As the months progress, many homeowners are concerned about Florida’s hurricane season.   All across Florida property owners are asking questions such as, how can I prepare my home.  What if I have roof damage? Will the power go out?  Will we escape a direct hit?

Since no one has a crystal ball, or at least a working crystal ball, our advise is to prepare for the worst during Florida’s hurricane season.  While being hopeful that a hurricane won’t hit South Florida being prepared is the smartest thing to do.    Of course, it’s going to get warm, and humid as summer approaches. No crystal ball needed for that prediction.

As the famous John Trusler once said, “There’s no time like the present”, and now is a good time to get ready for the next round of Florida’s hurricane season.

As we move closer to warmer weather and Florida’s hurricane season, moisture, water damage & mold start to become more of a problem for homeowners.

Working as a water damage restoration company in South Florida many of our home inspections determine that water damage has occurred as a result of South Florida’s additional moisture brought on by the warmer weather.  As Florida’s hurricane season approaches, it’s up to home and business owners to take the necessary steps to protect their homes from the humid conditions.

You probably don’t know this, In addition to being for Get Dry, Inc’s SEO person, I’m also an established photographer.  You can check out my website here.  Before I moved to South Florida I lived in Los Angeles, and before living in Los Angeles, I lived in New York.  While living in both LA and NY, the climate never affected my ability to grab a camera and start taking pictures.  I’m not saying the weather didn’t affect my images at all, because it did.  If I had a photo shoot and it was raining out, that effected my photo session.  If it was foggy, that determined the look of my pictures.  However, when I moved to South Florida, I learned that the climate could determine when and where I could take pictures.

In the fall, winter and spring, Florida’s temperature and gentle breeze makes South Florida a paradise.  However, as the Florida’s hurricane season approaches, it becomes hot and humid.

Before, I moved to West Palm Beach, I spent some time vacationing here in South Florida.  Every vacation I enjoyed here in South Florida was during the winter months.  While it was freezing in New York, the temperature in South Florida was  pleasant and not too hot with a slight breeze.  Actually it a delightful time to be here.

I relocated to West Palm Beach during the summer months.  Sure, it was hot and humid.  By the way, this was my first experience with hurricanes.  Hurricane Wilma was my first hurricane experience.

One of the very first weddings I photographed in South Florida took place at the Biltmore Hotel in Miami. Everything was going perfectly.  During the reception, I took a quick walk outside to see if there were any creative photo opportunities.  I found a great location with nice outdoor lighting. I brought the bride and groom out for what I thought would be a few quick photos.   Once I had them in position, I picked up my camera, looked through the viewfinder and saw, NOTHING, just a blank view out of focus grey.  In that second, I thought, maybe the lens broke?  Then I looked at the front of the lens and saw that the lens had completely fogged over.  Actually, the what was on the lens was much more than fog.  It was actually water droplets that formed both inside and on the surface of the lens.  It took about 30 minutes for the moisture to equalize before I was able to take any pictures.  Now I know, as a photographer in South Florida, you can’t go from an inside air-conditioned room to the humid South Florida outdoor environment with out considering the fact that moisture will form on your lens.  Actually for Florida photographers, this is a big issue.

Read about this photographer who’s camera broke due to Florida’s humid environment.  

Here’s another, Shooting in Florida’s humid conditions.

This exact same situation occurs in your home or business whenever the power goes out during a summer storm or hurricane.  When hurricane Wilma hit South Florida, our home went from cool & comfortable to a hot wet mess.   After only a few hours everything was damp.  Since we were new to South Florida we were completely unprepared for the hurricane and the aftermath that the hurricane left behind.

A damaged roof and flying roof tiles are one of the main reasons why a homeowner may need water damage restoration in West Palm Beach or any other close by county.

As the hurricane home pummeled our Palm Beach County, I looked out the peephole of our front door; I could see the heavy rain and the trees blowing.  Then I started to see roof tiles fly and land on the walkway by our front door.

Once the hurricane ended and I got to inspect the damage, I found that most of the roof tiles didn’t come from our house but from our next-door neighbor’s roof.

While we lost a few tiles, our roof didn’t suffer any major damage.  In addition to the roof damage that many homes suffered, lots of cars that were left outside had sustained damage.  Some had broken windows and other had been dented.

After a hurricane or wind storm, flying debris is one of the main causes of home water and mold damage.

Once a hurricane or major storm hits our area, the distress calls we receive continue to last many days.  The homeowners that suffer major roof damage know almost immediately because the large holes in their roof allow for lots of water intrusion.  The homes that have sustained smaller roof cracks or holes may seem ok for a while. That is until a slow trickle of water seeps into the homes attic.  In some of these cases the rainwater soaks into the attic’s insulation and remains in the attic for days.  In the first 24 to 48 hours mold starts to grow.  Once this happens the homeowner has a much larger problem to deal with. Many home occupants have no clue that mold is growing in their walls & above their heads.  Often occupants in mold infected homes become sick.  Read our article: Is you home making you sick?  When you consider the fact that the home is already damp due to a power outage the homeowner is in for a bad situation.  Our advice is to have your roof thoroughly checked for damage after a storm or hurricane.

How to prepare for the next South Florida hurricane season.

After living in South Florida for a few years I have learned how to prepare for Florida’s hurricane season.  Having lived through a few direct hits, and plenty of near misses I have learned something about South Florida storms and hurricanes.  Below is a hurricane preparedness checklist that you may find useful.

