People would not get as bent out of shape about their cell phone getting wet if it wasn’t for the reason that they were probably using it at the time. Often is the case that electronics cease to function once they make contact with water because the device is powered on when it hits the liquid. If you are one of the unfortunate many who has dropped a electronic device in the drink, don’t worry about it. Just make sure that it wasn’t on when you dropped it in. While water can cause damage to electronics, the electricity that causes it to work is what causes the machine to fry like an egg on the windshield of your car in triple digit weather. Turning on your device after it has been submerged will cause the electric current to run through it and will usually render the device useless.
There are obvious ways to prevent your device from being submerged in water. One such way is called being careful. But this method isn’t always effective. If your device is, let’s say, a cell phone, a cover for it is your best bet. While a cover won’t always, well, cover it, it will be a great way to prevent a good deal of moisture. If, say, your computer has some water spilled on it (and just what are you doing with liquids around your computer, anyway?) you should IMMEDIATELY unplug it and wait for roughly two weeks so that it has dried out, and there is no water to cause its very unpleasant death. It is very important that you keep the device in a cool, dry area that won’t pick up condensation, because that will cause the device to take longer to dry, and additional water damage can be done. It is also important to wait for a week or two, and to make sure that you do NOT shake the device to see if there is still water in it. This can just cause damage to the device, and then you will have waited for probably nothing.
Now, if you are the kind of person who doubts their repertoire of electronics knowledge, it’s best to simply take the device to an electronics repairman. You will have to shell out a few bucks, but not as many as you paid for the device. This can also be taken as a chance to make sure there is nothing else wrong with the device that should be fixed before it is used again.
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Saturday, January 26, 2008
Penicillin and Your New Baby
Ever since Penicillin was put into mass production back in the 1940’s, it has been noted that some people have experienced adverse reactions to the drug. What is penicillin?
Penicillin is an antibiotic that has been used for the past 70 years or so to treat different kinds of illnesses and infections. It comes from the mold penicillin notatum, which is a blue-green kind of mold sometimes found growing on food. Before the invention of this drug, infections and diseases that are only minor to us could very well be fatal. Because it is made from mold and reproduces quickly, it’s not very difficult to manufacture at all and therefore it is the most popular antibiotic in use worldwide today.
If you are allergic to penicillin or know someone who is, you might know a bit about what to expect if your new baby is allergic. If not, you should know that an allergic reaction to penicillin, especially at such a young age, can be fatal. These reactions can be anything from a simple skin rash all the way to breathing difficulties that can be life-threatening. If you go to a doctor regularly, you should have had to answer a question on a form that asked if you were allergic to penicillin. This is so they know whether or not they can administer the drug if you are admitted to the hospital because it is the most frequently occurring drug allergy in existence today.
Even though penicillin is a drug made from mold designed to help us fight infections, you can be allergic to it like any other mold. The medical industry is unsure why some people have reactions to penicillin and some do not, but knowing if you are allergic is very important. Some only have minor symptoms when exposed to the drug and some can be put near death by it. The only treatment for being allergic to the drug is simply not to use it. There are other antibiotics that can be used to fight infections besides penicillin.
The symptoms of a penicillin allergy include swollen lips, tongue, and face or sometimes rashes or hives that can cover a large area of the body. The most life-threatening reaction to the drug is when the bronchial airway becomes extremely swollen and it causes difficulty breathing. This can be followed by a drop in your blood pressure and will cause lightheadedness. This kind of reaction can be fatal and if you experience any of these symptoms after receiving a dose of penicillin, you should tell your doctor as soon as you can. If you are allergic, it’s possible that your newborn will be allergic as well, so your child’s doctor needs to know this before giving them a dose of the drug.
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Penicillin is an antibiotic that has been used for the past 70 years or so to treat different kinds of illnesses and infections. It comes from the mold penicillin notatum, which is a blue-green kind of mold sometimes found growing on food. Before the invention of this drug, infections and diseases that are only minor to us could very well be fatal. Because it is made from mold and reproduces quickly, it’s not very difficult to manufacture at all and therefore it is the most popular antibiotic in use worldwide today.
If you are allergic to penicillin or know someone who is, you might know a bit about what to expect if your new baby is allergic. If not, you should know that an allergic reaction to penicillin, especially at such a young age, can be fatal. These reactions can be anything from a simple skin rash all the way to breathing difficulties that can be life-threatening. If you go to a doctor regularly, you should have had to answer a question on a form that asked if you were allergic to penicillin. This is so they know whether or not they can administer the drug if you are admitted to the hospital because it is the most frequently occurring drug allergy in existence today.
Even though penicillin is a drug made from mold designed to help us fight infections, you can be allergic to it like any other mold. The medical industry is unsure why some people have reactions to penicillin and some do not, but knowing if you are allergic is very important. Some only have minor symptoms when exposed to the drug and some can be put near death by it. The only treatment for being allergic to the drug is simply not to use it. There are other antibiotics that can be used to fight infections besides penicillin.
The symptoms of a penicillin allergy include swollen lips, tongue, and face or sometimes rashes or hives that can cover a large area of the body. The most life-threatening reaction to the drug is when the bronchial airway becomes extremely swollen and it causes difficulty breathing. This can be followed by a drop in your blood pressure and will cause lightheadedness. This kind of reaction can be fatal and if you experience any of these symptoms after receiving a dose of penicillin, you should tell your doctor as soon as you can. If you are allergic, it’s possible that your newborn will be allergic as well, so your child’s doctor needs to know this before giving them a dose of the drug.
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Mold Trouble in Florida
If you live in Florida, you have probably experienced some damage to your home due to hurricanes, especially water damage. Mold also likes to start growing in homes that have been water damaged after hurricanes and other storms, especially since Florida is characterized by warm and moist weather. Mold can start to grow in these homes after about 48 hours, so it’s important to get any standing water in the home removed and the home dried out as soon as possible.
A large amount of all the buildings in Florida have to deal with some kind of water or mold damage and a lot of the time this is due to the frequent hurricanes that hit the state almost every single year. The electricity goes down and people are not able to use their air conditioners to help air out and dry the home. Air conditioners can also help to remove humidity by keeping the house at a certain temperature.
If you want to have a healthy and safe indoor environment to live in, you need to make sure your air conditioner is properly serviced as often as is necessary. If it is an old system and has a lot of problems, it is probably best to just replace it instead of doing work on it repeatedly.
Sometimes indoor air quality tests need to be done and not just in Florida. Mold testing should be done and while it’s become a multi-million dollar business industry, it is a necessary one. Mold has been proved to be very harmful to human (and animal) health. When you choose a company to do mold testing or remediation keep it in mind not to choose the same company to do both for you. If a company does both mold testing and removal, it is in their best interest for them to find mold on your property, so even if they say there is mold there, it might not be.
Make sure they have the latest technology in mold testing such as infrared thermal cameras, mold spore counters, air moisture meters, and etcetera. The company should also have a microbiologist in house and certified mold inspectors.
They should inspect the air conditioner, the exterior, plumbing, and they should perform moisture tests around the whole house.
You should do these things even if you do not live in Florida, but a large part of the state of Florida is at risk for water and mold damage because of the moisture and humidity that can exist there.
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A large amount of all the buildings in Florida have to deal with some kind of water or mold damage and a lot of the time this is due to the frequent hurricanes that hit the state almost every single year. The electricity goes down and people are not able to use their air conditioners to help air out and dry the home. Air conditioners can also help to remove humidity by keeping the house at a certain temperature.
If you want to have a healthy and safe indoor environment to live in, you need to make sure your air conditioner is properly serviced as often as is necessary. If it is an old system and has a lot of problems, it is probably best to just replace it instead of doing work on it repeatedly.
