We’ve all read the stories regarding the often dilapidated conditions of a foreclosed home abandoned by its owners and now in the hands of a bank. The issues range from extensive water and mold damage to complete remodels of the interior and exterior of the home, including new roof, paint, carpet, cabinets, light fixtures, etc.

Let’s face it.  Water damage in our homes is a traumatic event that forces a lot of us to not think clearly regarding next steps.  The scenario usually starts with a leak from a toilet, dishwasher, water-line to a refrigerator, roof leak and/or broken pipe in a wall.  Even if we’re lucky enough to quickly discover trouble, lots of damage can occur in a very short period of time. Not to mention the psychological pain of water everywhere.

If you experience water damage, it’s important NOT to take a knee jerk reaction.  It’s best to call your insurance company immediately. Choosing the restoration company is completely decided by the home owner.

I would use this checklist:

1. Guarantee — Look for a company that provides a guarantee for mold remediation after the water dry-out is complete.

2. Experience — Make sure that the water damage/mold remediation company that you choose has the training and the certifications that are necessary for the type of job they are doing for you.

3. Containment — A 1-inch by 1-inch area of mold creates millions of spores that are released into the air during the cleaning process, which can be very dangerous to the health of everyone in the home. Only water damage companies that utilize what’s called a HEPA Negative Air System to direct the contaminated air should be the ones you use.

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.