Lesson 2 - What Mold Needs to Grow

To grow indoors, mold needs moisture and food. Moisture is the most important factor influencing mold growth indoors. Controlling indoor moisture helps limit mold growth.

Moisture control is the key to mold control.

Mold does not need a lot of water to grow. A little condensation, in a bathroom or around a window sill, for example, can be enough. Common sites for indoor mold growth include bathroom tile and grout, basement walls, and areas around windows, near leaky water fountains, and around sinks. Common sources of water or moisture include roof leaks, condensation due to high humidity or cold spots in a building, slow leaks in plumbing fixtures, humidification systems, sprinkler systems, and floods.*

Besides moisture, mold needs nutrients, or food, to grow. Mold can grow on virtually any organic substance. Most buildings are full of organic materials that mold can use as food, including paper, cloth, wood, plant material, and even soil. In most cases, temperature is not an issue; some molds grow in warm areas, while others prefer cool locations such as bread stored in a refrigerator. Often, more than one type of mold can be found growing in the same area, although conditions such as moisture, light, and temperature may favor one species of mold over another.

Buildings that have been heavily damaged by flood waters should be assessed for structural integrity and remediated by experienced professionals.

If You See Signs of Mold, Contact SERVPRO of Great Neck/Port Washington

 (516) 767-9600

Lesson 1 - What Molds Are

Excessive amounts of mold and certain types of mold may present health concerns. It is essential for the health of you and your family, as well as the protection of your property, to address the issue and arrange for professionals to conduct mold removal and mold remediation as soon as the presence of mold is identified.  Follow along this week as we provide 5 valuable lessons about Mold and what to look for.

Molds are organisms that may be found indoors and outdoors. They are part of the natural environment and play an important role in the environment by breaking down and digesting organic material, such as dead leaves. Also called fungi or mildew, molds are neither plants nor animals; they are part of the kingdom Fungi.

Molds can multiply by producing microscopic spores, similar to the seeds produced by plants. Many spores are so small they easily float through the air and can be carried for great distances by even the gentlest breezes. Although mold spores cannot be eliminated from indoor environments, they will not grow if moisture is not present.  Some mold spores will be found floating through the air and in settled dust; however mold is not a problem unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. As molds grow they digest whatever they are growing on. Unchecked mold growth can damage buildings and furnishings; molds can rot wood, damage drywall, and eventually cause structural damage to buildings. Mold can cause cosmetic damage, such as stains, to furnishings. The potential human health effects of mold are also a concern. It is important, therefore, to prevent mold from growing indoors.

If You See Signs of Mold, Contact SERVPRO of Great Neck/Port Washington  at

516) 767-9600

 

 

 

Do You Have The Business Insurance You Need?

Do you have the business insurance you need?

For want of a nail, the shoe was lost. When we're talking about your business, losing the shoe can be serious indeed.

Think of business insurance as the nail; as in the old saw, it can help you hold onto what's really important. You personally cannot control or eliminate every potential risk that threatens your livelihood. Business insurance can provide the protection against these risks... if you carry the right kinds.

Unfortunately, insuring your business is not as simple as insuring your car. Because your business is unique, you'll need to design a package of insurance that meets your business needs and provides the level of protection you're comfortable with. Your first decision is to decide which types of insurance your business needs.

Two types that all businesses need are property and liability insurance.

Property insurance protects the assets your business owns, including the building and equipment, from destruction or damage. Even if you run a home-based business and have home insurance, you'll need to protect your business assets with separate contents insurance; your home owner's policy will not cover business equipment.

Contents insurance protects your business equipment from perils such as fire, flood, or theft. To determine how much property or contents insurance you'll need, create an itemized list of your business' assets and their individual dollar values. Then decide which assets you actually want to insure and for what value, which will determine the insurance premium.

In some cases, you may decide against insuring a particular asset, because it just doesn't warrant the cost of the premium. In other cases, the premium may be well worth paying. Ask yourself, if this equipment, such as a computer, was stolen, would I be able to afford to replace it? If the answer is no, you should insure it.

 

 

May is National Electrical Safety Month

The most recent statistical data from the National Fire Protection Association indicates an annual average of more than 53,000 electrical home structure fires, claiming more than 450 lives, injuring more than 1,400 people, and causing more than $1.4 billion in property damage. In the workplace, electrical hazards are the cause of another almost 4,000 non-fatal injuries. “Eliminating electrical hazards begins with education and awareness,” says ESFI President Brett Brenner.  “National Electrical Safety Month is a time for all of us at home and at work to reexamine our surroundings and determine what steps we can take to prevent the hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries and billions of dollars in productivity and assets that occur each year because of electrical hazards.”

 

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is dedicated exclusively to electrical safety in the home and the workplace. To help promote electrical safety, ESFI has developed a campaign toolkit where you will find tools you can use to facilitate an effective electrical safety awareness campaign for your community, organization, customers, and workplace associates.

 

ESFI’s complimentary 2010 NESM Campaign Toolkit can be downloaded on the foundation’s website at www.electrical-safety.org.