Removing and Preventing Mold Damage in Nashville

9/4/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Offers Nashville Property Owners Mold Remediation and Encapsulation as a Preventative Measure

Nashville homes deal with water problems every year, but they often miss what can be a follow-up disaster. Usually, dormant spores become active and proliferate through a home after they absorb enough moisture.
 
A large share of Nashville mold damage starts behind walls and under the feet of homeowners. SERVPRO restoration teams often find themselves pulling down walls and crawling under homes to find the source of the problem.
 
In cases like these, the mold usually grows over surfaces, but it can dig into drywall and even the framing behind it if not caught quickly. While drywall is easy and cheap to remove and replace, wall framing can be more difficult. Technicians often have to scrape mold from the surface, and if the spores went deep, they could sand down the surface to remove the infestation. Wood studs can also be sprayed with an antimildew product after removing the mold and hyphae.
 
To reduce the risk of mold growth and contamination, SERVPRO recommends encapsulation for crawlspaces exposed to water. Team members start by examining the concrete walls for leaks and seeps. If they find one even as small as a pinpoint, they use hydraulic cement to seal them against further water intrusion.
 
Other specialists level the dirt floor to prevent pooling and then cover it with heavy, polyethylene sheeting. If needed, they use wood framing to hold the sheets in place. Next, they secure the ends of the sheets to the now sealed walls with a polyurethane caulk or a specially designed, two-sided, foundation tape. Team members continue using polyethylene sheets to seal off the walls. They secure them with the same caulk and tape and also use more wood framing for additional support.
 
After completing encapsulation, specialists use a moisture meter to determine if the humidity levels are at an acceptable level. If needed, they can use a dehumidifier to remove water from the air until the level measures as normal. To keep the humidity down, team members can leave a container of desiccant material to continue absorbing moisture. In extreme conditions or environments, a permanent dehumidifier can be installed in the crawl space. Less moisture means less chance of mold growth. The encapsulation also limits food sources for mold spores to develop into large colonies.
 
Our goal at SERVPRO of Madison / Goodlettsville is to bring each home back to a clean condition. If you are still dealing with effects from the last storm or flood whether the result was mold damage or not, contact us at (615) 868-5324 today to begin the restoration process.

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