Toxic Black Mold: A Dangerous Result of Water Damage

Toxic Black Mold: A Dangerous Result of Water Damage

It lurks inside walls, behind drywall and under flooring. It’s called toxic black mold and it thrives wherever there is moisture. You may be diligent in keeping obvious areas of your home dry, but what about the places you can’t see? The water that accumulates behind your shower walls, or the moisture that clings to the rafters in your attic: these are all sources of un-checked moisture.

Two of the most common causes of water damage result from plumbing leaks and flooding. When that water is allowed to remain, it can quickly breed mold. Toxic black mold is one particular type of mold that is more serious than others. Health effects of exposure include:

  • Chronic coughing and sneezing
  • Eye, nose and throat irritation
  • Rashes
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Persistent headaches
  • Asthma
  • Lung infections
  • Seizures

Improperly remediated water damage promotes the growth of black mold. If you have recently experienced flooding or a leak, it’s imperative that you have the situation checked out and addressed. Fixing the root of the problem – removing the water source – and then treating and removing the mold, is the only way to ensure it doesn’t come back.

The Solution: Water Damage Restoration

Water damage restoration starts with the initial task of water extraction, whereby powerful pumps are used to remove the water from your flooring, carpets, rugs, or drywall via the use of commercial strength, truck-mounted water removal systems. Water extraction is useful after leaking or flooding from pipes, heavy rains, or sump pump failure.

Next up is the inspection and cleanup phase. Once water extraction has taken place, trained technicians will inspect the structure for signs of mold growth. They will determine the level of moisture saturation, check on the state of your flooring and walls, and remove any materials from the site that can’t be saved, such as damaged carpeting and padding.

Only once the area is thoroughly dried out can it be deemed safe. Removing the standing water without addressing the source is like putting a Band-Aid on a wound. It will happen again and again. So, for instance, if your basement is prone to flooding, install a sump pump. If your pipes are failing, install new pipes. It’s imperative to remove the offending materials as well. You can’t just mop up the water and think everything’s OK. Water is tricky. It gets everywhere – even places you can’t see. Then it hides and waits. Mold grows, and the cycle starts all over again.

To prevent the proliferation of toxic black mold, immediate action by a professional is required.

Contact 1st Class Carpet Cleaning and Restoration

Have you recently experienced flooding or leaking in your home? Call the team at 1st Class Carpet Cleaning and Restoration for an inspection and consultation. Don’t wait. The longer you put off calling a professional, the higher the chance of black mold developing. To schedule an appointment for water damage restoration in Metro Detroit, call us at (248) 491-3088.

