Filcher, Filchers, Filching

When we clean out our closets sometimes we run across an old piece of clothing that has a somewhat fuzzy material all over it.  Finding something like this in your closet is probably not a good thing and if you picked it up, the thing that you need to do is to put it back down and go wash your hands with some antimicrobial soap.  This piece of clothing was probably contaminated with mold and touching mold spores with your bare hands is not advised, since it can cause allergic reactions in some individuals.

Most pieces of clothing that become molded can be cleansed and the mold gotten rid of, but it usually ends up leaving some kind of stain behind.  If you are having to clean mold off of white fabric, then you can probably try to use bleach to remove the stain with.  Unfortunately, killing the mold with bleach usually does not work very well.  Borax laundry detergent should kill the mold effectively after you have removed the majority of the growth with a brush of some kind.  An old toothbrush can be used to do this with.  Put a pre-wash stain remover on the fabric and let it soak around 45 minutes before you put it in the washer.  Wash these items at least twice, but refrain from using an artificial heat source to dry them out.  Instead, take them outside and air them out there.  Putting the clothes in the dryer can set the stain further into the fabric and you will have a harder time making sure that it comes out completely. 

Unfortunately, if you have an item that is made of real leather and it was covered with mold, it can probably not be saved.  These things get discolored pretty easily and mold tends to do a number on this kind of organic material, because mold’s job in nature is to decompose it.

Upholstery and curtains that come into contact with mold colonies can be cleaned with the same method used on clothing.  You can use a vacuum with a HEPA filter on it to collect all the mold off of your furniture and curtains and this will give you the peace of mind that the mold spores are not being put back into your air after they are collected by the vacuum.  Be careful when you are emptying the container in the vacuum, however, and try your best not to stir up the spores.  It is best to do this outside.

Water Restoration

If you become concerned that mold exists on your property, the first thing that you should do is buy a mold testing kit.  These test kits that you can use on your own are used to determine if mold does in fact exist in your home and to identify what kind of mold you are dealing with and if it is dangerous to you.  These kits do not tell you just how much mold is growing in your home and will not tell you everything that a professional mold inspector can. 

Mold testing kits include either a stick or a Petri dish that has something for the mold to attach to and grow in.  The mold must grow on this item so the lab can determine what kind of mold you are dealing with.

The benefits of home mold testing kits are fairly decent.  They are inexpensive for the most part and it does not typically take long for the results to come back from the lab.  

Mold tests can be used in order to sample the mold in your home that you can see visually growing on the walls or on the floor and you can find out whether this mold is dangerous to your health or not.  All molds are bad for the internal structure of your home, but not all of it will be harmful to your health.  Either way it is a good idea to have it removed.

You can also use these tests to sample the air in your home.  The air you are breathing may or may not be healthy due to a hidden mold problem.  Testing the air being put out by your air conditioner is a good way to find out if there is mold where you live if you cannot find a visible infection. 

These Petri dishes can also be placed around your home and if there are mold spores in the air, they will settle onto the dishes and begin to grow. 

Unfortunately, you have to follow the instructions included with the tests or they will not be of any use to you.  They simply will not return accurate results. 

Something else that is unfortunate is the fact that the tests will not just pick up one kind of mold in your home; if there is more than one kind of mold growing in your home, it will pick them all up and molds do not tend to grow at the same speeds.  Aspergillus molds, for example, tend to grow faster than Stachybotrys chartarum. 

Document Restoration From Water 

A flood can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare, especially if it engulfs almost the entire house like many of the homes that were made uninhabitable by Hurricane Katrina a few years ago. In case you ever have to face this catastrophe, here are a few tips on how to deal with it and file the insurance claim. Depending on the amount of water damage to your home, it may be salvageable and it may not, but the first step is getting your claim filed.

The first thing you should do after the water has been cleared from your home, call your insurance agent or company as soon as you can. If you can, have your name, policy number, and a phone number or e-mail address that you can be reached at handy when you call. This will speed up the process more than you think.

When you’re filing your claim, request a time frame for when your adjuster will be sent to your home. Try to be patient, especially if you live in an area that has withstood extensive damage due to a river flowing over its banks or a dam that has burst. The water damage to your home depends upon just how high the water rose in and around it.

Once the adjuster has become available and is able to reach you and your home, he or she will help you determine just how much they are willing and able to compensate you for the loss of your property and help determine just how extensive the water damage is.

If your contact information changes in any way, let your insurance adjuster know as soon as possible. If you’re in a shelter of some kind or staying with a relative or friend, give your adjuster the name of someone who has the ability to reach you. If you can’t get home, it’s best to make a list of as many items as you can think of that may need to be replaced or repaired in your home. Computers, television sets, clothing, expensive electronic equipment, books, and etcetera should be listed here. List anything of value that could have been water damaged or lost.

If you can return home, you should separate the damaged items from the undamaged items and take pictures of your property to give the adjuster a good idea of the kind of loss you have endured.

Even if this event has never happened to you or if you’re not expecting any water damage like this to your home any time soon (and who really is), one of the best things that you can do for your home is to take a video every year of your home and its contents. Put this video in a waterproof (and fireproof) safe in case the unthinkable ever happens.

Article By: Ohio basement water removal