1. Test your back-up home power system. If you home has a home back-up generator, have it checked to make sure it’s working properly.  If you have a gas-powered generator, fire it up and make sure it works.  If you don’t own one, now is a great time to purchase on.  In addition the generator, make sure you have several high quality extension cords.  Because it’s hazardous to run a gas generator indoors you will need long extension cords to get power to your home from the gas generator operating outdoors.
2. Owning a dehumidifier along with several fans is also a great idea. I can tell you from experience, in the hot summer hurricane season, if your power goes out, your home will become damp, moist, and dark if your hurricane shutters are still up.  When this happens mold can start to grow in as little as 24 hours. The key is to keep moisture out of your home.
3. Make sure you have plenty of bottled water on hand. In a rain storm residents may be advised not to drink tap water.  In addition to bottled water, stock up on non-perishable food, a good flashlight along with additional batteries.
4. One very handy item to own is a hand crank radio that receives IS FM and Emergency weather and safety reports. Today, you can also find crank radios with built-in flashlights that will also charge your cell phone.
5. Finally every home should plenty of first aid supplies. A good first aid kit should include at least, Band-Aids in several sizes, gauze pads, antibiotic ointment, elastic wraps, scissors & tweezers, duct tape.
6. This is also a good time to review your insurance policies. This includes homeowners, and flood insurance.
7. Check your roof for any damage, or loose roof tiles that may fly off and created further damage. In a hurricane force wind, if one tile flies off, the wind can get under the other tiles and lift them off as well,
8. Make sure you are prepared to install your hurricane shutters. If you have hurricane glass, then have the window seams checked.  If you will need to install window shutters, check to make sure you have all the fittings.  It’s been my experience that, during the hurricane shutter installation process, screws get bent & parts get lost.  Having these on hand well before the hardware stores get mobbed and run out of supplies is a great idea.

While we don’t have a crystal ball to tell us when, or if a hurricane will impact your home, one thing is certain.  Preparing for a direct hit is the smartest thing a homeowner can do.  The reality is sometimes a hurricane may track a path right to Florida, then track away in the last hours.  In the case of Dorian & Mathew the center moved within a few miles of the Florida coastline.  However, hurricane Wilma was a direct hit!  Actually the eye passed directly over my home.

We hope you will find this article helpful.  At Get Dry, Inc. out goal is to help home and business owners recover from any type of water disaster.  Water damage can occur as a result of a hurricane, storm, flood or even a broken plumbing pipe.  If you suspect your property has suffered from a water related problem, or if you smell something strange in your home, call us to inspect.  We offer a free inspection and are happy to visit your home or business.  We are based in Boynton Beach, and cover all of Broward County, Palm Beach County, and Martin County.  We can be easily reached at (561) 737-5561.

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As an experienced Palm Beach County leak detection, water and mold restoration company we have helped hundreds of homeowners head off major problems associated with leak related home damage.  While this article features a Palm Beach County home, we also help homeowners in Broward and Martin County as well.

By the time a homeowner realizes they have a leak in their home it’s usually panic time. Often leaks happen in hidden places away from the normal field of view. This means that a leak, especially a slow leak, may be unnoticed for a long time.  During that time, water damage occurs in the form of mold or home structural damage.   A leak can be the result of a broken pipe fitting, a crack in a roof, a failed fitting around a toilet or shower drain even a backyard swimming pool can spring a subtle leak and create home damage.  The panic and anguish of dealing with a hidden leak could sometimes be avoided by knowing what to look for in advance. It’s our hope that this article will help homeowners become more aware of the problems that can occur when home leaks happen and how to avoid major problem by finding leaks early.  By simply being aware of the subtle warning signs, a homeowner can save thousands of dollars in unexpected home damage.  Our work as Palm Beach County leak detection experts have taught us, if a homeowner makes a visual inspection of their home  a regular habit, they can catch a potential home leak and save thousands of dollars and avoid lots of stress and aggravation.  Restoring your home after water damage could be an expensive process.  If you could avoid major home damage by finding and repairing a leak quickly you should.

In many of our articles we talk about mold and water damage.  This only makes sense because once a property owner contacts us with, what would have been only a small leak problem, the damage is already done, and the situation has reached its peak.  The result of many of these small leaks is mold, water damage, home structural damage. Often when we get called, its well after a leak has done its damage. Then our job becomes one of cleaning up the mess or starting the home damage repair process. However, if a homeowner knows the warning signs, and acts quickly it’s possible to prevent major home damage.  Leaks in homes are difficult to handle for several reasons.  First, often the homeowner has no idea they even have a leak. Many times the leaks are hidden walls, behind cabinets, or even underground. Second, if they suspect they do have a leak, finding the leak could be a challenge.

All it takes is a very small hole to create a water damage situation. This tiny hole in a Palm Beach County home’s roof led to a water disaster.

How can you tell if you may have a leak, & possible causes of leaks?

One of the most basic signs that you may have a water leak is by looking at your water bill.If you find that you water bill increases for no reason, there is a good chance you have a hidden water leak. Even a very small leak can waste thousands of gallons of water causing a noticeable increase in your water bill. If you think you may have a  leak check your meter after turning off all faucets and appliances such as the dishwasher and washing machine.  After everything has been shut off check your meter and see if it is still changing. After looking at the meter, write down the settings and wait two or three hours and see if there is a change.  In the case of a slow leak, it may take a long time to see a change.

In addition to plumbing problems, water leaks can come from other locations.  For example, a roof leak won’t be detected by looking at your water bill.  However, a very slight roof leak can very quickly turn into a major mold problem.  The insulation in your homes attic can act like a sponge and soak up water before any water finds its ways into your living space.  When we get inspection requests for Palm Beach County leak detection we often find a damaged roof is the culprit. As a normal course of home maintenance a homeowner should look at the corners of a homes walls and ceiling to check for any discoloration.

Leaks can come from many different sources. They key to saving your home from damage is early detection.

The worst type of leak homeowners need to look out for are sewer system leaks.  This is often referred to, as “Black Water Leaks” The liquid that escapes from a leaking sewer line is often toxic and needs to be handled by a black water remediation specialist.  If you notice a foul smell in your yard or a patch of extra green grass call us at (561) 777-2618   At Get Dry, Inc. we are experienced experts at leak detection and water damage remediation.  We are based in Boynton Beach and handle home water damage in all of Palm Beach County, Broward County and Martin County.

