Mold Remediation is best left to the Professionals - Don't Try this at Home DDIY

Mold is fungi that thrives almost anywhere and can multiply at an alarming rate. Damp and water soaked areas provide the most favorable conditions for mold growth. If you have many dark, damp corners in your home, you are inadvertently creating an ideal atmosphere for mold. Once the mold, particularly the toxic variety, enters your house, then the toxic mold removal in homes becomes very difficult. Mold comes in various shapes, sizes and colors and is most associated with a pungent mildewy smell.

Favorable Places for Mold in Homes

• Around pipes, ductwork, leaky windows and other areas prone to moisture.
• Between the crevices in walls, under the carpet/pad, around houseplants.
• Poorly lit and ventilated areas like attics, basements and crawlspaces.
• Shady corners, which do not allow sunlight.

Mold Remediation in Homes
Mold remediation is not something you should attempt on your own. Many home owners will just reach for a bottle of Clorox with the old school thinking that it will kill any mold. That is the absolute worst thing anyone could do. Bleach is 99% water. The ionic structure of the active ingredient Sodium Hypochlorite does not allow it to enter into a porous surface such as wood, concrete, drywall etc. However the 99% water will soak right in. The result? You will be feeding the mold and it will come back at twice the rate.

There are companies that specialize in this business, called mold remediation companies. However, before calling the services of any mold remediation company, you need to inspect your house to gain an idea of the extent of the invasion of mold in your home. You may also want to hire a professional inspector for this purpose and ask him to recommend a good mold remediation company.

Mold remediation companies have their own procedure of mold remediation in homes. All you need to do is provide them clear access to the area of mold growth. Get rid of furniture and other things from the contaminated area. Since the mold remediation company will most likely require to lay plastic sheets and run hoses around the houses, you must remove all the obstacles in their work area.

The first step that any mold remediation company will take, is spraying the affected area with a proper biocide. Biocide refers to any liquid which is approved by EPA for toxic mold remediation. (Note: Bleach and KILZ are not approved by the EPA for killing mold in homes, and do not work). Biocides work by killing the molds roots. These are very strong chemicals that if not handled and used properly, can cause significant personal injury. The second step involves spraying the contaminated area with a top coat sealant. This substance encapsulates the roots and spores to prevent them from growing any further. This step is very important because the dead toxic molds contain mycotoxins that are capable of inducing hazardous effects on human health.

It is imperative that the sealant be sprayed well around the contaminated area. The spores have the capacity to disperse at longer distances, therefore, if you have a part of room affected by mold, it is better to get the mold remediation done for the entire room. Once you have the remediation done by a professional mold remediator, it is important that you remain proactive in preventing re-growth of mold in the future. Here are few tips on mold prevention:

• Ensure there is proper insulation and ventilation in your basement or crawlspace.
• Repair leaking pipes and rain gutters as soon as you start to notice a problem.
• Do not over-water house plants. Place a plastic plate underneath to collect excess water.
• Keep up on roof maintenance i.e. replace missing shingles, install drip edge etc.
• Make sure all bathroom fans exhaust to the exterior of the home, NOT into the attic.
• Make sure your dyer vent exhausts to the exterior and NOT into another part of the home.
• Reduce the humidity in your home. Using a dehumidifier is a wise idea during hot and humid days.
  

Mold remediation in homes is a very tedious process which normally takes at least two days to complete. Moreover, professional mold remediation services do not come cheap. It is best to avoid the growth of mold in the first place by taking the proper measures and keeping up on the regular maintenance your home needs.


Mike Chamberlain, Owner
IN. Lic# HI00700108
MICP, CMI, CRT, IAQCP
MC² Home Inspections LLC
http://www.mc2inspections.com