Category: ECOS

Mold Mitigation Denver, Colorado:

If and When You Have Mold Mitigation Denver Concerns:  Call ECOS on 888-990-5067 for fast response time which addresses any and all mold indoor air quality concerns.  Mold can grow rapidly in the right conditions, so please call ECOS For Safe & Reliable Mold Mitigation Denver Service. Our Company Has Been Removing Mold For Over 16 Years!  Why Choose ECOS?

• We have a live operator on call 24/7 to schedule your project (Monday through Sunday)
• ECOS works extremely well with all insurance companies
• Our services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.
• We give topmost priority to the health and safety of our clients.
• Our modern equipment is safe for people, animals, and sensitive materials.
• Our technicians are friendly and helpful.
• We have years of professional experience in the industry and are experts.
• We have no hidden charges and offer competitive pricing.

Did you know that your property is susceptible to mold, irrespective of the weather conditions? That’s right. The cold damp winter or the harsh humid summer can both cause the appearance of mold, both in the interiors and exteriors of your home or business. Several activities can result in the formation of mold due to the presence of moisture in the surrounding air.

In Denver, which is the most populous city of Colorado and the hub of economic activity, the occurrence of mold has been a growing problem in recent years. Businesses often suffer much adverse impact and according to reports, mold formation has increased by 80% in three years, causing a lot of harm to properties. In spite of Colorado’s majorly high-desert climate, mold is turning into an expensive problem for locals, if not tackled in time.

What is Mold Mitigation Denver, Colorado? 

Mold is a form of fungus that can literally grow anywhere. Some of the most visible options include books, walls, clothes, tables, chairs, accessories, and more. It not only degrades valuable belongings and makes them unfit for use but can also cause severe health hazards. Molds can release spores that are easily spread through the air. These spores can persist in conditions where mold cannot grow, and come to fruition later. These fungus thrive in environmental conditions that are usually warm and moist. They soon begin to harvest and can multiply quickly upon landing on damp surfaces. Mold can grow on a wide range of surfaces and can spoil them in the course of growing.

Types of Mold 

There are different types of molds that can grow both indoors and outdoors. There are nearly 300,000 different types of mold fungus existing at present. Molds can appear in a variety of textures and colors such as green, black, white, blue, and yellow. Here are some of the most commonly recognized molds that generally form indoors:

• Aspergillus –  This type of fungus grows on dry items such as dust, drywall, and powdered materials.
• Alternaria – Damp places like the shower, the underside of leaky sinks, and other similar places encourage growth of this kind of mold.
• Penicillium – It has a blue-green appearance and grows on areas damaged due to water.
• Cladosporium – This fungus type can conveniently grow in both warm or cool areas. The favorite target of this mold type includes wood surfaces and fabric.

Causes of Mold Formation 

There are multiple factors that come into play in the formation of mold. Nevertheless, there are six specific elements that molds require to flourish and they are:

• Spores – Spores help the fungi reproduce and establish mold colonies in suitable places both indoors or outdoors, depending on their nature. They can exist in the air and are invisible to the naked eye. They start thriving upon landing on damp surfaces.
• Moisture – Water is the key to all forms of life, and mold is no exception. The blend of all existing elements such as air, water, and moisture is essential for mold to grow. The wetter the conditions, the easier it is for mold to grow.
• Oxygen – Oxygen, again, is vital for molds to survive. In fact, mold cannot grow in the absence of oxygen. Cell division and reproduction are not possible for molds without oxygen.
• Absence of Sunlight – The ultraviolet rays of the sun are harmful to the cellular structure of the mold. In fact, mold cannot survive when exposed. However, it is noteworthy that mold can grow in spaces with artificial lighting such as the interior of a home.
• Temperature – Mold cannot survive in extreme temperature conditions. No wonder there is no mold in the Sahara Desert or the Arctic Circle. Dark and damp locations are ideal for this fungus to manifest and it usually exists between 22 degrees centigrade and  27 degrees centigrade.
• Source of Food – Mold needs food to exist and reproduce. There are limitless sources of food when outdoors like vegetation, organic materials, and more. Mold can exist on rocks as well. It can feed on clothes, dust remains, wood, carpets, cardboards, and more.