Why should you call Get Dry, Inc. if you suspect your home has a leak problem? 

There are different types of companies that claim to handle leak detection.  The question is, how do they find the leak and at what cost?  Also, once a leak is found how do they handle or prevent mold from growing and contaminating a home.  You could call a plumber, but most plumbers only handle plumbing.  At Get Dry, Inc. we have been called to many homes that have been repaired by a plumber, only to find that the leak has been repaired, but the water damage was left behind.   In addition we have found that some leaks that cause the most damage have been the most difficult to find.  They are often hidden within homes walls in a maze of pipes and fittings.  Pinpointing the exact source of the leak could be done using several different methods.

By using the most sophisticated leak detecting equipment we can pinpoint the source of a leak and repair the problem before further damage occurs.  

In the past plumbers used a hit or miss method to find a hidden leak. They would try to take a somewhat educated guess as to where the leak was, then open the wall to see if they were correct. Our approach is more advanced; we use the most up to date high tech equipment to pinpoint the leak.  Then we surgically repair the leak and remove any mold growth, which resulted from the water damage.   Our test equipment uses the latest technology and includes infrared cameras that can see moisture in and behind walls, floors and ceilings.  We have also invested in the best borescope equipment, which allows us look behind walls without the need to remove the drywall.

A year of experience helps to insure our arsenal of equipment is put to the most effective use.  The best and latest leak detection equipment is more effective when it’s used in the hands of experience.  Even the best equipment can send an inexperienced leak detector in the wrong direction.  For example, so pipes have a double coating or a cover over a pipe.  When the leak occurs in in one layer, the water will travel to a different section of pipe.  This will sometimes present the leak in the wrong place. There are also many other ways a leak can travel through a homes walls and appear in a false location.  Water can run along beams and appear in locations several yards away from the source.   Our years of experience as Palm Beach County leak detection experts will insure that tricky situations like this won’t send us looking in the wrong place.

If you live in Palm Beach County, Broward County or Martin County and have noticed higher than normal water usage, or have found brown spots in the corners of your homes interior walls then you should call the best water damage and leak detecting company to solve your problem fast.  At Get Dry, Inc. there is no charge for home inspections.  If you see something that look add, such as a brown water spot or if you smell something odd, call us for a free inspection.

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A water damaged home will cost the homeowner big bucks once a home inspector finds that water damage has compromised the home. A water damaged home can show signs of mold,  structural issues such as rotting wood, sagging beams and more.  The key to avoiding a financial loss is to contact a water damage and mold removal company at the first sign of water or mold damage.  At Get Dry, Inc. there is no charge to have us inspect your home and offer solutions,  We are based in South Florida and cover the following areas:  Lake Worth, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Greenacres, Palm Beach, Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, and all of Palm Beach County, Martin County and Broward County.  One call to us at (561) 777-2618 could save the value of your home.

When it comes to home sales one of the biggest concerns buyers have, is finding major problems after they have purchased their new house or property.  After the sale many home sellers are afraid that the purchaser may contact them with problems they found after the closing.  Sometimes a problem found after the closing is the responsibility of the seller, other times it’s up to the home buyer to remedy the problem.  Either way, it’s no fun to have home damage issues between the buyer and seller after the sale is made.

Movies such as The Money Pit, Life as a house, and Mr. Blandings builds his dream home are all entertaining and funny, however no one wants to live the reality portrayed in the movies.  There is also a documentary movie named Moldy.  The movie starts with a several people talking about the decline of their health.  They complained about feeling fatigued, nauseous and having brain fog. The truth is, poisoning from mold results in a collection of symptoms. This is way doctors have such a difficult time diagnosing mold poisoning.  The movie then gives an on going list of symptoms related to mold poisoning; it’s a very long list.  One of the most disturbing aspects of mold exposure is the decline of brain function.  Did you know that alcohol is a by-product of mold growth?  Just like alcohol, mold poisoning has the same sort of effects and many more on the brain.  The difference is that when someone consumes alcohol it’s usually intentional, with mold poisoning the person has no idea their brain chemistry is being altered.

 Every new South Florida homebuyer should be cautious when purchasing a new home

 No homebuyer wants to purchase a home only to find hidden water damage or mold issues.  This explains why homebuyers insist on a home inspection before closing.  If your home has suffered water damage, it critical that you have a mold remediation company restore you home.  Once a home inspector finds signs of mold or water damage your position of a home seller is massively reduced.  In addition the inspectors report can reduce your home value as determined by the property appraiser.

A construction plague hits South Florida and creates a home value disaster. 

Several years ago in South Florida, some new homes were constructed with a discounted drywall imported from China.  After several years this drywall started to emit a toxic gas similar to mold spores.  The walls of homes that had this drywall installed started to grow black spots, very similar to black mold.  The only solution was to remove all the drywall and the homes air conditioning systems.  Within a few months home inspectors became experts in Chinese Drywall. Home sales were canceled because inexperienced inspectors saw a black mark on a wall, or a piece of back dirt on an air conditioning coil and assumed it was Chinese drywall. Naturally, the very second a potential home buyer heard the word Chinese drywall the sale was canceled.  This situation went on for several years.  This same situation plays out with home water damage and mold issues.  If a potential home buyer hears the word mold, used to describe a home issue, you can bet that home sale is over.  While home appraisers and home inspectors are not the same, it’s easy to follow that a water or mold damaged home will appraise for less if the home has signs of water and mold damage.

 A prominent Palm Beach County real estate wrote an article on home inspectors vs home appraisers.  You can read her article here:

What’s the Difference between an Appraisal and a Home Inspection? by Lisa Punsky

How a South Florida home turned into a $40,000 money pit as a result of mold and water damage.

