InspectAPedia ^®

How to Visually Inspect After Mold Cleanup InspectAPedia®  -     What are the visual characteristics of a successful mold cleanup job? How should things look to the eye after Mold Remediation? How does a building "pass" a clearance inspection?

Here we describe the visual characteristics of a successful mold cleanup job. This document is a chapter of the Mold Action Guide which provides an easy to understand step-by-step guide for dealing with toxic or allergenic indoor mold and other indoor contaminants: what to do about mold "mildew," moisture, in your house or office, building-related illness, involving your physician, treatment, sick building investigators, reduction of irritants, and special products to help clean buildings and air.

© Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Extensive, in-depth articles about mold and other indoor air quality concerns are organized at our Mold Information Center

What are the VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS of a Successful Mold Remediation Project

All suspect or mold-contaminated material, which cannot be cleaned, should have been removed. There should no demolition debris left in the building.

Areas where moldy surface coverings have been removed leaving exposed framing or other hard surfaces, such as remaining structural components, floors, and other surfaces should have been thoroughly cleaned, HEPA (High-efficiency particulate air filtering system) vacuumed, wiped, and sealed if a sealant was to be used. HEPA vacuuming is important since ordinary "shop vacuums" and most home vacuum cleaners will simply pass small mold spores right through the system, actually increasing the level of airborne mold.

Remediated areas should be free of visible mold. On previously infected structural members or surfaces, some remediators use fungicidal sealants as extra assurance against movement of remaining incidental spores and to reduce potential future moisture uptake in wood and thus future mold growth. I report the extent of such treatments if evidence of such is visible.

The most common mold cleanup mistakes we encounter are

• Failure to maintain a working dust containment system for the cleanup area during the procedure,
• Failure to actually clean up demolition dust and debris from every surface,
• Bringing in new building materials or actually beginning reconstruction of the building before a successful clearance inspection and test have been completed.

This last "error" means that either the clearance inspection and test are limited in assuring the success of the job or that some of the new work has to be removed to permit inspection and testing.

Share this Article      

...

Technical Reviewers & References

Search InspectAPedia

• Daniel Friedman - principal author/editor of the InspectAPedia^® Website
• InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also include a list of recommended books for the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
• Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
• Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

THE MOLD ACTION GUIDE
MOLD DOCTOR NEEDED?
MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE
DO IT YOURSELF MOLD CLEANUP
HOW TO FIND MOLD
MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE
MOLD KILLING GUIDE
FLOODS & MOLD CLEAN/PREVENT
MOLD REMEDIATION CLEARANCE INSPECTION
  CLEARANCE PROCEDURES
  ACCEPTABLE MOLD LEVEL
  VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS
  SUCCESSFUL MOLD TEST
AFTER THE MOLD CLEANUP
MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE
OTHER IAQ ISSUES

More Reading:
Cleaning Mistakes people make when cleaning-up moldy building materials and surfaces:

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

...

InspectAPedia® Home & Site Map - Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice: In-depth research & advice on diagnosing, testing, correcting, & preventing building defects & indoor environmental hazards. Unbiased information, no conflicts of interest.

The Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems

Use this simple, economical mold test kit by following our instructions on how to collect and mail mold samples to our lab

Environmental Inspection, Testing, & Diagnosis On-Site IAQ, Gas, Air Testing, Mold Investigation, Sick Building Diagnosis, Lab Services, & Remediation Plan Preparation - indoor air quality testing, problem source determination, supporting lab work, written remediation plan addressing removal of environmental and other hazards and prevention of their recurrence.

Building Inspection, Problem Diagnosis, Forensic Investigation & Testing, Repair Consulting

Contact Daniel Friedman for website content suggestions or for fee-paid consulting