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Mold is a kind of fungus that grows anywhere where there is moisture and organic matter it can break down. If allowed to thrive in a house or an apartment in San Diego, it can cause long-term mold damage, reduce the value of your property, and even pose a severe health hazard. 

Keep reading to learn how mold spreads, how it can make you sick, and how to handle a mold infestation and perform effective cleanup and remediation.

What damage can mold cause?

A mold infestation can hurt both your health and your wallet. For example, carpet mold can ruin expensive floor coverings and even damage the floor beneath them. Moldy walls not only look gross, they can also cause you to experience various respiratory issues. 

According to CDC, the 5 most common types of household mold are:

• Stachybotrys chartarum (black mold)
• Penicillium
• Alternaria
• Aspergillus
• Cladosporium

Mold infestations are an especially big deal on the real estate market. Home buyers should have any property they’re thinking of purchasing professionally checked for mold. Likewise, property sellers should make sure there isn’t a mold problem before listing the home on the real estate market in order to avoid losing potential buyers or having to renegotiate the price. 

Can mold in your house make you sick?

Small amounts of mold shouldn’t be harmful to your health unless you’re highly allergic to it. However, if mold is allowed to thrive in your home to the point where it becomes an infestation, the large amount of airborne spores it releases can cause you and the other members of your household to suffer various unpleasant and even dangerous health problems. 

Mold frequently aggravates existing respiratory conditions such as asthma and allergies. Furthermore, it can cause you to feel perpetually tired and even mess with your vision. Consuming food or beverages that contain mold can cause vomiting and nausea. 

You may be dealing with a mold infestation if you have the following symptoms:

• Congestion of the sinuses and the nasal cavity
• Sore throat
• Skin rashes
• Frequent coughing
• Eye irritation
• Vision issues (blurred sight)

What should you do if your house has mold?

Unless you have a background in mold remediation, by far the most effective way to get rid of mold is to call in the professionals. Do-it-yourself removal methods almost invariably fail to eradicate all of the mold, or end up damaging the surrounding property in the process.

When it comes to dealing with indoor mold, prevention really is the way to go. You want to make it as difficult for mold to thrive inside your home as possible. This can be accomplished with a little foresight and some careful maintenance.

Here’s how to prevent a mold infestation:

• Maintain indoor humidity levels at 50% or less
• Leaky roofs, plumbing, and walls should be fixed ASAP
• Use mold-killing products when cleaning bathrooms and basements
• If soaked carpets or upholstery can’t be dried quickly, replace them
• Call in water damage remediation experts immediately after a flood
• Regularly air your home and make sure there’s good airflow
• Use mold-inhibiting paints and products when painting your house

Where can I find the top San Diego mold damage remediation experts? 

Have you recently had a flood at your home, and now your place smells musty and you have a runny nose all the time? Or perhaps you’re thinking of purchasing a home in Marston Hills, and you want to make sure it doesn’t contain mold before you proceed with the deal? 

Whatever your needs may be, don’t hesitate to call Risk Free Serv. As the premium provider of remediation services in San Diego County, we’re uniquely positioned to deal with all your mold, fire, water, and smoke damage-related problems. Contact us today.

Most Americans these days are trying to keep their houses free of COVID-19. While this is generally a good thing, it also makes it easy to forget that coronavirus isn’t the only pathogen we have to worry about. 

In previous articles, we listed the cleaning and disinfection techniques your coronavirus disinfecting service in San Diego uses to keep COVID-19 out of your home. Now we’ll give you some pointers on how to deal with another major source of household disease: sewage overflow. Read on to learn more. 

How do you clean up carpet after sewer backup?

Dealing with the aftermath of a sewage overflow is not only unpleasant, it can also expose you to dangerous bacteria and lead to a mold infestation in your home. For this reason, it’s best to leave your sewage cleanup to the experts. 

Here’s how to clean a carpet after sewage backup:

Step #1: Stay safe

Always wear a face mask, disposable gloves, and eye protection while dealing with sewage. Refrain from touching your face during the cleaning. Thoroughly wash your hands and clothes after you’re done. 

Step #2: Take care of any solid waste

Grab a scoop or a shovel and use it to move solid waste from the sewage water into a plastic bag. Once the bag is full, take it outside and put it in a dumpster.

Step #3: Remove damaged building materials

Sewage overflow is considered as a category 3 water. And based on the IICRC guidelines all affected porous building materials need to be removed after being in contact with category 3 water. For example, if you have carpet flooring both the carpet and pad will have to be removed and disposed of in plastic bags.