I called him on Saturday to clean my couch and my chair and they came out on Sunday and did an awesome job. I will be using this company again
Tina S.
17:22 04 Dec 22
This company is amazing! I highly recommend them! They were on time and super friendly and did an amazing job! Great experience!
Grace S.
16:27 02 Dec 22
Team just left moments ago after carpet cleaning. House looks much better already. They got out stuck on stains. Highly recommend them. After using others, they are now our go to carpet cleaning crew.
J. A.
20:30 21 Nov 22
Are use this company for air duct and dryer vent cleaning services. The team was extremely professional and courteous and informed me of any concerns with my events. I was very happy with the quality of the service and the duration.
Heather S.
16:07 12 Oct 22
This is our new office in Oakland 1st Class Carpet Cleaning and restoration services inc has been family owned and operated. For over 20 years
Claude A H.
16:21 24 Jun 22
1st Class is exceptional. Extremely responsive, courteous, thorough and on time. Definitely recommend! THANK YOU!
Lindsay G.
15:00 30 Mar 22
The owners of 1st Class Carpet Cleaning are nothing short of amazing! We had a bit of an emergent carpet situation, I called and within 2 hours they were at our home to remove the stains! They were so friendly and the carpet looks INCREDIBLE-like nothing ever happened! So grateful for their help today, my true MVPs!! Thank you!!!
Laura S.
15:32 24 Mar 22
Wow 1st class is their name for a reason. I had the vent cleaning, carpet cleaning and upholstery cleaning services done today. They did such a thorough job in 2.5 hours for a 2500 sqft house, very nice owners (husband/wife) team that show up and WORK. Very satisfied.
Caitlin S.
23:43 10 Jan 22
Hung up the phone and they were at our front door in minutes. Toilet leaking all over wet carpet.
Chris J.
22:25 31 Dec 21
My 2 dogs got skunked last night. We cleaned up everything we could ourselves but our main rug i couldnt get the smell out. I called 1st class and HANDS DOWN the FASTEST SERVICE IVE EVER GOTTEN. Lucky for me they live down the road and were here at my house 15 mins later. Totally professional, got rid of the smell and so understanding and helpful.Im passing there information on to all my neighbors and friends because you dont get service like they provide anywhere else!!!Thanks again for everything!!!!
Kyle O.
02:54 15 Jun 21
Would recommend this company. On time and courteous. Excellent job on my carpet which was extremely dirty looks great now.
Dorothy M.
21:07 04 Aug 20
They were fabulous! They were early and got some nasty stuff out. Thank you so much.
Laura Y.
15:38 30 Jul 20
We have a carpet that was the best quality at the time, but is 30 years old. It had so many stains, I was sure they were permanent. The owners showed up with state of the art equipment and 'steam' cleaned, not hot water clean, and got almost every stain and mark out of this old carpet. It honestly looks like new. The only stain remaining was because it was actual wood stain and you have to replace the carpet with that much damage. The steam allows you to walk on the carpet in 6 hours instead of the usual 24. We are selling this house and the carpet was the only sore spot, but not anymore. I will recommend this company to family and friends with a clear conscience.
Tom T.
16:18 18 Jun 20
On time. Easy to contact and schedule appointment. The carpet looks great!
Carla P
15:20 17 Feb 20
Very professional. Did a great job. They are the only carpet cleaning company I use.
Kim Willemsen L.
15:29 12 Feb 20
Absolutely awesome experience! I needed anti-microbial cleaning for a guest coming with severe allergies. They arrived promptly, were fast and efficient and I’ll recommend them all day long.
Ann I.
18:36 13 Nov 19
Excellent, thorough duct and carpet cleaning. Will definitely use them again!
Dawn B.
21:19 01 Oct 19
Did a first-class job on time and very professional. No pricing games just a good honest job at a good fair price.
El C.
18:20 12 Sep 19
Claude was a great guy and too informative. He explained me of every bit of the services that he was doing. I would definitely try him all the time and would recommend him :-)
Chinmaya J.
16:54 01 Jun 19
After our crawlspace flooded due to a frozen pipe, we could not have asked for a better experience or better service than what Claude provided. One of the perks of a small town and local business - we called in the later evening hours on a weeknight, expecting to get voicemail and/or be told we would have to wait a couple days, but Claude was there with a pump within 20 minutes! A good 2-3 feet of water was pumped and gone by the next morning allowing us to quickly get our pipe fixed and boiler up and running so we could heat our house. Claude brought a blower over, checked in with us regularly, and finalized his part by spraying to prevent mold. Friendly, knowledgeable, and more than fair in pricing. We highly recommend this local small business!
