Mold Removal- Bedford, NH
The Bedford house sat vacant for over four months. It was a foreclosure. The former owners skipped town. The bank was now getting around to inspecting it. Amongst other things wrong, the basement needed extensive mold removal services. It was a finished space that was used as a play area for the kids. Now it was contaminated with dangerous mold. Ceilings, walls, and floors of this once prestigious Bedford home were covered in mold. The bank wanted to sell the property, but needed mold removal services first.
Heavy rains and flooding during the spring had affected the property. The Bedford house had a sump pump, but it was disconnected. Water coming in the basement was not able to be pumped out. At some point in the spring the basement had flooded. This likely occurred more than once. The carpets and pad took on hundreds of gallons of ground water. The ground water had infiltrated the foundation causing extensive water damage. Because the house was vacant for an extended period of time the water damage was never mitigated. Excess water eventually seeped back into the foundation and ground. However, this left wet carpets and pad. The moisture from the flooring wicked up the sheet rock walls. The need for mold removal services was not long to follow.
The Bedford basement sat for an unknown about of time following the flood. This only exaggerated the need for mold removal. Building materials were left saturated. The relative humidity was well above where it should have been. The environment was perfect for mold growth.
Mold needs three things to grow: moisture, time, and a food source. This basement had all three. The food source of the mold in this case was the carpets, walls, and ceiling. The carpets and walls were directly affected by the flood waters. The ceilings were affected because of the extremely elevated moisture content in the basement. It was a drop ceiling consisting of very porous tiles. The acoustic ceiling tiles take on water from the humidity in the basement. They started to sag from the weight of the water. Many of them fell out of the metal grid suspending them in the air.
After seeing the mess, the bank contacted Soil-Away Cleaning & Restoration’s mold removal team. They had worked with Soil-Away in the past. They were confident in their mold remediation methods and processes. Soil-Away also performed mold removal services in Bedford, NH where the property was located. They were fully insured and IICRC certified. Soil-Away provided a quote which was accepted upon delivery.
Soil-Away’s mold removal crews arrived the following day to start the project. Containment and environmental controls were set up. Cross contamination is always a concern on mold remediation projects. Poly sheathing was used to block off parts of the house. HEPA air scrubbers were also utilized to capture airborne dust, debris, and mold spores. Employee safety is also a significant part of mold removal work. Proper personal protective equipment was worn by every technician. This included items such as full-body coveralls, gloves, and respirators.
Three days of demolition, cleaning, and drying and the Bedford mold removal project was completed. A 30-yard dumpster of construction debris was removed from the basement. It was an extensive project. The bank was relieved that the mold issue was eliminated. They hired an independent third party to perform both pre and post testing of the mold removal service. Everything passed. With the mold in the rear-view mirror, they could proceed to sell the foreclosed Bedford property.