Step #4: Clean the floor

Thoroughly scrub and sanitize the floor using either a commercial cleaning product or a homemade solution that’s 1 part bleach and 10 part water. Don’t lay down new flooring until the floor is 100% dry.

Step #5: Restoration

After making sure all the affected building materials have been removed/dried you can start the restoration/repair process. 

Can you get sick from sewage backup?

Yes. Sewage is primarily contaminated water that contains one or more types of waste that may come from both industrial and household sources. Microbes, parasites, toxins, and other harmful substances can all be found in sewer water in varying amounts. 

In addition to physical contaminants, sewer backup can also emit airborne pathogens and toxins. Spending any amount of time near raw sewage can result in a wide variety of health problems, including gastroenteritis, encephalitis, and even hepatitis A. 

How do you get sewer smell out of the house after backup?

The only way to truly remove the smell after a sewer backup is to destroy the bacteria that are causing the unpleasant odors, and that means using powerful disinfectants. 

Unless you’re a seasoned remediation technician with access to specialized equipment, the recommended course of action in case of a sewage backup (or other forms of flooding) is to get expert assistance ASAP. 

Where can I book a dependable coronavirus disinfecting service in San Diego?

As the leading remediation and restoration company in San Diego, Risk Free Serv is uniquely positioned to provide you with the full range of mold, fire, smoke, and water remediation services. 

Our emergency response hotline is available 24/7, so don’t hesitate to give us a call at any hour. Our technicians will promptly show up at your place regardless of whether you’re located in the suburbs or right next to the Balboa Park. Give us a call today. 

The term “mold” is used to refer to a large number of fungal species that share certain biological traits. They’re a natural part of the ecosystem and can therefore be found anywhere where oxygen and moisture are present. But that does not make mold any less unwelcome in your home, especially when you know it can cause or aggravate health symptoms.

Due to the microscopic spores it constantly emits into the air, mold can aggravate chronic respiratory conditions such as allergies and asthma, and cause you to experience various uncomfortable symptoms (wheezing, itchy skin or eyes, stuffy nose, etc.). 

We previously wrote about how a reliable San Diego coronavirus home sanitizing service would go about removing COVID-19 and other viruses from your home or office. Now we’ll look at how trusted remediation companies deal with mold infestations. Keep reading to learn more. 

How do professionals remove mold?

It’s an unfortunate fact that most Americans use the terms “mold removal” and “mold remediation” interchangeably. The reality is that microscopic mold spores are so widespread that removing all of them from an area is simply impossible. 

On the other hand, mold remediation refers to the process of using professional-grade techniques and equipment to reduce the amount of mold in an area to the point where it can no longer affect your health, damage your belongings, or produce unpleasant odors. 

A standard mold remediation service includes the following steps:

Step #1: Assessment

Mold remediation technicians will inspect your home or premises for mold. This may or may not include invasive examination techniques. 

Step #2: Identifying the damage source

Most of the time, mold infestations are a result of excessive moisture. In order to prevent further mold growth, the remediation technicians will identify the source of damage then will recommend the appropriate professional to seal off the source of the dampness before proceeding with the remediation.

Step #3: Preparation

Before any mold remediation project can start there are few steps that will need to be taken to prevent mold spores from spreading throughout the property. All porous materials will need to be moved outside the containment area. Furthermore, a plastic containment needs to be set up around the damaged area. Finally, HEPA air filtration needs to be running inside the containment to clean the air and create a negative air pressure. 

Step #4: Demolition and Drying

Mold can’t thrive in a dry environment. For this reason, the affected areas should be carefully dried using dehumidifiers only to prevent mold spores from spreading into new unaffected areas. During this step all the affected building materials will have to be either removed or sanded and cleaned with an antimicrobial agent to kill mold spores.

Step #5: Final cleaning

Once the affected area is 100% dry and all the damaged building materials have been removed, we will clean every inch inside the containment with an antimicrobial solution to make sure all the surfaces are mold free. 

What kills mold in the air?

Mold constantly releases microscopic spores into the air. Not only are these spores bad for your health, they can also cause mold to spread to other parts of your home. 

Here’s how to reduce the amount of mold spores in your home:

• Place an air purifier in every room.
• Destroy moldy spots on hard surfaces (eg., tiles or glass) using a sprayable mold remover. 
• Install HEPA filters on your air conditioners. 
• Make sure your kitchen, bathroom, and basement are as dry as possible.
• Regularly clean and inspect your gutters.
• Use dehumidifiers to reduce indoor moisture.
• Keep your house ventilated at all times.
• Clean any spills immediately.
• Hang wet clothes and shoes outside to dry. 

