Recent Mold Remediation Posts

SERVPRO Can Return You to an Odor-free Environment | SERVPRO® of Van Nuys South

1/9/2023 (Permalink)

a SERVPRO crew setting up machines to clean a kitchen If you experience an odor or any other damage inside your home, call SERVPRO of Van Nuys South day or night.

With multiple locations placed all across the country, SERVPRO provides rapid restoration and cleaning services to homes and businesses faced with damage from calamities of all sizes. After a disaster, a lingering odor is one of several challenges that can emerge, even after the damage has been addressed.

Dealing with a disaster-damaged property can be daunting and complicated. With so much to concentrate on during the recovery process, a lingering stench may be the last thing on your mind.

While you may be able to ignore the unpleasant odor for a while, the longer you wait to have it treated, the worse it will become. Even if you work hard to keep your home clean, nasty odors can stay hidden until they reveal themselves and become unavoidable.

The good news is: If you’re fighting a nasty odor that just won’t leave, we have the solution! Let’s go over the effective process we undergo to eliminate odors once and for all.

<h3removal-techniques">Odor Removal Techniques

Odors are created by chemicals, gases or small particles found in the air. As soon as their source is removed, our specialists combine advanced technologies with certified agents and practices to professionally eliminate odors.

Some of these include:

Masking agents. While this isn’t our main disposal approach, these agents help to hide the smell to freshen up the environment while our team begins preparing their next course of action.

*Filtration agents.*Like a cleaning sponge, absorption agents soak up odors from furnishing and building supplies. Once the adsorption solution crosses through the filtration agent, the odor is taken from the air and locked in place.

Disinfectants and sanitizers. These compounds are utilized throughout the affected locations to destroy and eradicate any bacteria and fungi that may be generating the stench.

While there are other methods that our specialists can employ to eliminate smells from your home, these three are crucial tools in the process of thoroughly deodorizing your house.

<h3signature-4-step-process">The Signature 4-Step Process

Four essential steps make up our certified method for eliminating odors:

1. Remove the source. Debris tainted with odor-creating residue will keep spreading the bad odor until the issue’s source has been found and eliminated. If possible, we manage the source before taking any other steps.

2. Clean residue from surfaces. All areas need to be deep-cleaned and deodorized after the odor origin has been eliminated. Small particles and residue will continue to produce offensive smells if they are not thoroughly cleansed.

3. Recreate the odor-causing conditions. In a similar manner to how odor-emitting compounds first infiltrated the surface, our professionals will apply a deodorizer. For instance, if smoke was the root of the problem, we would utilize “deodorizing smoke” during this step.

4. Seal exposed surfaces. If the odor problem is severe, sealants may be needed to prevent the odor-producing compounds from making their way back inside. This phase is implemented when odor treatment becomes prohibitively expensive or impossible to execute.

A rapid response is crucial when dealing with stubborn smells. If you’re at war with a lingering odor inside your home, our team has the tools and expertise to scare off nasty smells for good. When disaster strikes, turn to SERVPRO of Van Nuys South and we can be at your side in a flash!

If you experience an odor or other damage inside your home or business, call us at any time, 24⁄7. We have the training and equipment to quickly get your property back in operation.

Mold: Do You Need a Professional?

8/20/2018 (Permalink)

If you own a home, or even if you rent, you probably already know that mold is a very common household annoyance. But even though it’s common, it sometimes requires a more than common solution.

Ask yourself the following questions to determine if you need to hire professional remediation services to get rid of mold in your home.

1. Does it keep coming back?

Mold only needs a damp or humid space to grow, which means there are three common culprits in any home: bathroom, attic, or basement. The bathroom is an obvious one: there’s plenty of extra water lying around to create mold. But basements or attics often aren’t very well ventilated, which also creates ideal conditions for mold. If mold keeps returning to these spots, your problem might be more significant than you think.

