Mold becomes a problem inside a home when there’s excessive humidity or moisture. The problem can originate from sudden water releases, like a burst pipe or large spill, or a chronic condition such as a leaking roof or plumbing. Even high humidity or warm, moist air condensing on cool surfaces can trigger mold problems. It’s always best to have the mold assessed and removed by a certified professional.
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Mold can grow almost anywhere in a home if conditions permit. If there is visible growth on painted wall surfaces, a homeowner should be concerned about what may be growing on the opposite side. The environment inside the walls of a house often differs drastically from the outside and could create a perfect haven for mold. If the wall was wet for a prolonged period, it’s almost guaranteed that the mold growth on the back side will be worse than on the front. At that point, containing the work space and removing moldy materials, followed by cleaning of salvageable framing, are the best options.
The Clean Trust recommends that homeowners contact a certified professional to ensure that mold is removed correctly and occupants are protected throughout the job.
Typically, to contain and prevent further contamination, certified professionals can:
- Verify that the moisture source has been eliminated or repaired
- Contain the area to prevent cross-contamination
- Create negative pressure using specialized air filtration devices to prevent mold spores from spreading to unaffected areas
- Recommend an indoor environmental professional to sample and evaluate the mold problem
- Vacuum affected areas using equipment with high efficiency filters
- Isolate, remove and properly dispose of heavily contaminated materials
- HEPA-vacuum exposed pockets of growth
- Dry materials, using correct procedures
Correct inspecting or testing, followed by professional remediation, is the key to preventing continued mold growth in a home. For more information on preventing mold in your home or business, or to locate a Clean Trust Certified Firm near you, visit The Clean Trust.
The Truth about Mold: Created on April 27th, 2004. Last Modified on January 21st, 2014
About Ruth Travis
Ruth Travis holds a degree in textiles from the University of Tennessee. She is Director of the WoolSafe Organization in North America, Past-President of the Society of Cleaning and Restoration Technicians (www.scrt.org), Past-President of the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (now The Clean Trust), and Past-Chair of the IICRC Marketing Committees. She also served on the IICRC S100 Carpet Cleaning, S300 Upholstery Cleaning and the S520 Mold Remediation Standard committees.
She owned and operated her own carpet and upholstery cleaning service company for 13 years in Chattanooga, TN. She is an IICRC-certified Master Textile Cleaner, Master Fire and Smoke Restorer, Journeyman Water Damage Restorer and a Carpet, Laminate and Resilient flooring inspector. Ruth specializes in carpet color correction for major carpet mills and consumers. She is an IICRC-approved instructor in color repair, upholstery/fabric cleaning and rug cleaning, and travels throughout the country and abroad teaching other cleaning professionals. See the Ruglady (www.ruglady.info) for more information.
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