Mold Remediation Information - Virginia Inspection Service, LLC

Mold Cleanup

Who should do the cleanup depends on a number of factors. According to the EPA, one consideration is the size of the mold problem. If the moldy area is less than about 10 square feet (less than roughly a 3 ft. by 3 ft. patch), in most cases, you can handle the job yourself, following the guidelines below. However:

    * If there has been a lot of water damage, and/or mold growth covers more than 10 square feet, consult EPA's Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings. Although focused on schools and commercial buildings, this document is applicable to other building types.

    * If you choose to hire a contractor (or other professional service provider) to do the cleanup, make sure the contractor has experience cleaning up mold. Check references and ask the contractor to follow the recommendations in EPA's Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, the guidelines of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygenists (ACGIH), or other guidelines from professional or government organizations.

    * If you suspect that the heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) system may be contaminated with mold (it is part of an identified moisture problem, for instance, or there is mold near the intake to the system), consult EPA's guide Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned? before taking further action. Do not run the HVAC system if you know or suspect that it is contaminated with mold - it could spread mold throughout the building.

    * If the water and/or mold damage was caused by sewage or other contaminated water, then call in a professional who has experience cleaning and fixing buildings damaged by contaminated water.

    * If you have health concerns, consult a health professional before starting cleanup.

(The preceding information was published by the USEPA)

PLEASE NOTE: As of July 1, 2011 any person or business performing mold testing or mold remediation in the state of Virginia must be licensed by the state.
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Hidden Mold

In some cases, indoor mold growth may not be obvious. It is possible that mold may be growing on hidden surfaces, such as the backside of dry wall, wallpaper, or paneling, the top of ceiling tiles, the underside of carpets and pads, etc. Possible locations of hidden mold can include pipe chases and utility tunnels (with leaking or condensing pipes), walls behind furniture (where condensation forms), condensate drain pans inside air handling units, porous thermal or acoustic liners inside ductwork, or roof materials above ceiling tiles (due to roof leaks or insufficient insulation).

Some building materials, such as dry wall with vinyl wallpaper over it or wood paneling, may act as vapor barriers, trapping moisture underneath their surfaces and thereby providing a moist environment where mold can grow. You may suspect hidden mold if a building smells moldy, but you cannot see the source, or if you know there has been water damage. Investigating hidden mold problems may be difficult and will require caution when the investigation involves disturbing potential sites of mold growth. Make sure to use personal protective equipment.

Assess the size of the mold or moisture problem and the type of damaged materials before planning the remediation work.

Remediation
Carefully contain and remove moldy building materials. Use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Arrange for outside professional support if necessary.

The first step to mold clean-up is to control the moisture problem. The source of the water must be identified and corrected. Discard porous materials with mold growth such as drywall, carpeting, paper and ceiling tiles. All wet materials must be thoroughly cleaned and dried within 48 to 72 hours of becoming wet. If that is not possible, they should be discarded. When in doubt, throw it out.

Look for water stains on walls, ceilings, woodwork and other surfaces. Mold growing on hard surfaces such as wood and concrete should first be cleaned with regular detergent and water, then rinsed and dried. Small areas can be scrubbed with a cleaning rag that is wetted with diluted detergent. The cleaned areas should then be disinfected with a diluted solution of bleach. To disinfect, mix one part bleach with ten parts water, mist the area, and let dry. When using a bleach solution, ensure that enough fresh air is available because bleach may cause eye, nose, or throat irritation, and never mix bleach with other chemicals. Rubber gloves, a medium efficiency filter dust mask and goggles are recommended to be worn during mold clean up. For a large mold problem or if you are highly sensitive to mold, an experienced professional should do the work. Continue to recheck cleaned areas for new mold growth and signs of moisture. This may indicate the need for further cleaning, repairs or material removal.