Residential Mold Remediation
Residential mold remediation can be very time consuming, and quite hazardous for all involved. The health and safety of individuals require an extensive amount of consideration when looking into mold removal. For this reason, it is imperative to follow the following guidelines noted in epa.gov to ensure accurate disposal of mold.
According to II CRC S-520, professional mold remediation consists of five principles. These include: safety and health of workers and occupants; documentation of the condition and work process; physically removing the source of contamination; and correcting the moisture problem to prevent re-contamination.
Safety First!
Dealing with any airborne substance brings the potential for health concerns for both residents and those intending to remove the mold. In order to maintain the safety of workers, it is vital to wear full PPE before any potential exposure to mold.
Do not investigate the extent of a mold infestation without being fully protected. PPE, or personal protective equipment, creates a full body shield against airborne particles. We use all of this, and more, at Edwards Property Remediation.
In order for the preventative measures of PPE to work, the equipment must be airtight. If you feel like you are wearing a space suit, then you are fully armed with the most reliable PPE gear.
That might sound like an overreaction, and you can wear effective PPE without a full hazmat suit, but that opens up an opportunity to get mold residue on your clothes and continue the spread of mold to other areas.
All people on the premises, aside from the professionals specializing in mold remediation, must be evacuated and anyone taking part in the mold removal process needs full PPE protection for the safety of their health, but also to minimize contact surfaces with mold spores.
Black Mold
The silent killer of all communities, black mold is very toxic and can lead to a lot of health problems. Exposure to black mold can lead to breathing difficulties similar to what people who have asthma might experience.
Being fully equipped with appropriate PPE (at least a N95 mask and gloves) prevents the risk of developing symptoms of black mold. People with underlying breathing conditions or who are allergic to mold are susceptible to experiencing more severe symptoms.
The longer your airway is exposed to black mold particles, the more severe symptoms you are likely to experience.
Documentation
When it comes to anything involving the safety of individuals, documentation needs to be precise, thorough, and in depth. Any suspected source needs to be documented.
All possible contributors to the mold infestation need to be noted. The process of cleanup, from the removal of occupants – to the investigation of mold sources – to the cleaning process – to how the moisture is handled in order to prevent regrowth.
Removing the Source of the Mold Infestation
There are preventative measures occupants can take to try and prevent the need for professional mold removal. However, a professional is always the safest route to take.
The process of removing mold involves killing it at its source and discarding all potential things the mold has touched to eliminate it from regrowing and doing more damage.
Using Negative Air Pressure to suffocate Mold
Since Mold is airborne, creating an airtight suction and vacuuming the air out of the area that is infected will kill the mold. However, mold can grow whenever there is moisture, so this negative pressure needs to be maintained to avoid regrowth.
In order to create this negative pressure, it is common practice to use a Air Scrubber for a guaranteed filtered suction. The filters in Air Scrubbers are designed to trap even the smallest particle and germ, so it is the ideal way to create a negative air pressure space.
Utilizing the HEPA Vacuum
HEPA vacuums can be used to assist the process of removing mold spores. When trying to eliminate any airborne particle, it’s recommended to use a fully optimized vacuum complete with filters that can trap the smallest of particles without letting them escape back into the environment.
After scrubbing all areas clean with mold removal products, a HEPA vacuum can then be used to make sure mold is not left in any cracks or crevices. It’s not possible to see leftover mold residue with the naked eye, so a HEPA vacuum helps avoid potential residue.
Fixing The Moisture Problem
The intended result of mold removal is to get rid of mold. Even if the source of mold is removed, the environment still isn’t safe to re-enter without getting rid of moisture.
Since moisture must be present for mold to grow, it is a key indicator that there has been too much moisture built up.
Whether the moisture is coming from leaky pipes, too much condensation, flood damage, or something else, the mold removal process will need to be done continuously until the moisture problem gets resolved.
Air Scrubbers
After killing the mold, scrubbing all surfaces, and using a HEPA vacuum to trap residue, an air scrubber can then be used to filter out the remaining air contaminants.
Air Scrubbers work by incorporating a layered filtration system that pulls the air into it and, after moving contaminated air through the filters, the clean air is returned into the area.
This process filters the air, ensuring a safe breathing environment. It’s always a good idea to consider a permanent air filtration system as a precautionary measure.
Adequate Mold Disposal by Edwards Property Remediation
Anything that has potentially come into contact with mold spores needs to be destroyed if possible. Make sure that the areas being cleaned have adequate ventilation to keep the area dry to prevent the spread of mold spores.
It’s not enough to kill mold, it has to be properly removed because dead mold can still cause allergic reactions to people with an underlying mold allergy.Therefore, airing out an area is not enough to take care of mold.
The procedures used to remove mold should be done together. Stopping negative pressure while cleaning the mold is counter-intuitive because mold can regrow whenever it is re introduced to any form of water condensation.