Tips for Doing Mold Remediation in Texas
Article by David Selter
Whether you are hiring a mold remediation company or you are going to attempt mold removal on your own, here are some basics to keep in mind:
- Test the surfaces and air for mold contamination, or have someone do the mold testing for you. It’s important to know the types and quantity of mold you are dealing with to know if you actually have a problem. And if you do have high levels of mold, you need to know how severe it is. Knowledge is power and can save you money.
- If you are doing the removal yourself, make sure you are wearing a protective suit, gloves, and proper mask/respirator to protect yourself. Also make sure the area being remediated is “contained” to prevent the spread of the mold spores that are being disturbed. The containment needs to be large enough to allow working room for removing mold infected material, cleaning, HEPA vacuuming, and disinfecting all surfaces within the contained area. The containment also needs to be under negative air pressure to prevent mold spores from escaping the affected area and contaminating other parts of your home. Mold removal companies will have HEPA filtered negative air machines for this purpose. And don’t forget air duct cleaning. When the job is complete, have the air conditioning system cleaned by a Texas HVAC Licensed Company who uses the proper negative air pressure equipment to prevent spreading any mold spores that may be in the air ducts. And make sure they have experience in air duct cleaning on mold remediation jobs.
- Test the affected area again, or have it tested, after the work is completed but BEFORE YOU TAKE DOWN THE CONTAINMENT. This way, if there is still some contamination, and a few areas have to be recleaned, you don’t risk spreading the contamination to other areas.
And these are some of the things to avoid:
- Don’t hire the same company to perform the mold testing and the mold remediation. This is an inherent conflict of interest. In fact, in Texas it is not legal for the same company to test for mold and remediate the mold on the same job. You need an independent third party to verify that the remediation was done properly.
- Don’t hire a company who is not a Texas Licensed Mold Remediation Company. If an untrained contractor attempts to just tear out and replace mold infected materials, you run a very high risk that they will be spreading mold spores throughout your home or business. You may think your immediate problem is gone, but it will just become a much larger problem and more expensive to deal with. The Texas Mold Licensing Program was put in place to protect the consumer. Take advantage of it.
- And lastly, it is a mistake to try to save upholstered furniture that has been in an area that tests positive for mold. No amount of hepa vacuuming or cleaning can ensure that you have removed all the mold spores from upholstery. And every time someone sits on that piece of furniture in the future, a plum of mold spores may spew out and infect the areas that you worked so hard to clean up.
We hope these tips on mold remediation arm you with at least the basics so that you can make a more informed choice on how to proceed if you think you have a mold problem in your home.
Need more help? Contact DryMore Mold Removal today for your mold removal needs.
