If you have lived in the same home for a while now, you have probably gotten used to living there and any gradual changes that have been made. You probably barely think of how the paint on your walls is fading, or how the carpet has a little stain here and there, or how your ceiling got that patch of mold. Mold spreads in places in the house that we rarely go, like basements, the back of our closets, and in areas containing plumbing. It is dangerous for mold to spread across one’s home. Depending on how long the mold has been present, serious health complications could arise that you aren’t even aware of.
Mold inhalation can cause such afflictions as asthma, allergies, bleeding in the lungs, respiratory illness, or, perhaps most frightening, cancer. It has been shown that children are more likely to develop asthma if they are exposed to molds in working and home environments. Apart from asthma, hives, sinus problems, tremors, vomiting, dizziness, and even mood swings have been known to occur in places where mold has been allowed to spread freely across.
Pneumonitis is a condition that afflicts the lungs, and is developed by inhaling dust, mold, or fungus spores for long periods of time. If a person is not removed from the area where these spores are located, they could have permanently lung damage, among the other serious conditions that could go along with it. Although it may be expensive to have a professional help remove the mold spores and dust from the house, it would be nowhere near as expensive as the impending medical bills that would come around as a result of lung damage.
There is an abundance of health complications that could come about from prolonged exposure to mold and dust, many of which people are unaware of. Often, people are unaware that there even is a dust problem in their house, and this is especially dangerous. The owner of the home usually thinks that they cannot afford to vacate their home while a professional helps remove the mold, so they stay there. But, in all actuality, they are only putting their spouse, children, any elderly relatives that may live with them, and pets in serious physical jeopardy. It is best to simply vacate and find some means of getting the house cleaned before it becomes completely infested and unlivable.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
damage restoration companies and
mold removal companies across the united states.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Mold and Your Food
We’ve all had mold in our refrigerator at some point or another, but most of us just accept that this is going to happen and there’s not much that we can do about it. Food ages in our refrigerator whether it’s a piece of fruit, a vegetable, or a jar of grape jelly and becomes moldy over time. This mold spreads to the other items in our fridge and contaminates them, as well. What can you do about it?
Well, storing your food in your refrigerator properly is one of the most important things that you can do. Mold, bacteria, and mildew will start to grow in your fridge if you don’t. Check your food items in the fridge regularly and if anything is showing signs of mold growth, remove it immediately.
Don’t leave cracked egg shells in the carton. Bacteria exists on the outside of the egg shells and once on the inside, even if you’ve removed most of the egg, some of it still remains on the inside of the shell and bacteria will feed on it.
There are some general rules if you find food that has mold growing on it. There are some kinds of cheeses that are made with mold, but sometimes we see a spot of it that shouldn’t be there, like on a block of cheddar cheese. You don’t have to throw the whole block away, just take a clean knife and cut off the moldy part. It’s best to cut about an inch around and an inch underneath the spot to make sure that it doesn’t contaminate the rest of the block and don’t touch your knife to the mold. Don’t bother trying to save any soft cheeses or individual slices or sour cream.
You should follow the same rule for things like country ham and hard salami. If it’s covered with mold, though, toss it.
Any fruits and vegetables that are showing mold can be treated this way as long as they’re hard natured. Soft ones like plums or tomatoes should be thrown away if you see mold.
Any grains that you see with mold on them should be thrown away immediately. Be careful about any organic food that you buy; these don’t contain any pesticides or preservatives, they’re more likely to have mold growth.
Any tissue in potatoes that looks black or discolored in any way should be cut off.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
Well, storing your food in your refrigerator properly is one of the most important things that you can do. Mold, bacteria, and mildew will start to grow in your fridge if you don’t. Check your food items in the fridge regularly and if anything is showing signs of mold growth, remove it immediately.
Don’t leave cracked egg shells in the carton. Bacteria exists on the outside of the egg shells and once on the inside, even if you’ve removed most of the egg, some of it still remains on the inside of the shell and bacteria will feed on it.
There are some general rules if you find food that has mold growing on it. There are some kinds of cheeses that are made with mold, but sometimes we see a spot of it that shouldn’t be there, like on a block of cheddar cheese. You don’t have to throw the whole block away, just take a clean knife and cut off the moldy part. It’s best to cut about an inch around and an inch underneath the spot to make sure that it doesn’t contaminate the rest of the block and don’t touch your knife to the mold. Don’t bother trying to save any soft cheeses or individual slices or sour cream.
You should follow the same rule for things like country ham and hard salami. If it’s covered with mold, though, toss it.
Any fruits and vegetables that are showing mold can be treated this way as long as they’re hard natured. Soft ones like plums or tomatoes should be thrown away if you see mold.
Any grains that you see with mold on them should be thrown away immediately. Be careful about any organic food that you buy; these don’t contain any pesticides or preservatives, they’re more likely to have mold growth.
