Steps towards Mold Removal In Case of Water Damage

Floods, pipe leakage and other forms of water damage can lead to the growth of mold in basements, attics as well as other water damaged area. Mold removal is very important for the health of people living in the house as well as for protecting the house. Often people suffer from mold allergies. People who suffer from mold allergies should ideally never undertake mold removal on their own.

Mold removal usually follows a four-fold method, containing the mold, killing the mold, removing the dead mold and protecting the cleaned area against any further mold infestations. Before attempting mold renewal, you should be aware of the type of mold contaminating your house. While attempting mold removal you should wear respirators, masks and gloves. The following steps should be undertaken for mold removal:

1) Locate all water sources that could cause molds- Water damage due to leaking roofs and pipes as well as high indoor humidity can cause molds. Such piper and leaks must be located and fixed.

2) Locate all molds and clean them- Molds are often hidden in ceiling cavities and internal walls, a hidden moisture meter should be used to detect molds. Molds that are easily visible can be wiped off with proper chemicals. People often use bleach but bleach is not an effective permanent mold removal. Different kinds of mold require different kinds of chemical solution. Painting over molds will not help mold removal, as paint is too mild to kill mold. Clean dead molds

3) Clean dead molds- It is not enough to kill mold by sprayings and fogging, the dead mold must be removed as well since it can also prove to be harmful to individuals. Surfaces with dead mold should be scrubbed and cleaned thoroughly with a mold cleaner, laundry detergent and warm water. The area should be properly dried as well. Contaminated building materials and furniture must be thrown out.

4) Protecting the area- After cleaning the area, a protective fungicidal coating should be sprayed on the air. After the final drying, the area should be covered with a liquid plastic coating. The clear plastic coating will create a hard protective layer, which will protect it from future mold attacks.

To prevent re-appearance of mold it is important to regulate the moisture level of the room and fix all water leakages. Irrespective of the variety of mold affecting your house, mold needs moisture to grow. Complete mold removal is not possible therefore moisture control is the only way to prevent re-occurrence of mold. Dehumidifiers and air purifiers also play an important role in this process. Air purifiers can control airborne mold, which makes it very useful equipment after a general mold removal.

If you have to remove mold from movable objects like clothes or furniture, it would be best to do it outside your house. After removing mold, you should dry the object in the sun as that would help remove the stain as well as help remove the odor. One can carry out this procedure on their own or hire professionals for this purpose.