Mold: Back To The Basics
Have you discovered mold in your Berks County home? Where did it come from and how did it get there? How long has it been growing unnoticed? Any reputable mold professional can answer these questions in detail. If a contractor is unable to explain the basic processes and steps of mold remediation (mold removal) in layman’s terms, be wary! If someone tries to complicate, confuse, and scare you into hiring them, continue to look for a trusted partner. There are good honest mold remediation companies out there, like Hitchcock Clean and Restore. Let them help educate you about fixing and preventing mold problems.
The Basics
Mold spores can grow and thrive if they have:
- Food (drywall, wood, and paper products, among other things)
- Water (good circulation throughout the home is important, especially in attics, basements, crawl spaces, and laundry rooms)
- Optimal temperatures (mold doesn’t die when temperatures drop below 32 degrees; it goes dormant.
Take away one of the ingredients, and mold will not flourish. Every mold damage scenario is different and requires a unique solution. Mold removal professionals will analyze each situation and address all factors that lead to the mold overgrowth. Professional experience in two areas ensure success:
The “Why”
The ability to identify where moisture is coming from and how it got into the home. The first process is to find all moisture sources and locate all mold growth, not just what’s immediately visible.
The “How”
Necessary skills and equipment to clean up existing mold as well as to prevent new growth. In the industry, Level 1 remediation is used for small, isolated areas of mold up to 10 square feet and Level 2 remediation covers square footage from 10 to 30 square feet.
Since microscopic mold spores exist naturally almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors, removing ALL mold from a home is impossible. Some restoration businesses advertise “100% mold removal” but some mold spores will always be present in the air. Qualified restoration professionals focus on getting mold levels back to normal, natural levels.
Trusted professionals protect the safety of both workers and occupants plus prevent the cross-contamination to other areas. After the mold is treated, the air should be cleaned of airborne mold spores using HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) air scrubbers and air exchange systems. Circulating clean, fresh air through either a) simple ventilation or b) more sophisticated negative air controls will remove the spores that could cause another growth.
The Source
Finding the source of the mold growth is crucial. If a professional were to remove the mold without resolving the source, the mold would just come back within a few weeks, or even days. Typically, when there is mold growing in a home there is some type of water leak or elevated moisture levels. A slow leak, like a cracked water line, can cause a significant amount of hidden water damage before mold starts to appear on a visible surface. Experienced mold detection experts will be able to help you determine the source of the mold growth.