Any tissue in potatoes that looks black or discolored in any way should be cut off.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
Mold and Ways to Avoid It
A little known fact about mold is that it is everywhere, even the air we breathe. Mold is a form of fungus that grows everywhere in the world, of which uncountable quantities of species and colors exist. Despite the fact that most molds are harmless and come in pretty colors, there are some to be sure to steer clear from. A prime example of dangerous mold is toxic black mold, which anyone would be afraid of dwelling in their houses. Black mold is a highly toxic mold which many people are allergic to, not to mention the health complications the mold brings on its own.
Mold is a very sneaky fungus which can invade your home from outside, or leaky plumbing, or even condensation due to high humidity. Mold loves to grow where there is a lot of moisture in the air or even where there is water in general.
While at first glance mold may not seem like something to write home about, it is an ugly force to be reckoned with. Molds can cause very nasty health problems, and can ruin furniture, clothing, and food. If any of these are plagued with mold, it will take rigorous scrubbing and sterilization before they can be used again, if it’s a good idea to use them again at all. Some items are best just thrown away, like the aforementioned food and clothing. If one discovers a mold infestation, one should remove the mold through any means necessary, including cleaning kits, or different testing. If neither of these works, it is highly recommended to call in a professional to evict the mold from your home, because no one wants something living in their home that doesn’t pay rent.
Some should worry about mold more than others. Small children, elderly people, and basically anyone who is afflicted with a respiratory condition should be cautious. Anyone whose immune system is weakened, pregnant women, anyone freshly out of surgery, or chemotherapy patients are also at high risk.
It is actually easy for one to prevent mold from tormenting your living environment, as long as you make sure to be consistent with home cleaning habits. It is important to make sure that your home is fairly dry and cool, with as little moisture as possible. The most popular hang-out spots for mold are the basement and the attic, which like to attract humidity. Any spill that occurs in a bathroom or kitchen should be cleaned up quickly, but thoroughly. Do not allow standing water in any place in the home, or it will become a hotbed for bacterial infection which leads to mold. It is also important to draw heat and moisture away from your home with fans, and a good ventilation system.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
Mold is a very sneaky fungus which can invade your home from outside, or leaky plumbing, or even condensation due to high humidity. Mold loves to grow where there is a lot of moisture in the air or even where there is water in general.
While at first glance mold may not seem like something to write home about, it is an ugly force to be reckoned with. Molds can cause very nasty health problems, and can ruin furniture, clothing, and food. If any of these are plagued with mold, it will take rigorous scrubbing and sterilization before they can be used again, if it’s a good idea to use them again at all. Some items are best just thrown away, like the aforementioned food and clothing. If one discovers a mold infestation, one should remove the mold through any means necessary, including cleaning kits, or different testing. If neither of these works, it is highly recommended to call in a professional to evict the mold from your home, because no one wants something living in their home that doesn’t pay rent.
Some should worry about mold more than others. Small children, elderly people, and basically anyone who is afflicted with a respiratory condition should be cautious. Anyone whose immune system is weakened, pregnant women, anyone freshly out of surgery, or chemotherapy patients are also at high risk.
It is actually easy for one to prevent mold from tormenting your living environment, as long as you make sure to be consistent with home cleaning habits. It is important to make sure that your home is fairly dry and cool, with as little moisture as possible. The most popular hang-out spots for mold are the basement and the attic, which like to attract humidity. Any spill that occurs in a bathroom or kitchen should be cleaned up quickly, but thoroughly. Do not allow standing water in any place in the home, or it will become a hotbed for bacterial infection which leads to mold. It is also important to draw heat and moisture away from your home with fans, and a good ventilation system.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
Mold Allergies
A lot of us suffer from allergies due to pollen, grasses, dogs, cats, and any number of items, but mold can be the cause of allergy symptoms just as much as any of these. These symptoms are common in individuals from spring all the way into late fall and even though some molds can grow at freezing temperatures, most cannot. Any plants or animals that have been killed by the winter elements are a feeding ground for mold.
In some areas of the United States, such as the far southeast where it remains warm almost year round, mold can grow throughout the year and aggravate the allergies of anyone nearby. Molds that are allowed to grow inside the home or workplace can cause perennial allergic rhinitis.
The symptoms of mold allergies can be brought about or even made worse by eating foods that have been processed with fungi such as mushrooms or foods containing yeast such as bread or beer. Having an allergy to the mold penicillium can be held accountable for problems occurring when a person receives a dose of penicillin at the doctor’s office.
Generally only if mold spores are in large quantities do they aggravate a person’s allergies. Being easily carried by the air or being a specific kind of allergenic mold are also important factors. There are only a few dozen kinds of mold that are significantly allergenic. Alternaria and Cladosporium (Hormodendrum) are two of the frequently found molds indoors and outdoors and are allergenic. Penicillium is also a kind of mold that is allergenic and people with an allergy to the drug penicillin know this all too well.
Mold counts sometimes exist on the news or other weather reports and these exist to determine what kinds of mold and how much of it is in the air at a certain time or place. These reports aren’t always accurate because as the weather changes, the mold spores will spread out or collect in other areas. The time of day that you plan your activities is also important when it comes to planning around mold counts because research has indicated that dry mold spores tend to favor the daytime and wet spores tend to favor the night.