Sometimes indoor air quality tests need to be done and not just in Florida. Mold testing should be done and while it’s become a multi-million dollar business industry, it is a necessary one. Mold has been proved to be very harmful to human (and animal) health. When you choose a company to do mold testing or remediation keep it in mind not to choose the same company to do both for you. If a company does both mold testing and removal, it is in their best interest for them to find mold on your property, so even if they say there is mold there, it might not be.
Make sure they have the latest technology in mold testing such as infrared thermal cameras, mold spore counters, air moisture meters, and etcetera. The company should also have a microbiologist in house and certified mold inspectors.
They should inspect the air conditioner, the exterior, plumbing, and they should perform moisture tests around the whole house.
You should do these things even if you do not live in Florida, but a large part of the state of Florida is at risk for water and mold damage because of the moisture and humidity that can exist there.
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Mold Precautions for the Work Area
A thorn in the side of any and every workplace is mold. Mold is a very dangerous form of fungus that can get into our lungs and cause all kinds of nasty ailments such as asthma, colds, fatigue, bleeding in the lungs, rashes, uncontrollable coughing, and even chronic dandruff. Employers, as well as employees should take precautions to make sure that mold has not infected their work environment. It is also important to make sure that employers and employees immediately report if they experience any of the aforementioned symptoms. If so, professional help may need to be called in to clean out the mold and prevent further infestation.
If a mold inspector is called in and he or she does find mold, it is important that you inform your employees of the mold, and that the problem is indeed being taken care of. It is also important that you inform them of the measures that will be taken during the removal of the unwanted guest. The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) strongly recommends that you do this for the safety of the employees. The important thing to tell the employees is when the remediation will begin and for how long, so that they know if they will have to make arrangements for the current situation. And if any employees begin to exhibit any health complications or symptoms brought on by exposure to mold, it is strongly recommended that they see their doctor before these symptoms worsen, and that they see an expert on medical effects of mold.
Once the infestation has been cleared out of the workplace, there is a test that must be passed in order for your employees to return. If the test is not passed, you will have to wait longer, but it’s not worth the safety of your employees to go cheap on these necessary precautions. Once the test has finally been passed, you can move your employees back into their respective work areas.
If you have chosen to simply ignore the mold infestation, you are liable for medical bills of your employees, and you could be in danger of losing your business. Of course, this can only happen if it is possible to proven that you knew of the infestation and chose to do nothing about it. However, it is definitely recommended to not ignore the infestation and shell out the cash to have it cleared out as soon as possible.
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If a mold inspector is called in and he or she does find mold, it is important that you inform your employees of the mold, and that the problem is indeed being taken care of. It is also important that you inform them of the measures that will be taken during the removal of the unwanted guest. The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) strongly recommends that you do this for the safety of the employees. The important thing to tell the employees is when the remediation will begin and for how long, so that they know if they will have to make arrangements for the current situation. And if any employees begin to exhibit any health complications or symptoms brought on by exposure to mold, it is strongly recommended that they see their doctor before these symptoms worsen, and that they see an expert on medical effects of mold.
Once the infestation has been cleared out of the workplace, there is a test that must be passed in order for your employees to return. If the test is not passed, you will have to wait longer, but it’s not worth the safety of your employees to go cheap on these necessary precautions. Once the test has finally been passed, you can move your employees back into their respective work areas.
If you have chosen to simply ignore the mold infestation, you are liable for medical bills of your employees, and you could be in danger of losing your business. Of course, this can only happen if it is possible to proven that you knew of the infestation and chose to do nothing about it. However, it is definitely recommended to not ignore the infestation and shell out the cash to have it cleared out as soon as possible.
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Riviera Beach , South Bay , and West Palm Beach Florida fire, flood and water Damage Restoration
Mold Insurance Claim Advice
If you have mold damage to your home and it is due to something that’s covered in your insurance, such as water damage, a lot of the time it is covered. If it is a mold infection that has occurred over time, it is probably not covered. These are two general rules to go by if you’re trying to get your insurance company to cover the cost of removing the mold from your home.
Insurance companies are scrambling for reasons to deny insurance claims concerning mold and what adjusters and claim representatives like to tell people intending on filing a mold-related insurance claim is that mold has been around longer than people have and that it’s not as dangerous as all the hype is making it out to be. If you are going to file an insurance claim related to mold and they tell you that, it might be a good idea (especially if your claims adjuster is Jewish or Christian) to quote to them Leviticus 14:33-48. This is a scripture in the Bible that all but plainly records what the Lord has to say about mold and the dangers of it growing in the home. It says that the house is considered unclean and the mold should be removed and disposed of properly (i.e. away from where there are people). In this way, you will possibly have the upper hand because they will no longer be able to say that mold has only been recently seen as a problem when it grows in the home. Even if you are not Jewish or Christian, the text does prove that mold has not only existed as long as people have, but that it has been a problem just as long.
If you can prove that the mold in your home was a secondary problem caused by something that is covered by your insurance, your company might cover the funds needed to correct the problem. Read over your policy and determine what is covered by your insurance policy and what is not. Whatever you do, do not let your insurance adjuster sneakily get you to agree that the mold in your home has been around for a long time or that there could be a water leak hidden somewhere near the infection. As soon as you even remotely agree to something like this, they have you where they want you. Wait until any and all investigation into the problem is completed before you agree to anything with your insurance company.
List everything you need to have covered, including the cost of you having to relocate while the mold remediation is taking place and make sure you get all of the benefits that you are supposed to get under your policy.
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Insurance companies are scrambling for reasons to deny insurance claims concerning mold and what adjusters and claim representatives like to tell people intending on filing a mold-related insurance claim is that mold has been around longer than people have and that it’s not as dangerous as all the hype is making it out to be. If you are going to file an insurance claim related to mold and they tell you that, it might be a good idea (especially if your claims adjuster is Jewish or Christian) to quote to them Leviticus 14:33-48. This is a scripture in the Bible that all but plainly records what the Lord has to say about mold and the dangers of it growing in the home. It says that the house is considered unclean and the mold should be removed and disposed of properly (i.e. away from where there are people). In this way, you will possibly have the upper hand because they will no longer be able to say that mold has only been recently seen as a problem when it grows in the home. Even if you are not Jewish or Christian, the text does prove that mold has not only existed as long as people have, but that it has been a problem just as long.
If you can prove that the mold in your home was a secondary problem caused by something that is covered by your insurance, your company might cover the funds needed to correct the problem. Read over your policy and determine what is covered by your insurance policy and what is not. Whatever you do, do not let your insurance adjuster sneakily get you to agree that the mold in your home has been around for a long time or that there could be a water leak hidden somewhere near the infection. As soon as you even remotely agree to something like this, they have you where they want you. Wait until any and all investigation into the problem is completed before you agree to anything with your insurance company.
List everything you need to have covered, including the cost of you having to relocate while the mold remediation is taking place and make sure you get all of the benefits that you are supposed to get under your policy.
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Mold and Your Food
We’ve all had mold in our refrigerator at some point or another, but most of us just accept that this is going to happen and there’s not much that we can do about it. Food ages in our refrigerator whether it’s a piece of fruit, a vegetable, or a jar of grape jelly and becomes moldy over time. This mold spreads to the other items in our fridge and contaminates them, as well. What can you do about it?
Well, storing your food in your refrigerator properly is one of the most important things that you can do. Mold, bacteria, and mildew will start to grow in your fridge if you don’t. Check your food items in the fridge regularly and if anything is showing signs of mold growth, remove it immediately.
Don’t leave cracked egg shells in the carton. Bacteria exists on the outside of the egg shells and once on the inside, even if you’ve removed most of the egg, some of it still remains on the inside of the shell and bacteria will feed on it.
