Mildew & Mold Removal: When to Do it Yourself and When to Call a Professional

Mildew and mold removal is usually a topic reserved for those with some BIG basement problems... right? Wrong! Mold can grow anywhere in your house where there is moisture; bathrooms, window frames, walls – anywhere there is an excess of humidity and wetness. The most typical places to have a mold problem are basements and bathrooms but no room is really safe when faced with water damage and restoration. When homeowners are faced with mold problems, they need to know how to remediate mold, and whether or not to call in the professionals.

When to Call the Mold Remediation Crew
Calling in a mold remediation crew can be an expensive prospect but a necessary one. Mold and black mold are dangerous organic fungi that can pose serious health threats to people and animals. Generally they cause respiratory illnesses that are hard to treat; if your household needs a mold remediation expert then you will have to come up with the cash. (The damage caused may be covered by your home insurance.)

If you have small to moderate mold formation in your home, on drywall, insulation carpet padding, etc., you can probably handle the removal yourself. If the area is less than 10 square feet, you can easily and fairly cheaply turn your mold problem around. IF the affected area is bigger OR if the damage is caused by something that’s covered by insurance, it’s necessary to call a water damage and restoration crew.

The professionals may use any one of several methods:

• Vacuuming: Using a HEPA vacuum, the crew may wet-vac the area.
• Dry Ice Freeze Blasting: Using dry ice to instantly freeze mold and then carefully disposing of it.
• Damp Wipe (for non porous surfaces): Crews will use a chemical solution to wipe down surfaces to eliminate any trace of the mold.
• Enzyme Fog: A relatively new treatment, it is safer and usually less expensive, safe for humans and pets and doesn’t cause any damage to the home.
• The treatment your home receives will depend on the severity of the damage and the methods that the mold remediation company is currently using.

DIY Mold Removal
When faced with a smaller water damage or mold removal problem, it isn’t hard to defeat the culprit yourself, with the proper tools. 

First, be sure to wear the proper clothing and protection; rubber gloves and a facemask are necessary.  Be warned that the clothing you wear may have to be discarded depending on the severity of your problem. Try not to disturb the area at all as the mold spores will float around in the air when they are dry. Seal off any vents in the area or room to prevent spores from traveling. 

Next, mist down the area lightly to make sure the mold is damp and then clean the area with a mixture of bleach and water. The ratio of the bleach to water depends on damage and how long the area has been wet. If the area was dried out quickly, a mixture of ¼ C bleach per gallon of water should work, but you could use anywhere up to 1 ½ C of bleach per gallon if the problem is severe. Wipe down any surfaces that have been affected by the mold and let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. You will have to remove certain materials if they have been touched: drywall, insulation, and carpet underlay are all things that should be discarded if too wet or covered in mold.

Before you replace anything that has been damaged, cover the area loosely with plastic sheets and let it dry for at least 48 hours or until nothing is damp anymore.

Whether you hire a crew or do-it-yourself, the final step to mildew and mold removal is to fix the cause of the water damage to make sure it never happens again! The biggest thing to remember is just how dangerous black mold can be – the quicker you resolve it, the quicker you can breathe easy again.

Lilly Gordon is a freelance writer and web publisher. She is currently researching mildew and mold removal and carpet cleaning in Edmonton.