Dave Andrews owner of PuroClean in Half Moon Bay. Photo courtesy of PuroClean.

by Monique Hodgkinson

December 2010 — The rains have come early to California — filling our reservoirs, reducing the risk of wildfires and watering our gardens. Along with rains come the three m’s of winter: moisture, mold and mildew. Water damage and moisture problems are the culprits behind mold and mildew in your home. There are many causes: improper insulation, roof leaks, plumbing problems, and even condensation on windows and skylights. Dave Andrews, owner of PuroClean Property Restoration in El Granada, says, “If you have a mold problem, you have to eliminate the moisture. Mold cannot grow without moisture.”

You may have heard remedies such as washing down the afflicted area with vinegar or bleach solutions — remedies that just aggravate the problem. “Washing the walls with bleach or vinegar doesn’t fix the moisture problem; washing the walls kills some of the topical growth, but inevitably the mold returns and the problem has usually been spread further,” Andrews says. “You need to locate and treat the source of the problem, not just the symptom.” The Environmental Protection Agency’s website indicates that common symptoms of mold allergies include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes and skin rash. Mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs. Taking care of mold problems quickly is imperative, especially if anyone in your household suffers from asthma or has mold allergies.

Andrews uses state-of-the-art technology in his business to discover the source of mold and moisture problems. Once the source of the moisture is fixed and the area dried, PuroClean then uses a high- efficiency particulate air filtration system to remove mold spores from the air. Earlier this year, the Style Network producers for the Clean House television program chose PuroClean as the property restoration company for their season finale. Television viewers got a “day in the life” glimpse of what PuroClean does to make homes with environmental problems more livable.

A veteran of high tech, Andrews made the leap to small business ownership in 2008. After extensive training, he was ready to serve customers across the Bay Area with mold remediation, water extraction and a range of other services: drying out flooded areas, sanitizing carpets, cleaning up fire, soot and smoke damage, removing debris, and cleaning up bio-hazards.

As public awareness grows about environmental health concerns, the services that PuroClean offers become that much more valuable to homeowners on the coast and around the Bay Area. PuroClean provides friendly service and is quick to respond to an emergency. Call 866-987-7876 or visit the company’s website for more information.