In a recently published article a South Florida homebuyer purchased a home that had a finished basement.  After several days they noticed that rainwater would enter the basement during every heavy rainstorm.  When the homebuyer pressed the home inspector for an answer he was told, he couldn’t have known about the water damage because it was not visible when he was there.  As a water damage and mold removal company we certainly would have found this issue.   The sellers were house flippers who did not disclose the home problem and are not accepting responsibility.  According  to the home owner, the cost for legal fees are going to cost over $10,000 and the home repairs about $30,000.  Had the original homeowner hired a professional water damage and mold removal company this situation could have been avoided.  In addition the home buyer could have hired a mold and water damage removal company like ours to inspect his potential purchase before buying and loosing all that money.

There is no reason why a home buyer shouldn’t reach out to a mold expert before purchasing a new home.  At Get Dry, Inc. we offer free home inspections.  If you are located in Palm Beach, Broward, or Martin county then call us at (561) 777-2618

If you own a home and have water damage you should consider the following. 

Mold and water damage that is not removed properly can drastically alter your homes appearance by leaving spotting and marks on your homes ceilings, floors and walls.  As a home occupant spending countless hours living in a mold damaged home, these mold and water damage signs often go unnoticed, however, a mold inspector could spot the damage.  This may lower your homes value.

Once a potential homebuyer learns that a home was infested with mold or water damage they may also decide it’s not a healthy place to live.    This fear may be completely unfounded, especially if a professional mold remediation company handles the problem, however you can’t prevent people from being afraid.   The bottom line is, you don’t want anyone even thinking about mold damage.

What is most important is to have the water damage or mold removed immediately.  The more time that mold is allowed to grow, the more difficult it’s going to be to remove.  Mold is a living organism that eats the sugars in the wood and paper based parts of your home.  Today most new construction consists of wood or paper based products, drywall or sheetrock is made of cardboard and gypsum, while gypsum doesn’t support mold growth the cardboard certainly does.  Once the cardboard gets moist mold will grow quickly.  As a matter of fact, it only takes 24 to 48 hours for mold to start growing on wet or moist drywall.

With water damage, a relatively small problem could grow into a huge problem.

When water damage occurs it’s usually the result of some sort of water leak such as a broken pipe, damaged roof, appliance breakage, or a window seal that has become degraded over time.   Another source of mold could be your homes air conditioning.   A house or business air conditioning system has the potential of create mold in several ways, it could be leaking runoff water or a cooing unit creating moisture.  However, a homes air conditioning unit could also be a big mold preventer.  A homes a/c system takes the moisture out of the air and releases the moisture outside the home.   What is most important is that the moisture is not inside the walls of your home.  As a South Florida water damage or mold removal expert, it’s our job to remove your properties water damage, and also determine the source.  We will also make sure the area is properly ventilated so that there is enough airflow to prevent future mold growth.

The bottom line when it comes to water damage and mold growth.

Once water damage occurs, reaching out for help from a professional water damage or mold removal company is the best decision a homeowner can make.  There are plenty of cases in which a homeowner has tried to remove the water or mold themselves as a way to save money.  While this may seem like an easy DIY project, keep in mind the following.  Mold is excellent at hiding.  A little water or moisture behind a wall or under a cabinet can remain unnoticed for a very long time.  Once the mold starts growing, it’s going to spread faster and faster.  Sometimes residents have no idea that they have a mold problem until they start to become ill.  By the time this happens the repair costs have skyrocketed.  The best way to preserve the value of your home and save money in the long run is to call a professional water damage and mold removal expert at the first sign of water damage.

The post How water damage can kill your home’s value and prevent a sale appeared first on Delray Business Partners.

However, if you already are facing a mold or water damage situation call us at (561) 777-2618.

As a South Florida based mold restoration company, we have seen mold grow quickly leaving homeowners with no choice except to call a mold expert.  We are a professional mold removal company located in South Florida. We have years of experience handling water damage and mold issues.  This article will point out some mold hotspots and teach you how to prevent mold growth before it starts.

Based in Boynton Beach Florida, we are considered the best mold and water damage restoration company in the area.  If you live in Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Palm Beach Gardens, Delray Beach, Wellington, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach, Stuart, Port St. Lucie, Parkland, or any other place in Broward or Palm Beach County, and if your home has suffered water or mold damage call us for a free mold inspection.

Recent studies have found that any water damage in a home can facilitate mold growth in as little as 24 hours.  Water can enter your South Florida home in any number of ways.  One way homes may develop mold damage is through a compromised roof.  Because we live in an area with frequent storms and hurricanes, roofs in South Florida take lots of abuse.  Another common distress call we receive, results from broken or malfunctioning appliances. A slow water leak under your kitchen dishwasher, or under a laundry room washing machine, could cause water to pool, unnoticed in a hidden area.  If there is any type of moisture sitting uncontrolled in your home, for any extended amount of time, there may be mold growth already happening. Long-term exposure of mold in your home can cause serious health problems.  Often homeowners don’t realize they have a mold problem.  As they experience mold related health symptoms such as eye irritation, respiratory problems, headache, and allergy type illnesses they very often have no clue that mold is the hidden culprit behind their sickness.  One of the worst effects of mold damage and mold related illnesses are the increased chance of developing certain types of cancers.

Most South Florida homeowners don’t have the ability to detect early stage mold growing in their home.  The fact that mold growth is often hidden in a ceiling, or behind a wall, means the average home occupant has no clue that mold spores are airborne in their living space.  We have been in business since 1993 and have extensive experience working with home water damage and the resulting mold issues.  Because our staff is highly experienced in South Florida mold removal, we could usually inspect a home, and with our experienced sense of smell, we could simply smell the mold spores seconds after entering a mold contaminated room. We have been doing this for a very long time and you may say, we have developed the skill of smelling for mold.   However, we don’t rely on our nose when it comes to mold detection.  At Get Dry Inc. we have the latest moisture and mold detection equipment. When a homeowner calls a South Florida mold removal service, they expect prompt service from a professional with years of experience.  That is exactly what we provide.