Adverse Effects of Mold 

Mold can impose a serious threat to the health and well-being of inmates. It is dangerous for people with a weak immune system, respiratory problems, and allergies. Mold affects the nose and throat, creating breathing problems. Here are some of the common ill-effects of mold:

1. Allergy – People who are prone to mold-related allergies are susceptible to hay fever and other similar allergies. These allergies can affect the upper respiratory tract. Some of the symptoms include an itchy nose and throat, watery eyes, sneezing as well as a runny nose. Higher dust intensity triggers allergic reactions.
2. Breathing Problems – As molds keep growing in the surrounding air, they can produce allergens and mycotoxins that are toxic in nature. Since dampness encourages the particles to break down, breathing problems can significantly increase. Such conditions are dangerous for people with chronic lung conditions.
3. Aspergillosis – Aspergillus, a specific type of mold causes the health condition aspergillosis. People who breathe in the spores of molds develop this condition. There are four types of Aspergillosis. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis affects the lungs, allergic aspergillus sinusitis affects the nose, aspergilloma causes cough and breathing problems, while chronic pulmonary aspergillosis causes weight loss along with coughing.
4. Other Effects – Evidence from the World Health Organization shows that people who spend considerable time in a mold-prevalent environment have signs of skin and eye irritations, wheezing, fatigue, insomnia, headache, fever, and more. The amount of mold and the individual’s immune system are two primary factors for susceptibility to such conditions.
5. Damage of Property – Dark spots on the ceiling, moisture tracks down the wall, and musty smell indicates the existence of mold. This fungus can degrade the structure of the building and weaken it from within. Valuable objects, priceless antiques, walls, ceilings, and even buildings can crumble and turn to dust because of mold. The dangers of damage to property may not be immediately visible but mold can wear down the longevity of your space at a steady pace.

Your home or workplace needs to be a safe place, not just from intruders but also any kind of unwanted and damaging growth. It is, after all, a space where people frequent and spend much of their time. A clean, hygienic environment is what they deserve.

Do you suspect mold growth on your walls, basement, attic, or any other area and need Mold Mitigation Denver help? Use this mold testing link. Are you looking for a solution for mold remediation? Our prompt, expert services are at your disposal.  Call ECOS at 888-507-3260 today!  We are committed to providing reliable assistance to make your life safer, easier, and better.

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Mold Mitigation Denver Source links: 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288651#prevention

https://www.poison.org/articles/2011-oct/mold-101-effects-on-human-health

https://www.mrrooter.com/greater-syracuse/about-us/blog/2017/may/causes-of-mold-in-your-home-and-how-to-prevent-i/

Top 7 Reasons for A House Fire: A fire in any property can occur out of nowhere. Our blog post is focused on the various reasons for a house fire to educate homeowners on precautions they can take to prevent them. House fires are unpredictable, can escalate in a matter of seconds, destroy precious property, and in alarming cases harm individuals as well. The mental scars left behind by a house fire can often last for years.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, there are 350,000 house fires that occur each year across the United States. There are multiple ways in which your home can catch fire. However, there are only two broadly defined ways in which fire accidents happen. The two categories – fire caused due to heat igniting combustible objects and tools, and fire outbreak due to a chemical reaction.

There are many ways in which your home can catch fire. Accidental fires can wreak havoc. Your home has tools and appliances that are combustible under certain conditions. These things are regular essentials that you cannot do without. Hence, it makes your home more susceptible to accidental fires.

Here are the Top 7 Causes Of House Fires:

1. Cooking is the #1 reason on our list of Top 7 Causes Of House Fires and represents 40% of the total pie

Cooking remains the highest cause of an accidental house fire. About 40% of house fires are a result of cooking mishaps. The overheating of pots and pans or other cooking equipment can easily lead to a fire within seconds. Most fire accidents begin in the kitchen due to negligence or when uncontrollable factors come into play. Leaving the kitchen unattended while cooking, forgetting to turn off the gas or oven, cooking at high temperatures, and using oil can cause a fire. Grease is a highly combustible element. It can burn spontaneously above a certain temperature even without direct contact of flame. Portable cooking electrical appliances are another addition to the list. Unattended, they can deal heavy damage.

