Mold Remediation and Water Damage Restoration

Mold is a natural substance—a fungus—and it’s even something that we like to eat from time to time. But within the context of a house, mold is not so welcome. Black mold is a health problem for many people. Microscopic mold spores exist almost everywhere, outdoors and indoors, making it impossible to remove all mold from a home or business. Mold spores are microscopic and float along in the air and may enter your home through windows, doors, or AC/heating systems or even hitch a ride indoors on your clothing or a pet. Mold spores thrive on moisture. Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water. These colonies may produce allergens and irritants.
Before mold remediation can begin, any sources of water or moisture must be addressed. Otherwise, the mold may return. Mold often produces a strong, musty odor and can lead you to possible mold problem areas. Even higher-than-normal indoor humidity can support mold growth. Keep indoor humidity below 45 percent.
Our mold professionals seal off the work area, often using plastic sheeting so that mold spores do not become dispersed throughout the home. After the mold is physically removed from its source, the air should be cleaned of airborne mold spores using HEPA air scrubbers and air exchange (i.e. replacing dirty moldy air with clean fresh air through simple ventilation or more sophisticated negative air controls for bigger jobs). When vacuuming and using air scrubbers for mold remediation, the filters used should be HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air). Only HEPA filters are designed to capture particles as small as mold spores. Regular filters will not work and could make the problem worse.
Mold professionals usually discard moldy, porous building materials such as drywall, insulation, and baseboards. These materials are relatively inexpensive to replace and difficult to impossible to restore to their previous uncontaminated condition. Antimicrobial chemicals will be used to clean any remaining mold and mold stains after demolition. A sealer or an encapsulant will then be used to make the treated areas more resistant to water damage, mold, and also to help with odor control.