Mold Remediation

When in Doubt – Call the Mold Remediation Experts

Mold occurs naturally and is present everywhere, both indoors and outdoors. It has a dust-like appearance caused by the formation of fungal spores which can get dispersed, spreading the issue to a larger area. However, it can potentially be toxic and harmful when it grows inside your home or business.

Mold can enter your home in a variety of ways, including through windows, doors and HVAC systems. When these microscopic spores come into contact with moisture, they start growing and can spread throughout the building within 72 hours, making prompt action critical.

Common sources of mold damage include:

• Construction defects
• Plumbing issues
• Improper maintenance
• Appliance water line or drain line breaks
• Flooding from severe storms or hurricanes

Black Mold Remediation

Black mold is a type of mold fungus with a black or dark green appearance. It grows and spreads on materials containing a fiber called cellulose, common in wood and paper. Black mold typically develops in damp or water damaged areas such as showers, basements and windows. It needs moisture and warm temperatures to grow and spread.

There is a common misconception that all black mold is toxic. This is simply untrue. Not all black mold is toxic, and not all toxic mold is black. In fact, the most common form of black mold, Cladosporium, is nontoxic. Anytime mold is present in your home, regardless of color, it needs to be tested to determine what type of mold it is and whether it’s toxic. FLEET Response’s local companies offer mold testing in your area to determine the type of mold and recommend the ideal solution to address the problem.

In general, the symptoms you experience from mold will primarily be determined by whether you have a mold allergy. If you are allergic to mold, you’re more likely to become sick from black mold. Common symptoms include:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Postnasal drip
• Nasal congestion
• Red eyes
• Worsening of asthma symptoms
• Respiratory infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia

For this reason, it’s extremely important to perform mold remediation as soon as possible if you are allergic to mold. Mold remediation can help reduce the symptoms discussed above and prevent the development of a more serious reaction over time.

What Are the Signs of Mold?

Mold growth may not always be visible or evident. Mold spores are present in the air and enter buildings from the outside. In most cases, these mold spores do not cause any problems until they locate a source for water. A slowly leaking roof can cause mold to grow in the attic; water leaking around a bathtub or an appliance can damage walls, floors, and insulation; or condensation on a wall behind a piece of furniture can cause mold to grow.

Because mold can be hidden, annual mold and mildew checks are an important part of your structure’s routine maintenance. You or a professional should check for leaks and signs of mold growth on a regular basis and take action as soon as a potential issue is discovered. Left unchecked, mold will continue to grow and spread, causing damage.

Mold often grows in the following areas:

• Attics
• Basements
• Crawl spaces
• Ducts
• Wall interiors
• Furnaces
• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Under sinks
• Near foundation air vents
• Under window unit air conditioners

Common signs that your home or business may have a mold problem include:

• Damp, musty odor
• Presence of black or white spots on your clothing that feel fluffy or slimy to the touch
• Spots, odors, or stains on carpet and rugs
• Condensation on the floor and walls around your water heater (this may be a sign that you have a leak that can promote mold growth)
• Flare-up of asthma or allergy symptoms, particularly related to respiratory issues
• Mildew on your furniture
• Warped walls, as evidenced by bubbled paint or distorted wallpaper (this is a sign that moisture is present, which creates a breeding ground for mold)
• Persistent cough or cold that just won’t go away
• Musty smell when you turn on your air conditioning or black, fuzzy spots on the AC filter
• Noticeable gunk or mildew buildup in the grout of bathroom tiles
• Previous water damage to your home

What to Do If You Discover Mold

If you notice signs of mold in your home, make sure to take the following steps at once:

• Turn off the HVAC system, fans, or other air moving equipment to prevent the spread of mold to other regions of the building
• Restrict access to the area containing mold for all family members and pets (if the mold is contained in a room or area with a door, close the door or cabinet to prevent the mold from spreading)
• Try to identify the water source responsible for the mold growth and take any steps necessary to stop additional water from flowing into the region and creating additional mold issues
• Call the FLEET Response local company in your area at once, and they will send out a team to address the issue

In addition, make sure to avoid:

• Touching or disturbing the mold
• Blowing air across any surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth
• Spraying bleach or other disinfectants on the area containing mold
• Trying to dry the area yourself
• Painting over the mold

Mold Remediation Services We Offer

Mold remediation is an extensive process performed to remove and clean mold from contaminated areas in your home. This process is essential to prevent harmful mold growth from damaging your property and causing health issues to those exposed.

At FLEET Response, our local companies offer comprehensive mold remediation services for residential properties across the country. Depending on the type and location of the mold, the services our local companies perform may include:

• Mold testing
• Mold removal
• Demolition
• Sanitizing
• Containment
• Mold cleaning

By having this process performed by a FLEET Response local company, it will ensure that the mold levels in your home are restored to where they are harmless and won’t result in extensive property damage or health issues.

When Is Mold Remediation Required?

Professional mold remediation services are required anytime largescale mold removal from a building is necessary. There are a variety of situations where mold remediation must be performed, regardless of the size of the impacted area:

• Disaster recovery – Professional mold remediation services are required anytime mold develops after your home is impacted by storm or flood damage. Flood water is often contaminated by bacteria, sewage, and chemicals, and this contaminated water damage must be handled by a professional since they pose serious health risks and can result in additional problems long after the flood has been contained.
• HVAC contamination – If you have mold growth in your HVAC system, it must be handled by a mold remediation company. When an HVAC system is contaminated by mold, the impacted area can spread quickly, turning a small problem into a massive one. Mold grows and travels through spores, and the high velocity of air coming through an HVAC system will cause these spores to disperse throughout your home or business.
• Structural drying – Mold that develops after flooding or a large leak is much more likely to reappear after cleanup if proper structural drying isn’t performed. Commercial dehumidification and air purifying equipment is required to reduce moisture levels to a point where the mold won’t grow again after removing it.
• Specialized item cleaning – When you have items impacted by mold that are very valuable or sentimental, they must be cleaned by a professional mold remediation company to ensure they are properly decontaminated, and no spores remain within the fibers of the item.

Our Mold Remediation Process

At FLEET Response, we’ve worked with our local companies to establish a multi-step process to not only remove the mold, but to prevent it from returning.

1. Address the water source

Mold growth will only occur indoors when there is an available water source. This water source must be identified and remedied to prevent the mold from returning. After the water source is addressed, the affected area and materials will be dried or removed.

2. Containment

Mold spores travel by air. When disturbed, thousands of microscopic mold spores can be released into the air to travel throughout your home or commercial property. Before mold removal, our local companies will set up a negative-air containment and air scrubbers to trap the mold spores during removal.

3. Removal

During the removal phase, our local companies will treat hard surfaces to remove mold growth and remove porous materials that cannot be effectively cleaned. The team will monitor mold levels throughout the removal phase until the levels are within normal range.

4. Reconstruction

If building materials needed to be removed during the mold remediation process, our local companies will make the necessary repairs to restore the area to its pre-loss condition. This may include replacing insulation, drywall and flooring materials.