Water Damage Blog
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One of the basic problems found within the water restoration industry was its lack of regulation, which basically meant that anyone could offer water mitigation services without necessarily being qualified to do the job. All too often homeowners would hurriedly hire the first outfit to answer the phone without properly checking them out, only to end up with less than stellar results.
Likewise, water damage requires fast action, which usually leaves little time for luxuries like checking references or background information. The end result was usually a shot in the dark, coupled with the hope that you hired a knowledgeable and talented professional to work on your home.
Since 1972 however, the water restoration industry has done a remarkable job of policing itself with the formation of the Institute for Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC). This industry leader established standards, practices, and protocol for the industry as a whole, providing training and certification in all areas of water damage restoration, a strong measure of accountability for service providers, as well as peace of mind for homeowners who already have enough to deal with.
Recently, the IICRC changed its name to The Clean Trust, in an attempt to clarify its image and better define its role within the industry. An ad campaign to assist with the company branding will be rolled out over the course of the coming months here in the US with Australia to follow suite sometime in late 2012.
“The Clean Trust lets people know exactly what we do, in a business-like, technical, professional way. We train. We set the standards. We certify. We vouch for a technician’s ability and professionalism and thereby ease our customer’s worries and concerns,” said Paul Pearce, The Clean Trust Chairman “Although the acronym of the IICRC also had a meaning; it wasn’t as direct and easy to understand.”
While the name may be new, the overall mission remains unchanged. The Clean Trust will continue to offer training, education, and certification in all areas of the restoration industry, cleaning, restoration, and inspection. The Clean Trust will also continue to pursue the development of new standards and practices, with the goal of keeping current with the most up to date methods and procedures in water damage mitigation and restoration.
As of 2011, The Clean Trust represents more than 5700 certified companies, and some 54000 certified technicians in the United States and around the world. While it does not have its own school location, it does approve schools and instructors who meet The Clean Trust standards.
Over the last 39 years, consumers have trusted the IICRC certification symbol when choosing a water damage service provider. That tradition will continue even more effectively with the name change.
So from this point forward, we encourage you to contact your local provider certified and approved by The Clean Trust. New name, same mission, guaranteed results.
Water damage problems come in all sizes, from major flood damage covering entire neighborhoods to minor spills confined to a small area in a single room. In any case, it is important to clean up and repair the problem as soon as possible in order to avoid long term problems. If you overturn a drink on the carpet, the long term problem may be as minor as an unsightly stain that won’t completely go away. If the damage is more severe in nature, you may have a much more substantial problem.
 Water technician extracting surface water from floor There are a number of methods involved in the removal of water from your property. First and foremost, the source of the water must be located and blocked off. This prevents more water from coming into the damaged area, and it also allows you to determine exactly what kind of water you are dealing with. The type of water, levels of contaminants, etc, will determine exactly what kind of removal methods should be utilized.
First off, all excess water will need to be removed from the damaged area. If the problem is confined to a few inches of water or a soaked carpet, you can probably make do just fine with a wet-dry vacuum or shop vac style unit. Resembling a vacuum cleaner more than anything else, these can be used to rake across the damaged area to remove the water. You will be able to hear the water being sucked through the unit. Continue to “vacuum” the affected area until you no longer hear water being pulled up, and then continue for a few more sweeps just for good measure.
If you are dealing with a depth that is better measured in feet, you’ll need to use a gas powered submersible pump. Electrical pumps are out of the question for obvious reasons. These pumps are ideal for more severe spills, and can pull the excess water out of your home and channel it out and away from the structure.
Once the excess has been removed, do not make the mistake of assuming the job has been completed. Almost every affected surface will still be wet to the touch, having retained a good bit of moisture. The only way to remove the remaining moisture is to get air circulating. First open windows and doors, then bring in the big guns such as high velocity fans, air movers, blowers, and dehumidifiers. Basically anything that gets air moving will help the process along. It is vitally important that all surfaces be thoroughly dried out.
Remember, when water damage occurs, you only have a window of about 48-72 hours before long term damage is done, and the clock is ticking. Water removal and restoration should begin as soon as possible following the initial damage. The sooner you get started, the better your odds will be of successfully treating the spill and getting things back to normal for your home or business.
For best results, contact your local Clean Trust (previously IICRC) certified water remediation professional.
With housing prices at all time lows, it is definitely a buyer’s market. Many folks are finding themselves able to purchase their dream home for a song, and in some cases it almost appears too good to be true. Unfortunately, moving too fast may cause eager homebuyers to overlook serious problems.
 Areas to inspect in order to prevent mold A Michigan woman reported that she and her daughter developed serious respiratory issues not long after moving into their new home last year. Subsequent investigation revealed that the home was overrun with mold growth.
“I thought this was my dream home. It’s a ranch style house perfect for me and my daughter,” said Kim Danielo. “Two weeks after moving in we started having sinus headaches, sinus coughs, and we weren’t able to breathe.”