There are some general rules if you find food that has mold growing on it. There are some kinds of cheeses that are made with mold, but sometimes we see a spot of it that shouldn’t be there, like on a block of cheddar cheese. You don’t have to throw the whole block away, just take a clean knife and cut off the moldy part. It’s best to cut about an inch around and an inch underneath the spot to make sure that it doesn’t contaminate the rest of the block and don’t touch your knife to the mold. Don’t bother trying to save any soft cheeses or individual slices or sour cream.
You should follow the same rule for things like country ham and hard salami. If it’s covered with mold, though, toss it.
Any fruits and vegetables that are showing mold can be treated this way as long as they’re hard natured. Soft ones like plums or tomatoes should be thrown away if you see mold.
Any grains that you see with mold on them should be thrown away immediately. Be careful about any organic food that you buy; these don’t contain any pesticides or preservatives, they’re more likely to have mold growth.
Any tissue in potatoes that looks black or discolored in any way should be cut off.
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Well, storing your food in your refrigerator properly is one of the most important things that you can do. Mold, bacteria, and mildew will start to grow in your fridge if you don’t. Check your food items in the fridge regularly and if anything is showing signs of mold growth, remove it immediately.
Don’t leave cracked egg shells in the carton. Bacteria exists on the outside of the egg shells and once on the inside, even if you’ve removed most of the egg, some of it still remains on the inside of the shell and bacteria will feed on it.
There are some general rules if you find food that has mold growing on it. There are some kinds of cheeses that are made with mold, but sometimes we see a spot of it that shouldn’t be there, like on a block of cheddar cheese. You don’t have to throw the whole block away, just take a clean knife and cut off the moldy part. It’s best to cut about an inch around and an inch underneath the spot to make sure that it doesn’t contaminate the rest of the block and don’t touch your knife to the mold. Don’t bother trying to save any soft cheeses or individual slices or sour cream.
You should follow the same rule for things like country ham and hard salami. If it’s covered with mold, though, toss it.
Any fruits and vegetables that are showing mold can be treated this way as long as they’re hard natured. Soft ones like plums or tomatoes should be thrown away if you see mold.
Any grains that you see with mold on them should be thrown away immediately. Be careful about any organic food that you buy; these don’t contain any pesticides or preservatives, they’re more likely to have mold growth.
Any tissue in potatoes that looks black or discolored in any way should be cut off.
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Mold and Your Carpet
Nobody likes mold in the house, but whether we like it or not, mold will get into your home. It comes in the house attached to the bottoms of our shoes, attached to our clothing, and through the doors, windows, and the air conditioning unit. The only thing that you have control over is whether the conditions in your home are favorable for the mold to begin growing.
Something that mold loves to hide underneath is your carpet. If the carpet is old (especially if you have it in the bathroom), you can bet there is likely to be something living underneath it. Not only does mold like to hide under your carpet, it will also make a meal out of it. In order to reproduce, mold requires moisture, warmth, and food. The carpet provides part of the insulation that the mold needs to grow under it, so all that is left for you to provide is moisture either in the form of humidity or water spills that do not get cleaned up properly.
If you think that your carpet is moldy or mildewed, you can clean it with a biocide. Biocides are produced to stop things like mold and bacteria from growing where you do not want them to. Even if you use this, though, you will still have to remove the carpet padding underneath. This padding is not cleanable and will need to be thrown away. If your carpet has been completely submerged in water and it is not just a small area, it is advised to just tear it up and throw it away, as well. Cleaning a room’s entire carpet can be costly and it’s possible that you are better off just getting new carpet.
While you are cleaning your moldy carpet, you should wear gloves. After it has completely dried, using a vacuum that has a HEPA filter on it should remove any mold spores that still remain in the fibers of the carpet.
Having wall-to-wall carpeting is not advised. If you already have it, you can reduce the chances of mold and mildew growing by removing your shoes before walking on it and disallowing pets to enter carpeted areas. Using a good vacuum cleaner (with a HEPA filter) regularly will also help to stop mold from growing. HEPA filters are about 99.97 percent accurate in removing particles from your carpet and air.
Something that mold loves to hide underneath is your carpet. If the carpet is old (especially if you have it in the bathroom), you can bet there is likely to be something living underneath it. Not only does mold like to hide under your carpet, it will also make a meal out of it. In order to reproduce, mold requires moisture, warmth, and food. The carpet provides part of the insulation that the mold needs to grow under it, so all that is left for you to provide is moisture either in the form of humidity or water spills that do not get cleaned up properly.
If you think that your carpet is moldy or mildewed, you can clean it with a biocide. Biocides are produced to stop things like mold and bacteria from growing where you do not want them to. Even if you use this, though, you will still have to remove the carpet padding underneath. This padding is not cleanable and will need to be thrown away. If your carpet has been completely submerged in water and it is not just a small area, it is advised to just tear it up and throw it away, as well. Cleaning a room’s entire carpet can be costly and it’s possible that you are better off just getting new carpet.
While you are cleaning your moldy carpet, you should wear gloves. After it has completely dried, using a vacuum that has a HEPA filter on it should remove any mold spores that still remain in the fibers of the carpet.
Having wall-to-wall carpeting is not advised. If you already have it, you can reduce the chances of mold and mildew growing by removing your shoes before walking on it and disallowing pets to enter carpeted areas. Using a good vacuum cleaner (with a HEPA filter) regularly will also help to stop mold from growing. HEPA filters are about 99.97 percent accurate in removing particles from your carpet and air.
Home Water Damage Causes
Despite the general knowledge that water damage is bad for any building, especially one’s home, it is not so well known just what all the possible causes for water damage are, or what factors can lead to it. The most common known causes of water damage are leaky plumbing, and leaking roofs, but there are mounds of other causes that are not as well known.
If you have a basement, and you have it insulated with fiberglass, it is easy for moisture to become trapped behind the walls, and air between one floor of the home and the basement floor can leak into them. It is because of this that insulating your home with fiberglass is not recommended, nor is installing plastic sheeting, as it is capable of trapping just as much moisture. A good idea for the insulation is using blue board, as it allows the moisture to move about the wall freely and makes the wall better able to dry off.
Problems, however, can arise if the land your home is on is sloped towards its foundation. If water is flowing towards the home, as opposed to away the home, it can seep into the basement and cause serious damage to the structure of your home, and can cause sink holes, which can cause your house to sink.
You should especially be careful to have your ceilings properly insulated in a cold climate, on account of the fact that they are not, water can leak into your house by way of what are called “ice dams”. In a warmer climate, flaws in air conditioning or air ducts can cause water damage by the formation of steam and humidity that likes to attach itself to things like roofing. And this build up can cause rotting on your roof as well as the infestation of mold, which can be harmful on one’s respiratory system as well as many other sicknesses that may result.
Improperly shielded attic hatches are another chief offender of water damage to one’s ceilings, as condensation is far more likely to gather in this manner. Lighting fixtures should be as tight as humanly possible when you install them, especially the recessed kind and exhaust fans are not directed outside from the house, it should be, whether they are in the bathroom, or places of this nature. Exhaust fans should have vents to the outside so moisture does not condense and cause avoidable water damage.
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If you have a basement, and you have it insulated with fiberglass, it is easy for moisture to become trapped behind the walls, and air between one floor of the home and the basement floor can leak into them. It is because of this that insulating your home with fiberglass is not recommended, nor is installing plastic sheeting, as it is capable of trapping just as much moisture. A good idea for the insulation is using blue board, as it allows the moisture to move about the wall freely and makes the wall better able to dry off.
