Tips and Safety Precautions for Mold Remediation
Importance of Mold Remediation
a) Spores of mold are bad for health. It’s highly allergic even when it is dead.
b) Removing porous materials like carpet, sheetrock etc. from the house is essential because from them microbial growth cannot be properly cleaned.
c) For mold remediation Boric acid (borax) or hydrogen peroxide are most effective. Some people suffer from chemical sensitivities, so it is safe for them to use these chemicals, because they neither have odor or allergic materials. Although a minor portion of people have complained against boric acid saying that it does have chemical sensitivities.
d) While vacuuming might be thought of as a good option, yet it may for a time being rather do the otherwise- increase exposure to the mold spores. Ordinary vacuum bags can’t help much while you are trying to get rid of molds because they can pass through them easily and for hours or even days may remain suspended in the air. Vacuums with HEPA filter and micro-filtration vacuum bags are better and can reduce the exposure. Also it is recommended that you use central vacuums that vent outside.
e) For utilizing hot water extraction it is suggested that the carpet cleaning be done by trained professionals. One important thing after cleaning a carpet is that it must dry out in less than a day. Chemical cleaning can harm the carpet in another way, by attracting soil and other contaminants.
f) With or without a charcoal filter, a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) can be used to get rid of unwanted airborne contaminants, in addition to source removal and ventilation. It is insufficient to remove mold if only an air cleaner is depended upon.
Precautions for safety when Mold Remediation
1) When moldy materials are dried out, spores are easily released into the air. Mold damaged materials give more mold counts, typically 10 to 100 times higher than background levels. It is highly recommended that you take good care of your health during mold remediation. Facemask at any circumstances while mold remediation should be on your face, especially when working mold patches. You can use a not so expensive disposable face mask while working for small localized area. They are available in any local hardware stores. But in case you are working on a larger area, it is better that you use a full-face respirator with a HEPA filter, approved and disposable. You can buy them from any safety supply store.
2) Often some people make this mistake but it is highly suggested that you must not mix ammonia detergent with bleach for better results while mold remediation, because contrarily they can release very harmful chlorine gas.
3) Ventilating your work area with the help of bleach (Clorox) is a good option for safety. As a precaution open two opposite outside windows and doors. Airflow can be increased by a fan. The fan should be placed in such a way that it blows away the Clorox fumes through the doors and windows. Thus the breathing zone can be secured with safety.
4) Using a gasoline engine like pressure washer or a generator indoors can be dangerous because it can expose you and your family to carbon monoxide. So while mold remediation, it is better to keep them away.
5) Combustion problem in your home leaves you with moisture condensationa. on the walls and the windows. Therefore it is always crucial that the rooms have sufficient fresh air because without it fuel burning appliances like furnace, stove, water heater and fireplace also might cause problems. These appliances can be responsible for the shortage of fresh air and so can release dangerous gases like carbon monoxide. In order to prevent back drafting of air, a good ventilation system is essential so that fresh air can pass easily from outside to the inside of your house and then from inside to the outside. Inspecting fuel burning appliances annually can be a good precaution.
In some cases it is seen that indoor mold growth can’t be seen. Often mold grows in some places that lie usually hidden from our sight, like the backside of a dry wall, paneling, underside of carpets or pads, wallpaper, the top of ceiling tiles etc. Therefore it is difficult to inspect unseen mold hiding behind something because that means disturbing potential sites for mold growth. If you are thinking of doing it alone, then use protective equipments so that you don’t unknowingly throw your health into hazard. Or else you can consult an environmental professional, which is obviously a better option.