Mold Remediation / Mold Removal

Questions about Mold Remediation, Mold Removal, Mold Clean Up, and Mold Restoration services in Baltimore Maryland and Washington DC, please select one of the links below:

• What is mold remediation?
• What makes mold grow?
• How does mold grow?
• How long does the mold removal process take?
• How do I know when professional mold removal is complete?
• Do I need to hire a mold remediation/removal expert to remove mold, or can I do it myself?
• What about companies that claim to test and remove mold?
• Are you qualified to do professional mold remediation?

What is mold remediation?

Mold remediation (removal): is the process of removal and/or clean up of mold from an indoor environment, such as a home or a business.

If a home or a business has serious mold damage, it is best to hire mold remediation/removal professionals as specialized equipment and methods may be required to remove the mold completely.

Please call us at the number on the top of the page for mold removal and removal services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Back to top

What makes mold grow?

Mold enters your home as tiny spores. The spores need moisture to begin growing, digesting, and destroying. Molds can grow on almost any surface, including;

• Wood
• Ceiling tiles
• Wallpaper
• Paints
• Carpet
• Sheet rock
• Insulation

The mold grows best when there is lots of moisture from a leaky roof, high humidity, or flood. There is no way to get rid of all molds and mold spores from your home. But you can control mold growth by keeping your home dry.

Back to top

How does mold grow?

Mold requires nutrients, water, oxygen and favorable temperatures to grow. Nutrients for mold are present in dead organic material such as wood, paper or fabrics; mold can also derive nutrients from some synthetic products such as paints and adhesives. Mold requires moisture, although some mold species can obtain that moisture from moist air when the relative humidity is above 70 per cent.

Many molds thrive at normal indoor temperatures; few if any molds are able to grow below 40 F or above 100 F. Outside this range molds may remain dormant or inactive; they may begin to grow again when the temperature is more favorable. Temperatures well above 100 F will kill mold and mold spores, but the exact temperature required to kill specific species is not well established.

Back to top

How long does the mold removal process take?

The time it takes for the mold removal process depends on many factors such as how much mold is present, where the mold is growing (behind walls, etc.), and the materials it grows on. Most mold removal (remediation) takes anywhere from 1 day to 5 days.

If you have any questions about the mold removal (remediation process), please call us at the number at the top of the page.

Back to top

How do I know when professional mold removal is complete?

There are two different ways to know when mold is removed.

1. Visual: You might see that all mold is gone is away, but hidden mold colonies and mold spores can linger in hidden places and in the air. So visual inspection is not the best way to insure complete removal.
2. Third party testing is usually the best way to test for complete mold removal verification.

Your mold removal company should not test as this is a conflict of interest and State Of Maryland residents be aware that there is a law that states that a mold removal company must have certain certifications and cannot test at the same time as the remediation. Please also beware that there are different kinds of testers ranging from home inspectors to industrial hygienists. Please ask your independent tester if their tests, in writing, will stand up in court.

Remember that you need to have a pre testing procedure (mold spore tests, etc.) , protocols (a list of how to remove the mold), and a clearance test after the mold removal to ensure that the mold spore count is at acceptable levels.

Back to top

Do I need to hire a mold remediation/removal expert to remove mold, or can I do it myself?

Good question. Actually anyone can remove mold from a home or a business as long as they understand that when you disturb mold (clean it, cut it out, etc.), you will distribute the mold spores through out the house, creating new mold issues.

The only way to correctly remove the mold is to build correctly a containment using negative pressure and using the correct personal protective equipment. You will also need to follow the IICRC S-520 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Mold Remediation, and hire an industrial hygienist to make sure that the mold is removed.

SI Restoration staff are certified in mold removal and mold remediation by the IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification). Please call us at the phone number above for mold remediation/removal services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Back to top

What about other companies that claim to test and remove mold?

Actually there are no problems in using a company that does both mold testing and mold removal and remediation until:

1. You are in front of a judge in lawsuit
2. You get ill from the mold because the company that did the testing didn’t do it correctly.

Although it makes sense (and may save you time) in the beginning using a company that does both testing and removing mold, what happens in the end may create situations that are critically worse.

Let us explain:

Imagine you are building a house and hire a contractor to build a house and they reassure you that they will test themselves after they build the house. After they build the house, they hand you a certificate that state s they looked over the house and they say the house is sound.

Would you trust them? I hope you wouldn’t because you could imagine that they would always say they did a great job. It’s the same when a judge hears a lawsuit and hears that a mold contractor certifies that he tested the mold effected areas and they are fine. Would you trust that company?

Back to top

Are you qualified to do professional mold remediation?

SI Restoration is certified through the Institute of Inspection For Cleaning And Restoration (IICRC).

For more information about SI Restoration and the mold removal, mold remediation, and other restoration services we provide, please call us at the number at the top of the page, 24/7 emergency service, or fill out our contact form. Servicing Maryland and the District of Columbia (Washington DC). Headquartered in Baltimore, MD.