Did you know that some strains of mold could be deadly, if a resident inhales the spores, or if their skin comes in contact with the mold?  Remember this, mold is a growing living fungus.  Because mold is, in a sense alive the growing mold is going to fight to survive and grow.  Once mold starts it’s live in your home, removing or killing the mold is not an easy task.  For a South Florida homeowner, preventing mold growth is a much better idea, than allowing mold to grow and trying to remove it after the fact.   That’s why we have created this guide.  Once you read below you will have a much better understanding of the best methods for mold prevention.  Keep reading to learn more!

1. Properly Ventilate Your Home

The simple act of living in your home may be encouraging the growth of mold.  Some of these simple activities, such as taking a shower or washing dishes, can invite the growth of mold into your South Florida home.  If some of these areas are not properly ventilated, excess levels of moisture will promote mold growth.

Rooms such as, the laundry room, the bathroom, the kitchen, along with other areas in your home, is perfect for mold growth.  The fact that these room function as water related places means that there is usually a high level of moisture in the local environment.  This is perfect environment for mold to grow. Any appliances that produce moisture should be ventilated outside of your home.  Also, some of these appliances feature filters, lint traps, and other user replaceable parts.  If these parts require cleaning or maintenance it should be done as needed.  Because South Florida is already a tropical humid place, there is no reason to invite extra moisture into your home.  By making sure these rooms are well ventilated you could save yourself some unwanted stress. 2.

2. Take a Look Around Your Home

Does your home have any problem areas that support the growth of mold? If you noticed that a window has frequent condensation, if your basement consistently floods, or if you have a leak that hasn’t been fixed, these issues should be addressed.  During a South Florida storm some areas of you home are more likely to flood or leak more than other areas.  When a home is built, the walls and foundation are supposed to be weather sealed.   However, over time, the South Florida heat combined with the sometimes-harsh weather will eat away at your homes weather sealing.  As a homeowner, it’s a good idea to have your home re-sealed and have the exterior wall checked for cracks.

In the case of my home, we have a swimming pool.  Sometimes during a heavy storm our pool will over spill onto the back deck, the water pools around the base of my home.  Our foundation is sealed and very well constructed.  However, like any home’s foundation, time could take its toll and rainwater could start to intrude into our home.  Being aware of this situation I know to keep an eye on this part of my home.  Sometime in the next few years I’ll need to have this area resealed.

Another place to inspect should be around your homes windows.  Your home’s windows should be weather sealed.  A window that has had it’s weather sealing deteriorate could allow rainwater to enter creating a potential mold problem.

You should do your best to fix these problems as quickly as you can. While it may take a little bit of investment upfront to fix these problems, it will help prevent mold from continuing to grow and spread throughout the rest of your home.

3. Consider Using More Mold-Resistant Products

Is your home in need of a little TLC? If you’re getting ready to complete new renovations to your home, you should consider installing mold-resistant products that you’re home.

There is specially made drywall and paints that are resistant to mold growth.  As a matter of fact there is a wide range of mold resistant home products.  These products range from house hold products to building products.  Here in South Florida using mold resistant products whenever possible is always a great idea.  If more information on mold resistant products and where to by them, visit this website.   Mold resistant items and solutions

For example, drywall that is mold resistant doesn’t contain any paper, which makes the surface of the drywall resistant to water damage. Using this specialized drywall in rooms with high levels of moisture and humidity, such as the bathroom, will reduce the likelihood of mold growing in your home.

4. Consider Buying a Dehumidifier

Unchecked humidity levels support the growth of mold. If your home has humidity levels that are too high, you likely may already have a problem with mold growing.

Purchasing a dehumidifier will allow you not only to detect high levels of humidity but also to keep the excessive moisture levels controlled. Homes that have high levels of humidity will have condensation build-up on walls, windows, and pipes.   Purchasing a dehumidifier is easy and they are not very expensive.  If you live in South Florida owning a dehumidifier is an excellent idea.   Owning a dehumidifier has several health benefits.  First, if you have allergies a dehumidifier will reduce the amount of moisture in the air making your home less hospitable to many allergens.  Dust mites, mold spores, and mildew don’t thrive in dryer air.  If you already have a mold problem, a dehumidifier won’t remove mold that is already growing.  Once your home has a mold problem you will need to call a professional for South Florida mold removal.   The purpose of a dehumidifier is to prevent mold growth in the first place.

With a dehumidifier in your home you can actually see the amount moisture, which has been removed, from your living space.  All the moisture that is removed from the air is collected in a water collection container.  This container needs to be emptied on a regular basis.  Once you purchase a home dehumidifier you will be amazed by the amount of moisture that gets removed from your home.  If you notice that your home has condensation buildup on and around your windows and other surfaces, a dehumidifier will help to eliminate this problem altogether, although you may have to purchase several dehumidifiers depending on your home’s size.

5. Don’t Forget About Your House Plants

One common area that most homeowners forget to check for mold is in their houseplants. While houseplants are a great thing to have to improve the quality of the air and enhance the beauty of their home, it’s also a great place for mold to thrive secretly.

Damp soil is the perfect breeding ground for mold, and left unchecked, this mold can quickly spread to other areas of your home. This doesn’t mean that you have to throw away all of your houseplants. Instead, you can try mixing Taheebo tea with the water that you feed to your house plants.

Taheebo tea contains oil that is commonly found in rainforests and helps to fight against the growth of mold and fungi. You can find this type of tea at stores that offer natural and organic selections.

 6. Encourage More airflow in Your Home

Making time in your schedule to open up windows and doors in your home will help to encourage more airflow in your home. You can try pulling your furniture away from the walls and opening up doors that are normally kept shut to get air circulating in areas where mold easily grows in.

Any areas in your home that are confined should be properly ventilated. We recommend you open up windows in comparison to using an air conditioning unit to get air moving through your home.

