Protecting Your Commercial Building from Mold Infestation

October 9th, 2019 Posted in Commercial HVAC Service & Repair
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If you own a business or commercial property, it is an investment that you want to protect. Damage to a building can be costly; not only is it expensive to repair, it can interrupt business activities and stop incoming revenue. Mold is a quiet culprit that can cause serious damage to buildings and can be an expensive problem to solve. The best option is to prevent mold infestation by monitoring and controlling humidity in your commercial building.

Mold growth can be detrimental to any business. Store rooms, basements and closed areas are more likely to be affected by mold due to poor ventilation. Mold growth on surfaces can destroy supplies, especially porous materials like paper, cloth and cardboard. If the mold infestation is severe, it can enter walls and spread throughout the building. Mold removal can require a complete evacuation of the building, with specialized equipment needed to remove all mold spores, costing thousands upon thousands of dollars.

Preventing Mold Growth

Many times, mold growth is caused by poor air quality and ventilation. To protect your business and investment, you should monitor your air humidity and have routine inspections on your HVAC system. Your HVAC service can test the humidity in your building and ensure adequate ventilation is helping limit mold growth. If humidity is high, dehumidification options can help manage moisture levels to reduce mold growth.

If you have noticed musty smells in areas of your commercial building, it is time to schedule a HVAC inspection and air quality analysis. It is much less expensive to prevent mold growth than deal with a full-blown mold infestation in your commercial building.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
1925 Lena Carter Road
Buford, GA 30519
(770) 475-9528

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Does Your Home Smell Musty?

August 21st, 2019 Posted in Dehumidifiers
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When you walk into certain rooms, do they smell musty? It is hard to describe a musty smell, but you know it what it is when it enters your nose. Damp basements, bathrooms and closed rooms can harbor mildew and mold, creating that unique, musty smell. But more concerning than the odor is what is causing it and the other damage it can do to your home and health.

Dangers of Mold and Mildew

Mold and mildew are fungal growths that usually require moisture to thrive. There are thousands of different types of mold spores that grow on a variety of surfaces. The mold on your old bread is different than the pink mold in your shower. Some are fairly harmless, while others can be dangerous to your health.

Some of the aggressive black molds can have the highest risk if they take hold in your home. Not only can they destroy the surfaces where they grow, they can have spores that become air borne. Many types of mold spores can irritate the tissues in the respiratory system, especially in those with allergies or weakened immune systems. In some cases, they can be deadly or cause serious health problems.

Clearing Your Home of Mold

If you smell musty odors, you should consider monitoring your home’s humidity levels. Even if you do not see black mold or mildew, it can be growing in areas that are not visible. In most cases, you want to keep humidity levels below 60% to prevent mold growth and protect your home and health.

If you have high humidity levels in your home causing a musty odor and mold problems, contact your local HVAC service. They can go over dehumidifying options to stop mold and mildew growth in your home.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
1925 Lena Carter Road
Buford, GA 30519
(770) 475-9528

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Is My Home Too Humid?

September 21st, 2018 Posted in Dehumidifiers
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Climate control in your home can be difficult to manage. Keeping it the right temperature and humidity for comfort and safety can be a chore. A good HVAC system with an updated thermostat can help you manage the temperatures, but it does not help with the humidity. Here is how do you know if the humidity is too high in your home and what should you do to manage it.

Most people who have a humidity problem don’t need to check the air moisture levels to know they can an issue. There are subtle signs throughout the house that can alert you to a humidity problem. Signs to look for include:

  • Mold growth. Do you have mold on walls, windows or excessive amounts in your bathroom?
    While mold will grow if you don’t keep up with your household cleaning, if it seems excessive, you probably have a humidity problem.
  • Window condensation. Is there water condensation on your windows or do the trays in the window sills have water in them? This can be due to poorly insulated windows, but it is also a sign of high humidity.
  • Musty smells. If you walk into your home and it smells musty, it may be because your humidity levels are too high.

You can have your local HVAC service company check the humidity levels in your home. You want to stay between 40-60% on average to keep a good moisture balance. If your humidity levels are too high, you can discuss adding a dehumidifier option to your HVAC system. There are also portable dehumidifiers if the problem is only in certain rooms or areas of the house. Getting your moisture levels under control is important to prevent mold growth to maintain a healthy home, so don’t delay on finding a solution.

Posted on behalf of:
ClimateSmith, LLC
3870 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Suite 340-129
Duluth, GA 30096
(770) 475-9555

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Advantages of Whole House Dehumidifiers

December 2nd, 2010 Posted in Uncategorized
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Controlling the level of humidity in your home is good for your home and good for your health.  Proper humidity levels are more comfortable and can reduce the amount of time you need to run your heating and air conditioning systems.    In addition, high humidity levels facilitate the growth of mold, mildew and dust mites which are among the primary home allergens.  The mold and mildew that accompany high levels of humidity can aggravate allergies and cause problems for asthma sufferers.  Mold and mildew can also damage your possessions and, in severe cases, even cause damage to your home.

You can control mold and mildew and make your home more comfortable by controlling the moisture level in your home using a dehumidifier.  Dehumidifiers can either be small, portable units designed to dehumidify a room or a whole house dehumidifier that works in conjunction with your HVAC system. 

For dehumidification of a limited area of your home such as a basement, a portable dehumidifier can be an economical choice.  However, in most situations whole house dehumidifiers offer a number of advantages over portable units. 

For starters, a whole house dehumidifier does not take up any space in your living areas since they are attached to your furnace.  In addition, they require little maintenance other than regular cleaning.  Unlike portable units, they are designed to drain like your central air conditioner.   A portable dehumidifier needs to be emptied frequently. 

Portable dehumidifiers are controlled manually, but a whole house dehumidifier operates automatically.  Once it’s set, a whole house humidifier monitors the humidity level and controls it appropriately throughout your home, resulting in even, comfortable year round heating and cooling of all of your living spaces while eliminating that musty smell and controlling mold and mildew.

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