Why Does Air Quality Matter During Oak Ridge Mold Damage Remediation?

3/28/2023 (Permalink)

The right way to correct mold growth in your home is to trust in the experience of a professional remediation team like SERVPRO.

SERVPRO Technicians Have Experience Handling Oak Ridge Mold Infestations

The air quality in an Oak Ridge home with a mold infestation of any size matters. This is because mold spores can be airborne and travel to other areas of the property if disturbed, mainly through the cleaning process. SERVPRO technicians utilize different methods of air improvement applications to capture or port airborne spores off-site.

An Oak Ridge property with mold damage can have a large-scale issue if the problem is not adequately resolved. Mold growth is never something that will go away on its own if the environmental elements creating a hospitable home remain in place. SERVPRO technicians use their equipment to determine the size of the mold infestation and the reason for the colony growth. Frequently seen situations allowing mold to grow and spread include:

• Water damage, either sudden or long-term such as a slow leak
• Trapped moist air in crawlspaces, basements, or wall cavities
• Ignored visible mold colonies

How Does Mold Damage Spread?

SERVPRO technicians take special care to avoid cross-contamination of mold spores during the remediation process by such actions as:

• Applying barriers over doorways and vents
• Removal of undamaged items within the work-site
• Use of air scrubbers or negative air chambers as needed

Finding Mold Growth Behind the Scenes

It is easy to spot when mold damage grows openly on a surface. However, by the time a mold colony is visible, there may be a significant issue within wall cavities, under flooring, or behind wallpaper, to name just a few common areas it is found. Mold needs a moist, preferably dark environment to consume to sustain itself. The moisture can be a giveaway of the location of mold colonies. SERVPRO IICRC Certified technicians use various devices for water collection that show up as locations of blue on an infrared camera and assist in narrowing down the most likely spots to check. The technicians can open a tiny area to confirm the presence of mold and include it in the mold damage remediation service.

How Do Air Scrubbers Assist With Air Quality?

This piece of equipment is invaluable to SERVPRO technicians during any mitigation service where airborne particulate is an issue. During a mold damage cleanup, the air scrubbers run and capture airborne spores before they can float to another area within the home or hitch a ride on shoes or clothing. The maze of HEPA filtration captures and safely holds the spores for disposal. In some cases, the technicians use self-created tubing to create a vacuum effect that pulls air containing airborne spores into the tube and ports them outside the work-site through a window or doorway.  

Use of Antimicrobial Solutions

SERVPRO uses the highest quality and a host of EPA-registered cleaning agents for the surface cleaning to make the work-site inhospitable to mold spores, so they are not likely to germinate within the same spot. The use of sealants on studs and other areas further inhibits the issue's return as long as the property owner addresses the necessary repairs that created a moist environment.

SERVPRO of Loudon & Roane Counties at (865) 986-3015 brings professional mold damage remediation to local Oak Ridge properties. The technicians use the latest applications and equipment to make mold infestations a thing of the past.