The Basic Steps of Mold Remediation (Removal)

Step 1 - Verify that the moisture source has been eliminated or repaired.

Step 2 - Detailed “Visual”, “Thermographic”, & “Moisture Meter” Inspection
(We’re looking for mold you see and the mold and moisture you can’t see with the naked eye.)

• A thorough inspection of the property includes determining the exact cause of the loss and verifies that repairs have been made to eliminate the source of water. (This inspection includes photo documentation AND a Thermographic investigation to find “HIDDEN MOISTURE” sources.)
• If a building smells musty you may have hidden mold.
• Or even if you can’t see it or smell it - Mold may be hidden in places such as the back side of dry wall, wallpaper, or paneling, the top side of ceiling tiles, the underside of carpets and pads, etc.
• After the visual and thermographic inspections we’ll use sophisticated moisture meters to document the moisture content of the structure / area. 

In the EXAMPLE above
The visual inspection showed nothing. BUT the thermographic inspection found HIDDEN MOISTURE from an upstairs shower leak. Further investigation found HIDDEN MOLD!

Step 3 - Containment   Our immediate concern is to contain the “mold effected area” to prevent “cross contamination” into other parts of the building. To help improve the containment we create negative pressure using specialized air filtration devices to prevent mold spores from spreading to unaffected areas. Plastic sheeting is used to outline the proposed work-zone and cover windows. These barriers are used to prevent the spread of mold to unaffected areas of the residence during the demolition portion of our work and to prevent infiltration of outside air into our work-zone. The barriers will remain in place until the Industrial Hygienist has determined that the indoor environment has been restored to normal, with respect to mold.

Step 4 - Recommend an indoor environmental professional
to sample & evaluate the mold problem.

 Depending on the size and severity of the mold we find during the inspections we may recommend that a “Certified Industrial Hygienist” take a series of “air samples” in order to determine the impact the mold growth has had on the indoor air quality of the residence.

 Air samples are also obtained from the outside air in order to serve as a comparison to the indoor samples. The air samples are then sent to a lab for evaluation to determine the quantity and type of mold in the acquired samples.

 “Based on the visual inspection and the results of the air sampling, the Certified Industrial Hygienist will prepare an “independent protocol” for the mold remediation. The protocol will specifically identify the location of containment barriers to outline the work-zone, list the structural materials and contents to be disposed of, and describe the extent and type of cleaning needed to properly remove the mold from the residence.”

Step 5 - Pack Out – All of the contents within the work zone will need to be cleaned, boxed, and wrapped prior to demolition. This is done to remove settled mold spores from the surface of the contents and allow us to inspect the contents so that all of the affected materials/contents are identified.

Step 6 - Demolition – This part of the process involves the removal of mold and water damaged materials like carpet, drywall, and cabinetry as outlined in the Industrial Hygienist’s protocol. Prior to removal, the visible mold growth is vacuumed in order to remove loose particles to prevent them from becoming airborne during demolition. All of these materials are sealed in plastic bags, double-bagged, and then sealed again before they are removed from the work-zone.

Step 7 - Cleaning – Once the demolition has been completed, the work zone must now be meticulously cleaned to remove any loose particulate like drywall dust, carpet fibers, and mold. This cleaning involves first HEPA vacuuming all of the remaining surfaces within the work-zone, then damp-wiping them to remove any remaining particles and then HEPA vacuumed again.

 

Step 8 - Clearance Testing – Once the remediation process has been completed, the Industrial Hygienist will then return to the residence in order to validate our efforts through visual inspection and additional air sampling. The visual inspection is conducted to insure we have complied with their protocol. The additional air sampling will determine if the indoor air quality of the residence has been returned to normal, with respect to mold. When the Industrial Hygienist approves the completion of the project, the homeowner can then proceed with reconstruction.

Step 9 - Final Reconstruction and Cleaning

Importance of Vacuuming

In this Picture we see the backing of a carpet. And the Obvious is that the dirt has sifted into it over time. This is due to two reasons, #1; we live in an environment which has a lot of dirt in the air, and #2; we live in a world where vacuuming does not take precedence over a family units daily lives. So what’s the solution? Education regarding the proper vacuuming techniques and having you carpet professionally cleaned per IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) standards.

Now on a carpet like the one in this photo, there is no carpet cleaner that can restore it in just one cleaning. It is at the point that it would take multiple restorative cleanings. To ovoid this circumstance, vacuum according to your homes level of traffic and have your carpet professionally cleaned with more frequency. 

