Although adults are also at risk of lead poisoning, children are most susceptible to lead poisoning. Child lead poisoning can occur quite easily when children crawl or play on contaminated surfaces and subsequently ingest or inhale lead dust. High levels of lead in a child’s blood can cause seizures, coma, and death. Even very low levels of lead can lead to learning disabilities, behavioral problems, malformed bones, and slow growth. Look for signs of irritability, sluggishness, fatigue, and learning difficulties in children. Loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain, vomiting, and constipation are also signs of lead poisoning.

If you suspect that your home is subjecting yourself or your family to lead, contact a lead paint inspection company in San Francisco. If lead is discovered in your home, a professional lead removal company can safely remove the threat from your home. Lead inspection is particularly important if your home was built before 1978.

Outdoors, mold plays an important part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees. Indoors, however, mold growth serves no good purpose. Indoor mold is a big problem in San Francisco thanks to the moist air that blows in from the Pacific Ocean. The following guide will serve as an introduction to indoor mold, covering the most important topics including the signs and dangers of indoor mold and the importance of hiring a mold inspection and removal company in the Bay Area .

Signs of Mold
A mold problem can usually be seen or smelled. Mold growth often appears as slightly furry, discolored, or slimy patches that increase in size over time. Molds also produce a musty odor that may be the first sign of a mold problem inside your home or business. Also take note of any prolonged indoor allergies you are experiencing.

Health Effects of Mold Exposure
Speaking of allergies, nasal and sinus congestion are typically the first (and most common) symptoms of mold exposure. Eye irritation, throat irritation, and skin irritation are also commonly experienced in people exposed to mold indoors. While less common, there have been reported cases of serious infections and toxic effects as the result of mold exposure. Infants, young children, and the elderly are at an increased risk for experiencing more severe health effects related to mold exposure.

Testing for Indoor Mold
If you suspect that you have mold growing inside your home or business, contact a mold inspection company in San Francisco to make sure. A mold inspection expert will use air samples, tape lifts, and swab samples to positively identify indoor mold, determine all the species and levels of mold spores in the air, and determine the most appropriate mold removal solutions and procedures.

A sewage backup can seriously disrupt your life. In addition to damaging parts of your home, raw sewage can leave behind a noxious smell and potentially dangerous microbes. For the sake of your family’s safety, it’s important that you have a team of professionals take care of backed-up sewage immediately. After cleanup is finished, you should hire Safe Air Fast Environmental to provide bacteria assessment services.

It’s important to note that many kinds of bacteria are beneficial. However, raw sewage, also known as black water, often contains infectious bacteria that can cause severe illness. Safe Air Fast Environmental can employ sophisticated methods and equipment to assess the danger posed by the bacteria in your home. We offer our San Francisco clients Preliminary Bacteria/Sewage Assessments after the initial contamination, and we offer Post-Bacteria/Sewage Remediation Clearance Assessments after remediation has concluded. If we detect additional contamination, we will recommend further cleaning. If we don’t detect any harmful bacteria, we will provide official documentation stating that the area is clean.

Part of being a homeowner is identifying hazards and addressing them before they cause too much harm. Toxic black mold is a common hazard in the San Francisco Bay Area, and can cause illness if left unaddressed for too long. If you notice signs of toxic black mold or symptoms of toxic black mold syndrome, it’s vital that you hire a mold remediation expert as soon as possible.

This video offers an overview of toxic black mold and toxic black mold syndrome. Black mold most often grows in areas that have been affected by moisture. How a person reacts to mold exposure depends on their genetics—some people are unaffected while others experience severe symptoms. According to one estimate, as many as 10 million Americans are affected by toxic black mold syndrome.

Your home should be a place where you can relax and feel safe. Unfortunately, indoor air pollution is a very real concern that could impact your comfort and health. According to some estimates, indoor air pollutant levels are about 5 times higher than outdoor pollutant levels—a disturbing figure considering that the average American spends 90% of their time indoors. If you suspect that your indoor air isn’t as clean as it could be, let San Francisco indoor air quality experts evaluate your indoor air quality. Here are a few signs that your home may have a high amount of indoor air pollutants.

