The Bay Area's Leader in Mold and Microbial Investigations

Remediation and Testing Questions

Is it possible to completely eliminate mold from the inside of a home?

NO. Mold is everywhere. Even if you could remove all of the mold from a contained area, normal mold spore levels would return as soon as the containment barriers were removed.  The goal of remediation is to fix the source of water, remove all mold growth, and clean the affected areas to a state of normal fungal ecology 

How do I know when the mold clean up is finished?

Pacific IAQ has three requirements for post-remediation verification; the building materials must be cleaned to a dust-free condition (if there is dust and debris, then there are still mold spores), the material must be dry (below 15% moisture content), and the laboratory analysis must indicate that the air and/or surface samples are reflective of normal fungal ecology.

How can I clean mold on hard surfaces?

Semi-porous and non-porous materials can be cleaned by HEPA vacuuming and damp-wiping with a mild surfactant solution (soap and water). A surfactant actually changes the physical properties of water and acts as a solvent or cleaner. Bleach has no surfactant properties and is not considered a cleaner. 

How can settled spores be removed from porous items?

If the porous items have not been wet, and there is no actual growth, they can generally be cleaned by HEPA vacuuming. Pacific IAQ recommends that these items are HEPA vacuumed three times at opposing 60° angles. Porous items with actual mold growth are usually not salvageable. 

Should I have my ducts cleaned?

The industry is evenly split on this topic. Some consultants recommend cleaning of the duct system after remediation of any mold in your home, others believe that the ducts should never be cleaned. Pacific IAQ falls somewhere in between. We believe that actual mold growth in rigid ducts can be successfully cleaned, but mold growth in the flexible ducts is not practical or possible. Pacific IAQ recommends that flexible ducting that has actual mold growth inside should be replaced.

What is containment?

Containment is nothing more than a system of barriers and other engineering controls designed to contain the mold contamination to the designated work area.  Contractor’s typically erect 6 mil poly sheeting (visquene) around the work area and then place the “containment” under as slight negative pressure with HEPA filtered air movers. While the mold spore concentration within an area may not be too high at the beginning of a project, it will quickly climb as moldy materials are disturbed.

Do I need to throw away my stuff?

In general, porous items with actual mold growth are not savable. This includes bedding, clothing, shoes, upholstered furniture and mattresses.  Porous materials with settled spores can usually be cleaned. Semi-porous and non-porous items can also be successfully cleaned, even if they have actual growth. Items that have a high monetary or sentimental value may be salvaged if the owner understands that the mold remediation may not be complete.  The owner of Pacific IAQ completed a remediation project on a 35 million dollar estate in Ross, California.

Who is qualified to do mold work?

Many states now have a certification requirement for mold remediation, California is not yet one of them. Since mold remediation usually involves the removal of building materials, certain cities like Santa Rosa are requiring building permits for mold work. Permits can only be obtained by home owners and licensed contractors. So the minimum qualifications for mold work would be a general contractor’s license.

Does the type of mold determine the clean up plan?

There is no “good” mold to have growing in your home. Mold growth is an indication of an even larger water problem. From an environmental consultant’s perspective, the type of mold is far less important than the extent of the growth and the cause of the moisture.  The microclimates where molds develop and grow are constantly changing because of temperature, air movement, and moisture content, and the mold species that is growing right now may not be the same species that is growing next week. 

How many air samples are necessary to find a mold problem?

Sometimes many… and sometimes none! If the mold is visible and you’re looking for a remediation protocol, there’s probably no need for sampling. If the problem is not so clear cut, it may take a few samples.There is no law or regulation regarding the number of samples a consultant should take.  The industry generally relies on the “professional judgment” of the consultant. The problem with this, of course, is that you will always find someone who’s “professional judgment” differs from your own.