No, it's microbial growth..
Microbial growth resulting from high humidity levels can occur in many areas throughout a property whether it’s a crawl space, bathroom, or any other organic material that has exposure to moisture. Exterior water, ground water and plumbing leaks are often the source of water and humidity, making it important to address more than just the symptom of microbial growth to prevent recurrence.
Property owners are often scared by the presence of microbial growth, however the only true way to determine whether the growth is actually mold and understand the full extent of allergenic and toxigenic properties of the growth is to test through an industrial hygienist. An industrial hygienist can test not only the spots that appear to have growth but also the indoor air quality. Often it’s worthwhile to test the air quality not only in the area where spores are visible but also in other living areas to determine the extent of contamination. Regardless of those results, microbial growth needs to be removed to prevent further contamination and structural damage. Therefore, we often recommend testing after the removal to ensure that our process was successful rather than testing before the remediation. This gives owners peace of mind knowing that any potentially harmful growth has been remediated to safe levels.
How do we get rid of it?
There are three keys to remediating microbial growth:
Identify the source
This step is often skipped because the focus is on removing the growth. However, identifying the source of the water and humidity is the key to ensuring that the growth doesn’t occur on its food source – organic materials in the property. Our team of experts are not only experts in remediating the growth, we act as investigators to help stop the growth from recurring and allowing property owners to treat more than just the symptoms. We work with a wide network of trusted partners to recommend how to fix the source, whether it’s crawl space encapsulation, fixing a plumbing leak or diverting exterior water.
Contain it
Prior to starting the removal process, it is imperative to seal off unaffected spaces to ensure that the growth does not spread to other areas of the property. Our team sets containment around the affected area so that when work begins, the spores cannot spread through the air, landing on previously unaffected surfaces. Additionally, this prevents the spread of growth through the air and ventilation systems.
Remove it
Once the source is identified, and the containment set up, the team begins the process to physically remove the growth. Often, property owners are optimistic that this is a step that they can complete themselves, by utilizing off the shelf bleach products. However, by utilizing a team of experts, experienced in identifying and in treating the growth through the scientific oxidation process, owners can ensure that the removal is done one time and less likely to recur in the area treated.
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