Cleaning and Removing Mold Damage in Lombard Homes

2/18/2018 (Permalink)

Mold can spread very quickly through your home once the right conditions exist. Contact SERVPRO for advice, remediation and preventative actions.

Defining SERVPRO's Mold Remediation Process

Every Lombard home has mold spores in the air and on many surfaces. These spores are usually inert, meaning they are no more of a threat to home and health than regular house dust. Only when the spores have the right environment of moisture, a food source, and the right temperature, do they expand and grow into a problem.
 
To combat Lombard mold damage, SERVPRO has developed a four-step method that is effective in every home. Depending on the amount of mold present, each step in the process may not be necessary, but for most tasks, containment, removal, cleaning and drying are basic requirements.
 
Establishing containment is our first step if there is even a remote chance our actions could spread the mold to unaffected parts of the home. We seal off all entry points, to include doors, windows, and even the heating and air vents with plastic sheeting. Inside this area, we create negative air pressure. It forces the air inside, along with any loose spores, outside of the home. For large, contaminated areas we also establish a decontamination room so we can leave our tools, coveralls, and protective gear inside to prevent spreading mold.
 
Now, we remove the mold from the surfaces. How we do this depends if the items are porous or non-porous. Carpets and fabrics like upholstery are porous, which require more effort than simply wiping them down with a sponge or cloth sprayed with an anti-fungal cleaning agent. SERVPRO technicians have to dispose of property with porous surfaces much more often than the non-porous items.
 
Items with non-porous surfaces include kitchen countertops and non-upholstered furniture. Usually, we can wipe the mold off by hand, but if the layer is very thick, we bring in commercial vacuums with HEPA filters. These are designed specifically to capture mold spores and can lift even a single one off of a surface.
 
Next, we allow any airborne spores to settle. Removal always stirs up the air and dust in the affected area. Once enough time has passed, we wipe down every surface and repeat until the air inside the area tests at normal levels.
 
Our last step is to dry the affected area to prevent new mold growth. We install dehumidifiers to remove moisture from the air and set up air movers to force warm air over any surfaces we previously damped or soaked with cleaning agents.
 
If you have or suspect there is mold in your home, contact SERVPRO of Carol Stream / East Bloomingdale today at (630) 830-6236. We are here to help, so call today with questions or to schedule a visit.

Click here for more information regarding Lombard.