Problems, however, can arise if the land your home is on is sloped towards its foundation. If water is flowing towards the home, as opposed to away the home, it can seep into the basement and cause serious damage to the structure of your home, and can cause sink holes, which can cause your house to sink.
You should especially be careful to have your ceilings properly insulated in a cold climate, on account of the fact that they are not, water can leak into your house by way of what are called “ice dams”. In a warmer climate, flaws in air conditioning or air ducts can cause water damage by the formation of steam and humidity that likes to attach itself to things like roofing. And this build up can cause rotting on your roof as well as the infestation of mold, which can be harmful on one’s respiratory system as well as many other sicknesses that may result.
Improperly shielded attic hatches are another chief offender of water damage to one’s ceilings, as condensation is far more likely to gather in this manner. Lighting fixtures should be as tight as humanly possible when you install them, especially the recessed kind and exhaust fans are not directed outside from the house, it should be, whether they are in the bathroom, or places of this nature. Exhaust fans should have vents to the outside so moisture does not condense and cause avoidable water damage.
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Some Interesting Facts You Need to Know About Mold
There are a few things that the average person should know about mold and one of the most obvious ones is that mold growing in the house is dangerous to the health. But, what exactly is mold? Why is it dangerous? How do you get rid of it?
Mold is a fungus and it exists all around us. There are thousands of different species of it and they exist all around the world in more colors than you can think of. Some people seem to think that the words “mold” and “fungus” can be used as replacements for each other, but this is not always the case. All molds are fungi, but not every fungus is a mold. We have been known to eat different fungi around the world such as mushrooms and some kinds of mold have even been used to create such foods as cheese or alcoholic beverages and the fact is that some molds, when used in the creation of food or medicines properly, can be quite beneficial to our health.
The news has been making a big deal over mold the past few years, noting “toxic black mold” in many of its broadcasts. The black mold that it is usually referring to is called Stachybotrys and this is a genus of mold that contains about 10 different species. It grows mostly on dead plants and has been known to grow in homes or businesses. Not every kind of black mold mentioned on the news is Stachybotrys.
People are becoming more and more concerned about hidden mold in their homes and businesses. This is mold that you cannot readily see just by taking a look around your house and is often found tucked away inside air conditioning vents or inside walls. Any mold that has been found to be growing inside the ventilation system should be gotten rid of as soon as possible because every time the air conditioner is turned on, the mold is spread to every corner of your home or business and will be creating health problems for everyone in it.
Mycotoxins are what make some molds so dangerous. These are produced by some molds is what makes the molds dangerous, it is not just the existence of the mold by itself. If a mold does not produce mycotoxins, it is not a significant danger to human health, only the structural health of some buildings that it grows in.
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Mold is a fungus and it exists all around us. There are thousands of different species of it and they exist all around the world in more colors than you can think of. Some people seem to think that the words “mold” and “fungus” can be used as replacements for each other, but this is not always the case. All molds are fungi, but not every fungus is a mold. We have been known to eat different fungi around the world such as mushrooms and some kinds of mold have even been used to create such foods as cheese or alcoholic beverages and the fact is that some molds, when used in the creation of food or medicines properly, can be quite beneficial to our health.
The news has been making a big deal over mold the past few years, noting “toxic black mold” in many of its broadcasts. The black mold that it is usually referring to is called Stachybotrys and this is a genus of mold that contains about 10 different species. It grows mostly on dead plants and has been known to grow in homes or businesses. Not every kind of black mold mentioned on the news is Stachybotrys.
People are becoming more and more concerned about hidden mold in their homes and businesses. This is mold that you cannot readily see just by taking a look around your house and is often found tucked away inside air conditioning vents or inside walls. Any mold that has been found to be growing inside the ventilation system should be gotten rid of as soon as possible because every time the air conditioner is turned on, the mold is spread to every corner of your home or business and will be creating health problems for everyone in it.
Mycotoxins are what make some molds so dangerous. These are produced by some molds is what makes the molds dangerous, it is not just the existence of the mold by itself. If a mold does not produce mycotoxins, it is not a significant danger to human health, only the structural health of some buildings that it grows in.
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How To Repair Water Damaged Electronics
A lot of people have had their electronic devices come into contact with liquid, whether it’s a glass of milk or a bathtub full of water, but most people do not know what they are supposed to do with these items afterward. Can they be fixed? Is there really anything wrong with them?
Well, depending on how long they were in the water and whether they were on at the time, they can probably be fixed. It also depends on what kind of liquid you drop the device into. A lot of electronic devices switch of automatically as soon as they come into contact with a liquid and this is important, because it is not the liquid itself that causes the damage to the device. It is the electric current running through it when the water hits it. Even if you put a device that is not on in a puddle of clean water and let it stay in it overnight, it is not likely to be irreparably damaged as long as the power was off. You can most likely pull the item out of the water, allow it to dry completely, and it should power back on fine. I would not advise trying this as an experiment, though, because not every electronic device is made of the same material. As long as you do not attempt to power on the device while it is still wet, it should be alright. Allow the device to dry in a dry, cool area, but not so cool that it will let the device pick up any condensation.
Anything that has been submerged in dirty water, such as flood water, will probably require a bit more attention than that. Flood waters have been known to contain just about any kind of pollution that you can imagine. Silt, mud, sewage, and other chemicals could be getting inside your electronic device and it will take a lot more than simply drying the device out to get it to work properly again.
Even computer hard drives have been known to be restored with the proper cleaning procedures after having been flooded. The particle debris that has made its way inside the hard drive has to be cleaned out first and quite thoroughly before the drive will work again. Simply plugging the hard drive back into the computer after it is dry will NOT work and will damage the drive irreparably.
Unless you know a lot about electronics, your best bet is to take whatever water damaged device you have on your hands to a specialist. Depending on what the value of the device is or if it is a hard drive, the importance of the information stored on it, you might want to fork over the cash necessary to have it repaired.
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Well, depending on how long they were in the water and whether they were on at the time, they can probably be fixed. It also depends on what kind of liquid you drop the device into. A lot of electronic devices switch of automatically as soon as they come into contact with a liquid and this is important, because it is not the liquid itself that causes the damage to the device. It is the electric current running through it when the water hits it. Even if you put a device that is not on in a puddle of clean water and let it stay in it overnight, it is not likely to be irreparably damaged as long as the power was off. You can most likely pull the item out of the water, allow it to dry completely, and it should power back on fine. I would not advise trying this as an experiment, though, because not every electronic device is made of the same material. As long as you do not attempt to power on the device while it is still wet, it should be alright. Allow the device to dry in a dry, cool area, but not so cool that it will let the device pick up any condensation.
Anything that has been submerged in dirty water, such as flood water, will probably require a bit more attention than that. Flood waters have been known to contain just about any kind of pollution that you can imagine. Silt, mud, sewage, and other chemicals could be getting inside your electronic device and it will take a lot more than simply drying the device out to get it to work properly again.
Even computer hard drives have been known to be restored with the proper cleaning procedures after having been flooded. The particle debris that has made its way inside the hard drive has to be cleaned out first and quite thoroughly before the drive will work again. Simply plugging the hard drive back into the computer after it is dry will NOT work and will damage the drive irreparably.
Unless you know a lot about electronics, your best bet is to take whatever water damaged device you have on your hands to a specialist. Depending on what the value of the device is or if it is a hard drive, the importance of the information stored on it, you might want to fork over the cash necessary to have it repaired.
