Winter ice dams are a common problem in the Boston area, and they can cause serious damage to roofs, ceilings, and walls. When snow melts and refreezes along roof edges, ice dams form and block proper drainage. As water backs up, it can leak into your home and create the perfect conditions for mold growth. How Ice Dams Cause Water Damage Ice dams force melting snow under shingles and roofing materials, leading to: Roof leaks Water-stained ceilings and walls Wet attic insulation Hidden moisture inside walls Even small leaks can cause significant damage if not addressed quickly. Mold Growth Caused by Ice Dams Moisture from ice dam leaks can lead to mold growth in as little as 24–48 hours. Mold often develops in attics, behind drywall, or above ceilings—areas that aren’t always visible. Left untreated, mold can damage building materials and negatively impact indoor air quality. Boston Mold Remediation You Can Trust If ice dams cause water damage and mold growth, it’s important to call a local, experienced mold remediation contractor. SMS Indoor Environmental Cleaning provides professional mold remediation services throughout the Boston area. Their team specializes in identifying hidden moisture, while safely removing mold caused by winter ice dams. Protect Your Home This Winter Ice dams are common in New England, but mold damage doesn’t have to be. If your home has experienced roof leaks or water damage from ice dams, don’t wait. Contact SMS Indoor Environmental Cleaning for expert Boston mold remediation and protect your home and indoor air quality. 508-533-9696 or nancy@smsindoor.com

Are you wondering about mold removal? Learn more about why an immediate and efficient response is vital to your health and your property!

Whether your house is new or old, using mold remediation services can prevent mold from becoming a problem. Read more to debunk three common myths about mold.

A major six-year study by Tufts University has uncovered alarming news: Boston’s growing rat population is spreading leptospirosis, a potentially deadly bacterial disease. Carried in rat urine, these bacteria can infect humans, pets, and other animals through contaminated soil, water, and surfaces

Let's explore some of the key reasons mold is so detrimental and why you should hire a team for a mold remediation service as soon as possible!

Hiring a professional mold removal service offers numerous advantages that DIY methods simply can't match. Let's explore some key benefits.

Read our blog to discover reasons you need to contact a mold remediation company. Contact us today for more information!

If your home was built after 1980, chances are you have a central heating and air conditioning system, also known as an HVAC system. HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning and was developed to control the indoor air climate for comfort. HVAC systems are based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer. Large hollow, metal, pipes called ducts, move air in and out of the various rooms in your home. These ducts occupy a substantial amount of unseen space in your home. This is space that is moving large amounts of air containing all sorts of microscopic pollutants: dust mites, pollens, mold spores, pet dander, dead skin, insect parts, building materials, natural and synthetic fibers. Even small rodents and birds can become trapped inside of your home’s duct work! Changing or cleaning your HVAC system’s air filters regularly certainly helps keep these pollutants to a minimum, however; it can’t eliminate them. Some dirt and debris will naturally stick to the surface of the ducts and over time can reduce airflow, thus shortening the effectiveness and life of your HVAC system. Plus, think of the poor quality of indoor air your family is breathing in! All those microscopic pollutants are being forced back into your home. To make matters worse, if any moisture is introduced into the ducts, mold, mildew, and other organic substances are likely to flourish. This means that the health of anyone with allergies, asthma, or respiratory problems is going to be seriously affected. The best way to eliminate any air quality problems caused by your HAVC system is to have the ducts cleaned. “Excellent,” you say. “I’ll just look for a special offer and get someone out here to clean the duct work.” Not so fast. This is a DETAILED process for certified, experienced professionals ONLY! Do not be fooled into thinking everyone offering this service is QUALIFIED and knows how to correctly clean and service your HVAC system. Unfortunately for homeowners, not everyone in this business is a professional. This service requires opening a hole in your HVAC system’s duct work in order to hook up a powerful vacuum to suck out all the lose dirt plus the particles that have adhered to the walls of the ducts. It further requires the use of special tools, such as brushes, air whips, and compressed air nozzles or “skipper balls” to scrub the air duct walls clean, so that the debris can be completely removed. Anyone using improper equipment or lacking the necessary training and skill level to use the proper equipment can cause irreparable damage to your HVAC system and release toxins trapped in the system into the air you and your family are breathing. You also run the risk that the openings will not be sealed correctly, causing toxins to accumulate behind the walls of your home. If one of those toxins happens to be mold spores — and the chances of this are quite good — you could be in for costly remediation of mold growth throughout your home! The NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaners Association) offers the appropriate training and certification for HVAC Cleaning (ASCS), Inspection (CVI), and Mold Remediation (VSMR). Only an NADCA certified, experienced professional should be overseeing this type of home maintenance work. Only a NADCA member organization is qualified to clean your HVAC system. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) offers a few suggestions for those who are concerned about the cleanliness of their HVAC system air ducts and the quality of air these ducts are circulating throughout the home. First, if there is noticeable dust coming from any of the registers, you should have the ducts cleaned. This includes layers of dust on your furniture. Next, if you see any dirt, debris, organic growth, signs of insect or other pest infestation, you should have your ducts cleaned. If you do see or smell organic growth such as mold or mildew, have a professional inspection conducted immediately to determine the exact nature of the substance and the extent of the cleaning work needing to be done. If it does turn out to be mold, then only removal of the affected materials will eliminate the problem. If your HVAC system has never been cleaned, then you should have it inspected. This is especially true if anyone living in the home has allergies, asthma, or respiratory illnesses. It is further recommended that you have your HVAC system inspected prior to placing your home on the market. This is one area you can’t afford to overlook. Homes with mold issues must be properly decontaminated and the work certified before they are sold in order to avoid costly legal fees on top of the cost of the work. SMS Indoor Environmental Cleaning is a member of the NADCA and offers HVAC systems inspections, cleaning, and mold remediation. In addition to Air Duct Cleaning, SMS also provides Coil Cleaning, Remote Video Inspection, Exhaust System Cleaning (Laundry), and Air Filter Management.