Unpleasant Smell
If there’s something amiss with your indoor air quality, you’ll likely be able to smell it. Mold has a distinct musty smell, and potentially harmful chemicals may have more of a harsh scent. To determine whether your home has an odd smell, consider going outside for a minute then coming back in.

Throat Discomfort
Do you often wake up with a sore throat? There’s a good chance that your indoor air quality isn’t as good as it could be. A sore throat could be caused by mold spores, or it could be caused by low humidity. If your home has low humidity, you might consider purchasing a humidifier.

Mold Growth
Mold thrives in dark, moist environments. If your indoor humidity is too high, there’s a good chance that mold will start growing on your walls, furniture, and floors. Mold is usually easy to recognize; if mold is growing in your home, you should be able to detect a musty smell and black or green splotches on your indoor surfaces.

Health Concerns
Indoor air pollution can cause a wide range of health concerns, including respiratory disorders and even neurological disorders. Lead exposure—often caused by lead-based paint—can cause behavioral and developmental problems in younger children. If you or your family members feel ill more often than you should, indoor air pollution could be to blame.

If you value your health and the health of your family, don’t wait to test for asbestos in your home. If your home does contain asbestos, the longer you wait to schedule asbestos testing and removal, the more at risk you and your family are for serious illness. Prolonged exposure to asbestos can lead to lung disease, asbestosis, and mesothelioma. Asbestos fibers cannot be seen without the right type of microscope, so don’t attempt to test for asbestos yourself. If you do encounter asbestos, call an asbestos removal company in San Francisco immediately. Improperly handling asbestos can put you in danger of breathing in harmful asbestos particles.

Be proactive about your health and get peace of mind that your home is free from asbestos and your family is safe by scheduling asbestos testing and removal in San Francisco today.

You probably feel safest and most comfortable in your home—but perhaps you should be more careful. Indoor air pollution can be as bad (if not worse) as outdoor air pollution in major developed cities. Prolonged exposure to indoor air pollution can cause or contribute to the development of serious cardiovascular conditions, including asthma and a number of other chronic lung diseases. Have your home tested for mold, asbestos, lead, and bacteria , and look out for these common sources of indoor air pollution.

Biological Pollutants
Biological indoor pollutants include molds, bacteria, viruses, pollen, animal dander, and particles from dust mites and cockroaches. To keep biological pollutants under control, wash bedding and sweep/vacuum your floors regularly to kill dust mites, control moisture to prevent mold growth, and hire a mold testing company to inspect your home for harmful biological pollutants.

Combustion Pollutants
Combustion pollutants come from sources such as fuel burning stoves, furnaces, and gas-burning appliances such as water heaters and fireplaces. Carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are the most dangerous gases produced by such sources. Make sure combustion appliances are installed and maintained by professionals, and make sure your home is properly ventilated.

Asbestos
Although asbestos use is now outlawed in the U.S., it was once one of the most popular building and construction materials in the country. Asbestos produces microscopic fibers that, when inhaled into the lungs, can cause asbestosis (scaring of the lung tissue), lung cancer, and mesothelioma. If your home or office building was built before 1980, hire an asbestos testing and removal company in San Francisco immediately.

Radon
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can enter your home or business through cracks in the foundation floor, drains, and other opening. Indoor radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, and is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year. Test your home for radon regularly and follow recommendations for further testing and repairs.

The story of lead paint goes back thousands of years, when early civilizations discovered how useful the heavy metal was. In the 19 ^th century, lead was added to paint (especially exterior paint) because of its strength, durability, and the way it enhanced the paint’s color and performance. Unfortunately, lead exposure can have numerous damaging effects on the body. In adults, it is not uncommon to experience emotional symptoms such as aggressiveness. In high doses, lead poisoning can cause coma and even death. The real danger is when children are exposed to lead paint poisoning, as low levels can cause long-term developmental issues, including brain defects.

Watch this video to learn more about the dangers of lead paint poisoning. If your home or commercial building uses lead paint, contact a lead paint removal company in San Francisco . And if you aren’t sure about the type of paint on your home or business, a lead paint testing company can find out. Lead paint removal can be dangerous, so leave it to a professional.

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“Kathy from Safe Air Fast Environmental was great in promptly setting up a same day testing and inspection of some linoleum tile that needed to be removed.” – Amond S

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