Mold clearance procedures using visual inspection.

This article describes the visual characteristics of a successful mold cleanup job.

What are the Visual Characteristics of a Successful Mold Remediation Project

In our page top photo the remediator left a dryer running into the crawl area because it was still wet at the time of our clearance inspection.

Notice the old insulation left in the crawl area at the rim joist. The cleanup of the crawl area was incomplete and there was a risk of remaining mold reservoirs as well as a need for more cleaning.

All suspect or mold-contaminated material, which cannot be cleaned, should have been removed. There should no demolition debris left in the building.

Our next mold remediation job photo (above left) shows a home that was partly gutted after flooding.

We were concerned about remaining mold reservoirs in fiberglass insulation left in the upper section of wall cavities (tested by vacuum sampling) and possible moldy insulating board exterior sheathing.

The sheathing board was a critical call since if it needed to be removed the job cost would be increased enormously.

Areas where moldy surface coverings have been removed

 leaving exposed framing or other hard surfaces, such as remaining structural components, floors, and other surfaces should have been thoroughly cleaned, HEPA (High-efficiency particulate air filtering system) vacuumed, wiped, and sealed if a sealant was to be used.

HEPA vacuuming is important since ordinary "shop vacuums" and most home vacuum cleaners will simply pass small mold spores right through the system, actually increasing the level of airborne mold.

Remediated areas should be free of visible mold.

On previously infected structural members or surfaces, some remediators use fungicidal sealants as extra assurance against movement of remaining incidental spores and to reduce potential future moisture uptake in wood and thus future mold growth. I report the extent of such treatments if evidence of such is visible.

The 5 most common mold cleanup mistakes we encounter are

1. Failure to maintain a working dust containment system for the cleanup area during the procedure,
2. Failure to actually clean up demolition dust and debris from every surface, often instead
3. Relying just on spraying cleaners, disinfectants, or sanitizers on moldy surfaces
4. Failure to investigate and remove mold contamination in building cavities: ceilings, walls, crawlspaces, behind paneling
5. Bringing in new building materials or actually beginning reconstruction of the building before a successful clearance inspection and test have been completed.

This last "error" means that either the clearance inspection and test are limited in assuring the success of the job or that some of the new work has to be removed to permit inspection and testing.

This article is part of our MOLD CONTAMINATION ACTION GUIDE which provides an easy to understand step-by-step guide for dealing with toxic or allergenic indoor mold and other indoor contaminants: what to do about mold "mildew," moisture, in your house or office, building-related illness, involving your physician, treatment, sick building investigators, reduction of irritants, and special products to help clean buildings and air.

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Continue reading at MOLD LEVELS IN BUILDINGS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Mold Cleanup / Remediation Articles

• ACCURACY OF AIR TESTS for MOLD
• AIR MOVEMENT in BUILDINGS
• MOLD ACTION GUIDE
• MOLD CLEANUP COMPANIES
• MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD
• MOLD CLEARANCE: FOLLOWUP STEPS
• MOLD CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS
  • MOLD CLEARANCE PROCEDURES when, where, and how a post mold remediation job inspection and test should be performed
  • MOLD CLEARANCE TIMING
  • ACCEPTABLE MOLD LEVEL
  • MOLD CLEANUP, VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS
  • MOLD LEVELS IN BUILDINGS
  • MOLD CLEARANCE: FOLLOWUP STEPS
  • MOLD CLEARANCE TEST, SUCCESSFUL
• MOLD / ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERT, HIRE ?
• MOLD INFORMATION CENTER - starting point for building mold contamination problems
• MOLD INSPECTORS & MOLD TESTERS
• MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE
• MOLD RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION
• WHEN TO STOP LOOKING FOR MOLD

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