Woodinville resembles a winter wonderland on a beautiful snow-filled day.  Like many local families, we are taking advantage of the rarity to have fun.  Regrettably for some, soon the snow will melt and life will return to normal. That is the time to be on top of any snow related mold and water issues.

We asked Craig to help us understand the potential risks when a lot of snow accumulates within a short period, especially to our roofs:

Question: If I have a typical pitched roof, all of the melted snow water should easily flow to my drainage system, correct?

Craig: The majority of our service work after a snow storm has to do with what is called the stack effect; The system to constantly circulate heat/air from the main home to the attic and out an exhaust vent on top of the roof.  If the vents are blocked, moisture and dew can accumulate in the attic areas.

This time of the year we spend the majority of our time indoors. For certain folks more susceptible to respiratory viruses, it’s important to make sure our homes are free of airborne contaminants. We asked Craig to help us understand the risks:

Question: If I don’t see signs of mold/water damage, is it safe to assume my home is free of contamination?

Craig: Our experience over the years has shown that is not the only way to detect problems. There are places in our homes that no one ever goes to like the crawl space and or the attic of your home. There could be a bathroom vent in your attic that does not vent to the out side of your home but into the attic space and with that hot humid air creates a petrie dish for mold to grow. I just saw a crawl space that had a hot water leak which created steam in the crawl space and that also produced in a very short time mold in the crawl space that needed to be remediated or cleaned up.

Don’t Be Fooled by Invisible Home Intruder—Mold Often Hard to Detect...Vulnerable Groups at Risk

This time of the year we spend the majority of our time indoors. For certain folks more susceptible to respiratory viruses, it’s important to make sure our homes are free of airborne contaminants. We asked Craig to help us understand the risks:

Question: If I don’t see signs of mold/water damage, is it safe to assume my home is free of contamination?

Craig: Our experience over the years has shown that is not the only way to detect problems. There are places in our homes that no one ever goes to like the crawl space and or the attic of your home. There could be a bathroom vent in your attic that does not vent to the out side of your home but into the attic space and with that hot humid air creates a petrie dish for mold to grow. I just saw a crawl space that had a hot water leak which created steam in the crawl space and that also produced in a very short time mold in the crawl space that needed to be remediated or cleaned up.

Question: Can these accumulations cause people living in my home to experience health issues?

Craig: In certain homes these colonies can absolutely produce enough organic compounds to cause allergic reactions, sickness, and extreme cases cause you to be hospitalized with an acute asthma attack.

The season of mold control is upon us

Mold is not necessarily a subject people enjoy talking about, but homeowners should. The return of cool, wet weather to the Pacific Northwest is a sign that it's time to see if your home is at risk of water and mold damage.

Here are some things to check and fix if needed, according to EnviroShield, of Woodinville:

• If your roof is in need of replacement and/or if you have a flat roof.

• If your water heater is at least 5 years old. (A hot-water tank should be inspected every five to seven years by a reputable plumber.)

• If water lines connecting your dishwasher, toilets and refrigerator are old, cracked or breaking.

• If you can see water rings on a ceiling, discolored paint, or vinyl floors changing colors.

Too see the article as shown on the Seattle Times website, Click Here!

October is traditionally the busiest month of the year for Craig Hawkins and his team of water and mold remediation specialists.  Craig says the cooler temperatures return our focus to inside and the most common living areas.  It’s also often the first time that the summer dormant furnace rumbles back to life.  We asked Craig to help us keep an eye out for the most common areas to have suffered water and mold issues:

Question:  You mentioned October is your busiest month.  What is the most common issue customers’ face?
Craig:  Kitchen issues.  You now notice water leaks and moldy smells with the doors and windows closed.  A typical problem is a leaky waterline attached to a dishwasher, refrigerator or sink. Another major area of course is the bathroom.  Waterline leaks behind the toilet and underneath the sink.