Tips and Techniques for Mold Remediation
Do you have mold? There are some simple steps you can follow to make sure your mold remediation process goes smoothly, but what you really want to know are the tips and tricks that can ensure the success of your project—and that you’ll never have to go through it again.
How to remediate your mold
The first step towards mold remediation is finding the source of the moisture. Mold can’t grow without moisture, so if you are seeing mold, then you actually have a moisture problem as well as a mold problem. You can treat the mold problem, but until you resolve that moisture issue, you’re just going to have to keep battling that mold. The first thing you need to do is locate the source of the moisture and remediate it. Once the space is dry again, the mold will be significantly less likely to come back and will be much easier to clean up.
Of course, finding the source of the moisture may not be the only challenge. You also have to locate the mold itself. Mold growth isn’t always obvious. Sometimes you can smell it before you can see it. If the smell is there, the mold is there somewhere, so you will have to track it down to remediate it. However, even when you find mold in an obvious place, you may still need to go on a mold hunt. Spores can travel, so you will want to make sure they haven’t traveled off to another location where they can start to regroup.
Make sure you check your furnace and ducts
If you’ve found mold in your building, you should take the first opportunity to change your air filters and get your HVAC and ducts cleaned out. The last thing you want to do is spend a ton of time and money on mold remediation to protect everyone in the building and then have the air ducts blowing loose spores all through your building. The most thorough of mold cleanings are the only way to ensure the continued health and wellness of everyone in the building, and to ensure that the mold has effectively been treated.
Mold Remediation: DIY
Okay, so you’ve located the mold: now what? Well, you need to clean it. There are some DIY solutions, but the important thing to remember is NOT TO MIX DIFFERENT ONES TOGETHER! Some of those chemicals do not interact well, and you can cause yourself some serious respiratory damage if you mix something like bleach and vinegar together—even after one cleaning solution has apparently dried. There are mold killers that you can buy from the hardware store that may be effective, but when you are using them indoors, it can be a bit of a hazard to your health. You need a lot of ventilation, and a lot of the areas where mold likes to grow simply don’t have that.
What’s the solution? Call in the pros.
Whether or not they are using chemical solutions to concur your mold dilemma, it’s often best to call in the pros. Not only do they have the equipment to take care of the mold safely, but they also have the expertise to be able to locate all the mold, identify the source of the mold, and effectively treat the mold problem so no spores are left behind to re-organize into your next property nightmare.
Additionally, a professional mold remediation company can perform a heat treatment on your home. Why is this a better option? Because it doesn’t require chemicals, and it will effectively kill off all the mold—even the stuff that is wedged away in nearly non-existent cracks that would otherwise be impossible to reach. The heat treatment will also help to dry up any moisture, and that will be even more helpful in the great mold resistance cause.
What are the top tips to ensure continued success?
When you are fighting mold, there are two important things you have to remember. One, you can prevent an ongoing nightmare by doing things right the first time around. That means not trying to squeak extra pennies out of the latest DIY solution you came across in a TikTok video. Take the time to come up with a strategy, to consult the right professionals, and to invest in the solution that is going to get the job done right the first time.
Two: when it comes to mold remediation, time is NOT on your side. Don’t procrastinate or spend too long researching the different nuances between heat treatment machines. Taking care of your mold problem as soon as you discover it is the best way to ensure successful mold remediation.