Kim finally figured out what was causing the problems when she noticed water leaking in the basement. Pulling up the rug she discovered mold growing. A search of the home turned up more mold. This had either been overlooked or ignored during the purchase process.
Kim and her daughter ended up sleeping in a tent for two weeks while her brother worked to basically gut the house and do some extensive repair and reconstruction.
Of course the most obvious mistake was that an inspection was never performed on the home prior to purchase. Inspections may not be required but they are always highly recommended as they go a long way towards identifying mold damage problems that need to be addressed before new occupants move in.
Mold is one of those problems that should always be addressed before moving into any home or business. Aside from the well documented health problems that always seem to accompany mold growth, mold also has an adverse effect on the actual structure of the home. The reason is simple; mold tends to break down the surface that it grows on, and is more than capable of causing significant damage to walls, flooring, pipes, etc. In fact, there are instances of entire structures and even whole city blocks being condemned and torn down for no other reason than out of control mold growth.
All too often, the health hazards posed by mold are highlighted, usually getting the lion’s share of the headlines, however the destructive power of mold should never be underestimated. By the same token, homeowners should know when to call in a professional.
While smaller growths may be successfully remediated, larger growths or major infestations should always be left to professional mold remediation companies. They have the equipment, training, and experience required to take care of the issue correctly, the first time. Mold is far too serious of a problem to have to deal with twice because of inferior service.
If you suspect mold problems in your home or business, call your local IICRC certified professional. They are standing by to handle all of your water damage and mold removal needs. All work I guaranteed, meaning you can have your life back to normal sooner rather than later.
 Mold indoors can be a huge health risk Mold is the single most common and nefarious byproduct of water damage. Usually appearing within a couple of days following a water damage event, mold establishes quickly, spreads rapidly, and can prove extremely difficult to remove. Growths that are removed incorrectly and without the correct protocols all too often reappear in a short amount of time.
Everyone knows that mold is nature’s decomposer and therefore exists outside in nature on plants and in dirt decomposing materials and returning their nutrients to the soil. Mold, however, in enclosed spaces can be dangerous to your health, as exposure to high concentrated levels of mold spores may cause health problems ranging from allergic reactions to neurological disorders and lung disease. It is therefore important to call in professional help to deal with the occurrences of mold in your home or business. Mold does not belong in buildings and should be removed as soon as it’s spotted.
The two most common questions I get asked when showing up to a mold job for an estimate are:
- Is this the black toxic mold? My answer to that is always the same. Mold appears in many colors (I’ve seen pink mold before), and there are thousands of species of black mold and some are toxic while some aren’t. If you want to know the exact kind of mold you will need to send a sample to a lab. Fortunately a mold remediation company needs to treat all molds the same and remove them from the building completely.
- Can you spray this mold and kill it or wipe it with something? Unfortunately once mold is growing on drywall it needs to be cut out and replaced under strict remediation conditions. According to the EPA dead mold may still cause allergic reactions in some people, so it is not enough to simply kill the mold, it must also be removed. Anyone that claims to be able to just spray it with something or wipe it down is not following the IICRC S520 standards of care which provide strict guidelines for mold remediation companies. I would serious question their credentials and training.
 Mold removal technicians removing mold contaminated building materials When mold removal professionals arrive at your home, they will be dressed to the nines, utilizing protective clothing, boots, gloves, and respirators designed to filter out and prevent inhalation of mold spores. Don’t panic when you see these suits; it does not necessarily mean that you are dealing with black or toxic mold. It’s just standard procedure for mold remediation professionals because they do this for a living and are continually exposed to various molds day in and day out. Prolonged exposure to any species of mold can be very bad for ones health, and the same applies to mold remediation technicians.
They may utilize different types of equipment, such as moisture meters, humidity gauges, and dehumidifiers to handle increased levels of moisture in the affected area. Thermographic or infrared cameras may also be used to double check moisture meter findings and look for other areas that may have previously gone unnoticed.
A professional mold removal company will do their best to keep the rest of your house clean and unaffected by the mold as well as the removal process, laying down plastic sheeting wherever they need to run their hoses and other remediation gear. If the mold affected area is accessible from the outside, then no other areas of your home should be affected.
Typically, the first step in the process is to build containment around the affected area in order to prevent mold spores from escaping while the work commences. Typically the containment is placed under negative pressure by using HEPA filtration devices which are ducted to the outside thus creating negative pressure in the containment and preventing mold spores from escaping into unaffected areas of the building.
All mold residue as well as any permeable or semi-permeable building materials damaged by mold (such as drywall, insulation etc) should be placed in impervious bags or closed containers while still in the containment area. Once the material is bagged, it can be disposed of through conventional means.
On day two (as well as the days that follow), the mold removal company will wipe down the entire affected area and beyond with an antimicrobial approved by the EPA and HEPA vacuum the affected areas. Typically every surface in the containment area will need to wiped down and HEPA vacuumed multiple times on multiple days in order to get it ready for a mold clearance test.
