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This article describes the Characteristics of a Successful Mold Cleanup Project - what should the owner or mold test consultant check?

This article series forms the Mold Action Guide, 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.

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

© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website.

SUCCESSFUL MOLD TEST: How do We Define Successful Post-remediation Mold Test Laboratory Results

Our remediation job site photo (left) is very different from the immaculate remediation work shown at the top of this page. At left we see that a moldy crawl area was never actually entered by the remediation contractor's crew. Rather, someone stood at the crawl space entry and sprayed whatever s/he could reach from that point.

In the remediation area all moldy materials and debris should have been removed and surfaces cleaned. If we do not see those conditions, in our opinion, testing the building could be a waste of the client's money and the consultant's time as it's so likely that further cleaning is needed.

In the occupied areas of the building we should find in surface, dust, air, or other samples no more than incidental occurrence of the problem mold or allergens previously found at the property. There should be no significant presence of toxic or allergenic spores or other allergens indicating a remaining mold reservoir.

As one part of our post mold cleanup inspection, we tested airborne dust levels for mold at the mold remediation jobsite shown at left.

Air tests for mold after a mold cleanup job, while not a reliable overall indicator of building condition, should, if used for mold screening, show indoor mold levels at or below typical outdoor levels or at levels associated with various studies of "clean" buildings.

Warning: some investigators risk making erroneous conclusions if they attempt to compare directly levels or counts of indoor Penicillium/Aspergillus spore levels with outdoor Penicillium/Aspergillus spore levels in air samples.

With some exceptions, it is almost impossible to determine the species of these genera in an air sample. A previous report on a property I was asked to investigate showed that the indoor Penicillium/Aspergillus spore level was equal to the outdoor level and that both were at 8000 spores/M³ of air.

But a detailed investigation of the samples disclosed that the outdoor spore level was in fact a species of Penicillium while the indoor species was Aspergillus niger which, at this level I considered an indicator of incomplete cleaning traced, ultimately to incomplete demolition. In this case the original "count comparison" of indoor to outdoor Penicillium/Aspergillus spores was like comparing apples and oranges. It was nonsense.

U.S. EPA Guidance for Mold Clearance Inspection After a Mold Cleanup

As we introduced at CLEARANCE PROCEDURES, and quoting from the US EPA mold guidelines, we include this more general advice on the criteria for a mold cleanup job: [Our comments are in brackets]

How Do I Know When the Remediation or Cleanup is Finished?

• You must have completely fixed the water or moisture problem before the cleanup or remediation can be considered finished. [See MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE]
• You should have completed mold removal.  Visible mold and moldy odors should not be present.  Please note that mold may cause staining and cosmetic damage.  [See MOLD CLEANUP, VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS and see ACCEPTABLE MOLD LEVEL. Remember that no building is mold-free except perhaps inside of a manufacturing "clean room" - mold exists in air everywhere and small amounts of molds will be found in settled dust just about everywhere - don't set a target of "zero mold".]
• You should have revisited the site(s) shortly after cleanup and it should show no signs of water damage or mold growth.  
• People should have been able to occupy or re-occupy the area without health complaints or physical symptoms.  [See MOLD RELATED ILLNESS GUIDE.]
• Ultimately, this is a judgment call [and must include an understanding of the original location, extent, type, and cause of mold contamination that was to be removed as well as the chances of other mold contamination in the building that was not addressed]; there is no easy answer. If you have concerns or questions consult our Frequently Asked Questions database and ask a question [or Contact Us directly at InspectAPedia.com] if you don't find what you need.

Questions and Answers on Mold Clearance Inspections

Question: There is no visible exterior mold, the moisture levels are now fine. But interior walls are “elevated”. Does this constitute a “mold problem” if the ambient air inside the apartment is OK?

I have been reading your website as I try to educate myself on mold in homes. I am writing on behalf of my senior citizen parents, whose condo suffered a flood from a broken AC pipe in the apartment above in December of 2010.

The insurance companies really put my parents through the wringer, each blaming someone else (the unit owner above vs. the association) with my parents stuck in the middile, and after 6 weeks of being kicked out of their home because of this and getting nowhere, I finally stepped in as I felt my elderly parents were being run over.

