"After speaking with you personally for the first time, I was 100% convinced that I had finally found the right company to trust and use"...

"Mr. Kanakis, you and your staff have exceeded my expectations by far, throughout my entire ordeal.  I'm so thankful for all of your assistance and expertise that you have so kindly and professionally shared"

Joyce Cohen -
Manhattan, New York

Air Quality

Every few months there is a report on the news about a family forced out of their home because of mold.  Of course, we know it’s toxic and can endanger your family’s health, but maybe your particular problem is not that bad.  Do you need a mold testing company to determine the extent of the problem?  Can it be removed by yourself, or is it a job only for professionals?  How do you pick a professional?

Let’s start with the facts.

Mold is fungi that thrive in moist environments, including your bathroom.   There are over 100,000 different types.  However, the bath is not the only place where mold can be found.  Wherever you find a dark, warm, moist environment, it is a potential location for mold to infest and contaminate.  If there is moisture anywhere in your home that is not ventilated, the result will be mold.  Something as simple as a leaky faucet can be the culprit.  It can also come from moisture in the air or from water damage.  Your basement, attic, under your floor boards, spaces between walls, and other locations not usually seen can develop mold without your even knowing about it.

Why worry about mold you cannot see?  It can affect you and your family’s health.  Mild allergy or flu-like symptoms can occur, and the young, elderly, or anyone with a weak immune system can be adversely affected.  With prolonged exposure to mold, some people may develop asthma.  The problem can get more severe if it gets into your heating or air conditioning units.  If this happens, it is time for a professional because the mold spores have already been blown throughout the air in your home.  If you are not sure, read Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned? at: epa.gov/iaq/pubs/airduct.html.

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Now let’s look at solutions.

It is impossible to get rid of mold until the moisture, water, and humidity problems in your home are identified and fixed.  Mold only grows in a damp environment, and if you fix and prevent these problems, you will prevent the growth.

You can go to your local hardware store to purchase a special chemical mold cleaner/remover and do the job yourself if the mold is not too extensive (<2sq.ft.).  A simple solution that you already probably own is white vinegar.  Put it in a spray bottle and spray all kitchen and bath fixtures, tiles, etc. anywhere you see the mold.  Then wipe it off with a damp cloth.  Do not try this on drywall, however, or porous or semi-porous surfaces.

A bleach and water solution will also work well.  If you do this, make sure the room is well ventilated.  It is advisable to wear gloves and goggles.

Mold growing undetected in your home is a very serious problem.  Keep in mind that if a large area is contaminated by mold, 2 sq. ft. or more, it should be handled by a professional.  You can start to remedy the situation by calling Olympian toll free at 866-476-2056 to obtain a free home testing kit.  If you prefer, and live in N.Y. or N.J., Olympian can perform an inspection by a certified mold inspector right in your home.

Why choose Olympian?

Olympian offers a free professional black mold test kit, which will detect the presence of mold in 48 hours or less.  Three methods of air sampling are used in this kit.  Additionally, an optional lab analysis can be purchased at a cost of $65 that will outline the exact count and type of mold detected in the test area.  If the mold is visible, you can take a sample yourself and send it to the lab for analysis.  For your ease of understanding the results, a telephone consultation with Certified Environmental Inspector and CEO Dennis Kanakis is included in the fee.

If you feel a certified mold testing company would give you the sense of security that comes from having a professional take care of your problem, please keep in mind that Olympian’s inspectors have been certified in detecting, analyzing, and the testing of all types of mold in your home or business.  They have gone through extensive testing and are experts in the field.  They have been specially trained to detect and assess the risk of mold contamination that cannot be visually seen by the average homeowner.  A certified mold testing company like Olympian is equipped to perform a proper mold inspection in accordance with guidelines set forth by the US EPA.  The testing can involve samples taken from the air, surfaces, carpet, wallpaper, and others, as necessary.