2. Heating Appliances is the #2 reason on our list of Top 7 Causes Of House Fires and represents 18% of the total pie

Second, on the list, heating appliances lead to 18% of house fires. Home space heaters, automatic and manual fireplaces, chimneys, and other heating appliances contain the deadly carbon monoxide gas that can catch fire and spread rapidly. Given the combustible nature of this gas and its potential to burn objects like towels, furniture, curtains, and even you, it can rapidly spread indoors. Heaters requiring kerosene to fuel them up for burning are more dangerous. An electrical fault in wiring or cabling of the heating appliances can also result in a house fire.

3. Electrical Malfunctioning is the #3 reason on our list of Top 7 Causes Of House Fires and represents 17% of the total pie

Different types of electrical faults in home-wiring can lead to the breakout of fire. Typically, most electrical fires arise due to short circuits in the wiring system of the appliances or the switchboard. When a short circuit takes place, it causes sparking that ignites the building materials. This can also happen when the circuits are overloaded with the current. This causes overheating of the wires. Electrical fires are deadly because most of the time, they ignite in hidden locations. They turn into major fires before you are even aware of it. It can build up while the occupants are sleeping, which could be fatal. When electronic devices fail and batteries overheat, they can catch fire too.

4. Arson unfortunately is the #4 reason for a house fire

Any burning, substantial discoloration, damage due to smoke, alligator patterns, charring, the destruction caused by explosives, and the ruining of objects and spaces due to excessive heating, all meet the criteria of arson. This is one of those reasons that is so unprecedented that you might never see it coming. There are a number of other reasons behind an arson which include criminal mischief, reckless burning and exploding, voluntarily setting a property to fire, and unauthorized use of a fire hydrant to cause trouble. Arson makes up for the fourth most common reason for accidental house fires in the US.

5. Careless Smoking unfortunately is the #5 reason for a house fire but falls to 5% of the total pie

Smoking cigarettes is not only hazardous to your health, but it is one of the most common reasons for starting a fire too. Cigarettes have a high potential of igniting fire when the buds are carelessly or drowsily dropped or thrown on carpets, furniture, and other flammable objects. This happens when the cigarette buds haven’t been put out properly and may still be burning. Smoking in the bedroom and on the bed is very dangerous, as it may be the easiest place to catch fire. A single bud of the lighted cigarette is enough to ignite a towel, blanket, mattress, and other clothing objects.

6. Candle Fire #6 reason for a house fire but falls to 3% of the total pie

As calming as candles are when burning in the dark, they can be the reason behind deadly fires as well. In fact, candles are an underrated cause of starting a house fire. They are pretty, delicate objects that can easily make a cloth, carpet, curtains, and blankets catch fire. If the item to catch fire is in close proximity to other inflammable things, the fire spreads quickly. Matches and lighters that are used to light candles can be dangerous tools when they are in the hands of children. New Year and Christmas is the time when candle fire accidents are noted frequently. Burning candles can pose a fire threat when left unattended.

7. Other Causes #7 reason for a house fire but falls to 2% of the total pie

There are many other ways that can cause a house fire or act as catalysts to it. The storage of flammable liquids in inadequate circumstances, holding barbeque parties indoors, the use of modern construction materials like polystyrene insulation and timber frames, and hazardous lighting are some of these. Sometimes things as innocuous as mirrors can also lead to fire, by reflecting direct sunlight onto an inflammable object. So, the positioning of mirrors plays an important role too. Irrespective of all these reasons combined, the end result remains the same. It all leads to accidental house fires.

The home is a place to feel and live safely. A house fire can not only cause damage and disrupt the dynamics but cause emotional trauma on the residents. The more you are aware of the ways and causes, the better equipped you are to deal with them to prevent the same.

Have you experienced fire damage or smoke damage in the recent past? Or perhaps the damage has occurred quite some time back and you haven’t had the chance to look into it due to the COVID-19 pandemic? Opt for an immediate cleanup to restore your property and ensure safe living.

Call ECOS at 888-496-3153 today!

We are committed to providing reliable services to make your life safer, easier, and better, so please visit these internal links:

Fire Damage Cleaning
Smoke Damage Cleaning

Why Choose ECOS?

