Water Damage Causes Mold Issues Highland Park, IL

Water Damage Leads to Mold Remediation

Water damage, on any level, whether noticed or unnoticed, can be equally damaging to your property and as severe as flooding.  Damages that occur from water can cause issues for anything sitting inside the property.  From papers to furniture to appliances and anything else that gets inundated with water. Something as tiny as a water spot, can cause substantial damage to your property. Water causes mold to occur.  Some indications are discolorations on the wall or floor base, moisture spots, Highland Park IL black mold developing and these could be the early stages of toxic mold growth.

Water damage in Highland Park does not necessarily have to be visible and overwhelming. Therefore, it is always a good idea to have a professional Highland Park IL water damage restoration company to test areas that are especially susceptible to moisture buildup and condensation. Some of the common places you are likely to find initial signs of water damage are:

The roof of your property, which is subject to wear and tear due to various reasons like weather extremities, continuous hitting from tree branches, old or poor-quality roof tiling etc. Water dripping down any part of the roof is a sign of a mold remediation need.  It doesn’t take long for the bacteria to develop and starting spreading into other areas like the attic.

Water can penetrate through doors and windows, in case they are not installed properly, and can cause considerable mold repair. Moreover, water intrusion can also damage the insulation system within your property. Pay close attention to doors and windows carefully during rainfall and other weather changes for possible signs of mold damage and/or mildew intrusion.

Blocked or overflowing gutters and drains can be a substantial cause of water damage in your property. During heavy rainfall, if the gutters are clogged, proper water flow cannot occur from the roof, resulting in large amounts of water accumulating near the base of your property. Such accumulations are harmful for the foundation of the property, causing moisture to penetrate into the foundation area, and into basements and sub-flooring.

Appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, dryers, refrigerators, etc. should be regularly checked and regulated for proper maintenance and prevention of possible leakages, which might be a cause of water damage, as subtle as it may be.

Sewage overflow along with floods, can be factors when it comes to water damage.

Whatever may be the cause of these damages, and however minor or severe their projections may be, they need to be taken care of as soon as they attack. It’s always the best idea to get in touch with a Highland Park IL mold remediation repair service, or water damage restoration company on an immediate basis. Experts know how to solve your mold damage problems through required equipment and expertise. 

The tools they use for helping with water damage are:

• Measuring equipment like hygrometers and moisture detectors to identify the exact level of mold remediation caused.
• Sensors like infrared camera to detect water penetration even in remote corners, where mold retention can cause substantial damage.
• Highly powerful gas-pumps to pump out high levels of water.
• High-quality Dehumidifiers for adequate drying of the area or objects.
• Superior products for deodorizing and disinfecting the affected location or objects.

These professional services are reliable and available 24 hours and 7 days a week. They are quick to reach you within about an hour or so, which is extremely important during periods of emergency water intrusion or water damage from flooding, or sewage.

Burst Pipes in Oak Park IL

WHAT CAUSES PIPES TO BURST IN COLD WEATHER?

Pipes that have burst can cause extensive water damage in Oak Park to a home or business. Furniture, priceless possessions, and important documents can all be destroyed with flood water. The water damage can also lead to Oak Park IL mold and mildew problems. Many property owners file insurance claims each year because of the damage caused by broken water pipes in Oak Park IL. In most cases, homeowner's insurance will cover the damage but maybe why it happened will not be covered. In order to prevent water damage caused by burst pipes, one needs to know what can cause a water pipe to break.

The following are some common causes of damage to water pipes:

Frozen Pipes: If the temperature falls below the freezing point, there is a risk your pipes could freeze. Frozen pipes will crack and then burst spilling large amounts of water all over the floor.

Corrosion: If you have old pipes that are corroding, there is a risk that the pipe will crack and then burst. Corrosion can be caused by soil and water that corrodes the exterior metal and eventually works its way into the pipe leaving it weakened.

Old Water Pipes: As water pipes age their strength and durability are diminished. They become more brittle and more prone to fractures. The older the pipes, the higher the likelihood they will break.


