Black Mold
Finding a water leak isn’t fun, especially if it’s been leaking for a while, but there’s a much more serious thing to worry about than wet belongings – mold. There have been many sensationalized stories on the news about the dangers of black mold, but it’s important to remember that not all mold is black mold.
Our mold abatement experts at ServiceMaster of San Francisco/San Mateo are here to clear the air on the issue of black mold.
Stachybotrys chartarum is the Latin name for black mold, and while it does cause respiratory problems, nasal congestion and sneezing, other types of mold do that too. Children, the elderly and people with breathing issues are most vulnerable to it.
Mold Damage Tips
Significant mold can become a hazard in as little as 48 hours, so it’s important to take action and call professional mold removal services as soon as it appears.
Turn off any air conditioning and fans in the affected area immediately. They may have been used to help dry an area, but they can also spread mold spores over a wider area.
Stay away from the mold and don’t try to dry it yourself. Not only will you expose yourself to the health hazards, but the spores will hitch a ride on your clothes and shoes and spread. Keep the doors and windows closed in the affected area as well.
Mold growth also damages the structural integrity of your home. If left unchecked by a mold remediation team, it will spread into walls and under flooring and destroy both.
Ironically, without mold, we wouldn’t have some of the food we enjoy every day. Foods like blue cheese, bread, beer, and wine use mold and yeast in their recipes. Mold saves lives too; penicillin is arguably the most valuable mold in the world.
Mold Remediation Services and Cost
If you find mold, especially black mold, anywhere in your home or business in San Francisco and the Bay area, call ServiceMaster Restore. Our mold specialists are certified through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC), the Applied Microbial Remediation Specialist (AMRS), Interactive Occupational Training for Mold Remediation (IOT) and the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA).
ServiceMaster’s InstaScope mold detection instrument can find mold anywhere it grows, even in walls and under floors. They’ll stop it before it can damage your home and your health.
The price of mold cleanup varies, depending on the extent and where it is growing. Mold growth in walls is more expensive to remove than growth on walls. The national average cost to remove mold is $2,163.00.
Steve VanDenBerg is the owner of ServiceMaster Disaster Restoration and Recovery. He has over 30 years of experience working within the restoration industry and successfully leading start-ups, turnarounds, acquisitions and mergers, and rapidly growing companies.
Steve earned his BS in Business & Accounting from Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI and began working for DSI Holdings as their Chief Financial Officer. When Steve began with DSI Holdings, they were running an underperforming ServiceMaster Restore franchise with one location. Steve implemented new policies and procedures for accounting and finance as well as a professional sales plan that increased profits eightfold over his time as the CFO. He was then promoted to President and CEO and in this time, he expanded the company from two locations with $4M in sales to 12 locations and $45M in sales. DSI Holdings became one of the largest disaster restoration companies in the U.S. and helped with major restoration projects throughout the U.S. and around the world.
Steve purchased ServiceMaster DRR in 2015 when the business was in decline. Drawing on his years of experience in turning around struggling ServiceMaster franchises, Steve overhauled our operations, including finance, sales, and marketing, which led to a quick turnaround. Within Steve’s first 24 months, sales increased by 60 percent. Steve also helped greatly improve our operating margins and established a relationship with California’s largest residential insurance company. Under Steve’s leadership, we have become one of the largest disaster restoration providers in California.
Steve has found great success in turning around struggling and stagnant restoration franchises by changing the business model and strategy, greatly increasing sales and profits. Many of the changes he has implemented have even been adopted by the franchisor into their operating model.