Mold remediation is a specialized service, a task meant to be performed by trained and experienced remediation technicians who have sufficient knowledge and experience in dealing with contaminants.

It's a fact of life that, when discovering mold, some property owners attempt to tackle the remediation on their own. Some do it because when they contact water damage professionals, they are told that the firm doesn't do mold work. Others do it because they don't see the value of a specialized service. They might reason, "It's just mold. I'll bleach it."

Professional mold workers know how to do it right. These professionals have the appropriate protective gear and equipment. Not only will these enable them to do the remediation effectively, but it will also let them do it without compromising their health.

Personal protective equipment

When it comes to the tools of the trade in mold remediation, personal protective equipment (PPE) is a must.

There are remediation activities that have the potential to disturb mold; when mold is disturbed, mold spores become airborne and in turn exacerbate respiratory exposure.

Mold activities that tend to disturb mold include the breaking apart of moldy porous material, the removal (either by stripping or peeling) of contaminated wallpaper, as well as the using of air movers or fans to dry items.

The main function of the PPE is to prevent remediators from inhaling or ingesting mold and mold spores; the PPE also enables them to avoid mold contact with the eyes or skin.

PPE is divided into three types: Skin and eye protection, respiratory protection and protective clothing.

Gloves and goggles are items used for skin and eye protection. The purpose of the gloves is not only to protect the skin from contact with mold, but also from strong cleaning solutions. Long gloves (those that extend to the middle of the forearm) are preferred. It is also recommended that the glove material should be appropriate for the kind of substance or chemical involved.

As for goggles, their purpose is to prevent the entry of mold spores in the eyes. They should be properly fitted and must not have open vent holes.

Meanwhile, respirators serve as the respiratory protection of mold remediators.

Personal protective clothing not only eliminates skin contact with mold and chemicals, it also prevents the transfer of mold and other contaminants to street clothing.

Health and safety are always top priority with mold work.

Necessary tools

There are many different kinds of equipment used in mold remediation.

The most common remediation equipment includes moisture meters, humidity gauges, humidistat, borescopes and heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system filters.

As the name suggests, moisture meters are used to measure levels of moisture in building materials after water damage. They are also used to monitor the moisture levels of damaged materials that are being dried.

Humidity gauges are designed to measure indoor humidity. On the other hand, the humidistat is a control device that is used with the HVAC system. It is connected to the system and adjusted so in the event that the humidity level increases above a certain point, the HVAC system will be switched on to decrease the humidity level below said point.

The borescope is a hand-held tool that enables the remediator to check potential mold growth in hard-to-reach areas such as the inside of walls and crawl spaces.

Before engaging in any mold work, make sure you have the proper training and necessary equipment — especially equipment designed to protect health.

Joe Akin graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, AL with a degree in nursing, and has since expanded his career to include working in multiple health care environments, specializing in education and training specifically for indoor air quality issues. Akin is currently working with Healthy Homes, Inc. (www.moldremoval.com) and concentrates on educating contractors and consumers alike about water damage, mold removal and remediation issues. He can be reached at Joe@moldremoval.com.