Mold and pest control …. and rat-chewed electrical wires.
Oh my!
As I watched the unfortunate events unfold, feeling just awful for the featured couple on HGTV’s episode of Income Property, I couldn’t help being reminded of how mold and pest control problems very often occur en masse. And it’s interesting, because people will ask us if we do mold work or pest control, and how one relates to the other. Well, this episode of Income Property illustrated the link between mold and pest control perfectly.
Mold and pest control problems thrive in similar environments
An environment that entices pests also creates the ideal medium for mold growth. Areas that provide the ideal nesting area for pests, such as rodents, would be a place where they can rest undisturbed yet retain access to food and water. This would be an area that is dark, quiet, with elevated moisture.
And so, this area is also a perfect environment for mold to grow.
This was shown on HGTV’s Income Property episode 801. You can see a short clip of the mold and pest control problems at 0:32 on the season 8 preview:
Sometimes, mold and pest control can directly effect one another
Let’s use a rat infestation as our example. In this example, the rats set up their nest in the insulation behind the wall of a home or building. They urinate and defecate throughout the nest, causing the insulation to become saturated. The saturated insulation now causes moisture levels to rise, and hence, mold growth begins. This is a very uncomplicated explanation and is not always the case. But it simply explains the relationship between mold and pest control.
Mold and Pest Control on Income Property Episode 801
In the case of the Income Property episode, a rat infestation was found in the basement ceiling void, causing an electrical nightmare for the homeowners. The rats chewed the (improperly installed) wiring, causing the exposed electrical wires to make connection with a metal beam. This is very unsafe! The electrical wires moved the top of the priority list to make the property safe for the homeowners and their tenants. As the project progressed, and the floors were to be replaced, they uncovered a large amount of water damaged subflooring. This was due to water intrusion and a lack of drainage. Without anywhere to go, the water soaked the underlayment of the existing floor. The result? A serious black mold problem requiring professional mold remediation.
So what came first? The old proverbial chicken or the egg? It is my opinion that the water intrusion problem likely existed first. This provided a water source for rats seeking a place to nest, and that’s what seemingly happened, here.
In the end, the homeowners got the problems sorted out and all ended well in this episode of Income Property. The home turned out beautiful following the renovations, and of course the mold and pest control corrections.
Do you have mold and pest control problems in your home or building?
If so, contact Titanium Laboratories for a free consultation. We are fully certified in both mold and pest control and our experts can guide you to correct both problems in a safe, responsible, yet effective manner.
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