There are many situations in which restoration professionals may think that use of bleach as a cleaner/sanitizer is effective. Indeed, there are certain restoration projects, such as sewage backflows, floods, and even mold remediation, where individuals have been taught to use bleach as part of their restoration protocol. This history is supported by continuing references in publications put out by numerous organizations including the EPA, American Red Cross, Salvation Army and others. The use of bleach as a “disinfectant” seemed to… (read full answer)
Mold spores are all around us and are constantly landing on surfaces. If the surface is not properly protected and environmental conditions are not maintained, new mold growth will occur. To reduce the chance of mold growth after remediation we suggest the use of Biostatic Coatings, an EPA registered inhibitor. It is also important to maintain environmental control in the remediated area. Sustained humidity leads to new mold growth.
In order for a product to be EPA Registered, it has to go through a very intensive testing process to validate product performance and safety. While surface cleaners are not EPA registered, any product used to kill, prevent, or inhibit mold growth must be registered by the EPA. BioTek uses only EPA registered antimicrobial products.
For the protection of you and your family, it is important that you request a list of all chemistry being used on your property during remediation work. In addition, you should receive a copy of Material Safety Data Sheet for each product and the EPA registration number for any antimicrobial or mold inhibitor product.
Traditional mold remediation methods used sanding and abrasive methods to remove mold contamination. These methods could not remove all the contamination and did not eliminate the allergenic risk associated with mold exposure. To address these shortcomings, Oxidative Remediation protocols were developed over ten years ago to chemically remove mold contamination and to eliminate the allergenic risk. Oxidative chemistry is applied at high pressure to penetrate porous surfaces, cracks and crevices where mold hides. This process does not leave behind any byproducts or persistent chemicals than can also lead to exposure concerns for building occupants.
Give us a call and we can conduct an initial assessment for you. In some instances, we may recommend that you use an independent, third party inspector to further evaluate your situation and provide you with guidance on how you should proceed with moisture control and mold removal. In other situations, your problem may be obvious and in-depth evaluation may not be necessary. In those instances, we can provide you with recommendations and a proposal for taking care of the issue. In all instances, we welcome and encourage the use of an independent inspector to check behind us and certify that the work has been done correctly and completely. There are a number of qualified Industrial Hygienists and Certified Indoor Environmentalists that we can refer to you for these services.
Call us when you need us. We will be there. 866-630-7340
The amount of remediation and time required varies by situation, depending on size, complexity, and severity of the problem. Depending upon the location, type and extent of mold growth that you are seeing, you may be able to remove it yourself. In other situations, you may need to engage the services of a professional mold removal company. We often recommend that you engage an Industrial Hygienist or Certified Indoor environmentalist to help you determine when you need to bring in a mold remediation company or do the work yourself.
Ask for certifications. Find out how long they have been in business and how large and well established is the company. Ask for references and check with the Better Business Bureau. Discuss what type of remediation method they employ and find out what types of chemistry they will be using and whether they are safe. If you are comparing quotes, make sure both contractors are quoting the same amount of work and performing the same tasks.
Whether you can remain in the building during remediation depends on a number of factors. For example, if the area to be remediated is small and easily contained, you may be not need to vacate the building. In others, the amount of work to be done and the location of the mold will require that you vacate for some period of time. For all reputable mold removal companies, your protection is the first priority, and they will use air barriers, work space containment, and HEPA air scrubbers to prevent cross-contamination and protect non-contaminated areas during removal and clean-up.
According to the EPA, any area greater than ten square feet should be inspected by an Indoor Air Quality inspector. They can determine the scope and size of the problem. For small, isolated areas, mold remediation can be completed by the homeowner as long as personal protection precautions are observed. For larger areas, improper cleaning can spread mold contamination throughout your home making the problem significantly worse and more expensive to correct. Call an Indoor Air Quality inspector before you tackle any mold remediation job.
The best way to control mold growth is to control one of the three environmental factors that were mentioned in the previous question. As discussed below, humidity is the only factor that is easy for us to control.
Organic Material:
Our homes are virtually full of organic materials. From the wood that homes are typically built of, to the fabric on our furniture and in our clothing, to the paint that covers our walls, organic materials are everywhere. Obviously, it is not possible for us to remove all of these food sources, so we have to control one of the other two factors.
Temperature:
Even if it were economically feasible to keep our home or business temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, few people would want to spend all of their time in an environment that is that cold. So, it is not realistic to think that we can control mold growth by controlling temperature.
Humidity:
This leaves us with relative humidity as the one factor that we can generally control. If we can keep relative humidity below approximately 60% in our indoor environments, we can keep mold from growing. Since winter humidity levels are naturally below 60% most of the time, mold is a bigger problem during the warmer months of spring, summer and early fall.
