Mold remediation mistakes: failure to fix the cause of mold growth.

Here we explain how failure to take the necessary steps to prevent new mold growth after a mold cleanup project can end up costing a lot of extra money.

Avoiding this mold cleanup error can save you money: even the best mold cleanup job cannot guarantee against a completely new mold contamination problem in a building, but if the work plan includes identifying the cause of the current mold problem and if that cause is corrected the job will have been correctly performed.

PREVENT FUTURE MOLD - Failure to Prevent future mold growth wastes mold cleanup dollars

Find and fix the cause of mold: A really troubling mistake that we find on occasion is that someone has spent a lot on mold cleanup but no one bothered to identify the reason why mold grew in the building in the first place.

It is not possible to successfully complete a mold remediation project if the causes of mold growth have not been found and corrected. Otherwise, in as little as 24-48 hours mold may appear all over again.

The downspout spilling roof runoff right by the crawl space behind the wood framed plywood crawlspace skirt in this photo is likely to create new wet conditions in the crawl space that had just been cleaned and sealed - shown in our photos at INCOMPLETE CLEANUP where we illustrated a good job of moldy crawl space cleanup.

Key Steps in Preventing a Return of Mold Problems After a Mold Cleanup Project

Prevention of water leaks or excess humidity in building interiors, including wall and floor cavities, is critical if you want to avoid a mold growth problem in a building.

Even following the most thorough mold remediation, future roof, plumbing, or cooling condensate leaks or any other source of water entry all risk future mold growth and related cosmetic, structural, health problems and economic costs.

To prevent problem indoor mold your focus should  be on watching for and correcting leaks or moisture problems in your building. For details on how to prevent indoor mold growth in buildings see:

• CRAWL SPACE DRYOUT - how to get a wet crawl space dry and how to keep it dry
• FAILURE TO PREVENT FUTURE MOLD - this article lists mistakes that you'll want to avoid
• FLOOD DAMAGE REPAIR PRIORITIES - these quick steps after a building flood or plumbing leak can prevent costly mold contamination
• FLOOD-CAUSED MOLD, PREVENTION
• FUNGICIDAL SEALANT USE GUIDE - there is a place for these treatments but not as a substitute for proper cleaning steps
• HUMIDITY CONTROL & TARGETS INDOORS what indoor humidity should we maintain in order to avoid a mold problem?
• INADEQUATE REMEDIATION PLAN - if mold cleanup job is not done correctly you will probably have a mold problem immediately after the contractor leaves your driveway, either because the contractor left significant levels of moldy materials that should have been removed, moldy surfaces that should be cleaned, or leaks that must be repaired to prevent a rapid reappearance of mold growth in the building.
  
  Cross contamination of mold into other building areas can also result from an inadequate mold remediation plan that does not include proper dust and debris containment.
  
  See MOLD CLEANUP AREA CROSS CONTAMINATION
• INEFFECTIVE MOLD PRODUCTS that can cause unnecessary expense or that are ineffective in treating or preventing mold contamination
• MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE - home: Correct the Causes of Mold and Prevent Indoor Mold or other indoor environment problems
• MOLD PREVENTION: Avoiding Mold Problems in Buildings by Using Mold-resistant Construction Products & Practices
• MOLD RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION - construction practices to mold-proof a building
• Mold Action Guide after Flooding: How to Minimize Mold Damage After a Building Flood
• How to Prevent Mold: how to avoid mold growth in buildings: priorities, repairs, products
• HUMIDITY CONTROL & TARGETS INDOORS: How Low Should You Keep Indoor Humidity to Avoid a Mold Problem
• IAQ or ANTI-MOLD PRODUCTS - may be helpful
• MOLD PRODUCTS, INEFFECTIVE - after-flood "anti-mold" procedures that do not work or are unsafe - to help you avoid unnecessary expense in dealing with mold after a building flood.
• MOLD PROOF DRYWALL - really?
• MOLD RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION some detailed suggestions from an expert on preventing mold growth indoors
• Ozone Warnings - Use of Ozone as a "mold" remedy is ineffective and may be dangerous.
• PRIORITIES for PREVENTING INDOOR MOLDContamination in Buildings - responding to leaks and floods
• Meruliporia incrassata - "Poria" the house eating fungus Meruliporia incrassata or perhaps a different mold, Serpula lacrymans - which one is the "house eating fungus" - what it house rotting mold like in a building and under the microscope

...

Continue reading at INADEQUATE MOLD REMEDIATION PLAN or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD - home
• MOLD CLEANUP - MISTAKES to AVOID

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FAILURE TO PREVENT FUTURE MOLD at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to MOLD CONTAMINATION & REMEDIATION

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