The fresh air from outside will be much more useful to prevent the growth of mold. Air conditioning ducts may already have mold growing inside of them, which would reintroduce more mold back into your home.

Adding ceiling fans to your home is also a great way to increase airflow in your home.  A ceiling fan will also help make your living space more inviting.  Running your ceiling fan in reverse during the colder winter months will force the warmer air down into the living space, running your ceiling fan the opposite way will keep your home cooler in the summer.  Either way your home will benefit from the additional air circulation.  In addition the enhanced air distribution created by a ceiling fan will also help to lower your electric bill.

7. Check your roof for damage.

As a South Florida mold removal company many of the mold issues we handle can be traced back to roof damage.  After a storm or hurricane a home will sustain slight roof damage.   Falling branches or other flying debris usually causes this.  Because the roof damage is slight the homeowner never notices it.  Over time, rainwater enters the homes attic through damaged roof.  The homes insulation and remains there absorb the water allowing mold growth.  It only takes 24 to 48 hours for mold to grow.  Since the moisture is trapped in the ceiling the homeowner never knows there is a problem lurking above.  It’s often the small unnoticeable roof holes like the one pictured below that require a South Florida mold removal expert.

8. Prevent mold on carpets

Another place that mold loves to grow is in your homes carpet.  Like the insulation in your homes walls and ceiling, the moisture absorption qualities of you carpets provide the perfect environment for mold to live.  Carpeted areas of you home should be vacuumed often and the use of carpet freshener is also a great idea.   Bathrooms that are carpeted are requiring extra attention to prevent mold from growing.  As a matter of fact most new home construction projects do not include carpet in areas where a high degrees of moisture may be present.

9. Your home air conditioner can help.

Did you know that your homes air conditioner acts like a home dehumidifier?  Home air conditioners work by removing moisture from the warm air in your home.  This is why air conditioning units have an outdoor drainpipe that expels water while your ac unit is running.  In the summer months a typical air conditioning unit will drain anywhere from 5-20 gallons of water each day.  This is water that would normally be moisture in your homes air.   It’s very important to make sure your homes air conditioning unit is working properly and expelling all the captured moisture it collects.  Many of the calls we receive for mold removal are a result of a broken air conditioning unit.  A frozen or blocked air conditioning drainpipe can cause a leak or flood resulting in mold growth.

Finding the Best Mold Prevention Methods for Your Home

It’s essential that you understand that there isn’t a mold prevention solution that’s perfect for everyone. Following these tips will help your prevent mold growth in your South Florida home.  If you believe that your home has a mold problem call us at (561) 777-2618 our team of mold remediation experts is here to help you manage any mold infestation project you may have.   We are based in Boynton Beach Florida and serve all of Broward, Palm Beach and Martin counties.

Click here to contact us today to learn how we can help you.

The post 9 Mold Prevention Tips from the Best Mold Removal Company in South Florida appeared first on Delray Business Partners.

Every South Florida resident and homeowner knows to joys of living in such a warm and inviting climate.  While the entire Northern United States is freezing cold in the winter, the residents of South Florida are spending their time enjoying the wonderful beaches, warm tropical water, and having fun doing activities that this awesome climate.   Sure, South Florida has some climate related issues that residents must address from time to time.  Hurricanes, Humidity, Unexpected Rain, are just facts of life for South Florida residents.  However, with proper home maintenance and some preparation, homeowners find the joys of living in South Florida far out weigh the climate related issues.

Because we live in an area with high humidity, moisture related home problems sometimes occur.  These problems usually stem from some sort of home damage such as an appliance water leak, a damaged roof or a cracked foundation.   When water related home damage happens, many homeowners find that the humid South Florida climate, combined with the water intrusion from the home damage, results in accelerated mold growth.   Sometimes the water damage is spotted right away, other times the water intrusion happens slowly and the result is growing mold that is not noticed for weeks or even months.

In the case of a slow leak or subtle water intrusion, the homeowner may not notice the situation until residents start to become ill.  As the moisture or water stagnates, toxic mold starts to grow.  Once an area in your home gets wet, mold could start to grow in as little as 24 to 48 hours.  Don’t take our word for this fact, read these CDC guidelines.  Mold growth according to the CDC.  Over time, the mold spores become airborne.  Sometimes home occupant unknowingly inhales these spores and become sick.  Inhaled mold spores can result in a wide range of symptoms such as itchy eyes, a cough, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing and a wide range of other symptoms.  It’s common for residents who have been infected by mold to become ill, visit a doctor who prescribes antibiotics, only to have these and other symptoms remerge several days or weeks later.  Finally after many trips to the doctor and some tests, the source of the symptoms may be found in the walls of your home.   There are several ways a home owner could check for home water damage.  Here is a link to a recent article we wrote specifically on mold and water damage.  How to detect water and mold in your home.

What should you expect when you call a water and mold restoration company?

Some homeowners are afraid that a call to a water damage and mold restoration company, will result in a major construction project. This is usually not the case, by narrowing the mold removal process down to just the one area where there is mold.  We can target only parts of your home that have growing mold or water damage.  If the mold is located behind the drywall in one corner of a room, we would only cut out and replace that one section.  Rather than removing all the drywall, we would use our specialized moisture and mold test equipment to single out only the sections that need mold and moisture removal.

This South Florida home suffered water damage from an air conditioner leak.

Once we visit your home, we will provide a no cost assessment of your home.  Next we will explain your specific mold or water damage removal process in an easy to understand manor.   We don’t use industry buzzwords, or provide confusing information that is difficult to understand.  We have been in business since 1993 and have worked with hundreds of homeowners, so we understand how upsetting it is for a homeowner to face a home damage situations.  In addition we are experienced in removing water and mold damage in a way that is less disruptive to the homeowner. Because we are the best South Florida mold removal and water damage experts in the area, we have the skills needed to restore your home back to it’s pre-flood or water damage condition.