There are many different ways to determine if a mold health related condition exists in a person. There are x-rays that can be done, blood tests, examination of sputum, or a swab of a sore on the skin can be examined to determine if fungus exists living inside the body
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
In some areas of the United States, such as the far southeast where it remains warm almost year round, mold can grow throughout the year and aggravate the allergies of anyone nearby. Molds that are allowed to grow inside the home or workplace can cause perennial allergic rhinitis.
The symptoms of mold allergies can be brought about or even made worse by eating foods that have been processed with fungi such as mushrooms or foods containing yeast such as bread or beer. Having an allergy to the mold penicillium can be held accountable for problems occurring when a person receives a dose of penicillin at the doctor’s office.
Generally only if mold spores are in large quantities do they aggravate a person’s allergies. Being easily carried by the air or being a specific kind of allergenic mold are also important factors. There are only a few dozen kinds of mold that are significantly allergenic. Alternaria and Cladosporium (Hormodendrum) are two of the frequently found molds indoors and outdoors and are allergenic. Penicillium is also a kind of mold that is allergenic and people with an allergy to the drug penicillin know this all too well.
Mold counts sometimes exist on the news or other weather reports and these exist to determine what kinds of mold and how much of it is in the air at a certain time or place. These reports aren’t always accurate because as the weather changes, the mold spores will spread out or collect in other areas. The time of day that you plan your activities is also important when it comes to planning around mold counts because research has indicated that dry mold spores tend to favor the daytime and wet spores tend to favor the night.
There are many different ways to determine if a mold health related condition exists in a person. There are x-rays that can be done, blood tests, examination of sputum, or a swab of a sore on the skin can be examined to determine if fungus exists living inside the body
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
Taking Care of a Fireplace
Lots of people have fireplaces in their homes, but keeping them clean and smoke free takes some maintenance and effort on the part of the homeowner. The fireplace will not maintain itself, even though there are some fireplace cleaning logs on the market these days. These will not completely replace a professional cleaning, though, so you should have one of these done at least every year or two.
You should also have the proper tools stored next to your fireplace and these are available in many different materials and types. Cast iron is a good and durable material, but fireplace tools are also available in brass, pewter, nickel, and etcetera. There is a large selection on the market and you will surely be able to find what you are looking for.
A fireplace blower can help build up the fire and add more heat to it. You have probably seen one of these before and it can be a real help when first starting to build a fire.
Fireplace tongs can be used to move around logs that are obviously too hot to pick up with your hands and this is necessary, since the logs will not always be exactly where you need them to be to get the most heat and longevity out of the fire.
A fireplace poker can be used to stir around coals and spread them so that the heat is more evenly distributed. This helps larger logs catch on fire faster than they normally would.
A shovel is used to clean out the ashes that are left after a fire is out and a small broom is necessary to keep the area immediately outside the fireplace cleaned up.
If you are having problems building a fire that does not spill smoke back into the room, you need to make sure that nothing is blocking the chimney on top of the house. Leaves, bird nests, and sticks can clog it up during the spring, summer, and fall and make it completely unusable.
Using the correct wood is also important; logs that are freshly cut and have a lot of moisture still in them will smoke instead of catch fire. Use logs that are dried out and try to store them in a place where they will not get wet.
Start the fire slowly by building it up with paper and small sticks at first to get the chimney warm. Warming up the chimney is important so that the air inside it becomes warm instead of cold. Cold air pushes the warm air and smoke down and back into the house.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Florida water damage restoration companies and
Miami Water Damage Restoration. contractors
You should also have the proper tools stored next to your fireplace and these are available in many different materials and types. Cast iron is a good and durable material, but fireplace tools are also available in brass, pewter, nickel, and etcetera. There is a large selection on the market and you will surely be able to find what you are looking for.
A fireplace blower can help build up the fire and add more heat to it. You have probably seen one of these before and it can be a real help when first starting to build a fire.
Fireplace tongs can be used to move around logs that are obviously too hot to pick up with your hands and this is necessary, since the logs will not always be exactly where you need them to be to get the most heat and longevity out of the fire.
A fireplace poker can be used to stir around coals and spread them so that the heat is more evenly distributed. This helps larger logs catch on fire faster than they normally would.
A shovel is used to clean out the ashes that are left after a fire is out and a small broom is necessary to keep the area immediately outside the fireplace cleaned up.
If you are having problems building a fire that does not spill smoke back into the room, you need to make sure that nothing is blocking the chimney on top of the house. Leaves, bird nests, and sticks can clog it up during the spring, summer, and fall and make it completely unusable.
Using the correct wood is also important; logs that are freshly cut and have a lot of moisture still in them will smoke instead of catch fire. Use logs that are dried out and try to store them in a place where they will not get wet.
Start the fire slowly by building it up with paper and small sticks at first to get the chimney warm. Warming up the chimney is important so that the air inside it becomes warm instead of cold. Cold air pushes the warm air and smoke down and back into the house.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Florida water damage restoration companies and
Miami Water Damage Restoration. contractors
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