Mold Remediation Procedure

What is Mold?

Mold, in its many species, is a member of the fungi family and is naturally found in indoor and outdoor environments. Mold serves a purpose in nature in breaking down organic materials such as plants, leaves and fallen trees. In order for mold to grow it requires moisture, suitable temperature and organic materials that serve as food for the mold, such as your drywall, insulation materials, wood studs, carpeting, upholstery or baseboards.

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How did mold get in my house?

Mold produces spores that can become airborne. When these airborne spores find places where there is excessive moisture they can begin to grow. Being that mold needs moisture, suitable temperature and organic materials, the most opportune time for mold to grow would be after indoor flooding or some kind of leak in the house has occurred. There is no guarantee that mold will grow every time that there is a leak, but mold can begin the process of growth approximately 24-48 hours after it has found a comfortable source. If you have observed mold growing on a structure it is quite possible that there is a greater problem going on in the unobserved areas behind that structure such as areas behind drywall. The best preventative to mold is proper drying of the structures as soon as a water loss is observed.

How does mold affect my families’ health?

It should be understood that molds themselves are not toxic or poisonous, yet certain molds are toxigenic, which means that they can produce toxins or more specifically with mold, mycotoxins. People who already are sensitive to airborne allergens are more likely to be sensitive to molds and people with immune suppression or other lung diseases will be at greater risk for possible fungal infections.

I have mold, do I need to vacate my home/office?

This decision is really up to you, if you believe that staying in that environment is a considerable risk to your families’ health, but often this is unnecessary.

Some insurance companies may grant you an allowance for temporary relocation if they assess the location to be of too great a risk or if essential living spaces are inaccessible.

What can I do about the mold?

Many people have tried to wipe away mold from visible structures with store-bought products or bleach solutions which can be effective on small amounts of surface mold. But it is important to understand that mold forms roots and actually feeds off of organic materials in your home. So if mold is observed there could be a much larger contamination of mold growing behind that visible structure. If the visible mold is not properly dealt with there can be further decomposition problems in the structure and possibly lead to health problems.

What can I do to prevent mold in the future?

It is very important to keep your house properly ventilated especially rooms that are prone to increased amounts of moisture such as the bathroom. These are some things that can help to prevent possible mold and/or the spread of noticeable mold:
• Fix the source of the water problem or leak as soon as possible
• Eliminate visible sources of moisture
• Check pipes, valves and angle stops regularly and replace if necessary
• Keep the humidity levels in the house below 50%
• Remove and/or replace previously soaked carpets and upholstery
• Clean and dry wet damps spots within 48 hours
Quick response and thorough drying of affected areas are the keys to saving time, money and protecting property and health.

What is mold remediation?

Mold remediation is a process that involves containing the affected areas, removal of all the affected building materials and thoroughly cleaning the areas. This is done in order to bring the presence of mold to acceptable levels. Industry recognized standards for remediation are used (based on IICRC S 520, Standard Reference Guide for Mold Remediation). Our technicians are thoroughly trained and qualified for mold remediation and in the proper use of safety equipment that is used in the remediation process.

ServiceMaster by T.A. Russell, Ventura is your Ventura County, one-stop service company for Fire and Water Damage Restoration including Mold Remediation, Emergency Response to Water Losses, and Reconstruction, as well as Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning. We are recommended by Insurance Agents and Adjusters, Licensed, Bonded and Insured and have Quality Vendor Status.