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Little known Phone Sticker Squeals On Water Damage And Voids Warranty
If you take a look inside the case of your cell phone, you should see a round white sticker placed somewhere on the device. What is it? This is called a water damage sticker and if your phone is exposed to moisture that makes its way inside the phone, this can be used to completely void your warranty, no matter the reason your phone may stop working. It does not seem to take much, either; a simple drop of water placed onto this sticker is enough to change its color and void the warranty on your cell phone. For honest consumers who accidentally get a small bit of water on their phone and then 5 or 6 months later, suddenly notice that the phone is having problems, knowing about this sticker is quite useful.
What exactly can you do to stop this little devil from voiding the warranty on your phone should is accidentally get a little damp? The best thing that you can do is to take a piece of satin finished scotch tape and put it over the sticker to keep the color from changing if it gets wet. If you drop your phone into the toilet or the bathtub, this probably isn’t going to be that effective, but if you are just worried about general moisture problems or an accidental quick spill of something on the phone, this should work just fine. If your phone stops working for some other reason, remove the tape and take it back to the manufacturer for repairs or a replacement.
It is was not exactly a bad idea for these stickers to be put on the inside of phones, though; a lot of phones get returned that are supposedly not water damaged, but are. At the same time, though, it is bad for the consumer because having such a sticker can completely void the warranty regardless of whether the liquid was the reason the phone stopped working or not. The phone could have just been a defective model and it would make no difference.
Hopefully people will use the information presented here honestly and not try to defraud the phone company into giving them a new item after their phone was irreparably damaged by having a hot cup of coffee spilled onto it or something like that. For honest consumers just having a bit of bad luck, it is great to know these kinds of things about our electronics just in case. Unfortunately, there are those that will attempt to misuse this information.
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What exactly can you do to stop this little devil from voiding the warranty on your phone should is accidentally get a little damp? The best thing that you can do is to take a piece of satin finished scotch tape and put it over the sticker to keep the color from changing if it gets wet. If you drop your phone into the toilet or the bathtub, this probably isn’t going to be that effective, but if you are just worried about general moisture problems or an accidental quick spill of something on the phone, this should work just fine. If your phone stops working for some other reason, remove the tape and take it back to the manufacturer for repairs or a replacement.
It is was not exactly a bad idea for these stickers to be put on the inside of phones, though; a lot of phones get returned that are supposedly not water damaged, but are. At the same time, though, it is bad for the consumer because having such a sticker can completely void the warranty regardless of whether the liquid was the reason the phone stopped working or not. The phone could have just been a defective model and it would make no difference.
Hopefully people will use the information presented here honestly and not try to defraud the phone company into giving them a new item after their phone was irreparably damaged by having a hot cup of coffee spilled onto it or something like that. For honest consumers just having a bit of bad luck, it is great to know these kinds of things about our electronics just in case. Unfortunately, there are those that will attempt to misuse this information.
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Moldy Rice Is A Favorite In Asia
A food called red yeast rice in English has been a favorite dish in Asian countries for a long time and is a traditional part of Peking duck. Traditional Chinese medicine has used the dish for over 1,000 years in order to help the body keep up a good circulatory system and heart. In China, its use has been noted as far back as the Tang Dynasty of China back in 800 A.D. There might be a good reason for this use, since recent research has shown that red yeast rice is quite good at assisting in lowering a person’s cholesterol. Just what is red yeast rice?
Red yeast rice is made by fermenting a mold called monascus purpureus on top of rice. There is a unique process that is used to separate the naturally occurring ingredient called mevinolin and this somewhat similar to other drugs that doctors give their patients to fight high cholesterol like Lipitor and Zocor. While everyone needs cholesterol in order to have a healthy life, having too much of it as most people know can lead to problems. Our livers produce about eighty percent of the cholesterol that the body needs and the other twenty percent comes from the food that we eat. What the red yeast rice does when you eat it is block the enzyme that exists in the liver to induce the production of cholesterol. Unsaturated fatty acids in the red yeast rice could also possibly add to the beneficial attributes of it.
The possibility of its medical uses has only recently been noticed in western countries, even though it has been used in Asia for centuries. An extract of one of its natural ingredients, mevinolin, is often sold over the counter as a dietary supplement of sorts to be used for controlling cholesterol. You do not need a prescription for this supplement and some people are taking advantage of this.
It is not recommended to eat red yeast rice or take the dietary supplement of mevinolin if you have already been prescribed a drug for high cholesterol such as Lipitor or Zocor.
What about the mold that is used to make the dish? Monascus purpureus is a purplish-red mold in the family Monascaceae and it is used mainly in Asian dishes for color, however it can also impart a pleasant flavor to the food, as well.
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Red yeast rice is made by fermenting a mold called monascus purpureus on top of rice. There is a unique process that is used to separate the naturally occurring ingredient called mevinolin and this somewhat similar to other drugs that doctors give their patients to fight high cholesterol like Lipitor and Zocor. While everyone needs cholesterol in order to have a healthy life, having too much of it as most people know can lead to problems. Our livers produce about eighty percent of the cholesterol that the body needs and the other twenty percent comes from the food that we eat. What the red yeast rice does when you eat it is block the enzyme that exists in the liver to induce the production of cholesterol. Unsaturated fatty acids in the red yeast rice could also possibly add to the beneficial attributes of it.
The possibility of its medical uses has only recently been noticed in western countries, even though it has been used in Asia for centuries. An extract of one of its natural ingredients, mevinolin, is often sold over the counter as a dietary supplement of sorts to be used for controlling cholesterol. You do not need a prescription for this supplement and some people are taking advantage of this.
It is not recommended to eat red yeast rice or take the dietary supplement of mevinolin if you have already been prescribed a drug for high cholesterol such as Lipitor or Zocor.
What about the mold that is used to make the dish? Monascus purpureus is a purplish-red mold in the family Monascaceae and it is used mainly in Asian dishes for color, however it can also impart a pleasant flavor to the food, as well.
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Sake Is Not Possible Without Mold
In Japan, koji has been used to make sake for hundreds of years and what might be the surprising thing is that it is actually a kind of mold. The scientific name for the mold is Aspergillus Oryzae and it creates a few different enzymes as it reproduces and these are what cause the starches in the rice to turn into sugars that feed the yeast cells that produce both alcohol and carbon dioxide. Without the addition of the koji, the Japanese alcoholic beverage of sake cannot exist. There are other beverages in Asia that have been known to use koji, but the ways they are brewed are very different.
Sake is produced differently than a beverage such as wine, so it might be useful to explain just how different the production methods are. Wine is created from fermented grapes that already have sugar (or glucose) in them and sugar is what yeast has to eat. Even though there are other kinds of sugars in existence, the yeast cannot metabolize them and so when wine is made, the yeast is put into a liquid that already has sugar in it.
Sake is brewed somewhat similar to beer, but it is not malted. It is made from steamed rice that has had its husk removed and the rice is milled in order to remove the outer covering. It is not uncommon for a rice to be washed down to 50 percent or even less of its former weight in order to get to the innermost part of the rice, which does not contain all of the proteins, amino acids, and fats that can give the sake an unwanted flavor or smell.
Aspergillus oryzae has a very powerful affect on the final product and its cultivation is taken very seriously. It is produced in a different room in the brewery that is known as the koji-muro. When it is ready, it is added to more steamed rice. Later on in the batch, it is put into a large tank where the rice, yeast, water, and koji will continue to ferment. One account says that a brewer presented a bottle of sake with an apology, saying that they had rebuilt their koji-muro the year before and that the cedar wood used in the walls was not as ready as they had thought. The cedar could be tasted and smelled in the sake.
Koji is what gives the rice its unique flavors depending upon what kind of rice it is cultivated on, the pH level of the water, the mineral content of it, and many other things are what make koji one of the most important ingredients of sake.
