water leak

The American dream, being a homeowner! Owning a home is an accomplishment that almost all of us aspire too. But... Sometimes I miss the days of calling my landlord when things break and things do break! One of the most difficult breaks is when you see water dripping from an area of the house that it shouldn't. Where is it coming from? Oh, if it only were that easy!

This week the crew discusses Chase's Thanksgiving weekend of playing cat and mouse with the dripping water that was coming from his kitchen ceiling and the steps he took to find said leak (with a professional) and deal with homeowners insurance. 

Mold is a natural part of the environment and plays an integral role in nature by breaking down dead organic matter, such as fallen leaves and dead trees. Mold reproduces through tiny spores, which are like seeds but invisible to the naked eye, that float through the air and deposit on surfaces. When the temperature, moisture, and available nutrient conditions are correct, the spores can form new mold colonies where they are deposited. If this occurs naturally in nature, imagine the amount of mold it can accumulate in a closed environment due to flooding, leaky roofs, building maintenance, or indoor plumbing. Extended periods of indoor mold exposure can lead to serious health issues such as chronic fatigue, breathing problems, chronic inflammatory response syndrome, and brain fog.

In today's episode, my guest Tim Swackhammer, Founder and CEO of Mold Medics in Pittsburgh, PA, and Mold Medics Franchising, explains the signs of mold production due to different factors (vapor barriers) not only related to water and moisture accumulation. He guides us through a testing, inspection, and remediation process that any house or building owner should be aware of when trying to eliminate toxic mold for good.

Tim also gives us a real example of the adverse effects on a client and how this person had a tremendous improvement in her body and even her relationship by getting rid of toxic mold in her house. Finally, he explains radon gas and the health risks to people (lung cancer) when it infiltrates your home through cracks in the foundations, joints, and drains.

Join us to learn how air quality starts at home.

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Show Summary: Molds are a fungus that feeds off of organic material, and it can make you sick.  Its existence in the household makes it dangerous for human health, especially if people are unaware of what it does to our immune system. Sadly, eighty percent of American families have toxic mold problems that affect the occupants' health.

It doesn't exempt dry areas when there is a leaky pipe, water damage, or drainage issues.  Itchy throat, cough, or runny nose that doesn't go away are toxic molds' symptoms. It also has psychological effects like headaches, brain fog, fatigue, depression, nausea, and in some cases, even hallucinations; if it's bad enough.

To get rid of it, listen to Ryan Blaser, the owner of Test My Home, a company aiming to create healthy, toxic-free work and home environments through mold remediation.  Find out what other recommendations he has to prevent molds from spreading to your house.

Important Links

Gutsy Health Website

Provo Health Instagram

Test My Home

Test My Home Facebook 

Test My Home Instagram

3 Exceptional Highlights:

• The reason that it's toxic is that mold is fighting for its territory. They're not necessarily doing that to harm humans, but they're trying to fight off the other mold species that are in the area.
• Proper mold remediation, according to the standards, is removing the mold physically. So either sanding, if it's in a porous material, it needs to be thrown away.
• Our number one goal is to build a healthy home and to have mold-free, toxin-free. And let's take our time, let's do it right.  It might take a little bit longer, but in the end, you're going to have a home, that's going to be a sanctuary for you.

Show Highlights: 

What is Mold?

Ryan 3:50

• Mold is a fungus, it's a fungus in its own kingdom. And it feeds off of organic material. So if you have water and you have organic material, mold spores are in the air everywhere. So you give it a little water, something to eat, and you're gonna have mold growing.

What's the difference between bad mold, black mold & mold on our cheese??

Ryan 4:21 

• There are several hundred different kinds of mold in their molds that are much worse than others just like they're different kinds of animals. So a tiger might be more dangerous than a bunny.

How do you know if you have a mold problem?

Ryan 11:31

• There are a couple of things you can do. Mold needs water to grow. One of the first things you can do is look for water leaks. If you had a water leak, do you currently have any water spots or water damage? 

Are there certain materials or ways you can build to minimize your risk of mold?

Ryan 22:28

• Using magnesium boards instead of drywall, it doesn't have the paper on it. There's nothing for the mold to grow on and it's breathable. 

Can we use bleach on it or paint over it?

Ryan 28:05

• It’s the worst thing you can put on mold. It actually makes it worse for two reasons:
  • Bleach is 90% water or one, 
  • It doesn't kill it right away. When you put bleach on it, it gives it enough time for it to realize it's under attack and it releases a lot of mycotoxins and a lot of spores before it has a chance to die. 

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One of the most common water related incidents at rental properties is leaking or failing water heater. There has never been a time when hot water might be more essential, with all of us on stay-at-home orders, than during the COVID-19 pandemic. A failing water heater is a huge inconvenience to the homeowner or tenant who has to live without hot water for some period of time. 

Scott Costa represents a company that specialized in one thing ... Water Heaters Only know a thing or two about the topic. On this episode, Bob and Scott discuss why water heaters fail, what are the signs to look for when a water heater needs to be replaced, what the options are for selecting a water heater, and the new California building codes related to water heater installation.

Topics Covered

[3:20] Scott's background and intro to Water Heaters Only

[4:45] Getting a water heater 24/7/365

[6:30] Keeping hygienic and sanitization practices during COVID-19 pandemic

[9:20] Why do water heaters fail?

[11:10] Building codes in California and San Diego pertaining to water heaters

[17:25] Why do water heaters cost so much more than they used to?

[19:00] Circumstances which might favor installing a tankless water heater

[26:05] The Emergency Shutdown Instruction Sticker on the front of the water heater

[28:13] Signs that a water heater might be starting to fail 

[31:00] Recommended regular service and maintenance for water heaters 

[32:35] Potential danger of carbon monoxide emissions

[34:30] Scott shares some great feel-good success stories

Connect with Scott

Water Heaters Only

1-800-833-4571

Connect with Bob 

North County Property Group

Email info@ncpropertygroup.com 

Resources

Episode Transcript

Free eBook: Bob Preston’s new eBook, Best Practices for Renting Your Home, is a free download, find it here as a free download! https://www.ncpropertygroup.com/ebook

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Connect with Bob Preston
https://www.propertymanagementbrainstorm.com/

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