Physical Damage: If one is having construction work or renovations done in the home or on the property, and a water pipe is accidentally hit by a piece of equipment or tool, there is a chance the pipe could break open.

Too Much Pressure in Pipes: If your water pump is not functioning properly which leads to a build of pressure within the water pipes, it could cause the pipes to rupture and break.

Improperly Installed Water Pipes: If pipes are not installed properly, the result could be a break in the pipe. Professionals will make sure the pipes are correctly installed and the joints are tight and sealed properly.

Poor Quality Pipes: If you install pipes that are of a poor quality, there is a good chance that over time, they will breakdown and burst. A defective product will also result in a pipe breaking.

Long Term Crack: If there is a small crack in the pipe that is leaking over a long period, it will eventually expand due to water, pressure, and corrosion. The water in the pipe will eventually break through the crack resulting in a burst pipe.



If your pipes to break, enlisting the services of a Oak Park IL professional water damage restoration contractor to repair the damage pipes would be the wisest decision. You will most likely have to hire a clean-up company to come in and remove all of the water from the property.

To avoid a water pipe damage in Oak Park causing flooding of the home, it is important to be aware of all the conditions that can cause a break and then take the necessary measures to minimize the risky conditions. Always make sure that your pipes are never exposed to temperatures below the freezing mark. They should also not be exposed to constant temperature fluctuations. In addition, you should have your pipes inspected by a qualified professional plumber to make sure they are in good working condition and are not too old.

Flooding caused by water pipe damage can be a very stressful and messy experience. Not only can it involve a great deal of expense, but you could lose valuable family keepsakes. Taking the proper precautions and calling a professional in the event of pipe damage will make repair, clean up, and water damage restoration in Oak Park IL, much easier and less stressful.

Sewage Cleanup and Sewage Removal in Chicago IL

Sewage Backup Cleanup, Sanitizing and Removal

Sewage can happen in your property from different ways. One of these is Chicago IL basement flooding. Inside the nasty water that fills up like a gigantic tub, can be all sorts of contaminants from the outside, including sewage deposits. Another avenue of waste is from damaged plumbing. A leaky pipe or transfer that has not been sealed properly can carry nasty bacteria. And lastly, a natural disaster that has as its medium sewer from wastelands or areas where there is not proper run-off. Just a microcosm of these particles in your property can cause all kinds of issues in the environment, making it an unstable place to be. It is best to remove yourself and whatever items you can possibly salvage away from the disaster zone. Health risks are involved. Below are just a few:

Disease Control

Sewage carries large amounts of organic matter and can sometimes become heated while in a municipal system. This creates a breeding ground for microorganisms that might otherwise pass benignly through the water. Our lungs can pick up these deadly organisms and we find ourselves contracting diseases like hepatitis or leptospirosis. Open wounds or lesions on the skin can act as pathways for entry into our bodies. Precaution is in order.

Wet Basement Sewer Clean Up
Insects & Pests

Raw sewage can be a feeding ground for different insects, like mosquitoes. They breed quickly in standing water and can spread diseases like malaria and West Nile virus. Tiny animals, like mice can die in the floating sewage, leaving the body in the liquid where it becomes a dangerous host for diseases that can spread to surviving animals and insects in the basement. It is imperative to get a sewage cleanup company in Chicago on the job as soon as possible.

Air Testing and Quality

Sewage can and will affect the ventilation in a property causing poor air quality. It can release harmful gases, like methane. The water in the sewage can encourage the growth of mold and mildew that triggers respiratory problems. Other common chemicals like bleach or chlorine depending on the source of the leak can lurk in the water damage. These can damage the lining of the lungs, the eyes and the tissue in the nose.