• We have a live operator on call 24/7 to schedule your project (Monday through Sunday).
• Our services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.
• We give topmost priority to the health and safety of our clients.
• Our modern equipment is safe for people, animals, and sensitive materials.
• Our technicians are friendly and helpful.
• We have 16+ years of professional experience in the industry and are experts.
• We have no hidden charges and work well with insurance carriers

Source links:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/arson/
https://www.thespruce.com/causes-of-house-fires-1835107/
https://www.realinsurance.com.au/home-insurance/home-safety/the-most-common-causes-of-house-fires/

The Most Common Places That Fires Occur in the Home

COVID19 Cleaning & Fogging Disinfectant: 

ECOS professionals are actively doing COVID19 Cleaning & Fogging an EPA registered Disinfectant as a preventative measure through out Colorado. Call ECOS on 303-442-3267 to hire our COVID19 technicians, project managers, and supervisors. ECOS is an essential business open 24/7 for COVID19 Cleaning in commercial and residential structures. Our professionals are actively wiping, spraying, fogging, and applying an EPA registered disinfectant using CDC protocols. ECOS has over 15 years experience cleaning biological contaminants (viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc.). Our well trained experts wear full face respirators & PPE to preserve the health and safety of our team & your environment. Health & Safety is our #1 priority on every COVID19 Cleaning project we complete. Simply put, we clean and apply an EPA registered disinfectant to your property to reduce illnesses, cross contamination, and downtime in your operations. As a 24/7 business, ECOS is performing COVID19 Cleaning from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am.  Once again, call ECOS on 303-442-3267 to speak with a live manager to hire our COVID19 professionals through out Colorado.

Understanding COVID-19

As the coronavirus spreads faster than fire, everyday a new medical term is entering the glossary. Understanding the transmission and analyzing the statistics of the growth, the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) has confirmed this disease as a pandemic. So, how does an epidemic and pandemic differ? Coronavirus being highly contagious, health officials recommend patients “social distancing” and “self-quarantining”. But what do they mean? This blog will take you through clinical words and phrases essential to understand COVID-19 and its latest developments.

Epidemic and Pandemic

According to the World Health Organization (W.H.O), an epidemic is an illness that outbreaks in a region unexpectedly. Unlike normal diseases, epidemics spread without any warning and effects a set of population above normal expectations. COVID-19 started as an epidemic from the city of Wuhan, China but was declared as a pandemic as it spread across more than 100 countries worldwide. A disease which spreads worldwide is regarded as a pandemic. According to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the W.H.O, the organization took time to coin this disease as pandemic as they didn’t want to use the term carelessly.

What is COVID-19?

The clinical term for this Coronavirus disease is SARS-CoV-2. It is a respiratory disease caused by virus and is commonly known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19. The name has been crafted after the crown like spikes of the disease-causing virus, that look like the sun’s corona. Coronaviruses are referred to a group of viruses that are present in both human and animals. However, the new virus that has caused SARS-CoV-2, originated in China and is believed to have spread from bats.

Antibiotics don’t work against viruses. As viruses cannot be killed, researchers are trying to figure out antidots that could distort their proteins and cease infection.

Flattening the Curve

As the COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, a chart has gone viral that can make people understand the speed and scale of the pandemic. Known as “Flattening the Curve”, the curve sheds light on the wave of the cases expected to hit. When the curve is high, it means the virus is spreading rapidly. It also portrays the increasing number of deaths and lack of medical care. On the other hand, a low wave represents slow development. When it is low, it means medical teams have both time and resources to treat and save more lives.

Illustrated by Rosamund Pearce, the visual data journalist, the “Flattening the Curve” also comes with a flatter slope that indicates a gradual increase of infection over a certain period of time.

State of Emergency Been Declared

Now that the disease has spread over most continents, a state of emergency has been declared over most of the infected countries. So, when does a state call of an emergency? – when a natural disaster, epidemic or any other health emergency hits a state. With increasing number of COVID-19 cases, dozens of states in the USA have declared a state of emergency, including Michigan, New Jersey and New York. The have called for emergency as an initiative to take preventive measures and protect the public from infection. These states are putting up emergency regulations and reallocating funds to diminish the spread of the disease.

