Mold Removal & Remediation

How we deal with mold

Mold removal, or more professionally, mold remediation, is the removal of mold spores. Follow along as we walk you through our standard procedures. In order to remove mold spores correctly, the following steps should be taken:

1. Prevent the spread.

First, we set up containment in order to protect areas of the structure that are not contaminated. This means that we will use plastic sheeting to block doorways or any other openings that might contribute to cross-contamination to the rest of the building. We also make sure to block the return ducts, so that the air from the contaminated room is not pushed into the rest of the house through the HVAC system.

2. “Clean” the air.

An air scrubber is a machine that cleans the air by drawing in particles (much like a vacuum), trapping them in its filters, and exhausting clean air. A mold removal job should always include this equipment to capture any airborne mold spores. Air scrubbers create a negative air pressure environment which further limits the movement of mold spores to the rest of the structure.

3. Tear it out!

We remove damaged structural items that cannot be cleaned. This can include things such as wet, moldy sheetrock or moldy carpeting.

4. Clean the surfaces.

Using an antimicrobial solution, we clean and sanitize all affected surfaces.

5. HEPA vacuum the affected surfaces.

We use a specialized High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter vacuum to clean mold from all affected surfaces.  The vacuum contains a special filter to trap all vacuumed mold spores, and doesn’t release them back into the air like a traditional vacuum cleaner would.

6. Encapsulate the affected surfaces (optional).

If required, we seal the surfaces with an encapsulant. It is a special, bright white coating that protects surfaces that are either unconditioned or located in rooms that get especially moist.

Common questions about mold removal

We at PuroClean Restoration Services have real estate agents, property managers, homeowners and commercial building owners calling us on a daily basis asking the following questions. To make it easy for you, we wanted to share the FAQ’s list on mold removal.

“Can I clean up the mold myself?”

If the size of the damage is under 10 square feet, the EPA states that in most cases, you can handle the job yourself. 

Here are some tips:

• Make sure all plumbing leaks, water issues, and humidity levels are fixed or the mold spores will return.
• Wear proper PPE (personal protective equipment) like nitrile gloves, N95 mask and eye protection.
• Use an antimicrobial solution and scrub with a stiff bristle brush in order to get into porous surfaces. On sheetrock, you can use a cloth with an antimicrobial solution in order to clean the moldy surfaces. Contrary to popular belief, bleach does not kill mold spores. You must you a product that is labeled as an antimicrobial, fungicide, mildewstat, or fungistat.
• Make sure to thoroughly dry the surface as mold spores like moisture. You may use fans and a dehumidifier, if you own one.

“Should I test for mold?”

The EPA states that “In most cases, if visible mold growth is present, sampling is unnecessary. Since no EPA or other federal limits have been set for mold or mold spores, sampling cannot be used to check a building’s compliance with federal mold standards.” Refer to this official page for more information.

If you’d like to know the severity of the mold in your home, you could get an air test.

If you are getting mold removal done in your home or commercial space, we recommend that clearance testing is done. Clearance testing is collecting an air sample from the area of concern, as well as from the outside air (which is the control sample), and analyze all samples for mold spore counts by an accredited laboratory.  If the levels are acceptable and are lower than the outside sample, then the mold remediation was successful. 

“How much is mold removal and can I get a quote over the phone?”

We do not provide quotes over the phone as it is PuroClean’s policy to visit commercial or residential buildings in order to visually inspect the premises. One person’s description is very different from another person’s description, so we do not provide quotes over the phone.  We would be happy to come out and inspect the premises and, if necessary, test for mold spores.

“How expensive is mold removal?”

That depends on what is going on with the structure. Some mold remediation jobs are as little as $500 and others are over $10,000.

“Is mold damage covered by my insurance?”

All insurance policies differ.  Reach out to your insurance broker/agent to find out if mold remediation is covered in your insurance policy and if there is a limit to the coverage. 

“What causes mold to grow? Why do I have mold?“

Mold needs three things to grow: water or moisture, an organic food source (wood, paper on sheetrock, dirt or soap scum)  and a temperature usually between 68 to 86 degrees.  Every structure has two of the three things, but if you can control the water, moisture, and/or humidity, you can control the growth of mold.

“I have mold in my bathroom. What should I do?”

Bathrooms are a prime location for mold spores to grow because of the high humidity and moisture that is found in them.  In order to prevent mold from growing in the bathroom, make sure to run your bathroom exhaust fan when showering and let the fan run for at least 20 minutes following a shower until the humidity is under control. 

Clean the shower and tub regularly with a tub and tile cleaner so that soap scum and dirt are removed.  Check on the caulking around the tub surround and make sure it is adhering properly to the tile or tub.  If there is space between the tile and tub, dirt may get in between the crevice and mold can grow.  Remove old caulk and replace with new caulking to prevent this from happening. 

If you do have visible signs of mold growth, give us a call at  908-577-9120 and we can help you.