Inside buildings:
It is easier to control mold indoors in air conditioned spaces than outside or in un-conditioned spaces. Because most homes and businesses today are air conditioned, and air conditioning systems dehumidify air as it is being cooled, mold does not typically occur these air conditioned spaces. Problems occur when 1) HVAC systems are not working properly 2) when the systems are the wrong size for the space being conditioned 3) when the HVAC systems have been turned off for several days or longer or 4) when the air-conditioner control is set to a high temperature to save energy or 5) when the space is not air-conditioned at all. In these instances, very light condensation occurs on surfaces when dew point is reached and mold begins to grow.
Crawlspaces:
In crawlspaces, it is critically important that you conduct periodic maintenance inspections in order to ensure that moisture intrusion issues are discovered as early as possible. There are a number of potential moisture sources in crawlspaces including ground moisture, water seeping through the foundation walls because of landscaping issues, absence of gutter systems or poorly designed gutter drainage, condensation from ductwork, leaks from plumbing etc., and early detection can often prevent significant and costly remediation efforts. In these situations, the moisture source must be removed or controlled, and in some cases, it may be necessary to install drainage systems, sump pumps and/or seal and dehumidify the crawlspace.
Moisture can sometimes be an issue in attics, but it is relatively rare in the south. It is a more common problem in the northern states. High humidity typically occurs in attics when 1) there is inadequate ventilation 2) bathroom or kitchen vents are improperly vented into the attic or out of soffit vents as opposed to through the roof 3) when there is a roof leak or plumbing leak or 4) when a HVAC condensation pan, pump or condensate line malfunctions. Removing or controlling the moisture source is necessary in these situations as well.
For many people, mold is an allergen, and as a rule, the symptoms tend to be short term reactions like itchy eyes, sinus drainage, cough or chest congestion, aggravation of asthma, or in some cases rashes or skin irritation. For most people, these symptoms begin to go away within hours or days after they leave the contaminated area. However for some, these symptoms may intensify and become more severe or chronic and other symptoms may develop, such as nose bleeds, fatigue, coughing blood, nausea, weight loss, rashes, memory loss, diarrhea, ear infections and many others. After prolonged exposure to certain types of mold, virtually anyone may become increasingly sensitive to the allergenic effects of mold exposure and may develop more severe or chronic symptoms.
Mold exposure seems to impact certain age groups and people with underlying health issues more than others. For example consider the partial list of susceptible people below:
Some species of indoor molds are described as “toxigenic” because they create toxic byproducts that may be linked to wide range of illnesses and disease including cancer, chronic fatigue, immune system depression, and lung disease. However, the toxigenic impact of mold is still debated among health professionals.
Regardless of the potential toxic effects of mold, healthcare professionals and Indoor Air Quality professionals agree that indoor mold contamination is a leading cause of poor indoor air quality and that it should not be ignored.
For more detailed discussion about the relationship between moist environments and illness, see to the World Health Organizations publication titled Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality – Dampness and Mold
In many situations, you will be able to remain in the home during remediation activities. Air barriers, work space containment, and HEPA air scrubbers protect non-contaminated areas during remediation work. In more extreme cases, it may be necessary to vacate the property. Your protection is paramount, therefore our technicians will advise the safest course of action.
Absolutely. EPA registration ensures product safety for your family, safety for the environment, and product effectiveness. Accordingly, all of our antimicrobial products are EPA Registered and have been tested ensure that all performance claims are approved and verified. This is a demanding, time consuming and costly process. It is illegal to apply an antimicrobial product if it does not have an EPA registration number.
For the protection of you and your family, it is important that you request a list of all chemistry being used on your property during remediation work. In addition, you should receive a copy of Material Safety Data Sheet for each product and the EPA registration number for any antimicrobial or mold inhibitor product.
YES. Our chemistry is backed by a thirty year product warranty.
With the application of our Biostatic mold inhibitors, the surface is protected to the extent of the 30 year product warranty against microbial growth. An important benefit of our mold inhibitor is it bonds permanently to surfaces and protects against damage or deterioration caused by microbial growth including bacteria, mold and algae. Our EPA Registration clearly states that BioStat is a durable, broad spectrum antimicrobial inhibitor. With BioTek, rest assured that the problem has been rectified permanently.
YES. We provide a one year workmanship warranty on every project. In addition, when we utilize EPA registered Biostat-500 as our mold inhibitor, it is warranted by the manufacturer to inhibit mold growth on treated and properly maintained surfaces for thirty years. This warranty is transferable, so if you sell your home or business, the warranty remains in effect for the new owners.
If you still have questions about your home or business, please contact us:
