What Is Mold Remediation?

If you’ve recently discovered black mold growing in your home, you may find yourself spending some nights staring at the ceiling instead of sleeping. A million questions might be running through your head: What does this mean for my home’s value? How will it affect my family’s health? Will I spend a fortune on mold remediation? And what is mold remediation, anyway? Doesn’t that mean they have to tear apart my house?

Mold Removal vs. Mold Remediation — What is the Difference?

If you know that you have mold in your home, your first priority is probably to eradicate it as effectively as possible. Unfortunately, mold is a naturally occurring substance, which means that it’s present almost everywhere. Some companies promise mold removal services, implying or “guaranteeing” that they will be able to completely remove all traces of mold from your property. This is, unfortunately, not possible. However, remediation services can eliminate the harmful effects that mold spores might be having in your home, ranging from health hazards to the degradation of your home’s structural integrity.

“Mold remediation” is simply a professional term for mold removal. It involves a team of experts assessing the severity of the mold problem, removing the mold and replacing any structural material the mold may have damaged, and seeking out the source of the problem so the mold doesn’t come back.

I Have Mold in My Home. Now What?

Have no fear. Catching toxic black mold is half the battle – now that you know it’s there, you can begin the process of, at the very least, arresting its development. If kept to a minimum, it won’t inflict too much damage on your home, and as long as your home is well-ventilated, a small black mold problem, kept in check until a mold remediation and basement waterproofing company can eliminate the problem, shouldn’t have a strong impact on your family’s health.

Mold remediation is a simple four-step process:

1. Identify the problem and its cause

Mold remediation begins by finding out where the mold is and what created the damp conditions that allow it to thrive. Often this is leaking basement walls or a broken pipe, either of which can let water seep in over time and make it easy for black mold to take hold.

2. Isolate the problem

Black mold spreads by releasing spores. Because of this, mold remediation won’t do any good if there’s not a reasonably certain method of containing those spores as the mold is being cleaned up. Often a mold remediation team will seal off the affected area with plastic and tape; in addition to stopping the spread of the mold, this spares you and your family the respiratory discomfort that comes with inhaling black mold spores.

3. Remove the mold

The team you hire will likely use high-pressure hoses to blast the mold out of the porous surfaces to which it clings.

4. Repair any damage

This includes any damage the mold itself has done to wood or concrete, as well as the damage that allowed the mold to thrive in the first place. Without plumbing repair or a thorough basement waterproofing plan, the mold is likely to come back.

3 Signs You Need a Mold Remediation Service

Not sure if you’ve got a mold problem on your property? Take a look around your home for these common symptoms that might indicate that a call to Rightway Waterproofing is in order.

• You’ve had an unexpected flood in your home. While unexpected water or a flood in your home doesn’t guarantee that there’s mold on your property, it is often one of the first signs homeowners notice before they discover a mold infection. Mold requires cool, wet surfaces in order to take root, which means that a recent flood could create the ideal conditions that mold needs to grow in your home.
• Your home has a musty smell. Many homeowners describe the smell of growing mold as “musty,” or similar to the odor of wet socks or rotting wood. Mold tends to create an odor when actively colonizing. If you can smell mold but not see it, remediation might still be necessary.
• You see discoloration in your walls. Another tell-tale sign of mold is discoloration in your drywall. When mold oxidizes, it often causes a color change in the material that it’s growing on. If you can see splotches of gray, green, brown, or black on your walls, the chances are high that mold might be the culprit.

To learn more about mold or mold remediation, please don’t hesitate to contact us.