Incubation Period of COVID-19

Before talking about the incubation period of COVID-19. Let’s first learn what the term ‘incubation’ means. The incubation period is referred to the time for symptoms to appear as a person gets infected with a disease. Clinically, this period is very critical for prevention and control. If an individual has symptoms, it allows the health officials to put that person under observation or quarantine.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.) the incubation period for COVID-19 can be from 2 to 14 days. In most of the cases, the symptoms started appearing from the fifth day of infection. During the incubation period, even if the infected people are not exhibiting any symptom, it is possible that they shed the virus particles wherever they go. This makes the situation very challenging as it becomes almost impossible to identify and isolate the people who got infected from the virus.

Ways to Skip COVID-19

The two most effective ways to avoid this communicable disease are social-distancing and self-quarantine.

So, let’s first talk about social-distancing and its importance to prevent this pandemic. The COVID-19 virus has the ability to spread rapidly in crowded or dense places. Whether it is a packed subway or a crowded concert, public gatherings are considered to be the primary points from which this diseases spreads.

To fight this disease effectively, the very first step people should consider is social distancing. The more the proximity between people decreases, the spread of virus will get reduced. Thus, administrations are encouraging cancellation or postponing of mass gatherings and to fight it hard, closing the educational institutes and promoting the concept of work from home. Apart from that, while meeting or greeting a person, one should also try to keep a proximity of 6-feet to minimize the spread of this disease.

Now, let’s discuss self-quarantine, as it is the key that stops virus from escalation. Self-quarantine along with social distancing and self-disciplinary measures like sanitizing hands and using masks are really effective at keeping the coronavirus at bay.

Sometimes quarantine is also associated with isolation. However, there’s a difference between the two terms. While isolation is all about separating a diseased person from healthy people, quarantine is referred to the limitation of movement of the individuals exposed to the infection. It is a process of clinical observation to check if they fall sick.

So, what are your thoughts about self-quarantine? According to the C.D.C., people who have visited the area infected with COVID-19 must self-quarantine. They should consult health departments and stay separate at home for at least 14 days.

Fatality Rate of COVID-19

What is fatality rate? It is calculated by dividing the total number of deaths by the total number of affected people. With the widespread of COVID-19, scientists have come up with a new term infection fatality rate that calculates the death rate from the infected virus. According to the World Health Organization (W.H.O), the total death rate of COVID-19 is 3%. However, the experts believe that in actual the percentage is 1%.

R-Naught of Coronavirus

Want to know how contagious coronavirus is and why we recommend COVID19 Cleaning? R0 or R-naught might help you to understand that. It is a metric used to find how much infectious a disease is. Also known as reproduction number, the metrics are used to measure the rate at which an infection spread.

As said by Dr. Adam Kucharski (mathematician at the London school of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine), the reproductive number of the coronavirus can help people understand the seriousness of the pandemic. If the R-Naught scores above one, the probability of infection is one in every other person and it means the infection is spreading speedily. On the other hand, if the number is less than 1, it is less contagious. The research on R-naught of coronavirus is at a very early stage. However, experts believe that a person carrying COVID-19 can infect between two-four people on average.

How to Control COVID-19?

Coronavirus has a high transmission rate which is why ECOS recommends COVID19 Cleaning. This characteristic has made it tough to control its outbreak. According to Dr. Adam Ratner (the director at NYU Langone Health for division of pediatric infectious diseases), containment of the infection fully depends upon the tools and facilities available to minimize the transmission of it.

In the very early stage, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the USA, the government had stopped the entrance of the foreign nationals from China. However, the rule was not applicable for the American citizens who had travelled to China. Though the step helped the administration to prepare for the emergency, the lack of observation or testing centers made the situation adverse. Early stage of observation plays the key role in such cases and would have made containment much easier.

Containment of coronavirus in particular is very challenging. It is a highly transmissible disease and many of the carriers even don’t exhibit any symptoms, but still pass on the infection to others. The speed at which the pandemic is grasping the whole world, it can be easily stated that the world is extremely interconnected, and every country should unite to fight this pandemic strongly.