Why choose Olympian?  Olympian performs these vital inspections in a professional manner and at a reasonable price to the consumer.  Why not call them today?

Olympian ~ The Professional Solution to Mold ~866-476-2056

What Are You Breathing In Right Now?

Chances are, more than you think. At any given moment in time, the air is steaming with an invisible brew of contaminates both man-made and biological. We can do very little to combat what we come into contact with in the outdoors, which is exactly why keeping the air in our homes clean and pure is so vitally important. Whether you are looking to buy a house, rent an apartment or condominium, it is always a good idea to schedule a mold inspection before moving in to make sure your new dwelling is safe.

Hidden Threat – Health Risks Associated With Mold

Over 100,000 types of mold are known to exist. They are split up into the three main categories of Allergenic, Pathogenic, and Toxigenic. All of which pose varying degrees of mild discomfort and/or serious risk. It is often difficult for doctors and individuals to diagnose mold as a culprit, since many of its symptoms are also shared with a host of ailments and infections. Doctors will often treat the conditions rather than the source, further allowing the danger to continue unabated. Only an in-home inspection can rule out mold as a precursor to illness.

The Usual Suspects – A Closer Look at the Three Types of Mold

Allergenic Mold – like pollens and other common allergens, mold spores can cause allergic reactions in people, particularly those who already suffer from allergies. Reactions are varied and can include: throat irritation, itchy eyes and nose, and skin rashes. Unlike pollen allergies, molds can grow in sub-zero temperatures, and may plague allergy sufferers well past the first frost.

Pathogenic Molds – Pathogenic molds are capable of producing serious infections, especially in immune-suppressed people. Symptoms can be flu-like in nature or even more severe. Diarrhea, vomiting, light headedness, fever, and migraines have all been reported.

Toxic Molds – These molds have toxic effects ranging from an increased risk of certain cancers to life-threatening systematic infections. “Black Mold” is a catch-all phrase used to describe toxic mold although not all toxic molds are black in color. This rarified group of molds present severe health risk to people and pets by emitting airborne Mycotoxins (poisons) identified as toxic agents.

Who’s Vulnerable?

The short answer is everyone. Specifically, children, the elderly, the immune-compromised, people with lung ailments like asthma and bronchitis, and even household pets are the ones most susceptible to this hidden threat.

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Common Culprit – Water

According to the Census Bureau up to 35% of homes receive water damage each year. Whether it is roof leaks, faulty plumbing or rain water seeping into the basement and foundation, water damage is the number cause of large scale mold infestations. Should the mold be allowed to spread, it can become very difficult to remove if, for instance, it gets into the heating ducts (HVAC systems) or the interiors of your walls. The statistics speak for themselves. This is too dangerous an issue to leave up to chance.

The Inspection

Mold inspections are a relatively quick but thorough series of samples and tests performed by a trained technician whose job it is to make sure you and your family are safe inside the walls of your own home.

An Ounce of Prevention…

…is worth a pound of cure. Once you’ve had a mold inspection and either had the contaminates removed or been confirmed of their absence, it is then up to the homeowner to make sure what’s gone stays that way. You can do this through a normal regiment of cleaning, taking extra care in the room or rooms that experience the most moisture, such as the basement, attic, and bathroom. When you take a shower, make sure to keep either a fan on or a window cracked so all that water vapor doesn’t get trapped and end up clinging to your walls and tiles. Confirm that the bathroom fan and clothes dryer are vented to the outside of the house and not to the attic. Periodically launder bathmats and rugs and get your carpets cleaned at least once every few years. If you do see some mold spotting, be sure to clean it with bleach before it spreads. Mold has evolved to grow quickly; it is our job to make sure it doesn’t get the chance.  Make sure your plumbing is sound and your gutters are free from debris so as to not have water seeping into your roof and woodwork.

