Mold Damage in Northampton Homes Needs Expert Management

3/22/2023 (Permalink)

Mold damage in your Northampton home can be overwhelming. Contact SERVPRO at first sight of mold for an investigation and remediation efforts.

How SERVPRO Technicians Prevent Mold Damage from Spreading in Your Northampton Home

One of the most significant objectives of professional restorers during the restoration of mold damage in your Northampton home is to prevent it from spreading throughout the building. The mold spores can easily aerosolize during the cleaning process, and spread to unaffected areas.

SERVPRO technicians take steps to prevent this while mitigating the mold damage to your Northampton home. The biggest tool to avoid this cross-contamination is establishing a containment zone containing air-borne spores from migrating from the affected areas. However, containment is only a part of the solution. SERVPRO technicians use various engineering controls in combination with containment to increase the efficiency of the remediation process. 

The Role of Engineering Controls

The goal of these establishing controls is to locate the contamination and take steps to prevent the spores, fragments, and dust from leaving the area. The engineering controls may include-

• Source control systems like vacuums to remove visible mold
• Building containment systems and decontamination chambers
• Monitoring the humidity throughout the process 
• Controlling air movement within the structure
• Bagging contaminated material in thick heavy-gauge poly 

If required to address a mold situation, controlled demolition risks spreading the contamination. Hence, SERVPRO technicians take additional steps to prevent it from happening. We use various tools like sanders or saws attached to HEPA vacuum systems. Technicians also ensure that the contaminated building materials are removed carefully.  

SERVPRO technicians also construct a decontamination chamber to provide a transition space between the containment and surrounding clean areas. These chambers enter or exit the contaminated regions and prevent cross-contamination. 

SERVPRO technicians usually construct decontamination chambers using PVC pipes or wood studs covered with one or two layers of 6-mil polyethylene sheeting. "Z" or "T" Plastic flaps are installed on the entry and exit sides. 

Depending on the extent, degree, and type of mold damage, the decontamination chambers can be single, double, or three-staged. 

Airflow and Exchange Rates

SERVPRO technicians use pressure differentials to manage the airflow in your mold damaged Northampton home. While, in theory, both positive and negative air pressure can be used to control airflow, employing negative air pressure is more prevalent in the industry. 

Once the contaminated areas are isolated by erecting polyethylene barriers, they are negatively pressurized relative to the unaffected areas. SERVPRO technicians use an air filtration device (AFDs) equipped with HEPA filters to create negative pressure areas. Once a pressure differential is completed, digital manometers monitor the pressure. 

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) recommends the following regarding negative pressure areas-

• A pressure differential of ≥5 Pascals should be maintained to prevent dust and asbestos from leaving the contaminated area. 
• It is essential to have air exchanges between the areas at regular intervals. 
• Air exchanges from clean to contaminated areas dilute the mold concentrations and help to reduce worker exposure and facilitate the cleanup process. 
• The IICRC guidelines recommend four air changes per hour for proper containment, ventilation, and dilution. 

Successful mold remediation requires a lot of experience and proper tools. The IICRC certified SERVPRO technicians are always there to help and guide you. Just give us a call; We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster. 

You can reach SERVPRO of Hampshire County at (413) 324-1300.