Where can I schedule a reliable San Diego coronavirus home sanitizing service?

Are you having a sewer overflow emergency, or dealing with the aftermath of a fire in your home? Or perhaps you’re looking to have your property professionally sanitized? Whatever your remediation and restoration needs might be, don’t hesitate to give Risk Free Serv a call. 

We are an IICRC-certified company that provides 24/7 emergency remediation and restoration services throughout San Diego County. It’s all the same to us whether you’re located in Gaslamp Quarter or out in the countryside: we’ll still get to you in record time! Contact us today. 

Water damage can have disastrous effects on your property. Not only can it cause extensive damage to your walls, floors, and furniture, but it often contains harmful pathogens that can make you sick if ingested in any way. To avoid such an outcome, you should hire a dependable home disinfecting service in San Diego the moment your home gets struck by a plumbing emergency. 

Your water damage restoration professionals specialize in a variety of water damage repair tasks. So, whether you need them to disinfect your home after a sewer backup or deal with any mold-related issue you might face, they are the right people for the job. 

On top of that, they possess vast experience in biohazard waste removal and will apply their knowledge to disinfect your property against Coronavirus and other dangerous pathogens that are lurking around.

How do you disinfect after water damage?

If your home has suffered Category 2 or 3 water damage, you should contact your trusted water damage repair company immediately. Cleaning the affected areas on your own is not recommendable because both grey and black water often contain significant levels of chemicals, physical and biological contaminants, harmful bacteria, and fungi, and they need to be dealt with following the highest safety standards.

Water damage repair specialists possess the necessary safety gear and advanced tools that will allow them to finish the job in the shortest amount of time and mitigate any further damage to your home. After they’ve removed all the excess water, dried out the property, and repaired the damaged areas, they will apply EPA-approved disinfectants and treat any affected areas with precision.

They will also make sure to inspect your property for any hidden issues and use cutting-edge filtration systems to remove any particles, pollutants, and other chemicals from the air, providing you with a much healthier living environment.

How do I disinfect my basement after a flood?

Cleaning a flooded basement requires a great deal of expertise and skill. Before you can proceed to clean and disinfect this area, you need to uncover the source of the damage and fix it. 

Regardless of whether you’re facing a flood caused by heavy rainfall or some other plumbing issues that do not pose severe health risks or you have a sewage backup on your hands, it’s always safer to contact the experts.

Here are the steps that they’ll take to restore your basement to its initial condition in no time:

• Water removal: They will utilize state-of-the-art water pumps to remove any excess water fast. Quick action is crucial in order to prevent further complications like mold growth.
• Clean up: Since flood water often brings dirt and mud into the basement, before disinfecting the affected surfaces, your water damage restoration crew will remove all the dirt and damaged items.
• Drying: To dry out the basement, your restoration team will use dehumidifiers and powerful commercial fans that will increase the air circulation and accelerate the drying process.
• Restoration: Depending on the extent of damage, your water damage restoration team will need to perform either minor repairs or conduct major reconstruction work. The sooner you contact them, the greater the chances are that the situation won’t get out of hand and will be easier to handle.

Where to book dependable home disinfecting service in San Diego or the area?

Call Risk Free Serv. We are one of the leading water damage restoration companies in the San Diego area. Whether your residential or commercial property is located in Golden Hill, Oak Park, or any of the surrounding neighborhoods, we are your go-to water damage repair professionals. Our IICRC -certified team will make sure to disinfect every inch of your home with precision and care, leaving no room for errors.

Reach out to us!

The still ongoing Coronavirus pandemic is wreaking havoc across the world with no end in sight. To prevent the virus from spreading, you need to take extra precautions and ensure that your home is properly cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis, and local sanitize and disinfect service providers in San Diego can help you with that! They will apply proven disinfecting methods to eliminate COVID-19 from your home or commercial property.

You can count on them for all kinds of disinfecting services. Whether you need help cleaning your basement after a flood, preventing and eliminating mold from your home, or you need a professional to clean up your house after a sewer backup, you can rely on your trusted water damage restoration company.

Let’s learn more about the disinfection methods professionals use!

What are the methods of disinfection?

Experts rely on proven methods of disinfection and utilize tried-and-tested products to clean your residential or commercial property up to code and decontaminate all the indoor areas. They will employ their biohazard clean-up experience and tackle both hard and soft surfaces in your property to minimize the chances of contamination.

Different surfaces require a different approach to cleaning, and here is what you should keep in mind:

Hard surfaces 

Before disinfecting any hard surfaces, you need to clean them first. After the dirt has been removed, you can proceed to apply the disinfectant to the surface. Professionals use EPA-approved products that have been shown to be effective against COVID-19 and similar viruses. Before wiping the surface down, you should leave the disinfectant to work for a couple of minutes.