The dry out process according to one air quality and two IICRC folks I spoke to was done substandard, so I insisted the insurance company pay for a mold inspection. The mold inspection report we now have however states that they cannot determine if the elevated mold spores they found within the walls (the ambient air was OK) were from a pre-existing condition or if it resulted from the flood.

I know the insurance company won’t budge because of course they will say it is pre-existing and not their problem. My parents are not able to pay for (or frankly, at their age, endure it at all) gutting the entire apartment to remove the drywall (which is what the report recommends).

I am mostly concerned about the risk, if any, to my parents, and my infant son who I take there to visit every day. There is no visible exterior mold, the moisture levels are now fine. But interior walls are “elevated”. Does this constitute a “mold problem” if the ambient air inside the apartment is OK? Is there anyone from your organization that can help me interpret this mold report? - M. and M.

Our mold investigation photo [above] is from a different site investigation, not the building discussed here.

Reply: "Elevated Mold Spores" in a wall, properly determined, means further, invasive inspection is probably justified

We're not sure what "elevated mold spores in the wall cavity" means without more detail. Having performed extensive tests of air and vacuum samples from wall cavities as a method to screen building walls for hidden mold, we found those methods very unreliable when the results were negative: that is, if the tests did not find mold it was no assurance that there was no problem mold inplace.

But conversely, if a test finds high levels of problem mold spores (for example Aspergillus sp. as the dominant particle other than insulation in a wall cavity sample), then further investigation is warranted.

Our photo (left) shows visible mold-suspect material on the cavity side of a drywall plug that we cut in a highly-suspect area where no mold was visible on the room side of the wall. Lab test confirmed the presence of several mold and yeast genera/species on this sample, and further investigation to determine the scope of damage was then performed.

In the case you describe, we'd want to inspect the building exterior and interior for details or conditions making leaks into the wall more or less likely so that we have an idea where to look further. We'd also want a history of building leaks and repairs. Based on that evidence we would probably decide to make one or more small 4" test openings into the most-suspect wall or ceiling cavities to look for water stains, visible mold, or other clues.

Should Insurance Companies Cover Additional Mold Discovered After the Mold Remediation Job?

The short answer to this is ... it depends. It depends on the insurance company's policies and on the insurance contract between the client and the insurer. Here are comments on my (DJF) experience with this question, based on actual cases.

A competent onsite inspection by an expert usually finds additional clues that help accurately diagnose a problem, so we don't yet know that the possible remaining mold problem your inspector cited is the only one or even the most important one. That said, here are some things to consider regarding your question:

if the elevated mold spores they found within the walls ... were from a pre-existing condition or if it resulted from the flood

First, the fact that a mold problem now appears to be present at all it suggests that the original inspection and definition of scope of work might have been inadequate. A second possibility would be a leak and mold growth that occurred after the insured event, provided enough time has elapsed.

A pre-cleanup inspection that defined the scope of work would usually include inspection (and some limited tests) to decide where the claim-related damage is and its scope and its cause.

Properly performed, in my OPINION, and in the hands of someone with experience, that inspection is comprehensive - examining the whole building for evidence of a history of leaks, chronic moisture or water troubles, and likely areas of water damage, precisely in order to avoid the very issue that you face now - a dispute about what parts of a mold problem are related to a specific, insurance-claim-related event.

Second, in my work with several large insurance companies, we had to confront a similar problem: I sometimes found evidence that there was pre-existing mold in an area that was also covered or affected by a claim-related event. For example, I inspected a basement after a burst pipe and water flood of the basement to more than a foot of depth, soaking wall cavities, insulation,etc. I found outside conditions likely to cause water entry from roof spillage at the foundation; inside I found that the floor trim and behind it the bottom of wood paneling was rotted - evidence of recurrent water entry over quite some time. We don't get trim rot and paneling rot in just a few weeks after a single event basement flood.

I argue and the companies with whom I worked agreed (or thought up on their own) what I considered a very reasonable and certainly moral position: If the the claim-related event caused mold-producing conditions that would have been expected to wet insulation and carpeting and produce problem mold growth (in this case on basment wall cavities and probably in the finished ceiling too), then wherever that event also overapped with pre-existing damage, the overlapped area would still have been included in loss coverage by the insurer.

Conversely, if I found water damage, rot, mold in an area that was not touched by the claim-related event, that area would normally be excluded from coverage by the insurer.

