibility of mold damage to your Knoxville home. Drywall has high levels of cellulose, the perfect diet for mold growth. The new trim that adds style to your transformed living areas often is a pressed or chipped wood product, not a solid expanse of minimally processed hardwood like that installed decades ago. Our technicians learn about how these remodeling choices increase mold growth challenges during the restoration training we require for continued employment.

Moisture that would sheet down a plaster wall or easily wipe off original hardwood baseboards instead saturates the brand new construction components. Even a small amount of water soaked into these areas encourages mold growth as spores are always present. Something as innocuous as a steamy kitchen following the cooking of a big meal or a tiny leak in the hose leading to your new dishwasher provides enough wetness to activate the mold and the cellulose-based walls, cabinets, and trim offer a place for the fungi to bloom and grow.

Call in SERVPRO mold remediation specialists to contain and remove the obvious mold. Then work with our team to make changes in the areas you remodeled to limit future mold growth. Eliminate the soaking and mold starves.

Options include proper venting and exhaust fan installation. Plumbing leaks need repair and areas of your home that a naturally more humid, such as a basement area that is now your new family room, need to be assessed for high relative humidity levels. Vapor barriers and consistent dehumidification go a long way toward minimizing the moisture that transforms benign mold spores into robust mold colonies. SERVPRO works with you and other contractors to make these changes.

Enjoy your remodeled home without fear of microbial infestation with the help of SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville. Call us at (865) 862-8907 to schedule a mold remediation assessment.

Interested in Knoxville, Tennessee? Visit http://www.knoxvilletn.gov/.

Finding And Identifying Mold In Knoxville

4/6/2017 (Permalink)

The sooner SERVPRO is called in to clean up mold, the better.

Locating And Classifying Mold

By far the most important step toward combating mold damage for a homeowner is the successful identification of a colony. An observant homeowner may be able to locate and confirm mold growth earlier than uninformed peers, allowing remediation services to proceed in less time and with greater ease. The sooner SERVPRO is called in to clean up mold, the better. Follow these steps to gather critical information on your mold and locate its source before calling us for help.

Odor
The smell of mold damage in Knoxville homes is often one of the most reliable and effective identifying factors in mold infestations of all sizes. Many types of mold emit a strong, foul or musty odor that grows more pungent as the colony grows. This is the best way to locate mold growth in out-of-sight places such as the space below floorboards, as the smell is strongest directly above the heaviest mold concentrations. If the smell is faint, this is a good sign: it likely means the mold has not had a chance to get out of hand. Note that this is not to say you should not call, as a weak mold case may quickly develop into a strong one without proper attention.

Water Damage
Noticed a leak? Found a patch of unusual wetness? Signs of water damage are also, in many cases, indicators of mold growth. Mold grows most commonly in places where it has ample water, and particularly when that water has had a chance to soak into materials such as wood and carpet. SERVPRO is certified to handle both mold and water at the same time, and all of our water damage restorations include preventative measures against mold growth.

Ways To Identify Dangerous Mold
Some types of mold are very dangerous and have a high chance to cause ill health effects in humans and animals nearby. This is colloquially known as black mold, which has a distinct dark green to black color. Also, this mold usually has a very pungent odor and can cause many side effects in humans. If you have found a patch of dark mold and have noticed any unusual health effects, vacate the area immediately and call us for further guidance.

SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville is a locally owned and operated provider of mold remediation and prevention services with a full set of certifications. Call us 24/7 at (865) 862-8907.

Detecting and Removing Hidden Mold

8/3/2016 (Permalink)

We can break the mold! Our SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville team of specialists will restore your property!

Inspecting and Removing A Mold Infestation

Typically, when we think of mold, we picture a green, fuzzy substance stuck on a hard surface. However, when it comes to mold damage, the mold in question is not always so visually significant. In fact, many homeowners dealing with (potentially dangerous) mold damage might not even be aware of the issue, to begin with. This is what is known as hidden mold. Now, although hidden mold is just that - hidden, this doesn't mean you can't find it, assuming you know what to look for. 

Do You Have Hidden Mold? 

If you have mold damage in downtown Knoxville, you can rest assured knowing that our team of professionals here at SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville can be at your doorstep nearly as soon as you find the mold in the first place. As such, your first line of action should always be to remove the mold as soon as possible with the help of a professional team. Not only is removing mold on your own a tricky endeavor, but it can also be downright dangerous. Of course, you'll first need to know whether or not you have mold damage to begin with. Let's take a look at some of the telltale signs of hidden mold damage. 

Firstly, have you noticed any water damage on your walls or ceiling? Although even the cleanest of water damage already seems bad enough, it often carries with it an even more grave danger - mold. No matter how light or seemingly-benign a house's water damage is, you can be sure that it will lay down the foundation needed for mold to thrive. Also, if you've noticed a musty smell in one or more rooms throughout your house, you may very well be dealing with hidden mold. 

Lastly, even if a surface *seems* sanitary, it may still carry the risk of mold. In fact, mold can even grow on soapy surfaces. As such, it's better to be safe and give us a call at the first sign of mold, no matter how unlikely it may seem. 

Locally Owned Company with National Resources

Here at SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville, dealing with mold - hidden or otherwise - is one of our specialties. For immediate and thorough mold remediation, feel free to give us a call at (865) 862-8907 and we'll have our professionals at your doorstep in no time. 

Knoxville Mold damage - What to Do If You See or Smell Mold Damage in Your Knoxville Home

5/2/2016 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Rocky Hill/Sequoyah Hills/South Knoxville will make your mold damage "Like it never even happened."

What to Do If Your Knoxville Home Has Mold Damage 

For the vast majority of homeowners in Knoxville, mold damage does appear, at some point, in or around their property. And, a little spot of mold around the bathtub or the shower screen is nothing to be too concerned about. If it can be easily wiped away and does not produce a nasty smell, it is likely to be a good problem. 

However, if you have spotted creeping patches of mold, which has an unpleasant odor, and makes the room feel clammy and uncomfortable, it is time to call in the experts. It could indicate a serious problem with mold damage. If this is the case, it needs to be handled by a professional team who can make sure that the unhealthy material is completely removed. 

Understanding Containment 

The first thing that will happen, after you have consulted a professional Knoxville mold damage restoration service, is a discussion about containment. This may mean a number of different things, depending on how extensive the mold is and what type of spores you have in your home. If the problem is severe, containment may have to involve you temporarily moving out of the property. 

However, this is quite a rare situation. Most homeowners take action early enough for it to be avoided. Partial containment helps restoration experts limit the mold damage in Knoxville properties. They seal off the problem area so that movement cannot dislodge and carry mold spores to other parts of the home. It is where heavy duty equipment will be set up to dry, repair, and treat the affected space. 

Getting to Grips with Remediation 

The primary goal of mold remediation is to restore the property to its pre-mold damage condition. In some cases, this will not be possible. If the damage is very extensive, there may be some parts of the building which cannot be saved. This is extremely rare, however, and a skilled mold restoration team is almost always able to bring a home back to full health. 

The thing to remember is that the quicker you address the issue, the better the chance of a full recovery for your property. If you ignore what appears to be chronic mold, you risk the chance of it moving into walls and floors. This is much harder (and much more expensive) to repair, so invest your money in affordable prevention, rather than a costly cure. 

Locally Owned Company with National Resources

If you would like more information on hiring a mold damage restoration team, call SERVPRO of Rocky Hill/Sequoyah Hills/South Knoxville on (865) 862-8907 today.