5 Keys to Removing Mold

2/22/2019 (Permalink)

We understand mold and mold growth. SERVPRO of Osceola County has the training and expertise to remediate the mold in your home or business.

Mold can be easy to attract to your home but difficult to remove. Once you have mold, it can spread through the air throughout your house damaging both the materials in your home as well as the air quality. If you do have mold, it’s important to contact the professionals at SERVPRO immediately to come remediate. While small quantities of mold can be removed by homeowners, mistakes could lead to damaging results. If there are large quantities of mold in the home, only certified professionals are capable of removing it.

Here are the five general principles for removing mold from a home.

Safety

Mold can be dangerous for those that are around it or come into contact with it so, when dealing with mold, safety measures should be taken. Personal protective equipment (PPE) like N-95 respirators, gloves, and goggles should be worn when dealing with the mold. This will reduce the exposure to the mold to ensure those cleaning it up remain safe. If the contamination is more widespread, addition protective garments may be needed. The contamination area may also need to be sealed with polyethylene sheeting. By running HEPA filtered fans, negative pressure and airflow can be created which will ensure that none of the air that’s already been contaminated can escape and spread the mold to clean areas of the home.

Document Mold

In order to effectively remove mold from a building, you must know the extent of the damage. To find this out, a thorough inspection of the affected area must be completed. It’s important to find out what has been contaminated, what materials have been affected, and knowing the size of the contaminated area. The inspection will provide basic information that’s necessary to assess the situation and later verify that all of the mold has been removed. Professionals might also use special detection tools that provide data about moisture and mold.

As a homeowner, having documentation of the damage prior to the cleanup may help with the insurance claim process. Having documentation of the area prior to cleanup as well as updated documentation throughout the cleanup will ensure you don’t run into insurance troubles down the road.

Mold Containment

One of the biggest potential hazards, and a key reason why you should hire professionals to handle the cleanup process, is that the mold could spread to other parts of the house. Once mold spores get airborne, they are much harder to capture, unhealthy to breathe, and can quickly spread the mold throughout the house. To avoid any further contamination, the professionals will cover the affected area with polyethylene or clear plastic sheeting which will help to prevent the spread of the mold spores.

Other methods that may be used to prevent the potential spreading of mold spores include keeping the affected surfaces wet during the cleanup to avoid any dust buildup, using HEPA filtration vacuums to capture the spores and fragments, and using HEPA air purifiers in the affected areas.

Completely Remove Mold

It’s not enough to just kill the mold that affects a home or to cover it up. The mold must actually be physically removed from the building to ensure a full cleanup. Occasionally, carpet, upholstery, or drywall may have been infested to the point where they must be removed and disposed of as well.

Dry Home

Mold thrives in environments where moisture is present. To prevent the continued growth of the mold and the potential spreading of mold spores, moisture in the building must be controlled. Any existence of moisture around the home needs to be identified, located, corrected, and controlled immediately to ensure it doesn’t grow or spread any further. Continuing to keep the home dry going forward will further ensure that there’s no unwanted mold growth and that there isn’t a recurrence of the mold.

Mold has the potential to cause several problems in a home which include damaging the materials of the home as well as the air quality. If mold is a problem in your home, professionals should be brought in to restore the area and ensure that the mold is properly disposed of and doesn’t spread. These five keys will ensure that the mold situation won’t get worse.

If you have mold growth in your home, call SERVPRO to solve the problem.