[sobro]

Repost - wasn't sure where this should go...

"

Howdy

I am considering buying a house (rental) that has a severe mold problem in the Kitchen and basement. During the summer there was a leak, the house was shut up and now the walls ceiling and ceiling joists (in the basement) are more than a little moldy. It hits you when you walk into the door.

Now, I am not crazy enough (or should I be?) to attack this on my own, but I am now getting quotes, etc. and it seems that there are different methods that the contractors use to attack this problem. For example, I've had one mention "enzyme" scrubbing all of the walls and joists and another say that he uses UV light, and so on.

My question is this: Is there a standard method to mold remediation, or do different contractors just use different methods with the end product being the same?

If I buy this house then I would like it to be safe for the tenants first and foremost. If a mold remediator can't guarantee that, then I'm just not interested.

Thanks for you input! "

 

[Gymschu]

I don't know what the industry standard is for mold remediation, but, the most effective method I ever saw was a dry ice remediation done on This Old House.

 

[jsheridan]

I did a job recently where Serv-Pro did the remediation. They are a national chain of franchises. They didn't get it all the first time and it re-bloomed. The job's general contractor had an allergy to mold and he could sense it. They came back and re-sampled the air and sure enough. They came back and retreated the property. As a landlord you could have exposure if a tenant has any mold related health issues, and Homey don't play anymore when it comes to mold. I would not skimp on price and I wouldn't hire anyone who doesn't have stellar credentials and a ton of reputable insurance. That's why I would recommend Serv-Pro. If anything happens you have a nationwide chain's credentials in your corner.

 

[princelake]

setting up a air tight containment with a "clean room" before the containment.
set up air scrubbers. in the containment and one outside of it
soak the moldy areas with water and rip out the moldy drywall far past where visible mold is.
scrub everything down the hole area with mold control or strong industrial cleaner.
if the basement is just studs and concrete you can even pressure wash it and set up drying equipment
vacuum everything with a hepa vac.
hepa vac your containment before you remove it
change air scrubber filters daily
suit up with recommended mask with filters
tape/ seal off all drains or where any form of standing water could potentially be (floor drains, sump holes,etc)
get an air quality test.

 

[TrailerParadise]

i had some in my kitchen and bathroom, i used undiluted white vinegar sprayed directly on the mold, scrubbed it with a trim brush, then sprayed it with water and wiped off the water with paper towels. Once the wood dried out, we painted it with Kilz2 mold-resistant primer before we hung insulation. It worked like a charm. Of course mine wasnt a huge infestation, and it was easily tackle-able by two people, but it worked great, and fast. Just needed some elbow grease. I know you said you arent doing it DIY, but thats how we got rid of it. Just dont use bleach, it doesnt work on black mold. it just erases the stain, the bacteria is still there, hidden.