Even so, my advice to the building owner was to clean and repair all of the problem areas in the same job, even if that meant that the owner had to pick up the cost for additional work that fell outside of the claim. Here are the reasons for that advice:

• it is much less costly to have one expanded cleanup job than to have two independent clean up jobs
• addressing only the claim-related cleanup risks that a health problem or risk remains in the building
• addressing only the claim-related cleanup while leaving another mold reservoir in the building can prevent a succesful post mold remediation clearance inspection (depending on how well the remediator can contain and protect the remediation area from the other contaminated area)
• in some cases the continued presence of the non-remediated mold area basically let the remediator avoid being held accountable for their own work area and for their containment procedures
• similarly, failure to adequately identify and address sources of water entry or moisture traps that promote indoor mold means that the success of the entire cleanup job is left at risk - just hours after the cleaners leave a new leak could occur, wasting their effort.

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Technical Reviewers & References

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• 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 DOCTORS - ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE

MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE
DO IT YOURSELF MOLD CLEANUP
HOW TO FIND MOLD
MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE

MOLD KILLING GUIDE
MOLD LAB REPORTS
FLOODS & MOLD CLEAN/PREVENT
MOLD CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS
  CLEARANCE PROCEDURES
  MOLD CLEARANCE TIMING
  ACCEPTABLE MOLD LEVEL
  MOLD CLEANUP, VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS
  MOLD CLEARANCE TEST, SUCCESSFUL
MOLD CLEARANCE: FOLLOWUP STEPS
  MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE
OTHER IAQ ISSUES

• Mold Investigation and Mold Test Lab Reports: What A Valid, Useful Mold Investigation Report Should Include
  Mold Classes, Levels - Mold Hazard levels, Mold Spore Count Validity, Interpreting Mold Counts, and Classes of Mold
• "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.html
• See our laboratory report for definitions of dominant/significant particles, present particles, and incidental particles.

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
• Environmental Health & Investigation Bibliography - our technical library on indoor air quality inspection, testing, laboratory procedures, forensic microscopy, etc.
• Adkins and Adkins Dictionary of Roman Religion discusses Robigus, the Roman god of crop protection and the legendary progenitor of wheat rust fungus.
• Kansas State University, department of plant pathology, extension plant pathology web page on wheat rust fungus: see http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/path-ext/factSheets/Wheat/Wheat%20Leaf%20Rust.asp
• "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
• US EPA - Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building US EPA
• US EPA - Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo - en Espanol

