When you have a mold problem, you have a quality of life problem. Living with mold is more than just inconvenient – it’s dangerous. It’s important that you remove the mold. However, proper mold remediation is a detailed process. It requires the skill and knowledge of an experienced professional. Find out the five key steps in removing mold from your home.

1. Connecting Your Mold Problem to Moisture

Mold thrives in the presence of moisture. If you don’t have any moisture, then you probably don’t have any mold. The first step to proper mold remediation is connecting your mold problem to a moisture problem. A specialist needs to figure out where that moisture is coming from.

Once he finds the source of moisture, he can track the spreading of the moisture. He might find more mold at the source of the moisture. There may be more mold in your home than you think. By finding the source of your moisture, the specialist can locate all of your mold.

2. Create a Proper Mold Remediation Plan

Before he can get rid of mold, your specialist needs a plan. First, he needs to document the problem. He can use pictures, text, and videos to come up with a proper mold remediation plan. Often, a supervisor reviews those documents.

Then, he uses the information and his years of experience to come up with a plan. He might include details of the length of the project, the name of the specialists who will work on the project, and the necessary tests. In some cases, he might include information about relocating the homeowners. Having this plan makes it easier for the specialists to get the job done. Additionally, it lets you know what to expect.

3. Determine the Contamination Level

Mod can spread quickly. Therefore, it’s important that your specialist determines how far your mold spread. The level of contamination could be much greater than you think. The level could affect the scope of the project. For example, it could take much longer than anticipated because there is a high level of contamination.

4. Begin the Work

Once the specialist knows the level of contamination in your home, he can start the proper mold remediation process. This process involves cleaning up mold while limiting mold exposure. Additionally, it involves preventing new mold growth. To do this, your specialist needs to find the moisture source of your mold and eliminate it. With no moisture, the mold won’t spread.

Another part of the remediation process is isolation. By isolating the mold-affected area, your specialist can prevent it from spreading to other areas of your home. If there is a high level of contamination, the your specialist might need to cover all of your doorway openings with polyethylene sheeting.

After the area is isolated, your specialist needs to remove the damage. If anything is wet or has mold on it, then it goes. However, the specialist will not throw it directly in the trash. Instead, he will cover it with a thick plastic bag. For added security, he will double-bag thick building materials. Then, he ties it closed and wipes the outside of the bag with a cleaning solution. Only then can he throw it in the garbage.

Then, your specialist can clean the area.He can use a wire brush to scrub off mold and then he will wipe the area with a cleaning wipe. Like the moldy building materials, the wipes will go in a sealed plastic bag.

Clean-Up

One of the most important parts of this step is the project clean-up. Although the thoroughness of the clean-up depends on the level of contamination, the clean-up always matters. For a less severe mold problem, the specialist might only clean the area with a damp cloth or use a detergent cleaning solution. However, a more severe problem requires a more detailed clean-up. Your specialist would need to vacuum with a HEPA vacuum and then clean the area.

After verifying that there is no more debris on the site, your specialist can begin replacing your building materials. Using new materials, he will replace the damaged and removed ones. Before long, your home will be back to normal.

5. Make Sure the Project Was a Success

After everything is done, your specialist will need to double check his work. He will revisit the home to make sure that moisture is no longer a problem. For example, he will check for new water damage. If there is none, then it is likely that there won’t be any new mold.

Other signs of success are no visible signs of mold or moldy odors. Your specialist will check for any evidence of continued mold growth. If the home seems to be free of mold, then the project was a success. You can return to a mold-free home. With a proper mold remediation, you should not experience any of the symptoms that come with mold growth.