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Restoring your property
to pre-loss condition using Mold Severity Indexing™
is our promise.
Mold remediation includes four primary steps, each with specific sub-steps to ensure understanding, safety, protocol and results.
The steps are:
SITE PREPARATION
Information Gathering, Building Inspection, Preliminary Determinations, and the Development of the Work Plan.
SITE INSPECTION
Protecting the Building, Contents Manipulation, Creating a Safe Environment and Controlling the Environment.
SOURCE REMOVAL
Eliminating Moisture Drivers, Removal of Loose Particulate, Cleaning through Physical Agitation.
RECURRENCE PREVENTION
Repairs to Building Code, Passive Moisture Controls, and Mechanical Moisture Controls.
Killing mold is not the goal of remediation. The goal of remediation is to produce an environment with visibly clean and dust free surfaces, where moisture driver have been eliminated in order to maintain the space as a Condition 1 environment. While antimicrobial products can be used to help accomplish this goal, the most important principle is "clean under control".
Download this comprehensive guide to selecting a remediation contractor for your home.
CONDITION
The first step in assessing your property is to determine "Condition". The term Condition is not the state of your property; but rather, it is a technical term that drives remediation procedures and results. There are three possible Conditions.
In simple terms, Conducive Conditions are defined as any variable contributing to the problem. In terms of mold, Conducive Conditions include variables like:
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Moisture - water damage, leaks, water intrusion, condensation, humidity, dew point, and moisture content
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Soil load - organic contamination supporting current/future mold growth
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Obstructions - debris, building materials and/or landscaping that restricts airflow, restricts drainage or that attracts moisture
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Structural Defects - issues pertaining to deteriorated or missing building materials, exterior grading, drainage, ventilation, moisture release, thermal bridging, insulation, air intrusion and foundation deformations
Once the Condition of an environment is determined, the next step is determining its Mold Severity Index™. An environment can have a single Mold Severity Index or multiple. Your Enviroguard Certified Firm will map out and share your unique Mold Severity Index™ with you upon the completion of your inspection.
MSI-1
PROBLEM
light and sporadic surface mold and no pigmentation staining
SOLUTION
requires a complete cleaning procedure. This is because once a Condition 3 environment exists, microscopic mold spores have proliferated the environment in addition to the visible growth.
MSI-2
PROBLEM
light and sporadic surface mold as well as sporadic pigmentation staining
SOLUTION
requires complete a stain removal and cleaning procedure. This is because in addition to the Condition 3 environment, embedded pigmentation staining inhibits surfaces from appearing as "pre-loss".
MSI-3
PROBLEM
heavier and consistent surface mold as well as sporadic pigmentation staining
SOLUTION
requires a dual REACT | EXTRACT™ cleaning procedure. The second reaction ensures that any remnant soil load within the surface is extract for a truly "visibly clean and dust free surface" per IICRC S-520.
MSI-4
PROBLEM
heavy and consistent surface mold as well as consistent pigmentation staining
SOLUTION
a triple REACT | EXTRACT™ cleaning procedure is recommended for producing a clean and restored surface that, besides some possible rot, appears "pre-loss" and is structurally sound.
MSI-5
PROBLEM
heavy, consistent mold growth and mold staining with potential wood rot
SOLUTION
MSI-5 solution
Oxypar LR is a hydrogen peroxide based cleaner that reacts with mold on contact. The reaction results in a visible agitating foam that identifies, lift and suspends the contaminant from the surface for thorough cleaning and extraction.
OxyPrep is an instant mold stain remover that when applied to the point of saturation, works within 10-30 seconds.
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While mold stain removal isn't mold remediation, it is budgetarily friendly and effective in producing a surface that appears to be restored. It should be known that mold stain removal does not eliminate spores, bio-film or soil load which may be conducive conditions that support future mold growth.
REACT | EXTRACT, the process of using OxyPrep as a pretreatment for stain removal followed by Oxypar LR as the reactant, create a neutralization reaction that not only agitates, lifts and suspends contamination for extraction but also leave the surface with a neutral pH to prevent against degradation of like wood but also corrosion of metal construction materials.
EPA registered Dutrion chlorine dioxide is available as a powder kit, making it simple and convenient to adjust to small and large jobs alike without waste.
Chlorine dioxide is an oxidative gas that has an incredible ability to destroy bio film and organic contaminants. In studies by the EPA, it has been shown to disintegrate mold spores under specific and controlled dwell times.
Recurrence Prevention
On average, we sell our homes every seven years. The goal of proper remediation and necessary moisture controls centers on three big picture items:
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Preserving your property’s value
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Eliminating non-disclosure liabilities
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Limiting price negotiations when it comes time to sell
Preventing the recurrence of moisture issues is sometimes solved with repairs and at other times, the proper installation of active and/or passive moisture controls. Talk with your Enviroguard Certified Firm about a permanent recurrence prevention strategy for your property.
