As we enter the winter season, we all spend more time indoors than at any other time of the year. It’s cold outside, and in Western PA our furnaces can run almost continually from mid-November through April.
Winter brings a lot of positive things — especially holiday season gatherings, family time, and indoor comfort. We are more connected to our homes and more exposed to indoor air conditions.
However, winter also increases vulnerability to respiratory symptoms, flu-like illnesses, and environmental health conditions related to the indoor air we breathe. Mold in the indoor environment can contribute to what is commonly referred to as “sick building syndrome.”
Because mold is highly airborne, the combination of extended indoor occupancy and forced-air furnace systems circulating air throughout the home can increase exposure to airborne mold spores.
Mold Species Commonly Found Indoors
Indoor mold issues typically stem from wet-mold species — including infectious mold types and colonizer species. These mold forms are often difficult to detect visually, as they are microscopic and not always visible to the naked eye.
Symptoms can be confusing because mold exposure frequently mimics common cold and flu conditions.
Some key indicators that may suggest mold-related illness include:
- The illness continues longer than a typical cold.
- Symptoms intensify the longer a person remains indoors.
- Over-the-counter cold medications do not provide relief.
- Doctors cannot isolate a cause and symptoms persist longer than normal respiratory illnesses.
- A person feels sick more often at home but improves when away from the home.
These are common signs that a mold issue may be present.
The Mold Men of Pittsburgh: Mold Specialists
Mold Men of Pittsburgh is a dedicated mold remediation specialist company. We work with mold every day and understand:
- different types of mold
- how to evaluate homes and buildings
- how to remove mold from indoor environments
- how to stop mold from continuing to spread
Our Professional Mold Services
Expert mold removal and environmental cleaning
Mold inspections and on-site analysis with service recommendations
- Most inspections and on-site evaluations are free
- All estimates are free
Mold testing and laboratory analysis
- Performed through our third-party lab partners: U.S. Micro-Solutions of Latrobe, PA
Keys to Eliminating Mold Correctly (Not Just Covering It Up)
Proper remediation goes beyond air duct cleaning. The essential steps are:
- Identify the root source of the mold and the exact areas from which spores are being produced.
- Remove contaminated building materials that are infected or potentially infected.
- Investigate moisture sources — present or historical — that contributed to mold formation.
- Assess concealed areas where moisture and mold often remain hidden:
behind walls
beneath floor layers and subfloors
behind tub and shower surrounds
within wall cavities
Moisture detection, combined with an understanding of building history and past water events, is critical to determining remediation areas.
The biggest mistake in mold assessment:
Believing that mold is always visible.
It is a proven fact that there is usually up to 90% more mold present than what can be seen with the naked eye.
In many cases, mold testing is a necessary component along with visual inspection.
Why Professional Mold Remediation Matters
When human or pet illness is ongoing, the right solution is hiring a professional mold remediator experienced in this complex microbial field. Mold identification and removal are not exact sciences, and remediation plans must be as accurate as possible to:
- address root causes
- eliminate mold colonies
- prevent future mold contamination
Air duct cleaning can be beneficial — but should never be done before removing the source. You must stop mold at the source in order to successfully remediate it.
Contact the Mold Men of Pittsburgh
If you have or suspect a mold issue:
CALL THE PROS
724-226-4191
About the Owner
William J. Davis
Owner, Mold Holdings, Inc. / DBA Mold Men of Pittsburgh
CR — Certified Restorer
CMRA — Certified Mold Remediator & Assessor
Mr. Davis has been in the restoration industry since the early 1980s. He owned the water-damage restoration company D&D Restoration Specialists for 28 years and has owned Mold Men of Pittsburgh along with his son Matt Davis since 2011. Mold Men of Pittsburgh specializes in water damage restoration and professional mold removal.
