Discovering mold in your home can cause a lot of concerns. It may pose a threat to your family’s health and can damage the structure of your house.

Mold removal requires specialized equipment and training. It is also something other than a project you can safely do alone.

Remediation

The experienced mold removal team in Ottawa will scrub hard surfaces with antifungal cleaners and dry them with dehumidifiers. They will discard porous or mold-damaged materials, like drywall, insulation, and carpeting. They will also encapsulate the areas to make them resistant to water damage, mold, and musty odors.

They will also use HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuums and air scrubbers to clean the air. These devices will catch small particles invisible to the naked eye, including mold spores. They will also install a dehumidifier in the room to reduce moisture levels, and they may use a humidifier to raise indoor humidity.

After a few days, the mold remediation company will retest the air to ensure the levels have returned to normal. They will also check that the home is mold-free and mold spores have not spread. You should be able to reoccupy the house without any physical symptoms or aggravated health problems.

Detection

There are many different types of mold, and each can appear in various shapes, sizes, and colors. It is essential to identify and locate any occurrences of mold as early as possible, as the spores can cause health complications if inhaled for long periods.

In addition to visual inspection, experts may use various tools to determine mold’s presence, including spore tests and moisture meters. The spore tests allow specialists to identify the genus of the mold and decide whether or not it is harmful.

Moisture meters can help determine the mold’s source and identify areas that need immediate attention. This can save property owners the expense of costly mold repairs in the future. The early identification of mold also allows for the quick and appropriate repair of any conditions contributing to its growth, such as water leaks. This can significantly reduce the need for mold removal and maintain a clean, healthy living environment.

Inspection

When mold spores settle on damp surfaces, they can rapidly grow into full-fledged infestations. That’s why professional mold inspection services use various tools to pinpoint the presence of mold.

A mold inspector starts by assessing visible signs of mold, including musty or earthy smells, discolored walls, counters, or patchy areas. They may also check for leaks, surface condensation, and a deficient vapor barrier.

They’ll then take moisture assessment to the next level using specialized tools like humidity meters and Thermo hygrometers. These tests reveal a property’s materials’ relative humidity and moisture content and the cause of elevated moisture levels.

Mold professionals also know what to look for in areas where mold spores, such as behind drywall and beneath carpet, only sometimes show themselves. They’ll often check crawl spaces, attics, and basements for signs of mold growth. These inspections help the mold removal company plan an effective remediation strategy.

Removal

In addition to the actual removal of mold, a good remediation job will take care of the factors that caused it in the first place. This includes fixing leaks and removing or replacing porous insulation, often where mold starts. Cleaning and disinfecting will also help limit the spread of mold spores. Nonporous surfaces may be wiped down with detergent soap and water, but porous and absorbent materials must be scrubbed and rinsed to remove all mold spores.

Mold spores can be airborne, and any wet or porous material with mold must be bagged up, carried out, and thrown away. Depending on the extent of the problem, this might include drywall, carpets, and insulation. Professionals will spray affected areas with a biocide to prevent mold from growing back and to keep spores from spreading in other parts of the home. They also will vacuum and scrub nonporous surfaces to remove spores from these materials.