Once mold contamination has been detected in a building by a certified inspector, it is time to schedule for immediate remediation and restoration of all the contaminated areas. It is imperative that the right remediation specialist be hired for this very detail-oriented and laborious job. In order for remediation to be performed correctly it requires a technician that adheres to appropriate techniques and protocols so that the building is safe for human occupancy. The standards established for the remediation process exist to ensure the safety of an indoor environment, as well as to provide resolution to possible mold litigation.
When employing a mold remediator, it is important to understand the minimum qualifications they should possess in order for quality work to be completed . Due to the problems and difficulty of determining a causal relationship between adverse health effects in response to mold exposure, good judgment on the part of the mold remediation technician is required to decide the appropriate remediation plan. Whether compensation for mold remediation is coming out of your pocket or from another responsible party, it is necessary that proper steps be taken to ensure that the remediation process does not make the problem worse. Attempting to clean mold without using the right equipment and setting up containment chambers will oftentimes cause the mold contamination to spread into other non-affected areas of the property, thus increasing the remediation scope of work. Some state legislators have adopted policies that deal specifically with remediation protocol; however, this is limited to only a few choice states.
The American Conference of Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has defined remediation as being “(a) removal of porous materials showing extensive microbial growth, (b) physical removal of surface microbial growth on nonporous materials to typical background levels, and (c) reduction of moisture to levels that do not support microbial growth.” As a consumer it is important to find a professional remediation company whose primary goal is the protection of the health of a building’s occupants. They should provide competitive pricing while also providing quality work. In the past 5 years, there have been several mold remediation standards, protocols, and guidelines established to protect customers. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published several guidelines entitled Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings (2001), which were followed by the New York City Department of Health in 2002. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC S520) guidelines also highlight the correct way to remove mold-contaminated materials from a home while being careful to avoid cross contamination. It is important when hiring a remediation specialist that they abide by such standards and protocol to ensure that quality work is performed.
When considering the course that mold remediation will take, one must realize that each property is site specific and what may be appropriate on one property may not be so for another. The remediation plan is dependent on some of the following: the type and concentration of mold present, where the mold contamination is located, the type of building being remediated, and the health concerns of its occupants. The minimum requirements of a remediation plan are to provide a solid method and system for the following: (a) removal and disposal of mold contaminated materials, (b) preventing contamination of adjacent spaces that are believed to be unaffected by the contamination, and (c) protecting the remediation workers and sensitive building occupants during the remediation process. These steps should also include the repairing of any possible leaks or water intrusions that may lead to re-contamination of a previously remediated building. The technicians must refer to general performance requirements like the IICRC S520 standard (IICRC, 2003) or those standards established by the US EPA (2001).
An experienced remediator should be able to make reasonable decisions about any unexpected situations that may arise once on site. They should also outline all areas that require remediation and separate these areas from those that are not yet contaminated. All workers to perform the remediation are protected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Results from the initial environmental assessment of the property by a certified mold inspector will help the remediator determine the extent of the mold contamination. This pre-remediation assessment is crucial to the success of the entire remediation plan. An experienced air quality specialist should conduct an initial visual inspection, air and/or surface samples, leak detection, and moisture readings with a digital moisture meter. Laboratory results and a report of the inspector’s findings will dictate the procedure of the mold remediation to follow, should remediation work be necessary.
The remediation process should parallel the following timeline of events. Decontamination chambers should be constructed with the appropriate isolation barriers put in place. All areas considered to be contaminated will be isolated in these erected chambers for the duration of the remediation process. This, as mentioned above, is done to avoid possible cross contamination during the entire remediation process. Often this process will require the removal of building materials, such as walls, ceiling, and flooring. Again, this may release more mold spores into the environment, so contaminant chambers are key. A negative air pressure system should then be put in place to determine the dispersion of air in the work area and whether a “push-pull” ventilation arrangement should be used. This should be coupled with a superior HEPA air filtration system to remove dangerous particulates (mold spores) circulating in the contaminated area. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicates the necessity of such an air system to prevent airborne bacteria, viruses, and mold spores from escaping into uncontaminated areas. Such a filtration system can eliminate contaminants as small as 0.3 microns. All contents within the contaminated areas are either cleaned using anti-fungal agents, disregarded, or left as-is if no action is necessary. All materials damaged by water or mold growth are removed, such as carpeting, flooring, insulation, dry wall, etc. If there are building abnormalities that resulted in the subsequent damage and mold growth, a professional engineer is brought in to determine what should be done to fix the problem. The technician should also mention the importance of post-remediation clearance testing and what a successful outcome would look like. For larger projects a more specialized remediation plan may be put in place due to the sheer complexity and number of individuals being affected by the process. To obtain an effective and positive outcome, it is important that the technician fully understand the scope of work prior to initiating the remediation.
As mentioned above, a key part of the remediation process is the post-remediation validation testing that takes place once decontamination is accomplished. This will determine whether the remediation was successful and whether further decontamination is in order. It will ensure that the area is now ready for human occupancy and possible reconstruction, if needed. This process warrants a visual assessment as well as surface and indoor air quality (IAQ) sampling that must be done to achieve a complete clearance of the area(s). What is referred to as a Certificate of Clearance is issued, which indicates that the area(s) in question is (are) safe for human occupancy. This clearance test is especially important for those involved in mold litigation, as it provides physical evidence of the space being habitable. Generally it is best to acquire the services of the original Indoor Environmental Professional that tested the indoor air quality initially. This way there is sense of continuity and you will know that the same inspection and testing protocol will be followed. This testing will determine whether bioaerosol levels were substantially reduced to less than outdoor levels, and that no toxigenic forms of mold are present. Again, this ensures that the remediation process was successful and an official clearance can be given. This should be considered quality control, to ensure that remediation is not done poorly for the sake of time. Hiring the right remediation specialist with the qualifications, certifications, and credentials can help you to avoid costly mistakes. It is at this point that occupants can begin to re-enter the premises and reconstruction can be done to restore the property to its pre-remediation state.
In summary, an Indoor Environmental Professional should be able to provide solid answers about the origin of the mold problem and what steps should be taken to eliminate the problem. They should be able to identify the type of mold present, the extent of mold contamination, and how this may explain health issues the buildings occupants are suffering from. The certified mold inspector should lay the framework for the mold remediation specialist to come in and properly fix the problem. A professional remediator should be able to remove the mold growth and water damage completely, so that human occupancy is again possible. It is important that the most experienced, certified and trained IEPs be selected to perform such jobs. This ensures that quality work is done the first time and subsequent inspection, testing, and remediation will not be necessary in the future.