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Sake is produced differently than a beverage such as wine, so it might be useful to explain just how different the production methods are. Wine is created from fermented grapes that already have sugar (or glucose) in them and sugar is what yeast has to eat. Even though there are other kinds of sugars in existence, the yeast cannot metabolize them and so when wine is made, the yeast is put into a liquid that already has sugar in it.
Sake is brewed somewhat similar to beer, but it is not malted. It is made from steamed rice that has had its husk removed and the rice is milled in order to remove the outer covering. It is not uncommon for a rice to be washed down to 50 percent or even less of its former weight in order to get to the innermost part of the rice, which does not contain all of the proteins, amino acids, and fats that can give the sake an unwanted flavor or smell.
Aspergillus oryzae has a very powerful affect on the final product and its cultivation is taken very seriously. It is produced in a different room in the brewery that is known as the koji-muro. When it is ready, it is added to more steamed rice. Later on in the batch, it is put into a large tank where the rice, yeast, water, and koji will continue to ferment. One account says that a brewer presented a bottle of sake with an apology, saying that they had rebuilt their koji-muro the year before and that the cedar wood used in the walls was not as ready as they had thought. The cedar could be tasted and smelled in the sake.
Koji is what gives the rice its unique flavors depending upon what kind of rice it is cultivated on, the pH level of the water, the mineral content of it, and many other things are what make koji one of the most important ingredients of sake.
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A General Facts Guide About Mold
Whether you are indoors or outdoors, mold is always there. No matter where you are, there is no such thing as an environment on the planet earth that is considered to be mold-free. Wherever there are the three things that mold need to survive, there will be mold, even though you might not be able to see it. Mold is only visible to the human eye when colonies of it start to grow. Just what does mold need to grow?
Mold needs nutrients. In an outdoor environment, this would be organic matter such as dead plants or animals. This is a necessary natural event that has to take place to get rid of the some of the debris that builds up on the forest floor. In the indoor environment, molds often feed on building materials. These can include cardboard, paper on both the sides of drywall, soap, fabrics, and other kinds of dust.
Moisture is also required by mold in order to survive. In order to begin decaying organic matter and digesting it, it needs moisture. Mold often grows inside the home during the summer when moisture becomes trapped inside the house and in the house in the winter when certain areas become drafty and condensation builds up in areas.
Something else mold needs to survive is very simple and we all have a lot of it, whether we realize it or not. Mold needs time to grow. It can start to form a colony as soon as 24 hours up to ten days after it gets enough of the nutrients and moisture that it needs to survive. The longer you allow something such as a wet towel or wet piece of clothing to lie on the floor in the back of your closet, the more time you are giving mold to start growing on it.
One last thing that molds tend to need in order to continue growing is heat. Not all molds need a significant amount of heat in order to grow, but many do. Molds have been known to survive at extreme temperatures and remain dormant, but not actually continue growing. They can be exposed to temperatures around 2 degrees Celsius and still only become dormant instead of dying like some other organisms would do.
Mold needs nutrients. In an outdoor environment, this would be organic matter such as dead plants or animals. This is a necessary natural event that has to take place to get rid of the some of the debris that builds up on the forest floor. In the indoor environment, molds often feed on building materials. These can include cardboard, paper on both the sides of drywall, soap, fabrics, and other kinds of dust.
Moisture is also required by mold in order to survive. In order to begin decaying organic matter and digesting it, it needs moisture. Mold often grows inside the home during the summer when moisture becomes trapped inside the house and in the house in the winter when certain areas become drafty and condensation builds up in areas.
Something else mold needs to survive is very simple and we all have a lot of it, whether we realize it or not. Mold needs time to grow. It can start to form a colony as soon as 24 hours up to ten days after it gets enough of the nutrients and moisture that it needs to survive. The longer you allow something such as a wet towel or wet piece of clothing to lie on the floor in the back of your closet, the more time you are giving mold to start growing on it.
One last thing that molds tend to need in order to continue growing is heat. Not all molds need a significant amount of heat in order to grow, but many do. Molds have been known to survive at extreme temperatures and remain dormant, but not actually continue growing. They can be exposed to temperatures around 2 degrees Celsius and still only become dormant instead of dying like some other organisms would do.
Some Tips on How to Stop Water Damage
Everyone who owns or rents a home should know what to do to prevent water damage. Even if you rent the property that you’re on, it’s in your best interest to take some responsibility for your living space and do what you can do stop water damage, especially if you plan on renting there for a long time.
If you have a washing machine in your home or apartment, it’s a good idea to make sure that the hose doesn’t have any cracks in it. If the hose ruptures and begins to spew water, it won’t be long before your entire laundry room floor is covered in water and starts leaking into the next room. Hoses that connect to your washer should be replaced as many times and as frequently as you need to, but under normal conditions, every three to five years is sufficient.
A leaky water heater is also a cause of water damage in the home and one of the best ways to determine if you have a leaky one is to look for rust or signs that it has leaked in the past. If a water heater is located on a 2nd or higher floor of the home or apartment building, it needs to be installed inside a pan that has a drain connected to a drain in the floor to make sure the water goes into the plumbing system.
Making sure that water is escaping from your roof the way it should be one of the first things on your mind if you want to prevent water damage to your attic and the rest of your house. If you’re just renting an apartment, then this part is mostly up to your landlord or the property manager. If you’re renting a home, then part of this is probably up to you. Cleaning out the gutters and the general maintenance of the property is up to you unless it’s something serious. Making sure the downspouts that are attached to the corners of the house are free of leaves and other debris will drain water away from the foundation of the house and keep it from sinking into the ground. Keeping water draining away from the house and making sure the cracks around your doors and windows are thoroughly caulked and sealed is another step that you can take to keep water from leaking into your home.
If you have a washing machine in your home or apartment, it’s a good idea to make sure that the hose doesn’t have any cracks in it. If the hose ruptures and begins to spew water, it won’t be long before your entire laundry room floor is covered in water and starts leaking into the next room. Hoses that connect to your washer should be replaced as many times and as frequently as you need to, but under normal conditions, every three to five years is sufficient.
A leaky water heater is also a cause of water damage in the home and one of the best ways to determine if you have a leaky one is to look for rust or signs that it has leaked in the past. If a water heater is located on a 2nd or higher floor of the home or apartment building, it needs to be installed inside a pan that has a drain connected to a drain in the floor to make sure the water goes into the plumbing system.
Making sure that water is escaping from your roof the way it should be one of the first things on your mind if you want to prevent water damage to your attic and the rest of your house. If you’re just renting an apartment, then this part is mostly up to your landlord or the property manager. If you’re renting a home, then part of this is probably up to you. Cleaning out the gutters and the general maintenance of the property is up to you unless it’s something serious. Making sure the downspouts that are attached to the corners of the house are free of leaves and other debris will drain water away from the foundation of the house and keep it from sinking into the ground. Keeping water draining away from the house and making sure the cracks around your doors and windows are thoroughly caulked and sealed is another step that you can take to keep water from leaking into your home.
Preventing Mold From Invading Your Home’s Construction
One of the worst things that can happen to someone who’s building a brand new home is discovering after the construction is completed that mold has been growing within his new haven. It is indeed a problem and it might be more common than you would think.
Mold can and does get built into new homes and a lot of the time, it’s the fault of the contractor for not properly inspecting or storing his building materials and by allowing the site to get wet from rain before the roof and walls are completed. Sometimes what is supposed to be the interior of the home is left uncovered and when it rains, the building materials get soaked and are allowed to dry this way. In warm, humid weather, this can allow mold to get a grip on the structure and begin to grow. You’ll not only have the possibility of mold, but you’ll also put your home at risk of water damage. Covering the building site with tarps or plastic sheeting should keep the rain, snow, (and the mold) out.
