Many homeowners are faced with the need for mold testing and removal in Westchester County NY. One reason is that most houses on the east coast are built with basements. Most basements are a dark and damp place. This is where mold tends to thrive! When you have moisture and humidity you will usually find a mold problem. The following explains how a few of our mold testing and removal projects in Westchester County NY turned out.
Mold Testing & Removal for Julia B. of Eastchester NY
Take the case of Julia B. of Eastchester NY. One day when she went down to her basement to do the laundry, she caught a whiff. It was a musty smell that she new too well. It was the smell of mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are the smell that mold puts off to protect itself. It’s also what makes people sick! With an immune compromised child in the house, Julia wanted no part of this in her Westchester County NY home. So, she quickly went on-line and found Certified Mold Removal Inc. Serving Westchester County NY since 1995, we made a same day mold testing and inspection appointment.
When our inspector arrived at Julia’s Eastchester NY home, he discovered her dehumidifier was full of water and off. When he made her aware of this her initial comment was “That’s my husband’s job”. He immediately suggested that her husband place a short hose on the side so it can drain directly into their sump pit.
Now that the source of the problem was known, it was time to evaluate the damage. He proceeded to inspect and test the white staining on Julia’s ceiling rafters. We also noticed black staining on her cinderblock walls. So the Inspector then performed mold testing of this surface. After finding no further suspect mold like staining he took mold testing of the air in her basement and each floor of her home.
This is What Happened Next
A few days later we called Julia to go over the laboratory test results. We discovered two species of mold in her home. These were Aspergillus/Penicillium and Cladosporium type molds. Both are semi-toxic. Turns out that the airborne mold that Julia was smelling was contained to the basement. With a sigh of relief, we discussed a mold removal plan for her basement. The next day our crew was busy in her Eastchester NY home correcting the problem.
They set up containment so the mold could not cross contaminate the living area of her home. Then we installed air scrubbing machines to filter out the airborne mold contamination from the basement. After that we HEPA vacuumed all contaminated wall and ceiling surfaces. Then cleaned them and treated them with an EPA registered fungicide. After a final HEPA vacuuming, we heavily fogged the basement with the same EPA registered fungicide. Then we encapsulated the cinderblock basement walls with a mold resistant paint sealant. We did this to ward off future mold growth in her Eastchester NY home NY. We then supplied and installed an 8 foot leader hose on her dehumidifier and set it to drain directly into her sump pit.
Fast forward 6 months later and Julia was very happy. She even called to thank us. She even volunteered to write a 5 star review about her experience with us. One more happy Westchester County NY client for Certified Mold Removal Inc.
Mold Testing and Removal for Eddie V. of White Plains NY
Next up is another Westchester County NY client Eddie V. of White Plains NY. Eddie called us explaining that he has had an ongoing mold removal need since he moved in 10 years ago. What prompted him to call Certified Mold Removal Inc was his wife was suddenly getting migraine headaches. He went on to say that she never has them before, and he suspected it might be mold in his basement. We recommended mold testing and removal for Eddie V. of White Plains NY, and he was hopeful this would solve the problem.
When our inspection professional arrived at Eddie’s White Plains NY home, he was immediately directed to the basement. When he got down there, he saw that water was dripping from the sheet rocked ceiling along the HVAC trunk line. This was the middle of August so we asked Eddie what temperature he sets his thermostat in the summer months. He said he likes to keep it cool in the house. When our inspector checked it out it was set at 66 degrees.
Now we know it can get hot in August in Westchester County NY but 66 degrees is a big no-no! You see, you should never run your air conditioning system too hard when there is a sheetrocked soffit surrounding it. You see, the metal duct work will condensate and it will drip water on the sheetrock and cause a need for mold testing and removal services.
Now we know why Eddie’s White Plains NY home has a mold removal need. We began by testing the black staining on the sheetrock. Then took mold testing of the air throughout Eddie’s home. We then assured him that we would do everything necessary to completely remove the mold contamination from his home.
What Kind of Mold We Found
We called him the next day with the news. Apparently, his wife’s headaches were coming from the airborne mold in their White Plains NY home. You see this has apparently been going on for years. Afterall, Eddie and his wife have been living in their Westchester County NY home for 10 years. That’s a decade of keeping the A/C set at 66 degrees. The mold testing results proved their HVAC system was cross contaminated with three different species of mold. Unfortunately, one of those species was Stachybotrys.
Also known as “black mold” Stachybotrys is the most potent and toxic of all species. Stachybotrys will wreak havoc inside of a building. Thankfully, her only symptom was her headaches. Many people with Stachybotrys type mold in their home experience much more severe symptoms.
In severe cases, exposure to toxic black mold has been linked to non-allergic symptoms, including neurotoxicity. Mold toxicity can present with a host of symptoms such as the following:
- Circulation issues, swelling
- Loss of balance, dizziness
- Brain fog, cognitive impairment
- Digestive issues
- Blurred vision
- Depression, anxiety
- Sleep disturbances
- Fatigue
- Muscular and joint pain
- Neurological issues
https://www.airoasis.com/blogs/articles/health-effects-black-mold-stachybotrys-chartarum
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4982651/
Fortunately, this Westchester County NY story has a happy ending. We are happy to report that Eddie’s wife Carolyn no longer has migraine headaches. Chalk it up to one more happy Certified Mold Removal Inc. Client!
So, whether you live in Eastchester NY, White Plains, NY, or any other part of Westchester County NY, the company to call when you have a mold testing or mold removal need is Certified mold Removal Inc. Call us 7 days a week at (914) 363-0899.
https://certifiedmoldremoval.com/new-york/mold-testing-specialists-eastchester-ny/
https://certifiedmoldremoval.com/new-york/mold-testing-specialists-white-plains-ny/
https://certifiedmoldremoval.com/new-york/westchester-county-ny/