IICRC Recommendations: 

Traffic Soil Rating	Carpet Owner/Maintainer		Professional Carpet Cleaner/Restorer
	Vacuuming	Spot Cleaning	Heavy-Use Area Cleaning	Restorative Cleaning
Light Soil	1x per week	Daily or as soon as spots are noticed	Traffic areas every 12 to 18 months	Every 2 years or per manufacturer warranty
Normal Soil (families with children, elderly)	1 to 2 x per week	Daily or as soon as spots are noticed	Traffic areas every 6 to 12 months	Annually
Heavy Soil (families with pets, smoking)	2 to 4 x per week	Daily or as soon as spots are noticed	Traffic areas every 3 to 6 months	Semi-annually (2x annually)
Extreme Conditions (large families, multiple pets)	Daily	Daily or as soon as spots are noticed	Traffic lanes every 2 to 3 months	Quarterly (4x annually)

Pet Spots

What should you do when your pet “goes on the carpet”?

First of all, if you have a pet that is prone to urinate on the carpet, take a quick walk through your home each day when you get home. The quicker you get to a pet stain the better.

Some technical tips on urine: When urine is first excreted, it is on the acid side of the pH scale and very easily removed. Within hours of being exposed to oxygen it turns to an alkaline pH. When this happens it will continue to increase in alkalinity to the point of becoming practically ammonia.  This explains the ammonia like odor. At this stage it dramatically affects the dye structure of the carpet.

To clean the urine spot: Mix 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts water and clean with a white terry towel. If you have a small extraction machine, it would be ideal to use it. DO NOT USE OVER THE COUNTER SPOT REMOVERS OR ALL PURPOSE CLEANERS ON URINE! YOU MAY SET THE SPOT PERMANENTLY! IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE REMOVING IT, CALL US. 602-242-1120

Professional Carpet Cleaning VS Do it your self

In light of our current economic situation, a lot of people are turning to the do it your self method carpet maintenance.  This is a good way to get into trouble if you are not experienced in the methods of carpet care. Most store machines are designed off of a shampoo method of cleaning which means that those residues every one is talking about is exactly what the do it your self person is putting into their carpet.  I know Why do you say that Ben? Its simple the Shampoo is designed to attract soil to its self so that when it dries the vacuum will recover the clumped soil.

For the Pro on the other hand and we are talking a person that has been into the business for more then three years will know that stuff needs to be rinsed out! This is why Hot water extraction is so important; it will then take the soil that has been broken up by the shampoo machine and Rinse and Recover, All the soil that was broken up.

Most professional carpet technicians will know what the carpet needs to Restore your carpet to its Almost new state. I know that people have said that I am this wizard with carpet, but the fact remains that even I have limited abilities to the care of your carpet.

  

 That’s all for now folks, so I hope to see you soon.

 Sincerely,

Ben  Faiss.

Carpet Pile Reversal

Pile reversal creates a permanent change in the carpet’s appearance and the visibility of the change depends on the nature of the carpet. These appearance changes are caused by the way light reflects off the tips and sides of the yarn as the pile lays in different directions. Sections of carpet may appear to have had water spilled on it or it may appear dirty. Common terms in the industry for pile reversal are pooling, shading and highlighting. Pile reversal is most distinguishable in smooth surfaced, densely constructed plush type carpets but can occur with any fiber. 

Exactly why pile reversal occurs is not known. What is observed is that pile reversal is usually found at turning or pivoting points in carpeted areas and when carpet is laid over an uneven subfloor. Pile reversal is not a defect from the manufacturing process or due to the materials used to produce the carpet. Once the condition has developed, it CANNOT be permanently removed.

It’s that time of year again……….

The Monsoon Season is upon us and your team at Arizona

Hydro-Pro just wants to remind everyone how important it is

to stay on top of the things that can help prevent damage;

keeping gutters free of debris for proper drainage, loosened

tiles and shingles need to be addressed & quickly trim any tree branches, near structures, that get damaged to prevent them from snapping off. 

In the unlikely event that a storm is excessively aggressive and damage does occur remember that Arizona Hydro-Pro is committed to mitigating that damage quickly and thoroughly. Our average response time for emergency service is 1 hour.

Your emergency service team is trained and up to date on the industry requirements and is EPA Lead Safe Certified so that no matter what property you need our help at; we are ready and able to help.

Sincerely,

Your Arizona Hydro-Pro Team