Jessica L.
14:08 13 Feb 19
They are the best .fast and professionalTotally would recommend.
Cid C.
16:45 17 Jan 19
Very knowledgeable and arrived right on time. Happy with cleaning and would highly recommend. Plan to use again.
James B.
13:41 13 Jan 19
1st class carpet cleaning lives up to its name! Great work and left us with clean carpet and furniture that we thought needed to be replaced! All at affordable pricing and friendly service.
Robert P.
10:57 11 Dec 18
These gentlemen were very professional! They really know their craft!
Tina B.
14:31 08 Dec 18
Excellent service and quality work and did two of our rugs for free!!
Kate B.
00:57 06 Dec 18
Very professional, attention to detail and customer service oriented. Recommend this company highly.
Karen W.
14:34 04 Dec 18
I called First Class to get my air ducts cleaned and I actually was able to see all of the dust and dirt coming out off the vents. They were very proffessional and nice I would recommend them 100%. I’m planning to get my carpets cleaned by them afterwards.
Moustapha A.
18:44 30 Nov 18
The company did an excellent job in cleaning and removing all the dirt. The carpet looks brand new. Will use them again. They definitely stand by their name!!!!
rosalind S.
15:29 30 Nov 18
Awesome job and Paul was very thorough and courteous. Will use again.
Cindy K.
13:12 03 Nov 18
I just want to say thank you so very much I called and they came out the same day the guy Paul was so wonderful and he did a phenomenal job and went well above and beyond thank you so much💯
Shelly R.
12:32 28 Oct 18
Paul is the best. He arrived on time, very nice person. He went over an beyond to make sure my carpets were cleaned right.
Curthena H.
20:15 29 Aug 18
I called 1st Class and was able to schedule a weekend appointment. Paul, the technician who cleaned the carpeting, has been with the company for almost 20 years. He was very thorough, hard working, and pleasant. The carpeting looks fantastic, and the price was reasonable!. I will certainly use 1st Class again and will recommend the company to my friends and family members!
Elaine S.
02:22 28 Aug 18
Great experience! Very professional. They cleaned my air ducts and dryer vents and did a fantastic job. I’ll have them back to do the carpets soon.
Markus H.
15:03 15 Aug 18
First Class Caroet Cleaning is great. Paul the technician was helpful and informative. The old stains stains that had been long term and reappearing are now gone. I’m pleased with all of the serviced. The fragrant deodorizer really helps my home smell lovely. Thank youI’ll be calling First Class again during the winter.Thank you again. Awesome company. Awesome technician.
Sharon L.
20:25 10 Aug 18
Very Very good job and the man who cleaned my Apt is number one his self the best👍 Paul is the greatest💯✔✔✔ he was on time, nice, and professional.
Ruby K M.
19:43 24 Jul 18
Awesome service and Professional service!Great work!
Tina W.
14:38 23 Jul 18
Paul was friendly and a hard worker. The owner took my call late at night and was professional and informative. Thanks so much and great job!
See
16:50 17 Jul 18
The crew took extra time to ensure our office carpeting was cleaned properly. They showed us potential problem areas and made recommendations without being aggressive about it. Well done / highly recommended.
Larry D.
17:50 30 Jun 18
Family owned and operated certified cleaning company
claude H.
22:53 24 May 18
Great customer experience. Very impressed with the final results. Will definitely be using them any time I need my carpet cleaner. Strongly recommend. They removed stains that other carpet places couldn't. Thank you 1st Class!!
Shavon D.
17:23 17 Apr 18
First of all, let me thank Claude and his team, Paul for having excellent job done.When I first called Calude, I was not sure about this company but he gave me reasonable rate and told about what they do as part of cleaning process.He sent the person on time. We are very about Paul who did excellent service. He is very patient.I sincerely recommend to any one who needs support from Claude and team should really go without any hesitation.Claude; Thank you very much. I want to say sincere thanks to Paul as well,.Best wishes and regardsSarma
Sarma M.
02:36 05 Mar 18
Great job! Very professional. Would definitely use again!
Steve T.
16:56 26 Jan 18
Prompt, courteous, personable; great company, job well done.
Cheryl L.
15:13 01 Nov 17
These guys were top notch! They were courteous, efficient and very knowledgeable. We've been putting our duct cleaning off for years, and we are so glad we chose this company! They did such a great job on our ducts, that we decided to have them clean a couch and chair for us. Definitely give them a call for your ducts or furniture.
Bob W.
14:12 19 Oct 17
I was very satisfied with the customer service from first class. I called for mattress and upholstery cleaning and they were out within 24 hours. They did a very thorough job quickly and were friendly and pleasant and respectful of my home. I will be using them again.