At Get Dry Inc. regards for our homeowners health is our top priority.  Keeping in mind that mold spores can easily become airborne, our mold removal professionals will seal off the work area, with special plastic sheeting which will prevent the mold spores from becoming airborne and dispersing throughout your home.   Proper mold remediation and removal requires some specialized equipment such as HEPA air scrubbers, HEPA vacuums, and industrial dehumidifiers.  This type of equipment is expensive and is only provided by a professional water damage and mold removal company such as ours.  While your typical handyman may have commercial-strength air movers, which they use to disperse smells from paints and building glues, they normally don’t have the type of high tech equipment needed to remove mold spores from the air.

The regular filters used in normal commercial air movers are not capable of catching the fine micro sized spores, using an air mover with a normal filter will simply spread the contaminated air abound and could make the problem worse.

When removing mold from your home our experts will also wear the proper safety gear such as a high quality, high filtration face mask and vinyl or neoprene gloves. In addition, when using harsh chemicals for larger mold remediation projects a full protective suit is needed.

After a home experiences mold or water damage, some of the contaminated items such damaged drywall, baseboards, insulation and some other house hold items, that have become contaminated many need to be discarded. Sometimes using an antimicrobial chemical to clean them can save them.

As an added safety measure we sometimes use a special sealer or encapsulant to provide an extra layer of protection, making the treated area more resistant to mold and water damage.  This also helps to control any odors, which may result from the mold treatment.   We sometimes recommend having your air-conditioning ducts professionally cleaned after the mold and water removal process is complete.   Some air-conditioning units contain an infrared antimicrobial bio protector, which is helpful when it comes to removing a wide range of bacteria, viruses, allergens, and molds from the air.  If your home air-conditioner does not have one of these units one can be added.

Just to recap, calling a mold and water damage expert doesn’t mean that your home is in for a major construction job.  By calling a professional water damage and mold removal company such as ours, your home mold issues could be handled with the least amount of stress and cost. Because we are the leading South Florida mold removal company you should call us first if your home has suffered water damage or if you think you are facing mold in your home.  In most cases we will work with your insurance company to make sure your home is repaired properly and the mold or water damage is removed completely.

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If there is any type of moisture that uncontrolled in your home, there may be mold growth already happening. Long-term exposure can mold in your home can cause serious health problems, such as eye irritation, respiratory problems, headache, and even an increased chance of developing certain types of cancers.

There are even some strains of mold that can grow in your home that can be deadly. Mold can destroy and break down the surfaces that grow on, which is why you need to understand how to prevent the growth of mold.

That’s why we have created this guide to help you understand the best methods for mold prevention. Keep reading to learn more!

1. Properly Ventilate Your Home

The daily activities that you can put in your home may be encouraging the growth of mold. Some of these simple activities, such as taking a shower or washing dishes, invites the growth of mold into our home. This is because the areas aren’t properly ventilated, which results in excess levels of moisture hanging around in your home.

The laundry room, the bathroom, the kitchen, and other areas in your home that contain high levels of moisture are ideal places for mold to thrive. Any appliances that produce moisture should be ventilated outside of your home. It would help if you were sure that any appliance that does create moisture should be cleaned consistently.

2. Take a Look Around Your Home

Does your home have any problem areas that support the growth of mold? If you noticed that a window has frequent condensation, if your basement consistently floods, or if you have a leak that hasn’t been fixed, make a list of these problems.

You should do your best to fix these problems as quickly as you can. While it may take a little bit of investment upfront to fix these problems, it will help prevent mold from continuing to grow and spread throughout the rest of your home.

3. Consider Using More Mold-Resistant Products

Is your home in need of a little TLC? If you’re getting ready to complete new renovations to your home, you should consider installing mold-resistant products that you’re home.

There are specially made drywall and paints that are resistant to mold growth.

For example, drywall that is mold resistant doesn’t contain any paper, which makes the surface of the drywall resistant to water damage. Using this specialized drywall in rooms with high levels of moisture and humidity, such as the bathroom, will reduce the likelihood of mold growing in your home.

4. Consider Buying a Dehumidifier

Unchecked humidity levels support the growth of mold. If your home has humidity levels that are too high, you likely may already have a problem with mold growing.

Purchasing a dehumidifier will allow you not only to detect high levels of humidity but also to keep the excessive moisture levels controlled. Homes that have high levels of humidity will have condensation build-up on walls, windows, and pipes.

If you notice that your home has condensation buildup in these areas, make sure to dry off any condensation that you do see immediately. A dehumidifier will help to eliminate this problem altogether, although you may have to purchase several dehumidifiers depending on your home’s size.

5. Don’t Forget About Your House Plants

One common area that most homeowners forget to check for mold is in their house plants. While house plants are a great thing to have to improve the quality of the air, they’re also a great place for mold to thrive secretly.

Damp soil is the perfect breeding ground for mold, and let them check, can quickly spread to other areas of your home. This doesn’t mean that you have to throw away all of your house plants. Instead, you can try mixing Taheebo tea with the water that you feed to your house plants.

Taheebo tea contains oil that is commonly found in rainforests and helps to fight against the growth of mold and fungi. You can find this type of tea at stores that offer natural and organic selections.

6. Encourage More Airflow in Your Home

Making time in your schedule to open up windows and doors in your home will help to encourage more airflow in your home. You can try pulling your furniture away from the walls and opening up doors that are normally kept shut to get air circulating in areas where mold easily grows in.

Any areas in your home that are confined should be properly ventilated. We recommend you open up windows in comparison to using an air conditioning unit to get air moving through your home.

The fresh air from outside will be much more useful to prevent the growth of mold. Air conditioning ducts may already have mold growing inside of them, which would reintroduce more mold back into your home.

Finding the Best Mold Prevention Methods for Your Home

It’s essential that you understand that there isn’t a mold prevention solution that’s perfect for everyone. Following the tips that will work best for the climate of your home, as well as the unique weather circumstances of the climate that you live in, you will find the best methods that work for you.