Conclusion

Mold is older than the dinosaurs. It has continually survived and thrived throughout history’s most cataclysmic events while other less hearty species fall into extinction.  It is as adaptable as it is prolific and can be as dangerous (the infamous “Black Mold”) as it is useful (anti-bacterial Penicillin).

Schedule a quick, in-home mold inspection to make sure you and your family aren’t being exposed to dangerous contaminates every time you draw a breath. For more information on mold contamination, inspections, and removal, please contact us at 866-476-2056.  Our free Mold test kits can be ordered from this page; mold test kits  Minimum Shipping charges do apply.

Air purifiers can be a great way to improve the air quality in your home, but unfortunately these devices will not solve the mold problem, or prevent this contamination from becoming a serious threat to the health of you and your family. Air purifiers with HEPA filters may remove much of the dust and pollen in your home that make up a large part of air pollution, but this will not work with mold. Mold is everywhere around you, in your home and outside, and these spores are always present, but in varying degrees. When mold contamination occurs in your home, this can greatly multiply the number of mold spores in the air. If the mold present is toxic, it can create mycotoxins which can make you very sick if you are sensitive or if your immune system is not normal and strong.

Mold contamination can be a very serious risk, especially for those who have a compromised or immature immune system. This includes children, infants, and the elderly, anyone with a weakened immune system because of disease or drugs due to organ transplants and other surgeries. Many times toxic mold contamination is not visible unless you know where to look. A home mold inspection can make sure that your home air quality is clean and safe from toxic mold and other problems.

Mold may be hard to detect unless you know which hidden or hard to spot signs to look for. Many times toxic molds can grow inside your walls or in the attic space where it is not visible without tearing the structure apart, and this leads to a false sense of security. Unfortunately many times the first signs of mold contamination that are detected, happen when your family gets sick and starts to suffer from symptoms. By then it is too late and mold exposure has already occurred. If the mold is toxic or if the contamination area is large, you may need to have professional mold remediation done to be able to occupy the home again. For very small areas of cosmetic or harmless molds, you can clean the area yourself, but be sure to moisten the mold first if it is not already moist, because disturbing dry mold can release thousands of spores in the air instantly.

Air purifiers alone will not remove mold from your home, and they will not prevent you and your family from getting sick. Exposure to common molds can cause allergy symptoms like sneezing, coughing, and watery eyes. These molds can also cause hives, skin rashes, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, and other flu like symptoms if you are sensitive to molds. Sometimes molds can cause infections in your lungs or on your skin if your immune system is weakened for any reason.

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Toxic mold exposure can be much more serious. These molds, including Stachybotrys and Aspergillis, can cause all the problems that common molds cause, but they can also cause a lot more. These molds can end up causing life threatening symptoms such as organ failure. The cause of many of the symptoms is not the mold spores themselves, but the mycotoxins that are released. No air purifier will be able to remove all the mycotoxins in your home if toxic mold is present. These molds usually like damp and dark places, and may take long periods of time to grow. Stachybotrys, one of the most dangerous of even the toxic molds, thrives on cellulose containing building materials and can live in walls for years without ever being discovered. During this time, the mold spreads through the air in the entire home and can sicken anyone who lives there.

A home mold inspection may cost a little of your hard earned cash, but it is definitely worth it to ensure that your family and loved ones are safe and breathing air that is not toxic. Home mold inspectors are experienced and have the knowledge and education needed to detect hidden signs that your home has mold contamination. Things like small water spots and water lines may indicate a leak at some point, creating the perfect environment for Stachybotrys and other molds. Do not try to inspect for mold yourself, because only a professional mold inspector can find hidden mold without tearing your home apart and causing enormous damage. Don't let mold be a threat to you and your family, and do not waste your money on air purifiers if you are worried about mold. Instead have a home mold inspection done for your peace of mind.  Call an Olympian Professional mold inspector if you are in New York, long Island, Westchester or any of the surrounding boroughs, to inspect and test your home 866-476-2056.