What Is Mold Remediation, and How Long Does It Take?

What does mold remediation mean?

Mold remediation is the full job of dealing with mold: stopping the water that feeds it, removing it without spreading it, and putting the area back in normal condition. The word gets used loosely, so here is how the common terms compare.

One more point on wording: the goal is removal, not only killing. The EPA notes that dead mold can still cause allergic reactions, and it does not recommend routine use of bleach or other biocides.

What are the steps of mold remediation?

The EPA guide for mold remediation lays out a sequence that most professional jobs follow. The details change with the size of the job, but the order rarely does.

1. Assess the problem. Find out how big the moldy area is, what materials are affected and what is wet. The EPA lists things to look for: materials wet for more than 48 hours, hidden water sources and moldy odors. Our mold inspection and testing covers this step, and how to test for mold in your house explains when sampling helps.
2. Fix the moisture source. A leak, condensation, a failed sump pump or high humidity. The EPA puts it simply: the key to mold control is moisture control. Without this step, mold comes back.
3. Contain the work area. The EPA guide describes limited containment for areas of about 10 to 100 square feet, using a single layer of plastic sheeting with vents and doors sealed, and full containment with double sheeting and an airlock for areas over 100 square feet. The contained area is kept under negative pressure with exhaust vented outside, so air flows in, not out.
4. Protect the workers. Respirators, gloves, eye protection and disposable coveralls, scaled to the size of the job.
5. Remove moldy porous materials. Moldy drywall, carpet, pad, ceiling tiles and insulation usually cannot be saved. The EPA guide calls for bagging debris in heavy plastic before it leaves the contained area.
6. Clean what stays. Hard surfaces such as framing, concrete and metal get cleaned, and HEPA vacuums are used for final cleanup once materials are dry.
7. Dry the structure. Framing and subfloor have to be dry before anything is closed up. The EPA notes moisture meters can be used to track drying.
8. Check the work. No visible mold, no moldy materials, no moldy odor, and the moisture problem is fixed. If air samples were taken, indoor results should look like outdoor results.
9. Rebuild. New insulation, drywall, trim, flooring and paint.

How long does mold remediation take?

There is no standard number of days, because the job is driven by the house, not a clock. A small area under a sink and a finished basement after a sump pump failure are different projects. These are the factors that set the timeline:

• How much material is affected. More square feet means more containment, more removal and more cleanup.
• Where it is. An open basement wall is faster than a ceiling cavity, an attic or a crawlspace.
• What caused it. A one-time leak that is already fixed moves faster than a moisture problem that needs a plumber or roofer first.
• Drying time. Framing, block walls and subfloor have to dry before anything is closed up. Wet weather and high humidity slow that down.
• Testing. If post-remediation samples are taken, lab turnaround becomes part of the schedule.
• The rebuild. Putting drywall, flooring and trim back is often the longest part, and it is longer when a second contractor has to be found and scheduled.

Ask for a written scope after the inspection that lists what will be removed, how the area will be contained and what the finished condition looks like, along with an expected schedule.

Can you do mold remediation yourself?

For small areas, often yes. The EPA says a homeowner can usually handle a moldy area of less than about 10 square feet, with gloves, eye protection and an N-95 respirator. Above that, the EPA points to its remediation guidance or a professional. Call for help sooner if:

• The mold came from sewage or flood water.
• Mold is inside walls, ceilings or HVAC ductwork.
• Someone in the home has asthma, allergies or a weakened immune system.
• You cannot find or fix the moisture source.

The EPA also says not to run an HVAC system you know or suspect is contaminated, and not to paint or caulk over moldy surfaces.

Where does mold remediation happen in Northern Virginia homes?

Most jobs start in the same handful of places, because that is where water sits. Many Fairfax and Loudoun homes have finished basements set partly below grade, block foundation walls and carpet laid on a concrete slab. After a heavy rain, a failed sump pump or a water heater leak, the bottom of the drywall and the carpet pad stay wet long enough for mold to start. Other common spots:

• Attics where a bathroom fan vents into the attic instead of outside
• Crawlspaces with no vapor barrier and poor drainage
• Walls and ceilings below bathrooms with a slow drain or supply leak
• Townhome and condo walls shared with a neighbor who had a leak

Humid Virginia summers keep these areas damp, which is why the EPA advice to keep indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally 30 to 50 percent, matters here.

What should you ask a mold remediation company?

Ask questions that show you how they think about the cause, the containment and the finish, not only the removal. Good questions include:

1. What do you think caused this, and who fixes the moisture source?
2. How big is the affected area, and how will you contain it?
3. Which materials come out, and which can be cleaned and kept?
4. How will you dry the structure, and how will you track it?
5. How will we know the job is finished? Will there be any testing afterward?
6. Who rebuilds the walls, floors and ceilings that come out, and when?
7. What documentation will I get for my records and my insurer?

Virginia does not currently require a state license for mold remediation, as far as we can confirm, so these answers are the best way to compare companies.

What should homeowners expect during remediation?

1. An inspection and moisture check before any demolition.
2. Plastic sheeting and air equipment around the work area. Keep doors to the area closed.
3. Material leaving in sealed bags. Drywall, carpet and insulation from the affected area.
4. Drying equipment running until the readings say dry.
5. Photos and notes. Useful for your records, a future home sale and your insurer. See does homeowners insurance cover mold and mold disclosure in Virginia.

What happens after mold remediation?

The walls, floors and ceilings that came out have to go back in. That is where a lot of homeowners get stuck: one company removes the mold and leaves, and you hunt for a contractor to close it up. We do both with one crew. Our mold remediation and rebuild and repair are done by the same people, and the company is owned by Curtis Berg, a Navy Seabees veteran with 42 years as a journeyman builder.

If your mold started with a leak or flood, the water work comes first. Read what water mitigation is. For basements in Northern Virginia, where block walls and slab floors stay damp, see mold in the basement.

Sources

• EPA: A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home
• EPA: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, Chapter 3
• EPA: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, Table 1 (water damage response)