There’s mold in your house. You need to get rid of it. You have heard of two terms, mold removal and mold remediation, sometimes used interchangeably. Is there a difference, and if so, which is the right approach to your mold problem? Read on to find answers from professionals.
David Clark, a Contractor, Home Improvement Expert, and CEO at Basement Guides.
Mold Remediation To Remove More Serious Damage
Try opting for removal only when you want to get rid of the mold from the home and there is no other damage.
Mold remediation is a lengthier process. You should get it when you want to remove the damaged construction materials especially if they are non-salvageable. It should be done by taking solid health precautions for the occupants and the contractor.
Dark spots on the walls, water damage, and mold odor are all signs that you need mold remediation. A professional will inspect your walls and remove all the damaged material.
Mold can even cause allergic reactions such as itchy eyes, runny noses, and congestion. So, it is important to remove or remediate.
Mold Remediation For Health And Safety
Mold Removal vs. Mold Remediation
The most significant distinction between mold removal and mold remediation is that removal is physically eliminating mold spores, whereas remediation entails lowering or increasing mold levels in your house. Mold removal is more difficult to do. Mold spores can be found practically anyplace because they are airborne. Remediation, on the other hand, will assist you to get back to a ‘normal’ mold level.
When Do You Need Mold Removal?
If your property is currently overrun by mold growth, the best possible solution is to have mold removal. You can hire a professional mold remover or naturally remove it yourself. However, it’s worth noting that mold removal is only the first step. You would still need to remediate mold to make your home safer.
When Do You Need Mold Remediation?
If your home has a mold outbreak, mold remediation is necessary. It’s also advisable if someone is exhibiting mold allergy symptoms such as wheezing or coughing. A professional is the best person to do the job. They have the necessary equipment to ensure that you have a natural mold level.
Andrew Barker, Founder of HomeownerCosts.
Jenna Granger, Founder of Drop By My House.
Short-term And Long-term Solutions
Mold removal is often a short-term solution focused on finding a specific target area on the property and removing all physical signs of mold. This does not address the root cause of the problem, and mold can often redevelop later on. On the other hand, mold remediation focuses on reducing the amount of mold on the property while putting together a preventative strategy to stop the spread of mold. Choose the one best suited to your needs based on these definitions.
Mold Remediation: The Safer Option
Mold removal involves the act of eliminating a colony of mold inside of a home. An example of this would be a window that is leaking and visible mold is starting to colonize around that window. Mold removal would take care of that specific mold colony.
Remediation is the act of not only removing the mold but also fixing the opportunity that allowed mold to grow in the first place. This involves making any necessary repairs so that mold doesn’t grow again in the same location, as well as removing the byproducts that mold creates, such as mold spores and mycotoxins.
Bacteria can be a concern as well, depending on the source of the water event. Essentially, remediation is much more all-encompassing when it comes to addressing indoor mold growth properly. It’s not just removing mold in a snapshot in time.
When it comes to which process best fits an individual’s needs, remediation is the way to go. The thorough process:
A) Makes sure that the mold problem inside the home doesn’t reoccur in the future.
B) Checks all the boxes for maintaining our health and well-being by removing mold and its byproducts once and for all.
The problem that currently exists in the remediation industry is that so many professionals are practicing mold removal instead of proper remediation. That leaves the door wide open for the mold to return later on and for other contaminants to remain in the home. Contamination left behind could allow any adverse health reactions associated with exposure to persist.
To create a healthy indoor environment with clean indoor air quality, proper remediation is the safest option to help ensure you and your family are safe.
Michael Rubino, President, and CEO of All American Restoration.
This is a crowdsourced article. Contributors’ statements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this website, other people, businesses, or other contributors.