You should make sure that the contractor and his/her workers are using good quality materials to build your new home with. Testing the building materials for mold is one thing that you can do to make certain that it stays out of your home’s foundation. If you go to the building site and you see building materials like wood and sheetrock being stored directly on the ground, tell your contractor that they need to be raised up to aid in the prevention of mold growth. Your contractor should already know this, but irresponsible ones or those that are trying to make the process as easy as possible are the ones that you should worry about. Check your contractor’s references and make sure they’ve done a good job for others in the past.
The home should also be periodically checked for mold as it’s being built and after the building is completed. No one wants to go to the trouble of building a home that will be worth quite a lot of money if it’s only going to have to be gutted to remove mold a few months later, right?
If you’re careful and you keep an eye on your home’s construction, you can prevent most kinds of mold and water damage. If you’re not, you’re asking for quite a headache and the loss of a lot of funds.
Mold can and does get built into new homes and a lot of the time, it’s the fault of the contractor for not properly inspecting or storing his building materials and by allowing the site to get wet from rain before the roof and walls are completed. Sometimes what is supposed to be the interior of the home is left uncovered and when it rains, the building materials get soaked and are allowed to dry this way. In warm, humid weather, this can allow mold to get a grip on the structure and begin to grow. You’ll not only have the possibility of mold, but you’ll also put your home at risk of water damage. Covering the building site with tarps or plastic sheeting should keep the rain, snow, (and the mold) out.
You should make sure that the contractor and his/her workers are using good quality materials to build your new home with. Testing the building materials for mold is one thing that you can do to make certain that it stays out of your home’s foundation. If you go to the building site and you see building materials like wood and sheetrock being stored directly on the ground, tell your contractor that they need to be raised up to aid in the prevention of mold growth. Your contractor should already know this, but irresponsible ones or those that are trying to make the process as easy as possible are the ones that you should worry about. Check your contractor’s references and make sure they’ve done a good job for others in the past.
The home should also be periodically checked for mold as it’s being built and after the building is completed. No one wants to go to the trouble of building a home that will be worth quite a lot of money if it’s only going to have to be gutted to remove mold a few months later, right?
If you’re careful and you keep an eye on your home’s construction, you can prevent most kinds of mold and water damage. If you’re not, you’re asking for quite a headache and the loss of a lot of funds.
Mold Health Issues
Everybody knows that mold is unsightly and can cause health problems, but exactly what kinds of health problems are we talking about here? We shouldn’t just be concerned with the respiratory or skin effects of mold, because these are not even close to being the only things that mold can cause in a person.
Mold can produce allergic reactions in people by producing allergens, irritants, and toxic substances called mycotoxins. No matter what kind of mold you’re dealing with, it’s a bad idea to touch it or inhale any of its spores. Some molds can cause cold or flu-like symptoms or in infants, even bleeding of the lungs. Incessant coughing, asthma, allergy symptoms, and vision can occur and even problems with a person’s central nervous system can arise. Abnormal amounts of fatique, headaches, problems with your sinuses, vomiting, and sometimes even cancer can be caused by mold infestations in the home or the workplace. Where mold is concerned, you’re basically playing roulette: you don’t know which number is going to come up or for who.
Air conditioners are one of the worst culprits of spreading mold infestations from one area of the building to the other. They thrust the mold spores up into the air and you inhale them, drawing them into your lungs, and this can be dangerous, especially if you’re one of the people who are particularly at risk for sickness. This includes infants, pets, the elderly, and anyone who has a weakened immune system. People with weakened immune systems are those who are pregnant, people who have just had surgery, or those with HIV, AIDs, or other immunodeficiency conditions.
Most people don’t realize that there are so many health complications that can be caused by mold and since this is true, they don’t understand how big of a problem mold can be in the home. They think that they will be alright if they put off removing the mold until they can afford it, but it’s not a good idea.
People with good constitutions and are generally healthy can survive in a home that has a mild amount of mold for a while without any adverse health effects, but staying there without any attempts to treat the home and remove the mold can be a costly mistake. If you discover mold where you live, you should do what you have to in order to get the mold removed or find another place to live.
Mold can produce allergic reactions in people by producing allergens, irritants, and toxic substances called mycotoxins. No matter what kind of mold you’re dealing with, it’s a bad idea to touch it or inhale any of its spores. Some molds can cause cold or flu-like symptoms or in infants, even bleeding of the lungs. Incessant coughing, asthma, allergy symptoms, and vision can occur and even problems with a person’s central nervous system can arise. Abnormal amounts of fatique, headaches, problems with your sinuses, vomiting, and sometimes even cancer can be caused by mold infestations in the home or the workplace. Where mold is concerned, you’re basically playing roulette: you don’t know which number is going to come up or for who.
Air conditioners are one of the worst culprits of spreading mold infestations from one area of the building to the other. They thrust the mold spores up into the air and you inhale them, drawing them into your lungs, and this can be dangerous, especially if you’re one of the people who are particularly at risk for sickness. This includes infants, pets, the elderly, and anyone who has a weakened immune system. People with weakened immune systems are those who are pregnant, people who have just had surgery, or those with HIV, AIDs, or other immunodeficiency conditions.
Most people don’t realize that there are so many health complications that can be caused by mold and since this is true, they don’t understand how big of a problem mold can be in the home. They think that they will be alright if they put off removing the mold until they can afford it, but it’s not a good idea.
People with good constitutions and are generally healthy can survive in a home that has a mild amount of mold for a while without any adverse health effects, but staying there without any attempts to treat the home and remove the mold can be a costly mistake. If you discover mold where you live, you should do what you have to in order to get the mold removed or find another place to live.
Mold Beats Bleach
What’s the one thing that most of us think cleans and disinfects everything you cover in it? Chlorine bleach. Some new evidence suggests that chlorine bleach isn’t the great cleaner that we all think it is and one of the most common misconceptions about it is that it kills mold. Bleach is good to clean a number of things and to preserve the whiteness of white clothing and other items, but as far as being a disinfectant, it doesn’t measure up.
Unless the mold is located on a non-porous surface such as a hard counter top or a kitchen sink, bleach won’t really do anything to get rid of the mold. You can’t get rid of mold with bleach on surfaces like sheetrock, wood, furniture, or any other surface that isn’t hard and solid. Mold often grows inside walls and even if you clean the mold off of the surface of the wall, you still can’t get inside the sheetrock to completely kill the infection. It infests the entire depth of the board and it’s easier to just remove the sheetrock, clean the mold out from the inside of the wall, and replace the sheetrock with new and paperless sheetrock. Mold eats paper and if you put paper inside your wall, you’re helping it build a home inside your new one.
What we do know about bleach is that it does not play well with other chemicals. Many times when we’re on a budget and we’re trying to make the best of what we have on hand, we mix different household chemicals in order to make more cleaning solution to work with or we’re trying to make ourselves feel like the cleaner has become stronger, because it’s been combined with another. Sometimes mixing household chemicals will do no harm, but it’s best not to mix anything with bleach, especially if it contains ammonia. Ammonia and bleach, when combined, will produce toxic fumes that can kill you if you’re not working in a ventilated area. There are better chemicals to use when fighting mold, so the best thing that you can do is stay away from bleach and never mix it with another ammonia-based cleaner. It’s not worth the risk.
The EPA does not define chlorine bleach as a disinfectant that kills mold. There is always a registration number on each and every product that will kill mold, but this label does not appear on any bottle of chlorine bleach currently in circulation.
