Have you ever looked at a broken appliance and thought to yourself "I bet that can be fixed." If so, you need to make a call to a repairs specialist. Most things can be repaired — you just have to call the right person. There are repair professionals who focus on electronics, others who focus on home components like roofs and gutters, and still others who make repairs to home appliances, exclusively. Help is a phone call away.
Even though someone else is doing the work, however, we do think it's important for you to know a bit about repairs and restoration. That's why we're providing helpful articles on this blog. Fix it to the max — we know you can!
We have all seen a little bit of mold in our bathroom showers before. No matter how clean you are, the dampness from a shower can create small mold spores around the tile that, luckily, can be easily wiped clean with a little bit of household cleaner and a sponge. While this type of household mold is something that's normal and easy to clean, there are other types of mold that are a bit more problematic and harder to get rid of.
If you start to notice that your mold is growing in areas like on the drywall and subflooring in your bathroom, basement, or anywhere else in your house, then it may be a bit out of control and require a stronger cleaner than some traditional household spray. Because mold spores can cause a host of health issues like allergies and respiratory issues, you may or may not want to DIY the project.
Is It Worth It to DIY?
Having the Do-It-Yourself badge when you are a homeowner may make you feel like a hundred bucks, especially when you post about it on Instagram, but when it comes to mold remediation, it might not be worth it. Why?
When mold gets out of control, it can also be harmful to your health. Also, while you may be able to scrape off some mold from your drywall, actually getting rid of the problem might be a bit trickier and require the help of some professionals.
What Does Professional Mold Remediation Entail?
There are two levels of mold remediation: Level 1 and Level 2. Level 1 remediation is typically done in a space that's smaller than 10 square feet while Level 2 remediation is done in a space that's typically anywhere from 10-30 square feet on average.
The remediation process itself will involve several steps including:
Step 1: Remove and Discard of Materials—The first step is to remove any mold-damaged materials, including draperies, carpeting, carpet pads, drywall, and any furniture. Once the team has removed all of the mold-infected materials, they should discard of them in an airtight and waterproof garbage bag so that the mold doesn't spread more.
Step 2: Clean Up—Once everything has been properly removed, it's time for them to get to work cleaning up the mold. All surfaces will need to be cleaned with a solution like bleach and water or vinegar and water as well as a wire brush. The wire brush and the solution will help to really clear up all of the spores.
If you have a Level 2 surface that you are cleaning, it will require you to use a HEPA vacuum, and then clean with a damp cloth/mop and a detergent.
Step 3: Inspect the Surfaces—When you are doing a DIY mold remediation, you may quickly glance over all of the surfaces and say that they are good to go. However, when you hire professional company they may actually do some further testing that they send off to a lab to make sure that there is no further mold growth and that they got everything that they needed to.