I Think I May Have Mold!  What Should I Do?

I Think I May Have Mold! What Should I Do?

If you think you have mold, but are not certain, call 703-897-7121! Valor Mold are Washington DC areas premier mold inspection, mold testing, and mold removal experts!

If you think you have mold, but are not certain, call 703-897-7121!  Valor Mold are Washington DC areas premier mold inspection, mold testing, and mold removal experts!
If you think you have mold, but are not certain, call 703-897-7121! Valor Mold are Washington DC areas premier mold inspection, mold testing, and mold removal experts!
If you think you may have mold, the first step is to contact Valor Mold so that we can schedule an appointment to:
  1. Assess the indoor air quality of your home,
  2. Determine why you could have mold,
  3. Find out what type of mold is growing, and
  4. Most importantly, provide you with a plan of action to have the mold removed.

The goal of mold remediation is to restore the fungal ecology of your home or business to healthy levels.

Why Mold Grows!

Why Mold Grows!
Why Mold Grows!

Mold grows if their is excessive moisture or water accumulation indoors.

While it is impossible to eliminate all molds and mold spores, controlling moisture can control indoor mold growth.

All molds share the characteristic of being able to grow without sunlight.

Mold only needs a viable seed (spore), a nutrient source, moisture, and the right temperature to proliferate.

This explains why mold infestation is often found in damp, dark, hidden spaces.

If left unchecked, molds gradually damage building materials and furnishings.

Eventually mold can cause structural damage to a wood framed building, weakening floors and walls as it feeds on moist wooden structural members.

The purpose of mold remediation is to correct the moisture problem and to remove moldy and contaminated materials to prevent human exposure that can impact health and further damage to building materials and furnishings.

Mold Inspecting & Testing Is Critical!

Mold Inspecting & Testing Is Critical!
Mold Inspecting & Testing Is Critical!

When a mold inspector arrives at your home or business, they will do a formal mold inspection and seek answers to the following questions:

  1. Does anyone have any negative health affects when in the building yet feel better when not in the building? Important to know because if occupants are suffering ill health, this could indicate that there are indoor air quality issues potentially caused by mold.
  2. What year was the property built? This question gives the inspector some idea of how old the the structure is and potential aging concerns that could lead to moisture issues.
  3. How long have you owned and or lived, worked in or been renting the house or building? If you have experienced ill health, the length of time in the building could give clues as to the extent of the air quality issues.
  4. Does the house have a sump pit and pump? Many homes have sump pits and pumps to prevent flooding, but it is important that they are functioning properly.
  5. Ever had any leaks such as dishwashers, water heaters etc? If the answer is yes, then this could provide further clues as to where the potential moisture issues originated from that caused the mold issues.
  6. Previous floods or sewer backups such as toilet overflows? Again, if the answer is yes, strong clue of the potential cause of mold concerns.
  7. Do the windows leak or sweat? If the windows leak or sweat this could indicate that there are moisture issues in the home causing mold.
  8. Are the windows original? If the windows were recently replaced and not installed properly, this could cause moisture issues leading to mold.
  9. What year was the roof last shingled? One of the most common causes of moisture in homes, is leaky roofs. If the home is older and the roof has not been inspected, this could be a potential source of the mold problem.
  10. Is the furnace high efficiency and is there a HRV heat recovery ventilation system in place? The HVAC system of the home is the lungs of the home. If it is not operating properly, the air quality could be poor.
  11. Do the bathrooms have exhaust fans? Bathrooms create significant amounts of moisture in the home. If there are no exhaust fans, this could be a significant source of moisture potentially leading to mold issues.
  12. Are the fans vented to the outside environment or just into the attic? Fans vented into attics is a common construction flaw that leads to mold problems in properties.
  13. Is the dryer vented outside? Dryers should be vented outside, if not, this will create significant moisture issues.
  14. Have any upgrades to the exterior been done within the past ten years? Important question because the potential moisture problems could have been caused by poor construction practices during the upgrade.
  15. Major upgrades to the interior? This is another important question because sometimes during interior renovations mold is discovered but not properly cleaned up and can result in cross-contamination throughout the home.

Answers to these questions help the inspector assess how and where the potential moisture concerns are originating from.

Keep in mind, any mold remediation that occurs should only begin once the underlying moisture problems are fixed.

Reports on the area and the extent of contamination will be used to determine the scope of the mold remediation.

Testing before the beginning of a remediation process is a very important aid to understanding the mold types in the home and the remediation process.

Testing for mold after the remediation is completed is a vital step to ensure that your home or business has been thoroughly remediated and safe for you and your family.

Valor Mold uses Third Party Indoor Environmental Professionals for all of our Post Testing on all homes and businesses to provide our customers with peace of mind that the work we did restored the fungal ecology of their property to healthy levels.

The 8 Steps Of Mold Removal!

The 8 Steps Of Mold Removal!
The 8 Steps Of Mold Removal!

Our goal is to do the job right the first time, meaning we follow an eight step mold removal process:

  1. Assess The Cause of The Contamination.
  2. Identify the Species of the Mold.
  3. Scope of Work.
  4. Containment, Decontamination Chambers and Negative Air.
  5. Removal of the Mold.
  6. Odor Removal.
  7. Cleaning, HEPA Vacuuming and Air Scrubbing.
  8. Post Remediation Verification.

For a detailed explanation of our eight step process, please click here!

If You Are Mold Sensitized Valor Mold Can Help!

If You Are Mold Sensitized Valor Mold Can Help!
If You Are Mold Sensitized Valor Mold Can Help!

We specialize in helping mold sensitized individuals!

Guiding you every step of the way, our team explains the process for inspecting your home, taking necessary procedures to eliminate any mold found within your household and returning your home back to a safe and comfortable environment.

Valor Mold has removed mold from thousands of homes and business’s over the years and we have never failed a test on any home or commercial building that we have cleaned. We have a perfect 100% clean rate since we opened our doors. We are very proud of our record and encourage anyone to speak with the company that test behind us about our reputation.

The Environmental Process Of Mold Removal!

Water Mitigation

  1. Identification of the problem
  2. Repair of the problem

Containment Source Removal

  1. Isolation
  2. Negative Pressure
  3. Detailed Cleaning
  4. Post-Remediation Testing

Control of Transport Mechanisms

  1. Air Infiltration
  2. HVAC

Contents Decontamination

  1. Soft Goods
  2. Non Porous

Cleaning of Reservoirs

  1. Ceilings
  2. Walls
  3. Floors

Valor Mold Removal Work Photos!

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Got Mold Questions?

Got Mold Questions?
Got Mold Questions?
If you think you may have mold and have questions, please give us a call, 703-897-7121 or send us an e-mail. Our team has been serving the Washington, DC area since 2006. Peace of mind is just a phone call away. We look forward to serving you! 🙂

1 Comment

  • Thanks for explaining to me more about how mold grows and why it grows in certain locations. My girlfriend and I have been looking at properties in New York, and I think that it is important that we learn more about what kinds of red flags we should be looking for. Especially on the east coast, there is a lot of moisture, and we want to prevent mold from growing in our apartment. When we decide on an apartment, we will make sure to inspect places that are a little bit more damp, dark, and check underneath for hidden spaces that may possibly have any kind of mold. Thanks for all the help!

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