Mold Remediation

Proper Mold Remediation techniques by an experienced Mold Remediation Contractor is extremely important because an improperly handled Mold Contamination can turn a small mold contamination into a large problem, often resulting in as much as ten times the cost of the original remediation. Suncoast is experienced in both the Mold Remediation and the resulting Restoration, with current projects in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, Tierra Verde, Gulf Beaches, St. Pete Beach, Madeira Beach and New Port Richey and successfully completed projects all over Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Manatee and Sarasota Counties.

Mold Testing is important in the Remediation process, however, it is just as important to find the source of moisture that initiated the problem and determine how to correct this prior to any remediation, Suncoast will often use Thermography or Infra Red Thermal Imaging to aid in moisture detection. Once the extent of a mold contamination and the cause of the contamination have been confirmed, containment is setup and the area is put under negative pressure, so that the contamination does not spread during the remediation process. With the containment in place, first the cause needs to be rectified and then a proper remediation needs to be performed by our certified professional staff. This includes working under negative air, wearing the proper protection, utilizing respirators, using HEPA filtration and following proper handling and disposal techniques.

• Q: Is Mold Dangerous?
• A: Different Molds will have different reactions for different people. Prolonged exposure can breakdown the body's ability to counteract adverse reactions and can have a greater ill effect in immunocompromised individuals. If there is mold or poor air quality in the work environment, it is not uncommon for someone who works in that environment on a regular basis to feel poorly during the week, but after going home for the weekend, they feel better towards the end of the weekend, only to start feeling bad as the work week starts. This is commonly known as Sick Building Syndrome.

Ascospores - Aspergillus / Penicillium-like - Basidiospores - Beltrania - Chaetomium - Chlamydospores - Cladosporium - Curvularia - Dematiaceous mold - Diplocladiella - Epicoccum - Hyphae - Mitospores / Hyphomycetes - Nigrospora - Pestilotia - Rusts - Smuts / Periconia / Myxomycete - Stachybotrys chartarum aka "Black Mold"

Mold Descriptions courtesy of Air Quality Environmental, Inc

• Q: Do I need a professional to remediate a mold problem?
• A: Any mold remediation needs to be performed under containment, with properly setup barriers and filtration equipment. The amount of mold visible is usually substantially less than what is not visible. Removing mold contaminated materials will release mold spores that can contaminate other areas if the remediation is performed without containment, potentially making a small problem a large problem.
• Q: What are the licensing requirements for the professional I hire?
• A: There are many certifications for mold remediation and most good professional will hold several certifications. In addition to the mold remediation certifications the professional will need to hold some form of contractor's license.

1. To do a residential mold remediation the contractor must have a General Contractor's License, Building Contractor's License, Residential Contractor's License or a Demolition Contractor's License.
2. For a commercial mold remediation in a building no greater than two stories the contractor must have a General Contractor's License, Building Contractor's License or a Demolition Contractor's License.
3. For a commercial mold remediation in a building greater than two stories the contractor must have a General Contractor's License or a Demolition Contractor's License.

These licensing requirements also apply to the type of building each contractor can work in for the restoration phase of the work and a demolition contractor cannot perform a restoration. In addition, an asbestos survey is generally required whenever any type of demolition is performed, including a mold remediation.

Here are a few of our most recent "Mold Remediation Projects"

A tornado touched down and destroyed the roofs of many of the buildings of this approximately 400 unit apartment complex in Opa-Locka, Florida. Subsequently, rain poured in and soon after there was a huge mold problem affecting about half of the units. We coordinated closely with the management of the complex to fix the problem in the most efficient manner. We started with remediating and restoring the most affected units and then moving tenants into those units so that their apartments could be repaired, this was a continual process with starting several units a day. We had separate crews for each stage of the work and once the first units were completed, we were moving people into restored units every day.

At this family's Tampa winter residence they did not realize that an exterior water drainage problem and damage to the exterior block wall was allowing moisture to infiltrate their ground floor condominium unit. A small moisture problem over an extended period of time allowed a large amount of mold growth. However, along with the remediation, they chose to use this opportunity to do some remodeling as well.

At this small St. Petersburg Beach condominium building, a roofing contractor left the roof exposed during a large thunder storm and water poured down the interior of the wall cavities, damaging three vertically arranged condominium units. The top unit had to be gutted to the metal framing. The lower units were not as damaged and the remediation required was less as we moved down the building to the ground floor.

Additional Resources for Information on Mold:

• A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home
• Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings
• Introduction to Molds
• Basic Mold Cleanup
• Ten Things You Should Know About Mold
• Asthma and Mold
• Floods/Flooding
• Health and Mold
• Homes and Mold
• Indoor Air Regulation and Mold
• Large Buildings and Mold
• Schools and Mold and Indoor Air Quality
• Molds in the Environment
• Health Effects and Symptoms Associated with Mold Exposure

• Allergic Reactions
• Asthma
• Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
• Iritant Effects
• Opportunistic Infections

• Mold Toxins (Mycotoxins)
• Toxic Molds
• Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds (mVOCs)
• Glucans or Fungal Cell Wall Components (also known as ß-(1-->3)-D- Glucans)
• Spores