Philadelphia, PA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/14/2018 --Mold spores exist in small quantities everywhere, including in homes. You cannot remove all mold from inside of a structure.
Restoration companies, such as First Choice restoration, understand what goes in to removing and remediating mold within a building. There are essentially 5 steps to mold remediation.
Step 1: Moisture
Moisture is usually the source of mold growth. If a property owner notices mold in their building, they should locate all places in the building where moisture can get in. By locating these places, the property owner can find all of the mold growth and not just what they see with their eyes.
Step 2: Documentation of the problem and developing a plan of action
The property owner should document all mold growth with pictures, videos, and written accounts. The next thing to do would be to create a plan of action which would state when the remediation work will begin, when it will be completed, who will perform the work, and what the schedule for the work will be. The plan of action would also include if the tenants of the building need to relocate during this work and any testing that needs to be completed.
Step 3: Calculate contamination
Mold doesn't always grow in just one area. Therefore, before work can begin the area of contamination needs to be calculated and addressed. This would mean that all areas that contain mold contamination need to be located, documented, and be included in the mold remediation work.
Step 4: Remediation
The remediation process consists of cleaning up existing mold while avoiding exposure to people involved with the process and the tenants of the building. The process also includes the prevention of new mold growth by addressing moisture sources. The steps to remediation mold are as follows:
1. Repair the moisture source – This prevents more mold growth
2. Isolate the area of contamination – Close all doors and windows between the contaminated and noncontaminated areas. If the building has a higher level of mold, then the openings should also be covered in 6 mil polyethylene sheeting.
3. Dust Suppression – mist the dust with water to make it stick to surfaces.
4. Removal of materials – All materials that are wet, porous, and mold damaged should be removed from the area.
5. Materials should be placed in bags – All material that is being removed should be placed in 6 mil thick plastic bags. All materials should be double bagged and tied at the top. The out side of the bags should be wiped down with a wet cloth and detergent before being placed in the trash. This last step is to prevent the spread of mold to uncontaminated areas.
6. Cleaning – All non-porous material and wood surfaces must be cleaned. A wire brush can be used on all moldy surfaces. After the brush, all surfaces should be wiped with disposable wipes. Disposal of garbage should follow the double bagging in 6 mil thick bags process mentioned above. All moldy surfaces should be scrubbed using a damp cloth and a detergent solution then rinsed with clean water.
7. Cleaning of affected areas – This portion of the cleaning process varies depending on the level of mold in the area. For level 1 things can be cleaned with a damp cloth/mop and a detergent solution. For level 2 all surfaces should be vacuumed with a HEPA vacuum and then followed by the damp cloth and detergent solution. Everything should be discarded as described above,
8. Visibility – All areas should be checked after cleaning is complete. No contamination, debris, dust, or dirt should remain.
9. Drying – All cleaned materials should be thoroughly dried so that no moisture is present. Fans and dehumidifiers work to accomplish this. Also, raising the temperature inside of the building can speed up the drying process.
10. Replacement – All materials that were affected should be replaced or repaired.
Step 5: Determine the success of the clean up
Just because the area has been cleaned and there's no dust or dirt left behind does not mean that the process is complete. The last step is to determine if the cleaning process was a success. The guidelines to determine this are if the moisture source has been fixed, no sign of visible mold, mold damage, or moldy odors, and no physical symptoms should occur to people residing in the building. Some companies will want to do additional testing at this stage to check the mold levels.
About First Choice Restoration
First Choice Restoration is a water, mold, fire, and smoke remediation company headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. The company also operates additional offices throughout other areas of Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware. The company has been assisting homeowners and businesses with water, mold, fire, and smoke cleanup for over 40 years.
For more information, please visit http://www.firstchoicerestore.com.
Steps to Remediate Mold