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Guaranteed Property and Mold Inspections, Inc. Home Inspector

Home Inspection, mold and environmental inspections. energy conservation audits.

Guaranteed Property and Mold Inspections, Inc.

2372 Morse Ave. Suite 257 Irvine, CA 92614

Office: (949) 239-3727

Mold Has Been Linked to Student Virus Death

December 10, 2018 By Joseph Gutierrez

A University of Maryland student recently died of the same type of virus that killed 11 children at a medical center in New Jersey.

The University of Maryland student died of an “adenovirus-associated illness,” school officials announced Tuesday afternoon.

Her family identified her as Olivia Paregol. She had been sick since the beginning of the and developed pneumonia. Her father, Ian Paregol, said when they learned she had adenovirus Nov. 13, she was already in intensive care and it was too late.

“For a parent, this is as bad as it can get,” he said.

Paregol said his daughter had mold in her dorm at the start of the semester and questions whether that could have contributed to her illness.

Dr. David McBride, who heads the campus health center, said there’s no consistent connection between mold and the virus.

“Otherwise healthy people are very unlikely to have this tragic course,” he said.

At least five other cases of the illness have been reported at UMD. School officials say they learned on Nov. 19 that one specimen they sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was confirmed to be Adenovirus 7, a strain that can cause more severe illness.

“Families send their children to the university with the expectation that at the very least the university is going to ensure their safety,” Ian Paregol said. “I don’t think they met the standard in Olivia’s case.”

Eleven “medically fragile” children at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Passaic County, New Jersey, recently died after being exposed to an adenovirus outbreak at the center.

Adenovirus symptoms are similar to those of a cold, including a sore throat, fever or pink eye.

Adenoviruses are common viruses that can cause a range of illnesses, according to the CDC. Adenoviruses can pose serious complications to certain people, particularly those with weakened immune systems, respiratory issues and cardiac disease.

Paregol had a weakened immune system due to Crohn’s syndrome.

Information about the prior health of the UMD student was not released.

According to the CDC, adenoviruses are typically spread from an infected person to others through close personal contact such touching or shaking hands; through the air by coughing and sneezing; or by touching an object or surface with adenoviruses on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands.

UMD is advising students and staff members to be conscientious about hygiene.

“On campus, we are being vigilant cleaning high-touch surfaces,” McBride said. “Unfortunately because there’s no specific treatment for this virus in people who aren’t hospitalized, really what we need to do is hammer those prevention messages home.”

Filed Under: Mold Inspection Tagged With: allergies, indoor mold, mold allergies, mold evaluation, mold inspection, mold inspector, mold toxicity

Molds in Gypsum Drywall compared to Plaster

October 16, 2018 By Joseph Gutierrez

Starting in the 1940s, gypsum drywall began replacing plaster and lathe in the U.S. home construction industry. Our goal was to evaluate whether some mold populations differ in water- damaged homes primarily constructed with gypsum drywall compared to plaster. The dust samples from the 2006 Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) American Health Homes Survey (AHHS) were the subject of this analysis. The concentrations of the 36 Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI) molds were compared in homes of different ages. The homes (n = 301) were built between 1878 and 2005. Homes with ERMI values > 5 (n = 126) were defined as water-damaged. Homes with ERMI values > 5 were divided in the years 1976 to 1977 into two groups, i.e., older (n = 61) and newer (n = 65). Newer water-damaged homes had significantly (p = 0.002) higher mean ERMI values than older water-damaged homes, 11.18 and 8.86, respectively. The Group 1 molds Aspergillus flavus, Ammophilus fumigatus, Aspergillus ochraceus, Cladosporium sphaerospermum and Trichoderma viride were found in significantly higher concentrations in newer compared to older high-ERMI homes. Some mold populations in water-damaged homes may have changed after the introduction of gypsum drywall.

Graphical abstract

Image 1

Filed Under: Mold Inspection Tagged With: ERMI, indoor mold, mold inspection, mold inspector, toxic mold

How does mold affect people!

October 12, 2018 By Joseph Gutierrez

Have you ever wondered “how does mold affect people?”

Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can lead to symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes, or skin. Some people, such as those with allergies to molds or with asthma, may have more intense reactions. Severe reactions may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as farmers working around moldy hay. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath.

People with a weakened immune system, such as people receiving treatment for cancer, people who have had an organ or stem cell transplant, and people taking medicines that suppress the immune system, are more likely to get mold infections.

Exposure to mold or dampness may also lead to development of asthma in some individuals. Interventions that improve housing conditions can reduce morbidity from asthma and respiratory allergies.

 

Mold only needs the right amount of moisture and time to grow. Mold can grow in as little as 24 hours. If you have a moisture intrusion or leak in your home it is very important to handle the matter as soon as possible.

If you feel that you may have been exposed to mold in your home call Guaranteed Property and Mold inspections to have an ACAC board certified mold inspector evaluate your home.

Filed Under: Mold Inspection Tagged With: indoor air quality, indoor mold, mold allergies, mold evaluation, mold exposure, mold inspection, mold toxicity, toxic mold testing

Indoor Air Cleaning

June 25, 2018 By Joseph Gutierrez

Indoor air cleaning systems is one of the most commonly used methods for controlling indoor air pollution and the spread of mold.  The other two methods are source control  (eliminating or minimizing the source of the pollution) and ventilation.  Both portable air cleaning units for room-size applications and in-duct devices/filters that are installed in the HVAC system are readily available in the marketplace.  Typically, these air cleaning units have filters that need to be replaced periodically, and it is important to note the age of filters in your system and replace as needed. For in-duct devices/filters, they could be implemented primarily for removing pollutants from outdoor air, in which they would be installed at the outdoor air intake, or for removing pollutants and mold spores from recirculated indoor air.  These air cleaners use various air cleaning technologies, such as filtration, adsorption by activated carbon, photocatalytic oxidation, or a combination of them.

Air cleaning technologies are designed to remove either particulate pollutants or gaseous pollutants (i.e., VOCs). Therefore, it is important to know the target pollutants to be removed and identify the appropriate air cleaning devices.

Note: that these air filters should be changed as needed and not on a timely basis. We always recommend that air return filters be changed with and allergy rated disposable filter to help improve indoor air quality. 

Filed Under: Environmental Hazards, Mold Inspection Tagged With: environmental testing, HVAC filter, indoor air quality, indoor mold, mold inspection, mold test, mold testing

Which Indoor Mold is “Safe”?

December 15, 2017 By Joseph Gutierrez

 

The most common question my clients ask during a comprehensive mold inspection is “is this indoor mold safe”? “Do we have to remove it”? Although we are not physicians and we cannot state whether the presence of mold will have a negative impact on your health, we can state that mold growth should not be present inside of your home.

The facts about mold exposure are symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation. Some people, such as those with serious allergies to molds, may have more severe reactions. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath. Some people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs.

A simple answer to the question is this mold safe? and do we have to remove it? A simple answer is that we believe there should be no presence of mold growth indoors for it can negatively impact the well being of you and your family and the mold should be removed by a ACAC certified mold remediation company, for if mold removal is not completed properly there may be a chance of cross contamination which means that the mold may spread to other areas of the home (all the mold needs is a source of moisture to live).

If you feel that you may have mold present inside of your home please contact Guaranteed Property and Mold Inspections at (949) 230-6800 and a Certified Mold Inspector will assist you in identifying the presence of mold inside your home, help you with a plan of attack to rid the mold from your home and provide you with useful tips to reduce indoor mold levels in the future.

 

AIHA Member

Filed Under: Mold Inspection Tagged With: indoor mold, mold contamination, mold inspection, mold inspector, mold test, mold testing

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