Mold Remediation Step 5: Restoration
After mold removal is complete and anti-microbial treatments have been applied to the affected area, our technicians can move on to the next phase of the mold remediation process: restoration.
Restoration after mold removal isn't just about making the damaged area look nice again. In many instances, mold can cause significant damage to a building. Comprehensive restoration ensures that your property gets back to its pre-mold condition for both looks and performance.
Why is Restoration Needed After Mold Removal?
There are a few reasons why restoration work is usually needed after mold treatment. First is the fact that mold growth is often closely related to flooding or water leaks. Because of this, your property could have experienced extensive damage that is linked to both the water and the mold.
Building materials like drywall are especially vulnerable to damage from these events. However, severe flooding can cause even more extensive structural problems, such as buckling floors or broken electrical wires.
In this case, restoration work can become a legitimate safety issue. Removing decayed or damaged building materials and replacing them with new ones ensures the structural stability of your home.
Full restoration after mold removal also takes steps to address the problem that caused the mold growth. It doesn't do you much good to renovate and rebuild, only to have the same problem come back a few months later. Mold technicians will work to resolve the leak, ventilation problem, or other issues that led to the initial outbreak.
Finally, the restoration process can restore the damaged area to its original appearance. This could involve installing new tile in a bathroom, or repainting the walls after replacing damaged drywall. Regardless of the specifics, the end goal is to help the area look like it never had a mold problem at all.
What Tools Are Used in the Restoration Process?
The tools that are used during the restoration process will vary depending on the type of work that needs to be done. Each situation is different - one home may need to have the carpets and drywall replaced, while another building might require extensive electrical repairs.
While the tools that are used for repair and restoration work may vary, many of the same precautions that were used during earlier stages of mold remediation will still be used. This may include:
- Plastic sheeting to isolate the area and cover HVAC ducts (especially if construction work will be taking place)
- Special cleaners and solvents to kill any newly discovered mold spores
- Protective equipment for our team
Property Restoration Process
There are several types of restoration work that can be done to fully restore a property after mold remediation. Here's a quick overview of the different work that might be needed.
Structural Restoration
Extreme cases of mold and water damage could actually damage the structural integrity of a building. In these circumstances, structural restoration could require replacing horizontal and vertical support beams in interior walls, drywall, floors and ceilings.
This level of structural restoration will usually take a few weeks to fully complete. For example, if you were to need such extensive restoration work for a small bathroom, it would require about two days for demolition, two days for rough carpentry, and at least a day each for plumbing and electrical rough-ins. Additional days would be required for tasks such as tile work, cabinetry, hanging and finishing drywall, and conducting inspections.
Content Restoration
Mold can also damage the contents of your building. Whether content restoration will be possible or not depends on how badly damaged an item was and the materials it is made of. For example, upholstered furniture is rarely salvageable after mold damage - but leather furniture can usually be restored, especially if it is cleaned before mold growth gets out of hand.
Our mold technicians can help you evaluate which of your building's contents can be restored, and which should simply be disposed of. Items that can be restored must be cleaned, dried, and disinfected to completely remove any mold spores that might lead to future growth.
HVAC Restoration
If there is reason to believe that mold spores entered the HVAC system, the HVAC and the air ducts should be cleaned to remove any contaminants that might be present. Cleaning and restoring the HVAC is an important step to keep mold spores from spreading throughout the building, which could easily cause new problems.
Air ducts are typically cleaned with a high-powered vacuum, as well as specialty tools to help dislodge any trapped dirt or mold. Anti-microbial chemicals may also need to be applied to affected surfaces.
After HVAC restoration, the air ducts and other components like the cooling coils and blower blades should be visibly clean.
Electrical and Plumbing Restoration
Mold can also damage electrical and plumbing systems. Quite often, a damaged plumbing system is part of the reason why mold growth occurred in the first place. Even when full-scale structural restoration isn't needed, restoration after mold removal will often require repairing or replacing damaged wiring, plumbing, and fixtures.
This is work that should always be left to a professional, as improper electrical work can be dangerous - electrical shocks can be deadly. And failing to fix the plumbing could result in additional leaks that cause mold growth to return!
Cosmetic Restoration
After all other necessary repairs have been completed, it's time for cosmetic restoration. The focus of this step is to restore the property's appearance to its pre-damaged condition. This includes repainting walls, installing new tile flooring, replacing fixtures, and applying other finishing touches as needed.
What are the Typical Outcomes of the Restoration Process?
When done right, restoration after mold remediation is designed to leave your building looking as good as new - the way it did before mold damage took place. By also taking steps to ensure that mold growth won't occur again in the future, you can enjoy your property to the fullest.
At this point, mold technicians are also able to dispose of moldy materials. All moldy materials that were removed from your property because they couldn't be restored must be safely disposed of to prevent future contamination.
The Potential Health Consequences of Mold Growth in Your Home
Mold removal and restoration work isn't just about helping your building look nice again. Long-term exposure to mold can cause significant health problems - particularly molds that produce mycotoxins. Some of these toxins are known carcinogens.
Even less harmful molds can trigger severe asthma, airway obstructions, headaches, skin rash, eye irritation, coughing, wheezing, and more. Failure to remove the mold can result in "sick building syndrome," where building occupants are subject to chronic illness that worsens over time. Complete mold remediation is essential to keep everyone healthy and well.
DIY Property Restoration: Is it Possible?
While you can attempt DIY property restoration and mold removal, this isn't recommended. DIY cleaning solutions are often less effective at killing mold, and for the untrained eye, it is surprisingly easy to miss mold spores. This can result in a situation where mold growth continually comes back because you are unable to clean it properly. In addition, cleaning without proper safety equipment could cause you to get sick.
Similarly, restoration work is generally better left to the professionals, particularly for more intensive tasks such as structural restoration or electrical repairs. Low-quality work can prove dangerous and increase the risk of future structural damage or mold outbreaks.
It's always better (and easier) to leave this work to the professionals. At Mold KO, our team uses the latest technology and equipment to provide thorough mold remediation and restoration work for your property. Their extensive training ensures can help you find the best solutions to get your home back to normal - and to keep mold from coming back.
Choose Mold KO For Your Mold Restoration Needs
If your property has suffered extensive mold damage, don't leave restoration up to chance. By turning the work over to the professionals at Mold KO, you can have confidence in our ability to both completely remove the mold and keep it from coming back so that all restoration work stands the test of time.
If you've spotted mold on your property, don't wait! Reach out to us today at 888-253-4551 to get started.
