Proper Mold Remediation, often referred to as Mold Cleanup or Mold Removal, is essential to a healthy home. If you have or suspect you have a mold problem, cleaning it up with bleach is not the solution. Improperly cleaned mold can return and can also spread throughout your home. Hiring a professional is the best way to know that your problem will be eliminated and proper prevention methods put into place.
The first and most important thing is to understand why the mold growth is present. Most of the time it is from a water source that was ignored until the resulting mold could be seen or smelled.
An example would be a Crawlspace that did not have a moisture barrier or had an inadequate moisture barrier. Often people will not want to spend money in an area such as a crawlspace until it is a necessity. Even when the only problem is elevated humidity eventually mold growth occurs.
Finding why the mold growth happened and then changing those conditions makes a successful game plan.
Next setup and create containment. Containments separate the areas that need to be clean from other areas that are not contaminated. This is typically done using HEPA air scrubbers, negative air fans, and plastic. The plastic blocks off one area from another. The fans direct the air in the containment to the outside preventing contaminated air from entering the clean areas. The HEPA filters are used to remove the residual mold spores from the air.
The Mold Cleanup Begins
Many surfaces can be damp cleaned with a biocide that will remove mold. Biocides are applied which will penetrate into the wood, helping to remove or stop the growth of the mold.
If vacuuming needs to be done it must be done with a HEPA vacuum. A HEPA filter can trap mold spores. Using a shop vac or a vacuum without a HEPA filter will only collect the mold spores from the surface and throws them into the air creating a worst air-quality problem than before.
If heavy growth is detected, metal brushes, sand, soda, or dry ice blasting may be required.
In areas where staining is present in framing materials, a mold resistant coating can be applied.
Many items are disposed of or taken to a landfill. Most of the time of the moldy items are bagged and sealed before being carried away. Items must be bagged if being carried through an already cleaned area. Most items that are disposed of are either not worth spending the money on to restore or they are porous items that cannot be restored. Porous items have to be judged on a case-by-case basis if they can be properly cleaned or if they are worth the effort to clean.
At the end of the project the basic outline applies.
- Know that all water and moisture problems have been resolved.
- The areas that have been clean should look clean and be free of musty odors also
- Testing should confirm that active mold growth is not present and Air test show fewer mold spores inside and outside with no Stachybotrys or Chaetomium present.
Every job is different and the above outline applies to most jobs, but sometimes an unusual job exist where hidden damage or additional moisture/ water intrusions are discovered.
Mold cleaning is both troubleshooting water and moisture problems and then cleaning up visible and not visible microscopic spores.
If you would like an estimate on Mold Remediation or Air Testing give Carolina Air Care a call today!
(864)895-9500