2. Does it require handiwork?

Did you know that mold can grow in walls? Especially in drywall, if it’s porous or untreated. It can be hard to quickly identify mold growth in the walls, which means a mold colony can get quite large before it’s found. If it’s grown too big, the infested section of the wall has to be removed.

3. Is it causing poor health?

Just like mold is common, so are mold allergies. A little less common, but more serious, are the other respiratory issues that mold can cause. Mold has also been known to cause skin infections or irritations. Mold spores are airborne, so even if you can’t see the mold, it could still cause poor health.

If your answer was yes to any of the above questions, it’s time to call for help. Call SERVPRO® of Van Nuys South today for expert mold remediation services. SERVPRO® makes it like it never even happened.

How You Can Prevent Mold Growth Following Water Damage | SERVPRO® of Van Nuys South

8/7/2018 (Permalink)

Any home or business owner that has been affected by water damage knows what a devastating problem it is—both due to the damage it can cause and also due to the unique health hazards and risks it can present.

One of those dangerous risks is mold growth. Many negative symptoms associated with mold exposure have been reported by the CDC, and the problem is exacerbated because of how quickly mold can begin growing.

If your home has been affected by water damage and you’re concerned with mold growth, here are the steps you can take to help stop mold before it takes hold.

Before You Start

  • Take photos and videos of damage throughout for insurance claim purposes, making sure to include furniture and walls.
  • Never re-enter your building before officials have deemed it safe and are positive all water has receded.

Tips for Drying

  • Make use of fans, dehumidifiers and heaters to speed up drying time.
  • A heavy-duty, outdoor vacuum can be used before the professional cleanup crew arrives.
  • Weather permitting, open windows and doors to maximize airflow for as long as possible.

Sorting Items Exposed to Water

  • Porous materials, such as wood, upholstery and paper of any kind, should be discarded, as they can trap mold spores.
  • Due to the non-porous nature of metal, plastic and glass, they can often be cleaned, disinfected and reused.
  • It is important to note that drying carpet will not necessarily remove mold spores if they’ve already begun to grow.

A Professional Should Always Be Consulted

In some cases, carpets can be salvaged after water damage, but at minimum, experts typically recommend replacing the carpet pad. Mold is commonly associated with discolorations and foul odors, but can often lurk unnoticed long before it is seen, posing a serious danger.

While a pad replacement is less costly than a full re-carpeting of the home, only a professional can determine if this is adequate enough to keep the harmful spores from invading your home.

If you’ve encountered water damage, SERVPRO® of Van Nuys South can help you restore your home and remediate for any mold issues that arise.

How to safeguard my home from dangerous mold caused by water damage?

3/23/2018 (Permalink)

How to safeguard my home from dangerous mold caused by water damage?

The risks of dangerous mold growing in our homes often goes undetected. Have you ever noticed standing water under your kitchen or bathroom sink? A bulging brownish-bubbling spot on your ceiling? Or the distinct odor of mildew in your closet? Any one of these can be a tell tell sign that you are already in danger of a dangerous mold growth in your home, putting you, your family and pets at risk of known health dangers. What should you do about it?

First and foremost is to call a trained expert immediately. An expert will have the best professional methods and instruments to detect the exact level of risk you are experiencing if any and be able to provide you with the safest solution. In some cases all you’ll find is that you need to ventilate while in other cases you may be in great risk of expensive damage to your home and your families health. Why trust SERVPRO to solve these potential dangers to your home in health?

Flooding and water emergencies are indiscriminate as to who is affected, but SERVPRO of VanNuys South cares, and skillfully provides the emergency cleaning and restoration services you need 24/7. You can expect an immediate response time, day or night. Hopefully you’ll never experience a problem with mold or water damage causing mold in your home. However if you are reading this article because it has happened to your home, call us and rest assured that we have you covered.

We work with your insurance.
For a stress free claims process, SERVPRO of VanNuys South can help manage the insurance paperwork and process. Call for details. (818) 780-7111

or email us at JFowler@SERVPROvannuyssouth.com