Mold and mildew require only two things to grow: moisture and a food source. They can eat through most materials in homes and offices, including drywall, carpeting, and furniture.
Remediation begins with a thorough inspection, moisture survey, and air quality assessment. Professionals also use fans and dehumidifiers to dry the affected area completely. Click the Mold Remediation Salt Lake City to learn more.
Mold remediation companies differ from mold removal services in that they go beyond simply removing the visible signs of mold. They address the cause of the mold and implement preventative measures to ensure the problem does not return. This includes fixing any leaks, addressing excessive humidity, and cleaning and replacing materials affected by mold.
The first step of a professional mold remediation is to locate and identify the type of mold present in your home. They will also determine the source of the moisture that is allowing the mold to grow. This information will allow them to fix the source of the moisture and prevent future mold growth, ensuring the mold problem is fully resolved.
Once the mold is located, the mold remediation team will begin to clean and disinfect the contaminated areas. In this phase, they will use a variety of techniques depending on the type of material affected. GreenWorks’ trained staff will be sure to follow industry standard guidelines and take into account client health concerns when choosing methods for cleanup and disinfection. Techniques may include area wipe downs, wet mopping using an antimicrobial solution, blasting (Dry Ice, sand or water), ozone, UV Light, structural pasteurization (Heat) and enzymes. In addition to these methods, the team will apply a chemical biocide to the entire space. This is an EPA approved product designed to kill any remaining mold spores and help prevent the spread of mold during the cleanup process.
Next, the contaminated areas will be dried and dehumidified. To speed up this process, industrial fans, air movers and dehumidifiers will be used in the area. During this stage, any contaminated surfaces that are not salvageable will be removed from the property and disposed of according to local environmental regulations.
Once the mold cleanup is complete, the contaminated areas will be tested to ensure all of the mold has been removed and that the area is safe for reconstruction and habitation. This will be done through clearance testing, air spore sampling and visual inspections. If the occupants are feeling uncomfortable or experiencing symptoms of illness, additional spore tests will be conducted to be sure that all of the mold spores have been successfully eliminated.
Preventing Secondary Contamination
In some cases, mold spores become airborne during the removal process and may spread to areas outside the contamination area. This is called secondary contamination, and it can cause health problems for building occupants. To prevent it, mold remediation professionals put in place containment barriers and filtration devices to manage the movement of air through the affected area.
To start, they cover everything in the affected area with plastic or polyethylene sheeting to isolate the contamination zone. This includes ductwork and any areas where the airflow is controlled by fans. In addition, the professionals use HEPA vacuums, commercial dehumidifiers and air exchangers to remove all visible signs of moisture, as well as all traces of mold spores from the air.
Next, the professionals swab and test any surface materials or air samples in the affected area. This step helps them determine the type of mold and its concentration levels. It also helps them develop their scope of work for the remediation process. The professionals can order specialized tests to check for the presence of mycotoxin spores, which are extremely toxic and can cause a variety of symptoms in humans including severe headaches, nausea, rashes and blood poisoning. A swab kit typically contains a swab, a petri dish, gloves, mask and a mailer to send the sample away for testing.
During this phase, the mold remediation professional can also use an EPA-approved biocide to kill the mold and prevent its regrowth. They will spray it on non-porous items like bathtubs, metals and countertops and on porous materials like wooden wall studs. This step is necessary since dead mold still produces mycotoxin spores and can trigger a reaction in humans.
Finally, they will use an encapsulant or mold inhibitor to prevent the growth of new mold in the affected area. This is particularly important for buildings with chronic moisture problems. While these measures help to control mold contamination, it is essential for building occupants to follow proper maintenance and inspection procedures, and to take care of any water or humidity issues promptly and efficiently.
Cleaning and Disinfecting
Molds grow by releasing spores that spread to other areas via airborne movement. This is why experts use containment strategies to isolate affected areas before they begin cleaning and removal work. These methods include physical barriers and negative air pressure, and are especially important for larger mold contaminated areas that would be blown to other rooms without proper containment.
Remediation services also follow strict safety protocols, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves and a thorough cleaning process to prevent the spread of mold spores during cleanup. In addition, they control humidity by using fans or dehumidifiers in humid spaces like basements and bathrooms.
Surfaces can be cleaned by wiping them down with a solution of water and detergent, or with mold-killing chemicals. When using any cleaning solution, it is important to read and follow the instructions on the product label. Porous materials like drywall and carpet may need to be discarded, as molds can infiltrate the material and grow inside it.
It is also important to dry any surfaces that have been cleaned. The time this takes depends on the amount of moisture in the area, and some expert mold remediation services will use fans or dehumidifiers to speed up the drying process.
If the contamination extends to sensitive items like art, antique furniture, or linens, it is a good idea to seek advice from a professional art restorer or conservation specialist. The same applies to any items of sentimental value that may be impacted by mold, such as photographs and memorabilia.
Lastly, the area must be disinfected to kill any remaining mold spores and ensure that the affected area is free of bacteria. Remediators often use a combination of chemicals and physical scrubbers, and they may also wipe down the walls, floors, ceiling, and other surfaces in the affected space to prevent further contamination.
Once the area is clean, it is crucial to verify that the mold infestation has been completely eliminated before occupants return to their home. This verification process may include visual inspections and air quality tests, and it is a key step for homeowners who want to protect their health and safety from recurring mold problems.
Restoration
During the mold remediation process, physical barriers are put in place to keep mold spores from spreading outside of the affected area. Filtration systems control airborne spore movement and can help prevent the spread of mold to other parts of the building, as well as to people and pets. This is especially important in the case of toxic black mold (Serratia Marcescens), which produces mycotoxin spores that can be inhaled and cause severe headaches, nose and throat irritation, rashes, hay fever, asthma, lung infection, and death by blood poisoning.
Room structures like walls, carpeting, and furniture are then covered and protected to minimize damage during the cleanup and containment phase of the remediation. In some cases, full containment is required if there’s a large contaminated surface area that needs to be cleaned. This involves creating an airlock between the impacted space and the rest of the building using double-layered plastic sheeting with slit entries covered by flaps to limit spore dispersal during cleaning, scrubbing, and disinfecting.
Non-porous materials are cleaned or disposed of based on their condition: non-toxic porous materials such as wood framing, drywall, and plaster can usually be cleaned, while soiled or mold-ridden porous materials such as paper, carpeting, and insulation must be cut away and safely discarded. All irreparable moldy contents are disposed of in plastic bags to reduce the chance of spores escaping into the atmosphere while being thrown away.
Moldy structural materials that can be saved are sanded, wire-blasted, or soda-blasted to remove the fungus. These surfaces are then sprayed with a biocide and allowed to set overnight. This kills the spores and prevents them from growing back.
Depending on the size of the moldy areas, a few days may pass before the mold remediation is complete. In the meantime, residents are advised to avoid affected rooms and to use dehumidifiers or fans in the rooms where air circulation is limited. The home’s occupants should also wear respiratory protection and gloves while cleaning to prevent the spread of mold spores. If you’re thinking of hiring a mold remediation company, make sure the company is licensed and follows NYS Labor Law requirements.