What Should I Do When I Find A Small Area of Mold On A Water Loss?

The best solution is to just remediate mold immediately but sometimes that is not practical, but not taking proper precautions can create cross-contamination.

So what should I do when I find a small area of mold on a water loss?

Well, you have 3 options:

1. Contain the mold
2. Remove the mold
3. Or don’t allow direct air flow on the mold

Option 1: Contain the Mold

HOW TO:

Use self-adhesive plastic or even just plastic sheeting to cover the mold.

After applying the plastic over the mold, tape around the perimeter to complete the seal. This option can only be used when small areas are affected by mold. This prevents cross contamination until you have the time and resources to remediate the mold while allowing you to proceed with drying.

Option 2: Remove the Mold

HOW TO:

Use proper mold remediation processes to remove the mold before drying. Once removed you can proceed normally with drying. Since mold has to be removed at some point anyway, if you have the time and resources to remove the mold immediately it is best to do so.

Option 3: No Direct Air Flow On the Mold

HOW TO:

This is the least effective option for both drying and containment, however when there are large areas of contamination this may be your only solution until proper remediation can be effected. This option requires that you primarily use heat and or dehumidification to dry, with no air flowing directly at the moldy area.

Conclusion

So there you have it! If you find a small area of mold on a water loss, you can easily take care of it!

Want to get IICRC certified to remediate mold? Come to our next IICRC AMRT class HERE!