Jackie L.
17:22 17 Oct 17
This company CARES deeply about the work they do. They are prompt, efficient, personable, knowledgeable, forthcoming with explanations of what is being done and how they stay very close to the industry and top standards which they use to guide and enhance their already outstanding service. Truck-mounted equipment, pre-treat that breaks down the 'stuff' in the carpet that needs cleaning and a thorough steam 'rinse'... a very positive experience with fantastic results from a great company. Don't bother with anyone else!
Carla L.
13:03 12 Oct 17
Claude and PaulCame to my home on time and gave me a 30 minute heads up, they came in did a wonderful job.I will have them back for my next cleaning.
Healing P.
13:56 07 Oct 17
Great service! They came out on short notice and did an awesome job. I will be using their service in the future. Thx!
Jana G.
17:34 06 Oct 17
Excellent service. Fast yet detailed and professional.Had some wet carpet from a small flood. They came, assessed and completed the job properly and recommended the correct follow up to prevent mold.Great team. Thank you.
charlie L.
16:50 30 Aug 17
I always call 1st class when I need my carpets cleaned ! They are 1st class!!!! The best...
Y J.
16:13 17 Aug 17
Did an awesome job.Vedy good people to call for carpet cleaning services
Destinie P.
14:11 15 Jul 17
They are amazing! Super friendly and understanding and right on schedule! They did a spectacular job cleaning! We had just painted our house and they got nearly every stain out! They are quick and had our whole house done (1700 square feet) done in about an hour or less! I would highly recommend!
Jimmies310
13:28 29 Jun 17
This was the first time I used First time . Very professional and did a great job.
Rick S.
11:37 19 Jun 17
Great service from this company, I've had them come out multiple times now. They are always on time, friendly, do the job quickly and the carpets look great!
Kapre D.
16:49 17 Jun 17
Cloud was on time and did an awesome job... I will be using this company again...☺
Sheyna W.
15:15 15 Jun 17
FAST! professional arrived before TIME... Very nice fast on the carpet cleaning process. Gave me pointer's about in the near future up keep for my carpet. Will use this company again. THANK YOU
Quan W.
16:06 09 Jun 17
I needed my carpet cleaned ASAP and they were able to fit me in even though it was next day and they were booked. I also had a glue stain on the carpet from the previous owners that they got out for me! They were quick and got everything done right! I appreciate them for being so helpful but getting me in as soon as possible! I will definitely recommend 1st class carpet cleaning to anyone I know!
Charlene A.
16:25 27 Mar 17
So friendly! Very quick and professional! Very fair price. And accommodating! Will use again!
Carlie W.
14:43 07 Mar 17
Great service! My appointment was originally scheduled for the weekend but he was able come sooner and even taught me how to best care for my carpet. I would definitely recommend!
Shayla P.
16:02 03 Mar 17
Great job, friendly and effecient. Explained clearly stain cleaning. Informed me about the condition of my new carpet and that it would be in my best interest to contact the manufacturer. Really appreciated that advice. Would recommend.
Gary L.
17:00 08 Feb 17
Very good job cleaning the carpets in a pretty badly neglected room. Vast improvement, quick and reasonable price. Worked with me to get it done as soon as possible.
DOBSON10
17:15 28 Jan 17
From my first call, Claude was polite and professional. We were able to schedule carpet cleaning after a move out. He called the morning of the appointment to confirm and give a ETA. Claude arrived on time, walked the carpet with me and discussed any problem areas. The carpets were deep cleaned and many long time stains came up. I appreciate Claudes great service and attention to detail. I would recommend 1st Class Carpet Cleaning to family and friends. We will definitely call him to service our new home. Thank you Claude, again!! October 2016November 4, 2016. Called Claude to clean the carpets in our new home. Our finished basement had many stains and hadn't been steamed in a long time. Claude took extra care to steam and extract trouble areas and out did himself today. The near white carpets turned out amazing. He was professional and gave personal service, remarkable in this day and age of dying customer service. I will continue to call him to take great care of our carpets and recommend him to my neighbors and family. A+++ Thank you!!
Elizabeth A.
01:01 05 Nov 16
Nice father and son company added deodorizer and good sanitizer. Will use again
Van37 J.
13:34 29 Oct 16
1st Class was truly first class! Very efficient, family-friendly, professional, and thorough. I couldn't be more impressed!!
Theresa C.
13:43 06 Oct 16
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