Molds are certainly nothing new. They have existed for millions of years as microscopic fungi. They occur naturally in the outdoor environment and are a vital part of the decomposition process for all organic materials. Generally, they are not even detected until they have reproduced in a sufficient quantity to become visually colorful or produce an unpleasant odor. This is how mold “breeding grounds” easily become established in forests and other areas in nature. Say hello to Aspergillus, also known as a Green Mold. Not a pretty picture, is it? Aside from the damage it is doing to your home’s structure, surfaces, fabrics, and furniture, this little microscopic fungus is a major health concern In fact nothing could be more natural. That is until you find one of these “breeding grounds” in your bathroom, basement, kitchen, or attic! Say hello to Aspergillus, also known as a Green Mold. Not a pretty picture, is it? Aside from the damage it is doing to your home’s structure, surfaces, fabrics, and furniture, this little microscopic fungus is a major health concern and the cause of many allergy, sinus and serious respiratory infections. You don’t have to be weak and sickly to be bothered by it. If the concentration level is high enough, even healthy individuals can become ill. In fact nothing could be more natural. That is until you find one of these “breeding grounds” in your bathroom, basement, kitchen, or attic! Wood rot and decay as found in nature. The purpose of fungus as nature intended. Mold “breeding ground” found inside the walls of a house. Aspergillus is one of the most common molds (fungus) around. Aspergillus spores are airborne and, therefore, they are pretty much everywhere in our outside environment. There are approximately 200 species of Aspergillus, and they are all very proficient at breaking down organic compounds both outside and inside your home (for example, drywall, building insulation material, wooden beams and framing, dirt, grease and grime on cement or tile floors, plastic shower curtains and fixtures, and fabrics including carpets, curtains, bedding, and wallpaper). All airborne mold spores easily find their way inside our homes, and because many varieties remain dormant until activated, they don’t die off! They just hang around waiting to be activated. The key ingredient is moisture. Once a spore gets wet, it doesn’t take long for it to start growing into a visible colony (only 24 to 48 hours). Many homes seem ideally suited to “breed mold spores.” Issues such as poor ventilation, lack of air circulation, high humidity levels in closed areas, water leaks and damp areas caused by improper construction or lack of repair, all make it easy for the process of rot and decay to take place. Within a very short period of time, the damage is well underway and your health is at risk! Many homeowners are unaware of how this potential time bomb can impact them. By the time you see or smell a mold problem, it is already too late to handle it yourself. This is because you do not want to disturb mold, especially if it’s dry. When mold is disturbed it releases millions of new spores into the air. Breathing these microscopic spores into your respiratory system is a very, VERY dangerous thing to do because your body is a combination of organic material and moisture – the ingredients that support mold spore growth! Professional mold decontamination services are a must when dealing with a toxic mold indoor problem. You want to know that mold is gone for good and that any construction issues, such as a pipe leak, cracks in the foundation, and improper insulation, have been fixed! If you plan on selling your home, then this service is even more important to you. The legal issues now arising from home sales of moldy homes are real and expensive. Don’t take chances with your family’s health, the health of others, or your home investment. Get your home inspected by a Certified Mold Inspector. Find out now if you have a potential mold time bomb lurking in your home and exactly what you can do to get rid of it. This green’s gotta go!