Unless the mold is located on a non-porous surface such as a hard counter top or a kitchen sink, bleach won’t really do anything to get rid of the mold. You can’t get rid of mold with bleach on surfaces like sheetrock, wood, furniture, or any other surface that isn’t hard and solid. Mold often grows inside walls and even if you clean the mold off of the surface of the wall, you still can’t get inside the sheetrock to completely kill the infection. It infests the entire depth of the board and it’s easier to just remove the sheetrock, clean the mold out from the inside of the wall, and replace the sheetrock with new and paperless sheetrock. Mold eats paper and if you put paper inside your wall, you’re helping it build a home inside your new one.
What we do know about bleach is that it does not play well with other chemicals. Many times when we’re on a budget and we’re trying to make the best of what we have on hand, we mix different household chemicals in order to make more cleaning solution to work with or we’re trying to make ourselves feel like the cleaner has become stronger, because it’s been combined with another. Sometimes mixing household chemicals will do no harm, but it’s best not to mix anything with bleach, especially if it contains ammonia. Ammonia and bleach, when combined, will produce toxic fumes that can kill you if you’re not working in a ventilated area. There are better chemicals to use when fighting mold, so the best thing that you can do is stay away from bleach and never mix it with another ammonia-based cleaner. It’s not worth the risk.
The EPA does not define chlorine bleach as a disinfectant that kills mold. There is always a registration number on each and every product that will kill mold, but this label does not appear on any bottle of chlorine bleach currently in circulation.
General Mold Facts
We might not like it, but it’s something that we have to live with every day: mold is everywhere. It’s an unfortunate fact that there is no real way to get away from mold completely, as it grows everywhere and it’s in all the air around us.
What is mold? Mold is a kind of fungus that grows in countless numbers and almost countless species all over the world. They are every color you can imagine and while most of them won’t hurt human beings and their pets, some kinds are pretty toxic and can grow in your home. They’re not pleasant to look at and can cause any number of health problems, most notably if you happen to be allergic to that particular kind of mold or just mold in general.
It gets inside your home due to the humidity and high level of heat inside or because of water leaking in from outside the building via the basement or due to flood water. Sometimes it’s because a pipe bursts in your laundry room or the bathroom or the toilet overflows and the water isn’t properly cleaned up. Having carpet in the bathroom is a problem all to itself because it loves to soak up water and mold loves anything porous. The steam from the bath tub or the shower sticks to the ceiling and soaks it, as well, creating a breeding ground for these little buggers. Mold loves to eat sheet rock and paint and some of the most common areas in your home to find mold are in the bathroom and the kitchen.
Some people don’t use a hamper or a basket to toss their dirty clothes in when they take a shower or a bath and they leave the clothes in the bathroom closet directly on the floor. Wet rags and towels being thrown in there on top of them or up against the walls can cause mold to grow not only in the closet, but also on your clothes if they’re left in there long enough.
Mold is a big problem for children, pets, people with weakened immune systems, and the elderly. These are the people that are the most at risk when living in a home that’s contaminated by mold. Mold causes conditions and diseases that most people wouldn’t even begin to think of; the conditions are not confined to merely skin rashes and respiratory complications.
Any and everything that’s been found to have mold on it should be washed and thoroughly sterilized before it can be used again, if it can even be used again at all. Depending on the volume of the infestation and how strenuous your schedule is, sometimes it’s easier to just throw things away.
What is mold? Mold is a kind of fungus that grows in countless numbers and almost countless species all over the world. They are every color you can imagine and while most of them won’t hurt human beings and their pets, some kinds are pretty toxic and can grow in your home. They’re not pleasant to look at and can cause any number of health problems, most notably if you happen to be allergic to that particular kind of mold or just mold in general.
It gets inside your home due to the humidity and high level of heat inside or because of water leaking in from outside the building via the basement or due to flood water. Sometimes it’s because a pipe bursts in your laundry room or the bathroom or the toilet overflows and the water isn’t properly cleaned up. Having carpet in the bathroom is a problem all to itself because it loves to soak up water and mold loves anything porous. The steam from the bath tub or the shower sticks to the ceiling and soaks it, as well, creating a breeding ground for these little buggers. Mold loves to eat sheet rock and paint and some of the most common areas in your home to find mold are in the bathroom and the kitchen.
Some people don’t use a hamper or a basket to toss their dirty clothes in when they take a shower or a bath and they leave the clothes in the bathroom closet directly on the floor. Wet rags and towels being thrown in there on top of them or up against the walls can cause mold to grow not only in the closet, but also on your clothes if they’re left in there long enough.
Mold is a big problem for children, pets, people with weakened immune systems, and the elderly. These are the people that are the most at risk when living in a home that’s contaminated by mold. Mold causes conditions and diseases that most people wouldn’t even begin to think of; the conditions are not confined to merely skin rashes and respiratory complications.
Any and everything that’s been found to have mold on it should be washed and thoroughly sterilized before it can be used again, if it can even be used again at all. Depending on the volume of the infestation and how strenuous your schedule is, sometimes it’s easier to just throw things away.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Getting Ready For Hurricane Season
Nobody wants to have to prepare for a hurricane, but if you choose to live in an area where they are common, then it is probably something that you will have to deal with at least once every year or two. The preparation is not too difficult, but depending on the category of the storm, you may be stuck in your home longer than you want to be if you chose to stay in it instead of evacuate along with everyone else.
You should start with making sure that you have an ample water supply and build it according to how many people will be staying with you at the time of the storm. Each person should have one gallon of water for them to use for at least a week or longer, depending on how long you expect the storm to last. Saving water is pretty easy, since you can rinse out milk jugs and use them. If you do not have any milk jugs saved for this event, then purchasing bottled water at the grocery store is probably going to be your only option, but they may not have enough to meet your current needs. After the storm starts and you are confined to your home, however, you should never trust the water that comes out of your faucet, since it could be contaminated with sea water, bacteria, debris from the storm, or sewage.
You can purify your water out of the tap by boiling it if you need to, but try to avoid this unless you just run completely out of water from your supply. You can also purchase water purification tablets from outdoor supply stores or any other store that sells hiking or camping supplies. Campers and hikers take these with them when they are going to an area where their water supply is not guaranteed to last them their whole trip.
You should also have a good supply of food that does not require refrigeration, since the power could go out at any given time. Even though water is most important here, you do not want to run out of food, either.
Boarding up your windows and doors is also standard procedure for hurricane preparation. Try to keep as much water as possible from getting inside the house to reduce the amount of water damage done to the property.
Keep a hand crank radio. As long as you can crank the handle, it will create its own electricity so you can listen to the local radio stations to keep track of how far the storm has progressed.
You should start with making sure that you have an ample water supply and build it according to how many people will be staying with you at the time of the storm. Each person should have one gallon of water for them to use for at least a week or longer, depending on how long you expect the storm to last. Saving water is pretty easy, since you can rinse out milk jugs and use them. If you do not have any milk jugs saved for this event, then purchasing bottled water at the grocery store is probably going to be your only option, but they may not have enough to meet your current needs. After the storm starts and you are confined to your home, however, you should never trust the water that comes out of your faucet, since it could be contaminated with sea water, bacteria, debris from the storm, or sewage.
You can purify your water out of the tap by boiling it if you need to, but try to avoid this unless you just run completely out of water from your supply. You can also purchase water purification tablets from outdoor supply stores or any other store that sells hiking or camping supplies. Campers and hikers take these with them when they are going to an area where their water supply is not guaranteed to last them their whole trip.
You should also have a good supply of food that does not require refrigeration, since the power could go out at any given time. Even though water is most important here, you do not want to run out of food, either.
Boarding up your windows and doors is also standard procedure for hurricane preparation. Try to keep as much water as possible from getting inside the house to reduce the amount of water damage done to the property.
Keep a hand crank radio. As long as you can crank the handle, it will create its own electricity so you can listen to the local radio stations to keep track of how far the storm has progressed.
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