Soft surfaces

When it comes to disinfecting carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, and other soft surfaces, there are a few things that you can do. First, you can clean these surfaces using soap and warm water. 

Then, you can apply one of the EPA-certified soft surface disinfectants and let it air dry. If possible, you can also launder these items. Before you do that, remember to check their labels to see which is the warmest setting you can wash them on.

Indoor air 

Finally, in addition to disinfecting hard and soft surfaces in your home, you should also clean the air inside your property. To ensure the best results, you can rely on professionals for help. 

They will follow the official guidelines for the prevention of the spread of Coronavirus and use advanced tools such as air scrubbers. They are designed to filter various particles and contaminants from the air and thus improve the indoor air quality significantly.

What should be used to clean and disinfect?

When selecting the right disinfectant for your needs, you should keep in mind that not all of them are equally effective against the same type of pathogens. So, to be sure that you’re making the right choice, take the time to read their labels carefully, and confirm the following:

• What kind of surfaces they should be used on
• What viruses and bacteria they are effective against
• How to use them for maximum results

If all of this seems a bit too complicated, and you can’t manage to squeeze the cleaning into your packed schedule, don’t hesitate to contact your trusted water damage restoration company. They have vast experience in cleaning all types of contaminated areas and will know how to keep you and your property safe.

Where to find the best sanitize and disinfect service in San Diego & beyond?

If you’re searching for dependable residential and commercial disinfecting services near you, contact Risk Free Serv. We cover the entire San Diego area, so whatever neighborhood you live in, you can count on our quick response and efficient services.

Our skilled & experienced team of IICRC-certified professionals will work around your schedule and adhere to strict disinfection and decontamination procedures to finish the cleaning in the shortest amount of time and help prevent the outbreak. Visit our website for more information and give us a call at your convenience!

Aside from dealing with the immediate consequences of a water damage emergency that your property has suffered, you’ll also need to take care of all insurance-related matters. Fortunately, aside from rendering comprehensive water damage restoration services across San Diego, your dependable water damage repair professional has the knowledge and expertise needed to help you get the best compensation possible from your insurance company.

Not only will they restore your wet ceiling in no time, help you fight mold infestation, but they will also be there to assist you with your insurance filing process, making sure that your interests are fully protected.

How can you ensure a claim will not be rejected?

Even though insurance terminology can be very confusing, ensuring that your insurance claim is not denied and that you receive appropriate compensation doesn’t have to be that hard after all. Follow these simple steps and don’t hesitate to contact your water damage restoration company whenever you have any questions or run into a rough patch:

Be familiar with your policy

The first rule of a successful insurance claim filing process is to know your policy. Take some time to read it carefully and learn what your policy covers in the first place. Here, you’ll find out more about the different categories of water damage and discover under which circumstance it will or won’t be covered.

Then, you should proceed to read all the exclusions and endorsements added to the policy to gather all the information pertinent to your situation. In case you find it hard to understand all the terminology, you should contact your water restoration expert since they have a lot of experience in the field and are familiar with the ins and outs of insurance regulations in California.

Report the damage timely

Waiting to report the damage is one of the most common mistakes homeowners make that can cost them their claim. While it’s understandable that with so many things on your mind, you won’t be able to call your insurance company the same day, you should still make sure to let them know ASAP.

Prevent any further damage to your property

Another reason why your insurance claim may be rejected is your failure to take the necessary action to prevent further damage to the property. To avoid that, you should contact your water damage repair professional immediately and have them bring the situation back under control. However, keep in mind that actual restoration work should begin only after you get the approval of your insurance company regarding the scope and cost of work.

Gather as much evidence as possible

The more evidence you have, the greater your chances will be that your claim will be accepted since the insurance company will be able to assess the situation better and award you with adequate compensation. Aside from taking photos of the source of the damage and the damage itself, you can always record a video and submit it as additional visual evidence.

Also, don’t forget to create a comprehensive inventory of everything that has been damaged. In case you have any questions or need help with the paperwork, call your trustworthy water damage restoration specialist as soon as possible.

Where to find the best water damage restoration services in San Diego & beyond?

Call Riske Free Serv! Our dependable water damage repair and mold remediation services are available throughout the San Diego area. So, wherever your home is, you should know that you can count on our fast response and full dedication from start to finish.

Our team of trained water damage specialists will do everything in their power to restore your property promptly as well as offer you assistance with the insurance claim process. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions or browse our website for more information on the topic.