SERVPRO Often Remediates Mold Infestations with Controlled Demolitions

9/13/2023 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO for Professional Mold Removal and Remediation in the South Lake Tahoe Area

Homeowners are usually concerned with disasters like floods or fires. The effects are apparent, and getting there usually draws much attention. The opposite is true with mold infestations. They tend to hide from attention and usually start in an out-of-the-way place like an attic or behind an appliance or wall.

SERVPRO restoration teams often start remediating South Lake Tahoe mold damage by finding out just how far it extends into the home. They use an air content meter to find the highest concentration of mold inside the home and then perform a visual inspection to find the origin point, if possible.
 
Since mold spores need a source of moisture to expand and grow, the origin point is often at the source of a leak. These are usually minor like a small leak in the roof or a pipe that needs to be tightened down or taped up. SERVPRO technicians can make these minor repairs, but major construction or plumbing issues need a general contractor.
 
Once we stop the leak and dry the moisture source, technicians remove the mold spores. In attics and wall spaces, they often start with a vacuum that has a HEPA filter inserted. These specialized filters are designed to remove and trap even a single spore off a surface like an attic floor or a wall frame. As small as a 0.3 micron can be captured in this system.
 
Attics can present a particular difficulty. If the fungi have grown into the insulation, technicians have to remove and replace it. Rolled insulation can easily be pulled up, but blown-in insulation requires using a larger vacuum to remove it all. In both cases, it is necessary to scrape the area clean, spray an anti-fungal agent, and let it dry before replacing the insulation.
 
For wall spaces, before engaging the vacuum, our specialists carefully remove the drywall panels to avoid spreading the mold. They spray an anti-fungal agent on them to kill the mold and then break up and bag the panels for disposal. If there is insulation in the walls, they follow the same procedure as in the attic before replacing the insulation and hanging new panels.
 
The goal of SERVPRO of Carson City / Douglas County / South Lake Tahoe / Reno East / Lyon & Storey Counties is to return you to your home as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have mold and need our services, call us at (775) 588-2355 today to schedule a visit.