Bacteria

Bacteria, parasites and other organisms can breed in sewage and are easily transferred to the skin of the hands through imperceptible droplets, even if the liquid is not directly touched. Food and water that is taken in later if not properly handled, can cause other bacterial infections through the skin, mouth, etc. Some symptoms can be severe fever, liver and kidney damage, as well as dehydration caused by vomiting. It is not just a leave it alone and it will fix itself matter. Chicago Sewage backup cleanup is absolutely necessary when dealing with raw sewage, sewer deposits, and especially with live feces. These deposits can go unnoticed for days, especially when Chicago basement cleaning has been neglected. Get help immediately from a Chicago professional sewage cleanup contractor today!

Water Damage and Mold, the One-Two Punch Against A Healthy Property in Oak Park IL

Water Damage and Mold, the One-Two Punch Against A Healthy Property!

WATER DAMAGE AND MOLD DILEMMA

When you experience water damage that leads to mold, it can cause all sorts of problems for you and your property. Nothing seems to be the same afterwards. Until the matter is resolved of course. It is one of the greatest one-two punches since Batman and Robin. Since Muhammad Ali. Since Laverne and Shirley. OK, to the real stuff here. It’s not a laughing matter when mold strikes a property because of the perpetrator water. Water is a great thing when it is kept running in its proper place. When it behaves like you want it to. Like, in a tub or a sink, or a bucket, or a hose that has a spigot attached. But, when water gets on the loose, uncontrolled, that is when it can wreak havoc on any property, its surroundings and beyond! Water damage can be very costly. As the chart depicts, if we check our properties’ water lines, our flushing and drainage systems regularly, we might be able to prevent a nasty water intrusion, like sewage backup.

One of the most fatal of these can be a burst pipe. Burst pipes can cause water to hit a property in all directions, damaging carpeting, padding, vinyl flooring, baseboards, walls, trims, insulation, studs, etc. You name it. If it is in the path of the overflowing water it will get damaged for sure. Many customers do not want to remove damaged materials when they have water damage or flooding. It is imperative to prevent the one-two punch, that is, water damage and mold removal, to get at the source of the problem immediately. The drying process needs to take place right away. Otherwise the bacteria we know as black mold and other species of mold can develop and quickly.

SAFETY ALWAYS!

We must not panic and remember to handle first things first.

1. Shut off the water supply to the home.

2. Turn off the electricity if possible in the area or location of the damage

3. If you must leave the electricity on, please do not use appliances or power tools in that area.

4. Do not use electrical outlets in or around the damp and wet areas.

Taking these necessary precautions came keep you from making a fatal mistake until help arrives. Get Help Fast! Don’t delay in getting professional help from a trusted disaster recovery service company that knows water damage, flooding, wet basements or dealing with rising water issues. It’s not worth the headache or the expense to try to do it yourself. Remember, you are dealing with the “one-two punch”, water damage that can and usually leads to mold. Get wet items out of the way as soon as humanly possible. Be careful not to grab too much at one time, as this can be back-breaking, exhausting and counter-productive.

When help arrives, the professional water damage and mold restoration company, they will start to extract the water from the area as quickly as possible. This may mean setting up submersible pumps if the water is too high. Of course, if it is not then a water extraction machine of some sort will do the job!

Moisture readings should be taken at regular intervals once all the wet items, damp carpet and padding, wet furniture, clothing etc are removed from the area.

Once this is done, it may be necessary and on many occasions it is, to have the baseboards popped off, and have the drywall possibly removed from 2 feet up to 4 feet high from the floor. Sometimes just to drill a few holes at various intervals would suffice to let air flow assist in drying out the space. Therefore, a good supply of air movers to circulate the air space is necessary. The water damage restoration company will employ commercial drying equipment such as a dehumidifier to lower moisture and humidity levels to prevent your property walls, doors, trims from buckling and because of excess moisture, if they have not already reached that stage upon their arrival. Here is where the expertise of the water damage contractor comes in. If you have not waited too long to call and the restoration process starts immediately, mold prevention can take place before the bacteria has a chance to get started in its saturated environment. If the call to get help after water damage, or water intrusion takes place beyond a 48 to 72 hour period, then the second part of the “one-two punch” has license to start establishing itself in your property and it will start to devour, or feed on as much of your porous materials as it can.

