Many types of residential mold can result in several health problems such as nasal stuffiness, irritating eyes, wheezing and coughing. It also escalates asthmatic attacks, especially in allergic individuals. Additionally, mold can adversely affect your home’s aesthetics, especially for its smelly characteristics. To entirely eradicate it, below are the five surefire steps to proper mold removal.
Foolproof Steps to Proper Mold Removal
While there are many different ways you can perfectly remove and prevent the growth of mold around your surroundings, the most fruitful ones are vacuum and encapsulation, abatement, containment, documentation, and assessment, and protection.
Assessment & Protection
The first step for your proper mold removal is preventing its health dangers from family and guests. Before you start the removal process, be sure to put on protective gears to safeguard yourself from contact with it, especially if you’re sensitive to different elements. Immediately you’re on the right protective gears. The next step is assessing and identifying areas the mold is developing from. Usually, you will easily find mold colonies in moist and dark areas like under decks and patios.
Occasionally, you’ll also find colonies around bathrooms and other dark spaces such as beneath sinks and under carpets. Also, while assessing the mold, another thing to keep in mind is to know the type affecting your environment, considering different types have different ways of eradication. Mild mold is easily removable by scrubbing, while other types need stronger chemicals to eliminate. But dark mold is stubborn, requiring professional help, as you can find out more here.
Documenting
Besides assessing and protecting, the next move is documenting your mold colonies indoors and outdoors. Documentation is essential, especially when your home is adversely affected by mold colonies that need careful attention. You can form lists, take videos or images as means of documentation, serving as reminders for a thorough inspection and complete eradication from one place to another. Likewise, documentation helps you identify the type and suitable elimination strategy, thus ideal for proper removal planning. Additionally, with proper documentation, your odds of determining the mold levels of contamination are high; hence easy to decide on the right preventative measures before the removal begins.
Containment
Thirdly, your proper mold removal process comprises sealing off every affected area. Containment is paramount in making sure mold colonies are contained in isolated places to avoid spreading to other areas. You can comprehensively seal off cleaned areas with materials like polythene bags and sheets to prevent air from such areas from leaking through windows and doors to other areas. In addition, be sure to seal all ventilation spaces by taping or polythene materials to limit the flow of smelly mold air particles that can be hazardous.
Encapsulation
After you’ve cleaned every affected area, the next step is vacuum and encapsulation. These processes are done to help you prevent future manifestations. Mostly, you can encapsulate by drying surfaces using techniques such as the high-efficiency particulate air vacuum {HEPA}. HEPA is effective in removing both moisture and sucking tiny mold particles that can be easily left behind. Once vacuuming is complete, you can encapsulate by applying layers of whitewash or paint which effectively prevent growth and development of mold, thus preventing future manifestations.
Types of Harmful Molds You Should Quickly Eliminate
Molds come in different types, and some are more hazardous than others; hence eliminating them is necessary. Some of those types include:
Cladosporium
This is the black or green type of mold that grows in cool and warm areas. You’ll mostly find Cladosporium mold in places like cooling and heating ducts, under wooden decks and patios, carpets, and fabrics. Most of the health effects Cladosporium mold causes include escalation of asthmatic attacks, allergies, and rare instances causing skin infection. However, most Cladosporium molds aren’t hazardous to health but still adversely affect your home’s aesthetics.
Penicillium
Normally, these are the yellowish, greenish, or bluish molds often found under basements, carpets, and insulated areas. You will also find them around broken water lines and leaking sinks. Penicillium mold is dangerous for its toxins that affect human DNA resulting in pathological, neurological, and immunological effects. Moreover, severe effects of Penicillium mold can cause kidney, lung, and bone marrow problems.
Aspergillus
Aspergillus mold is usually white, grey, or green with dark and powdery spots and appearance. However, unlike other types of molds, you can effectively eradicate Aspergillus mold without ventilating your home. Additionally, it thrives well in walls, basements, and other areas like kitchens, especially those with dry food particles.
While some molds like Cladosporium are not severely hazardous to your health, they can adversely affect your surroundings with their musty smell. However, whether you’re fascinated about removing it for aesthetic purposes or preventing allergic members from suffering adverse effects, the best methods to properly eradicate mold are those mentioned above.
How Professional Mold Remediators Remove Mold
Professional mold remediators determine the extent of the infestation and identify the type of mold present. They use physical barriers, negative air pressure, and plastic sheeting, to prevent the spread of mold spores to other areas. Air filtration using HEPA filters and air scrubbers is employed to trap and remove mold spores from the air. Moisture control is addressed to prevent future mold growth by identifying and fixing the source of moisture, such as leaks or water intrusion.
The actual mold removal process includes various methods, such as HEPA vacuuming, damp wiping, sanding, or the removal and replacement of contaminated materials. Disposal of unsalvageable materials is conducted in accordance with local regulations to prevent further spread of mold. After removal, surfaces are cleaned and sanitized, often using antimicrobial agents, to eliminate any remaining allergens and mold spores.
Post-remediation verification, including air quality testing and visual inspections, ensures the success of the process. Professionals may also provide recommendations for preventive measures, such as improving ventilation and promptly addressing water leaks, to reduce the risk of future mold growth. It is emphasized that certified professionals should conduct mold remediation to ensure safety and effectiveness, and compliance with local regulations is crucial throughout the process.