Of course the removal of mold isn’t enough to solve the problem. If the area involved is still moist or humid, mold will eventually return. The area must be appropriately treated in order to prevent that from happening. Once the mold growth is removed, the remaining building materials will need to be cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized. In addition, moisture and humidity levels will need to be brought down significantly.
Some mold remediation companies offer a guarantee that mold wont return to the area, which is complete garbage, because whenever water is reintroduced mold will grow again if it’s not dried out properly. The best a mold remediation company can do it get rid of the mold that’s there now, and get it to pass a mold clearance test (by an independent third party mold tester). Anything more than that is total fabrication and is a ruse to get you to use them instead of the next company. No-one can guarantee that mold wont return because they cant guarantee that you wont have water damage again.
In conclusion, once the source of the moisture has been eliminated and the mold infestation removed, the property should be revisited and then re-evaluated to ensure the mold removal and remediation process was successful. The premises should be free of any moldy smells or visible growth. On some occasions, subsequent treatment may be required.
Posted in Mold damage, mold removal advice
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Tagged black mold, get rid of mold, how to get rid of mold, mold containment, mold damage, mold mitigation, mold removal, mold technicians, negative air, removing mold, types of mold
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Mold is usually secondary damage caused by ineffective water damage mitigation. Any time that mold is discovered in a structure, it should be removed. It will not go away or get better on its own. The mold has to be removed and the area where it was growing properly treated to make sure it does not return.
Of course any time that mold is disturbed, it releases thousands of microscopic mold spores into the air, spores that, if inhaled, can cause various types of health issues, from allergic reactions such as runny nose, watery eyes, and skin irritation, to more serious issues such as neurological disorders or even lung disease.
 Mold containment as an engineering control There are two types of control measures to prevent mold exposure to workers, engineering controls and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Engineering controls are best because they drastically reduce the chance of exposure without (or in addition toPPE). Some examples of engineering controls include controlled demolition which is the removal of affected materials in a controlled way, mold containment as well as controlling air movement with the use of AFDs (air filtration devises). Engineering controls reduce the amount of mold spores and mold fragments that become airborne and reduce the amount of time they remain in the air, thus reducing worker exposure.
Mold containment is created by erecting chambers using 6 mil fire retardant polyethylene sheeting, used to separate areas of mold contamination from other unaffected areas of the home or building. Containment can be built in a few ways by using (apart from the polyethylene sheeting) pieces of wood or poles as support, tape and zippers. The contained area must be kept under a state of negative pressure relevant to the other rooms in order to help prevent contaminated air from spreading to previously unaffected areas of the home.
 Mold technician with required PPE PPE is an IICRC certified must for all mold remediation professionals. PPE is designed to protect the worker from exposure to mold spores. Gloves, preferably long ones, are required to protect the skin from contact with mold allergens, or worse, toxins, such as those found in black mold. They also protect from potential irritation from cleaning solutions. The gloves should be made from a heavy duty material such as neoprene, nitrile, polyurethane, or PVC.
Eye protection is also required when dealing with mold. Use properly fitted goggles or a full face respirator with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. The eyes provide one of the easiest access points for mold spores, so safety glasses or goggles with open vent holes are unacceptable.
Full suites with built-in boots and hoods are also required in order to prevent mold spores from clinging to clothing. In most cases the suit is put on outside of the containment and gloves are then taped to the sleeves of the suit to prevent any mold spores from entering the suit.
In smaller cases, the face may be protected by a simple filtration dust mask such as an N-95 which is easily purchased from Home Depot, but in many cases of advanced mold growth, a respirator is highly recommended. Due to the size of mold spores it is highly recommended to use full face respirators at all times. Half-face respirators (with eye protection) are much better at filtering out air-borne mold spores than N-95 face masks, while full-face respirators are even better than half-face respirators.
In the most severe cases, a full head covering air purifying respirator is used. These units utilize a forced air blower to move air through a HEPA filter. The filtered air is then supplied to a hood that covers the entire head. Positive pressure prevents unfiltered air from entering through gaps. Providers are trained on proper use of their respirators before beginning any remediation procedure. Respirators must be used in compliance with OSHA regulations.
Respirators and other PPE should be worn until remediators are outside the decontamination area. It must also be worn throughout the final stages of HEPA vacuuming and damp-wiping of the contained area, as well as any vacuum filter changes or cleanup of the HEPA vacuum.
Of course one of the primary goals in mold remediation is proper containment, designed to prevent or at least limit the release of mold spores into the air and allowing them to spread to other areas of the property. The containment method is a matter of professional choice, taking into account the size of the mold infestation as well as its location.
Posted in Mold damage, mold removal advice
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Tagged AFD, air filtration devices, black mold containment, containment, HEPA filter, mold containment, mold damage, mold engineering controls, mold eye protection, mold growth, mold PPE, mold respirators, mold suit, negative pressure
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