Professional Way to Remove Mold

If you’re considering hiring to remove mold in a professional way or would like to consult with a professional, here’s what you can expect. First, call a professional  to schedule an in-home evaluation and get a free quote. Then, a skilled mold removal expert will perform a thorough mold inspection to identify the precise varieties. And levels of mold that may be affecting air quality. They will use a mix of visual inspection practices as well as look at moisture meters. And thermal imaging cameras to determine the source and scope of mold. If necessary, a professional will recommend  mold testing to better understand the problem.

On the day of treatment, a mold removal professional will use a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter to filter the air, clean mold spores, and remove other airborne impurities in the target area. They will isolate the target area to avoid cross-contamination (including removing contaminated materials). And spores spreading to other areas of the home. All contaminated surfaces will be vacuumed with a HEPA vacuum to trap the mold spores while releasing clean air, unlike traditional vacuum cleaners.

Next, a professional will spray and wipe down the once contaminated surface with microfiber cleaning cloths. This helps break down the bonds between the surface and contaminates. While removing any lingering spores. Lastly, the area will be treated with an antimicrobial applied via an electrostatic sprayer to ensure an even application and maximum effectiveness.

Steps for Mold Cleanup

Step 1: Learn about the role moisture plays in mold growth

Assessing mold growth involves more than just looking at what’s visibly growing on the walls or in a corner. Mold can be an invisible intruder, growing behind and around what you first see. Such devious behavior requires inquisitive thinking.

First, understand that behind all mold growth is a water or moisture problem. Second, become a master of moisture — know where moisture comes from and how it gets into the home. The ultimate goal of these two steps is for warranty representatives to identify a moisture source and use its location to help locate all mold growth, not just what’s immediately visible.

Step 2: Document the mold problem and create a mold remediation plan

Before you begin mold cleanup and mold removal, document the mold situation with writing, photos, and video. The warranty team supervisor will use the documentation to develop a remediation plan, which typically answers questions such as when work is slated to begin, when that work is scheduled to be completed, who will be performing the remediation, any testing that should be done, and if homeowners will be temporarily relocated.

In the longer term, the documentation can help manage liability for your company or point to larger trends in mold growth.

Step 3: Calculate the extent of the mold contamination

Mold may not always grow in one area, so you need to figure out how much contamination you’re really looking at. Calculating the extent of the contamination will impact how you approach mold removal and clean up. The goal of mold removal is to clean up mold growing within the home, and to avoid exposing homeowners to large amounts of mold.

The New York City Department of Health (NYC DOH) has developed guidelines for cleaning up mold contamination. These guidelines are widely used in the construction industry and recommend six levels of mold removal based on the square footage of the mold and whether or not the mold is located within the home’s HVAC system. Following the NYC DOH’s guidelines, available online, calculate the remediation level needed.