What is mold? How can I tell if I have it in my home or workplace? What are some of the common places for mold growth? Is mold a serious problem? What are the health risks associated with mold exposure? What should I do if I suspect mold growth in my residence? These are some of the questions that most homeowners today ask when dealing with mold. Here at Five Boro we want to help our customers understand mold and the potential risk that come with it and what they can do about it. Here are some facts about mold so you can grasp a better understanding of our company and what we do.

      Mold is a fungus that appears in areas of a property that have been exposed to water. Mold only needs three things to grow: moisture, warmth and an organic material to feed on such as wood or dirt. Mold grows by feeding on the material and in the process destroys it. Mold travels by releasing countless spores through the air that we breathe, thereby causing various health risk in both humans and animals when exposed in high quantities.

      One way you can tell if you have mold’s by two key factors sight and/or smell. If you notice discoloration on your walls and/or ceilings or if you noticed that your paint is peeling it could be a sign of mold growth. Most people consider mold having an earthy or musty smell. If you see or smell mold, you should have an inspection of your home immediately, to identify & rectify the source of the mold growth.

      Mold can grow wherever there is moisture present. For mold growth include common places such as basements or cellars that have been flooded, underneath kitchen or bathroom sinks, underneath or behind refrigerators, anywhere that has plumbing, around air conditioning units, even under wet carpet.

      Mold can be a serious problem. Untreated, mold can damage your furniture and even your clothes can be soiled with mold. If not treated mold can cause severe structural damage to your home and the contents in it.

      Not only can mold cause damage to your property but it can make you sick as well. Some of the health risks include: respiratory problems, nasal congestion, eye irritation, dry cough, throat irritation, skin rashes and even miscarriage. Furthermore, exposure to mold has also been linked to cancer. High mold counts account for the suffering of people allergic to the spores molds release when trying to reproduce. Those tiny spores enter the body through the nose, mouth and skin, causing runny noses, headaches, watery eyes and skin rashes. Some species of mold, such as Stachybotrys also referred to as toxic black mold, can cause severe problems such as memory loss, lung diseases and even brain damage.
                        
At Hamilton County's Department of Environmental Services (DES), a machine captures mold spores out of the air each weekday. Those spores are then counted under a microscope - about 250,000 spores can fit on the head of a pin - to come up with the daily mold count, published on the Enquirer weather page. Harry St. Clair is in charge of DES's air quality division. He says his data show the mold count was up about 15 percent this summer (cited from Enquirer 2003). Spores are mold's means of reproduction, released into the air to land on a surface suitable for growth. “About 20 percent of the population is sensitive to the chemicals released by spores,” says Dr. Jonathan Bernstein, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Cincinnati who also runs the Bernstein Allergy Group Inc. “Those chemicals, known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are produced when the spores feed on flesh, plants or other organic material. That musty smell represents VOCs being released," Bernstein explains. "It's very bothersome for some people."  A 1999 Mayo Clinic study blames molds for most of the chronic sinus infections that afflict 37 million Americans each year. More recent studies associate mold with allergies, asthma attacks and an increased susceptibility to colds and flu. 
Source: http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/08/24/loc_wwwloc1amold24.html
     
      In the case of mold growth you should contact a professional immediately. We at Five Boro have over 15 years of experience in mold remediation and water damage prevention having serviced homeowners as well as businesses in the NYC area in such locations(but not limited to) TriBeCa, SoHo, Chelsea, Upper and Lower East Side as well as Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. We use the latest in mold inspection & remediation technology such as infrared cameras that detect leaks and excess moisture behind the walls. Our certified and experienced staff is extremely knowledgeable in mold inspection and remediation and will provide the necessary process needed to eliminate the mold in your home while preventing future mold growth. Since no two houses are the same you can rest assured that your home will be treated on an individual basis. So if you have a mold problem please don’t wait any longer, contact us for an inspection. What may seem like a insignificant mold problem can result to further contamination not only for your home and may possibly be affecting your health and well-being as well turn into a big problem not only for your home but for your health and well-being as well.