Question of the Week: What Happens During Mold Remediation?

FE-QOWlogoIf your facility is damaged by mold after a flood, you may wonder:

“What should I expect when a mold removal specialist conducts a mold remediation at my facility?”

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) shares five steps you can expect a mold removal specialist to take when conducting mold remediation.

  1. Determine the degree of contamination. The first step for a mold remediation specialist may be to bring in an Indoor Environmental Professional (IEP) to determine the extent of the mold damage and test for contamination within the facility. Because mold spores and other microscopic contaminants can travel easily throughout a building, the IEP may collect and analyze samples from affected as well as unaffected areas of the building. Once the IEP has finished the inspection they will develop a remediation plan for the mold removal specialist with steps to return the home to its pre-loss condition (Condition 1).
  2. Set up and verify containment. To make sure mold contamination does not spread to other areas of a facility, the mold remediation specialist will set up containment by creating isolation barriers. Once the barriers are set up, the specialist will need to verify the containment with a lower partial pressure differential (negative pressure) to ensure there is no air leakage between containment zones. Exit chambers would then be used to serve as a transition between the containment and the unaffected area of the building. Once the containment is verified and the correct amount of pressure is achieved, the removal process can begin.
  3. Remove unsalvageable materials. Porous materials and items that cannot be restored or cleaned effectively must be carefully discarded. Unsalvageable items include but are not limited to drywall, insulation, and other items with visible mold growth.
  4. Clean surfaces with a high-attention to detail. A mold remediation specialist will likely begin the cleaning process by thoroughly vacuuming the contaminated areas using a HEPA vacuum with a high-efficiency filter to catch mold spores. He or she will then begin a detailed cleaning process involving mold removal tools such as a HEPA filtered sander, followed by the damp wiping of surfaces with an effective cleaning solution.
  5. Verify remediation. Once cleaning is complete, the IEP will return to verify the remediation was successful. The area must be returned to the dry standard and should be visually dust free with no malodors. In addition an IEP may perform surface or air sampling as part of the verification that the area is back to normal fungal ecology (Condition 1).
mold-remediation
Credit: RDC Restoration

“Mold remediation requires mold removal specialists to perform techniques that promote source removal rather than relying on chemicals, paints, and coatings as a replacement,” said Rachel Adams, President of Indoor Environmental Management, Inc. “Understanding and managing air flow is also critical to the success of a mold remediation project. Working with qualified IEP can also help to reduce the liability for the technician as well as provide a final determination if the remediation was successful.”

For more information on mold remediation or the latest in mold remediation standards, visit the IICRC website.

If you’ve had a flood at your facility, what was your experience with mold and mold remediation? Share your thoughts in the comments area below.

 


1 COMMENT

  1. I thought that it was interesting when you said that hiring a professional for a mold inspection is crucial since the microscopic contaminants can easily be transported. I have been thinking about trying to fix the mold problem in my home by myself but I am now worried that I will not be able to identify all of the locations where it resides. I will be sure to hire a professional to have the mold properly removed in order to protect the health of my family.

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