BLACK MOLD CAN WREAK HAVOC!

The average customer waits a bit too long to do anything about their water intrusion to their property. Then there are the ones that do act right away, you know, the do-it-yourselfers! Now while there is nothing wrong with doing it yourself, to save some money, there is a problem with not doing the job right. And let’s face it 85% of the time, the customer does not handle the job right. How do we know they didn’t? Because they start to see that nasty stuff up above on their walls, baseboards, trim, doorways, etc. It is a tell-tale sign that something wasn’t implemented right, or overlooked. It means that there was moisture that was missed somewhere. Moisture is the catalyst that allows mold to grow. And mold needs to eat. So it searches out areas where it can feast on materials that are helpless. Old clothing, old shoes, tablecloths, drywall, wood, furniture made of wood products, curtains, anything that it can devour, it will devour.

BLACK MOLD AND YOUR HEALTH

When Stachybotrys mold is growing on wet material, the spores do not disperse as easily because the spores are held together by a sticky/slimy coating. When the material dries out or is disturbed, the spores will spread through the air.

The main concern of mold remediation professionals is to prevent the spread of the black mold. This is accomplished through containment, which is the process of creating a poly barrier around the area where the Stachybotrys mold is growing.

This procedure is so important because Stachybotrys spreads by releasing spores. Mold contaminated materials must be removed and disposed of because this mold does not just grow on the surface of the material; it has root-like tendrils called mycelia, meaning it is able to penetrate the surface.

Typically Stachybotrys mold grows in clusters at the end of stem-like structures known as hyphae.

Stachybotrys produces a mycotoxin (i.e., poison from a fungus) named trichothecenes.

Stachybotrys black mold is a health concern because animal studies have shown that one of the major effects of trichothecenes is immuno-suppression.

In fact, even low level exposure can suppress the immune system resulting in bacterial and viral infections, coughing, skin irritation, and other allergic reactions, and there is some speculation that it may even cause cancer.

Therefore it is of the utmost importance to get rid of the deadly strain as soon as possible.

Now while there are many companies out there on the internet and in your neighborhood that claim to deal with mold, here is where caution is necessary. You must do your due diligence. Do research on the company you are considering. Find out what they know, how long they have been in business, do they have references. Maybe pictures of their work. What is their reputation on the internet? Is it solid? Let’s face it, every company receives complaints. They wouldn’t be a service if they didn’t. Complaints are not terrible in themselves if they are handled properly and the company in question sought to the best of their ability to resolve the issue. You want a company that is proactive. One that communicates like they are a part of the family. One that understands the pain you are feeling inside as you search for answers to your many concerns about the “one-two punch”, water damage and mold.

DOES YOUR WATER DAMAGE RESTORATION COMPANY QUALIFY?

Now that you have finally hired someone to get rid of your problem, are you going to be happy with the outcome? Well, you won’t know until they get underway, and the finished product sits before you. Let’s face it, having some strange people enter your home can be a bit unnerving. But life is a gamble, isn’t it? So you did all your research and you finally decided I’m going with Company B. You like Company B. They handled your call. They were professional at the front end. They followed up. They were on-time. Why, they even made you feel when they arrived that you made the right decision and you can finally put this matter to rest. They are good communicators. You can ask questions, without feeling like you’re going to be given a deadly look, you know, the “go away lady, I’ve got work to do look.” You’re laughing. Sounds like you’ve been there. Well, with Company B, you feel good, that you are getting your questions answered and you know why they are spraying “that stuff” on your wood, or floor, or walls. You know how long it needs to sit. You know what those big pieces of equipment are. You can relax because Company B is on the case. Good service costs money, doesn’t it? If you want to get Bentley service and you pay for a Smart Car. Guess what you’re going to get. You’re smart, if you said Smart Car service. Now while there is nothing wrong with a Smart Car. When you think of volume, size, and cost compared to a Bentley. There is a reason the pricing is different. It is the quality, the name, the service, and everything else that goes behind owning a Bentley. It is no different with your water damage and mold removal “two-punch.” The old adage, you get what you pay for. In fact, if it is not done right the first time, you end up paying more anyway. The Bentley, and that Smart Car, you really didn’t need. LOL

Isn’t it wise just to go ahead and get the job done right the first time so you can move on with your life? Yes it is!!