Do you believe that the mold growth that you found in your home too big of a project for you to handle? Our team of mold remediation experts is here to help you manage any mold infestation project you may have.

Click here to contact us today to learn how we can help you.

The post 6 Mold Prevention Tips from the Experts appeared first on Delray Business Partners.

Read this informative article on water damage and restoration in South Florida to find out.

The Washing Machine Leak.

Here is a story from one of our recent South Florida clients who suffered water damage as a result of a washing machine leak.  As water damage restoration Florida experts, we handle a wide range of home damage situations.   Because we are based in South Florida, we cover the entire Broward County and Palm Beach area.  If you are located in Port St. Lucie, Deerfield Beach, Stuart, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Jupiter, or Hollywood Florida, feel free to call us.  We received a call from a homeowner who had a washing machine leak as a result of broken hose.  The water leaking from the washing machine covered the floor in the laundry room and traveled into several different rooms.   When the homeowner called their insurance company, they were told that the insurance company had a preferred water damage remediation vendor, and they would send them over to inspect.   The homeowner explained to the insurance company that they already  know a well respected water and mold restoration company, and that they would like to call them.  The insurance company told the homeowner that it’s their policy, to only use their preferred vendor, because they have a working relationship with this company. They went on to tell the homeowner that this company has always provided good results.   Once the insurance company’s preferred water remediation company arrived,  they placed a dehumidifier in the laundry room, and used a commercial air mover in an attempt to dry the area.   After some time had passed, the wet floors and carpet dried, or at least it seemed dry to the touch.   When the insurance company’s preferred water damage company left, they had the homeowner sign off on a “job finished” contract that stated the water damage was repaired and that their insurance damage had been fully repaired.

Laundry room is still musty

Roughly a week after the water-damaged areas were serviced, the rooms still smelled musty and damp.  The homeowner called the insurance company to report a musty smell.  They also called the insurance company’s preferred water restoration service provider.  The water damage restoration company sent over a staff member who placed an air mover back into the room for another day.   After the air mover was removed, the room seemed better.  Then within another few days, the laundry room seemed musty again.  Finally the homeowner had had enough, and they called in a South Florida public insurance adjuster.

Why simply drying the room won’t work  

When we arrived,  it was apparent that a mold problem was brewing.  As an experienced South Florida mold expert, Todd could usually tell by his sense of smell if there is a mold issue.  Once we started our assessment , the first step was for us to use professional moisture detecting test equipment to determine the amount of moisture present in the room.  What we found was, the moisture in the center of the room had a lower reading than the moisture level close to the wall floorboards.   Often when a homeowner believes there is a mold problem we are called in to provide a moisture test.   When our moisture meter reads over 20 percent we know that there is a major moisture issue.   For more information on moisture test equipment read this page: Moisture content in drywall.  The reason the meter read so high was a direct result of the fact that the water traveled under the wall.  This allowed the area behind the walls to remain wet.   By simply placing air movers and dehumidifiers in a damp room only some of the dampness and humidity present in the open space will be removed.  The water behind the wall will remain.   The water pooling behind the wall and floorboard will germinate mold spurs with-in 24-48 hours.  This is why it’s critical to get at the water sitting under the furniture and in the walls removed as soon as possible.  The water sitting inside the walls of your home will create what is known as a hydrologic cycle.  This is the same cycle effect that is found in a rainforest.  During this cycle, the water sitting on the floor under behind the wall starts the process of evaporation.  This causes the water to travel up the inside of the wall. Eventually the water will pool at the top of the beams.  Once enough water pools at the top of the wall beams, the water will rain back down to the floor.   This is the same continuous movement of water, which is found in nature.  The only problem is, now it’s raining in the walls of your house!

The mold and water remediation process

Removing mold and water damage requires taking off the floor baseboards, and then determining the extent of the damage.  Sometimes the water damage is limited to just behind the baseboard. Other times the mold extends up the entire wall.  Depending on how long the mold has been growing, the drywall may need to be removed entirely.   In the case of this home,  there was some limited water damage and mold.  If the moisture was allowed to sit behind the floorboards for another few days, all the drywall would have to be removed. Because the homeowner called a South Florida public adjuster early on, the water damage was caught before extensive mold had a chance to grow.

About insurance company’s preferred service vendor

When a homeowner experiences water damage as a result of water intrusion, often the first phone call made is to the insurance company.  Often the insurance company will offer to send out their own insurance adjuster, or they will refer their preferred service provider.  To the homeowner it will seem that the insurance company’s preferred service provider is the only choice, or at least the best choice.   In this case, the homeowner told the insurance company that they had their own public insurance adjuster.  According to the homeowner, that conversation didn’t go well.  The insurance company told the homeowner that the preferred water damage and mold removal company is the best choice and they insisted on sending their preferred service provider first.  Not wanting to argue with the insurance agent, the homeowner agreed, it couldn’t hurt to have the preferred water damage restoration company take a look first.  Many insurance companies have made deals with water damage and mold service companies.  The idea behind a preferred service provider, is that the insurance company, and the service provider, have a pre-arranged agreement.  This agreement usually includes how long the air movers are in use and how much the provider is allowed to charge.  This puts a cap on the insurance company’s hard costs.  For more on this practice read this blog post.  How preferred vendors save insurance company’s money.  It’s a good thing that the homeowner was cautious, and decided to take matters into their own hands, when the insurance company’s service provider failed to get rid of the home’s musty smell.

If you are looking for water damage restoration Florida feel free to read our website articles.  Inside our website you will find a wide range of useful information on water damage and mold removal.

For more information on mold damage and removal, read our other article on this topic. Mold removal in South Florida  As experts in water damage and mold removal call us at (561) 789-4369. We serve all of South Florida including, West Palm Beach, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Lake Worth, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach, Stuart and Port St. Lucie.

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