Mold Contamination Testing, Cleanup, Prevention: references & products

• 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
• Aerobiology, Building Science, Microscopy, & Laboratory References, an extensive technical bibliography
• Allergens: what they look like in buildings
• Associations: Sick House, Sick Building, SBS - Air Quality, Government, Private Associations and Information Resources
• Atlas of Clinical Fungi, 2nd Ed., GS deHoog, J Guarro, J Gene, & MJ Figueras, Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, 2000, ISBN 90-70351-43-9 (you can buy this book at Amazon)
• Atlas of Mold Related Illness: Index of Symptoms and health, physical, neurological, psychological, and other complaint which people suspect may be mold or building-related.
• Atlas of Indoor Mold, Online Clinical Mold Atlas, Toxins, Pathogens, Allergens and Other Indoor Particles - Medical Health Effects of Mold (separate online document)
• Black Mold that is Harmless Photos of recognizable, usually harmless black mold on wood, bluestain, ceratocystis, ophistoma
• Building Floods: quick steps after a building flood or plumbing leak can prevent costly mold contamination
• Classes of Mold: what types of cosmetic, allergenic, or toxic mold are a problem? Can mold be cleaned-up successfully?
• Clinical Mold References - Detailed bibliography of mold reference texts
• "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
• "Disease Prevention Program for Certain Vegetable Crops," David B. Langston, Jr., Extension Plant Pathologist - Vegetables, University of Georgia (PDF document) original source: www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/209797.html
• "Disease Prevention in Home Vegetable Gardens," Patricia Donald, Department of Plant Microbiology and Pathology, Lewis Jett
  Department of Horticulture, University of Missouri Extension - extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6202
• "Management of Powdery Mildew, Leveillula taurica, in Greenhouse Peppers," Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, British Columbia - Original source: www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/peppermildew.htm
• Environmental Health & Investigation Bibliography - our own technical library on indoor air quality inspection, testing, laboratory procedures, forensic microscopy, etc.
• Fiberglass: Mold in Fiberglass Insulation© 2005 comments about a field study in process, & more about health hazards from fiberglass insulation - DJF
• Fifth Kingdom, Bryce Kendrick, ISBN13: 9781585100224, is available from the InspectAPedia online bookstore - we recommend the CD-ROM version of this book. This 3rd/edition is a compact but comprehensive encyclopedia of all things mycological. Every aspect of the fungi, from aflatoxin to zppspores, with an accessible blend of verve and wit. The 24 chapters are filled with up-to-date information of classification, yeast, lichens, spore dispersal, allergies, ecology, genetics, plant pathology, predatory fungi, biological control, mutualistic symbioses with animals and plants, fungi as food, food spoilage and mycotoxins.
• Fungi, Identifying Filamentous, A Clinical Laboratory Handbook, Guy St-Germain, Richard Summerbell, Star Publishing, 1996, ISBN 0-89863-177-7 (English) (buy at Amazon)
• Looking for Mold Procedure: what mold is often found where in buildings - simple technical presentation
• Meruliporia: the house eating fungus or "poria"
• Mold Action Guide: Step-by-Step Instructions, What to do about mold, mildew, and other indoor allergens
• MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE Photos of what mold looks like in buildings
• MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD Photos of NOT-mold material that is sometimes mistaken for mold
• MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX, Pathogens, Allergens and Other Indoor Particles - Medical Health Effects of Mold (separate online document)
• MOLD BY MICROSCOPE Mold under the microscope - photo identification of the most common indoor molds found in buildings
• Mold FAQs Answers to Most Questions about Indoor Mold, Mold Related Illness, Mold Cleanup, Mold Prevention
• US EPA: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building US EPA
• Mold spores in the Home - a Photo ID Library for detection and identification of mold allergens
• Mold Test Kits - How to Collect and Send Your Own Mold Sample to our mold testing lab or to any mold lab you wish
• Most Common Indoor Molds Found in Buildings, A Table of
• Mycology, Fundamentals of Diagnostic, Fran Fisher, Norma B. Cook, W.B. Saunders Co. 1998, ISBN 0-7216-5006-6 (buy this book at Amazon)
• Ozone Warnings - Use of Ozone as a "mold" remedy is ineffective and may be dangerous.
• Rot concerns in buildings-some building mold such as Meruliporia incrassata "Poria" risks serious rot and hidden structural damage
• US EPA: Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo - en Espanol

OTHER IAQ ISSUES: How To Find and Address Other Indoor Air or Indoor Environment Contaminants Besides Mold

Mold or allergens may not be the only or even the main indoor environmental contaminant. Don't let media attention to mold cause so much enviro-scare fear that other, possibly more urgent hazards go un-addressed.

• Fiberglass building insulation and HVAC duct work insulation hazards
• Sewage and Septic backup contamination in buildings: inspection, testing, remediation, & references to expert sources
• Other environmental risks: Asbestos, carbon monoxide, electromagnetic fields, environmental illness, fiberglass, MCS - multiple chemical sensitivity, toxic gases, etc
• Indoor Gas Sampling Plan for Residential Buildings lists a number of toxic indoor gases which we test for, depending on the building complaint and building conditions
• Ozone Warnings - Use of Ozone as a "mold" remedy is ineffective and may be dangerous.
• Pet control - if you can't say goodbye to your bird, cat, dog, guinea pig, hamster, tropical fish, then limit the areas they occupy and limit the airflow from that area to sleeping or other areas of the building, use allergenic bedding, eliminate wall-to-wall carpeting, improve housecleaning including use of a HEPA-rated vacuum cleaner. For more details see our article Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Information for Asthmatics and Indoor Air Quality
• Rodents, Mice, Squirrel Control - I find high levels of mouse and rodent dander, fecal dust, and urine-contaminated dust in some buildings, and high levels of these materials in building insulation in those locations. If you have a mouse problem, particularly if mice and their waste (fecals or urine) are contaminating the building HVAC or building insulation, may need both steps to clean up or remove infected materials and steps to stop an ongoing rodent problem. If squirrels are a problem, the cleanup needs to include closing off entry openings into the building. Get some help from a licensed pest control expert.
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