Here’s the Deal! We follow the appropriate steps for Proper Mold Removal:

1. Setup and containment of the damaged area(s)

2. HEPA vacuuming of all exposed or infected surfaces

3. Proper removal and anti-microbial wipe down of hard surfaces including furniture with mold cleaner

4. Removal of infected porous materials if necessary (known as demolition)

5. Negative Air Machine (NAM) or Air Scrubber operation

6. Properly bagging and discarding contaminated items for removal from premises

7. Antimicrobial treatment and Biocide application

8. HEPA vacuuming again to ensure complete removal

9. Encapsulation sealant process

The CleanUP Guys are mold removal and mold remediation specialists! At the service in the entire Chicago area for more than 21 years!

If you need help with your mold project, be it commercial or residential service, please give us a call at (773) 885-8528 or email us direct at sherm@thecleanupguys.com.

You will find us to be just as good if not better than Company B!

Mold Remediation Processes in Lake Forest IL

Different Types of Mold Remediation

Let’s review the different levels of Lake Forest IL mold remediation that you need to be aware of when deciding upon a program. We have five levels of mold remediation that you should use. If you are thinking about getting a professional mold remediation company or not.

Mold Remediation: Small area spaces (10 square feet or less)

You might be able to take care of this yourself, but you can always count a mold remediation company to handle it thoroughly and properly. We find this type of mold visible on ceiling spaces and some wall spaces. Mold remediation should be handled with personal protective paraphernalia such as gloves, disposable respirators and eye protection gear. No family members, children or pets should be around the contamination. Containment should be strongly considered when handling mold removal in Lake Forest IL, so that spores are not released into the air and float into adjacent areas. You want to remove materials that cannot be cleaned from the space.

Mid-sized isolation spaces (10-30 square feet)

The same protocol for the previous circumstance would apply here. All the materials to be relocated should be appropriately bagged and tied before leaving the contaminated space. The entire area can be wiped down with a professional grade antimicrobial product.  Do not forget to HEPA vacuum the entire space at least twice.

Large isolation spaces (30- 100 square feet)

Visible mold starts to surface more frequently I larger swaths and maybe discoloration on different levels. Apply the 2 previous protocols or space parameters here as well. We want to include or administer a thick enough mylar plastic, ¼” or more to seal all the air movements around the work areas. As mentioned previously no one should be allowed in the containment areas without proper protective equipment. Maintain a completely dry and visibly free from mold environment.

 

Heavily spread contamination (more than 100 square feet)

                                                                           

In this case, a professional hygienist needs to be consulted as there are serious health and safety risks involved and could case breathing and skin issues. A professional hygienist receives training in mold investigations (mold remediation).  They can make the right recommendations BEFORE the start of your project.  They will certify documents and etiquette to be used in the cleanup and removal process, along with chemicals necessary and type of equipment needed.  Each person working in the infected area should put on protective outfits that are disposable to prevent mold spore from spreading to other parts of the property. Containment is absolutely necessary here. Close off all openings, windows, doorways, vents, etc. Careful count of the bacteria in the air is necessary, as well as monitoring humidity levels to keep the environment as dry as possible.

Air Conditioner and HVAC Network

It is certainly recommended that all mold infestation in air conditioners and HVAC systems should be left to the Lake Forest IL professional mold remediation companies who know how to handle this phase properly. The HVAC system should be shut down before commencing with the work and remove anything that can support the growth of mold and seal it in a plastic bag. Antimicrobial agents that are designated to prevent the growth of the mold should be used generously.