SERVPRO

Microbial Remediation
Mold spores exist everywhere in nature. Under certain circumstances they can propogate and become a problem. All that is needed is moisture and a food source such as paper backing on insulation, drywall, wood, dirt, layers of dust, etc. Mycotoxins are the part of the mold spore that can affect human health. There are three classifications for mold:

Any mold can be hazardous for people with sensitivities if it is a large enough quantity. The most toxic mold found is stachybotrys. When a water intrusion occurs and it is not dried out properly mold growth can begin.

Our technicians abide by IICRC guidelines for all microbial growth remediations.
Cost for inspections: $125 for a crawl space or attic - $85 for an interior. There may be additional charges for extra mileage/travel. Charges cover the physical inspection, photos, report, estimate and protocol. Procedures include the following:

Insulation present in any area (interior, attic, crawl space) with visible microbial growth needs to be removed to determine the extent of the affected area and allow proper remediation. Servpro technicians remove insulation from affected areas. Servpro does not install new insulation in crawl spaces or attics. We do refer to three reputable companies.

Containment is set up with visqueen (plastic sheeting) to seal off the entry to the area where work is being done. For an interior job it goes from ceiling to floor and is taped down so there is no air escaping the area. In a crawl space it closes off any opening to the upper floor/interior of the house. You cannot see mold spores and when you enter an area and begin working it is like opening a box of powder - spores poof and are circulated through the air. If the area is not contained it can contaminate the other areas of the house.

HEPA negative air is set up with HEPA filtered air scrubbers for interior areas. Air is drawn into the machine, passing through a series of HEPA filters to contain any spores. The air is then directed outside into the atmosphere. The air is continually being cleaned of spores and contaminates during the job.

Negative air for a crawl space or attic remediation is set up with fans which draw the contaminated air out of the area.

PPE is mostly disposable personal protective equipment designed to protect technicians while they are working. Tyvek suites, either yellow or white, with or without hoods, protective masks, respirators with filters- either full face or partial, boots, and gloves.

Removal of the mold is accomplished with HEPA filtered vacuuming, physical abrasion as needed, and the use of Sporicidin Enzyme Wash which removes the bio-film and residual mold. In worst case scenarios media blasting can be used to remove thick formulations
Sporicidin Biocide is an EPA registered biocide is applied to treat the area and acts as a short time preventative. (See Sporicidin.com for info) Customers can purchase a 12-month warranty for an additional $250 with use of this product in a crawl or interior. If a warranty is requested, pre and post tape lifts can be taken at the request of the customer to send to an independent lab for testing to verify the quality of the treated area.

EnviroShield is an optional final application that can be applied after remediation. It is a preventative barrier and comes with a transferable lifetime limited warranty direct from the manufacturer at no extra charge. Prior to the Enviroshield application Sporicidin does need to be sprayed and allowed to dry. Surfaces have to be at 20% or lower in moisture content before this can be applied. This is checked using moisture reading equipment. A tape lift can be done before and after application and sent to an independent lab for analysis upon request.

MDF-500 Fogging is used where physical access to all affected areas is not possible. This product was formulated for the U.S. Government and is extremely effective.

Vapor barrier is necessary for the floor of all crawl spaces to keep moisture from rising up from the ground. After a remediation the vapor barrier is contaminated so it is removed and disposed of it. When the final application is done new 6-mil black visqueen is put down by Servpro Technicians.

Documentation is put together in a customized binder for the customer. It contains photos, inspection report, estimate, MSDS for all product used, billing copy, all testing done, and the warranty. This is delivered to the customer upon payment. Documentation is to remain with the treated structure as verification of the remediation and treatment.

A typical full remediation goes approximately 3-5 days depending on the amount of square footage. The first day is the containment, neg. air, and insulation removal. HEPA filtered vacuuming, physical abrasion and biocide spray. If it is a large area this can take 2 days. When removing insulation in a crawl space that alone can take an entire day. After the biocide is applied the area must dry for at least 24 hours before any optional application can be done. Post tape lifts are taken 48 hours after final applications. At the customer's request both pre and post tape lifts are sent to an independent lab for analysis.

Attic mold remediation is contingent upon weather conditions. Applications cannot be applied in freezing temperatures due to the fact that they will not penetrate the wood surface as needed. Outside temperatures will be a deciding factor in scheduling for all attic work. There can be exceptions provided Servpro is allowed to set up equipment to pump in warm air.

Testing is available for either tape lifts done on affected surfaces or air sampling of interior rooms. Tape lifts indicate the mold spore type and count from a given area in an attic, crawl space or interior surface. Air sampling indicates if there has been contamination of a living space in an interior. Testing of non-living spaces such as a crawl space or attic is not essential. If mold is visible it is simply a matter of removing it and treating the area. Air sampling is highly recommended for interior living spaces before and after remediation work, especially if there are health concerns or occupants with immune system deficiencies. Air sampling is not recommended for a crawl space due to the presence of soil contaminates and not necessary for the fact that it is not a living space.

For interior mold remediation work an air-tight containment is erected to prevent contamination of the rest of the structure.	The next step is to remove, double-bag, and dispose of all mold-affected materials. HEPA vacuuming and physical abrasion is applied to the open framing. A enzyme wash is applied with a final spraying of an EPA registered biocide.

Crawlspace mold before	Crawlspace mold after

Containment Erected for Interior Remediation

Remediation was performed and then the preventative coating, Enviroshield, was applied.
Mold In Crawl Space	Crawl Space Treated With Preventative Coating