Mold Solutions by Cowleys Before & After Photos

Recently, homeowners from West Orange, NJ, found themselves with a serious mold problem in their basement. Any time there is mold, there is some underlying water intrusion event that’s responsible for the problem. Here, the culprit was a slow pipe leak coming from the first-floor bathroom. Water had dripped onto the basement ceiling, and as often happens with slow pipe leaks hidden in wall voids, the leak went unnoticed for quite a while. The homeowners realized that they had a problem when part of the basement ceiling became so water-saturated that it collapsed from its own weight. Once the water problem came to light, the homeowners observed that portions of the basement sheetrock near the ceiling had developed mold growth. Mold will often form as the byproduct of some underlying water or high indoor humidity/moisture issue. 

The homeowners immediately had the pipe leak fixed, but they were left with a mold problem that needed to be treated. They contacted Mold Solutions by Cowleys and we were sent out to treat the mold.  We treated the mold-affected areas of the basement with two separate treatments. We first applied an EPA-registered antimicrobial called MAPS 1, which attacks mold on a cellular level and kills it instantly. We then scrubbed away the mold and applied MAPS 2, which is our patented sealant that encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders the mold non-allergenic and harmless. MAPS 2 is also moisture-sensitive and reactivates whenever it gets wet to prevent the return of mold.

With this basement mold successfully treated, all that was left for the homeowners was to have the removed sections of the sheetrock replaced, and their basement will be as good as new. It’s important for homeowners to periodically inspect all of the nonliving areas of the home like basements, crawl spaces, and attics to check for water stains and other signs of potential water or humidity problems that can trigger dangerous mold growth. Although sometimes it’s unavoidable, please don’t wait until part of your ceiling collapses! 

This homeowner in Lakewood, NJ, had some paintings and pictures that were hung along the walls of the staircase leading into the basement. He had taken them down in order to clean them, and when doing so, had an unpleasant surprise — there was mold hiding behind them. Paintings and pictures that are flush against walls can sometimes develop mold if the walls are damp in any way. 

With this home, the staircase area had the perfect environment for mold growth because humid unconditioned air from the basement came into contact with conditioned air from the first floor. You could feel the dampness in the walls from the condensation. We treated the mold in the staircase with an EPA-registered antimicrobial called MAPS 1 that attacks the mold at its DNA and kills it immediately. 

We then followed up with our patented, moisture-sensitive sealant called MAPS 2. This product encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders the mold non-allergenic and harmless and prevents any future mold growth in the treated areas. 

The homeowner did not want to risk future mold growth in the staircase area or basement of his home. The only long-term solution is to keep down the relative indoor humidity level in the basement (below 55%), so mold cannot grow. We installed a commercial-grade high-performance SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier and filtration system that is specifically designed to work in basements and crawl spaces. These dehumidifiers operate automatically with a built-in humidity sensor (humidistat) that allows the homeowner to set the target humidity level and let the machine take care of everything else. Also, these humidifiers drain directly either outdoors or to a sump pump, so there is no pan or reservoir to empty. 

The utility room of a unit in a Lakewood, NJ apartment building was located outside and unfortunately, the apartment unit above theirs, with a virtually identical layout, had a water leak in their utility room. The pipe leak in the unit above was fixed, but the damage to the unit below was not corrected in time and water had seeped down into the ceiling tile and sheetrock of the utility room. This mishap took place during the summer, and the residents of the bottom unit were unaware. To make matters worse, these utility rooms were not air-conditioned and these rooms were outside by the balcony and filled with hot, humid outdoor air. Unfortunately, the conditions were perfect for this small enclosed space to turn into a “petri dish” for mold growth.

The landlord contacted our office and we were sent out to inspect and treat. First,  treated the affected areas with our EPA registered anti-microbial called MAPS 1, which attacks mold on a cellular level and kills it instantly. We then scrubbed away the mold and applied MAPS 2, which is our patented sealant that encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders the mold non-allergenic and harmless. MAPS 2 is also moisture-sensitive and reactivates whenever it gets wet to prevent the return of mold.

Although we thoroughly wiped down the mold stains, some of the stains were too deeply embedded to remove completely. Mold stains are the residue of the mold enzymes dissolving the materials (mold is nature’s decomposer). Although mold stains look horrible, they are not harmful or allergenic like the mold itself. Even though the utility room is not a “living space” of the unit, if these residents don’t want to be reminded of the mold growth when visiting the utility room, the solution is easy. With a fresh coat of paint to the utility room walls and ceiling, you would never know that there was once was a mold problem. Once MAPS 1 & 2 have been applied, the mold is no longer a threat.

Recently, we were sent to a home in Lakewood, NJ to resolve a basement mold problem resulting from chronically high indoor humidity levels. Mold can form simply from high levels of moisture in the air not just from a water issue. When furnishings are sitting on damp floors or placed flush against damp walls, mold will often start to form. Keeping air circulating is important to minimize mold growth, and it important to have good room ventilation.

Here, during our inspection of the basement, we found mold growing on a leather couch. Mold can grow anywhere, not just on walls, floors, and ceilings! As seen in the pictures, this mold had a white, powdery appearance, almost like chalk. Different strains of mold have different colors and textures, but no matter its presentation, all mold is potentially harmful. We first noticed significant mold growth on the couch along the base underneath the seating, and after tipping up the couch to inspect its underside, the couch was found to have extensive mold growth. Mold can form on any organic material, including leather.  

We treated the entire basement with our EPA registered anti-microbial called MAPS 1, which attacks mold on a cellular level and kills it instantly. We then scrubbed away the mold and applied MAPS 2, which is our patented sealant that encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders the mold non-allergenic and harmless. MAPS 2 is also moisture-sensitive and reactivates whenever it gets wet to prevent the return of mold.

A Mold Solutions by Cowleys team was dispatched to an office building in Toms River, NJ to treat a serious mold problem in the basement. Although mold growth can happen anywhere in homes and commercial buildings, basements and crawl spaces are common trouble spots because these particular areas often have higher levels of moisture and humidity than the living spaces above. According to the owner, he has been dealing with mold issues in the basement for years. Periodically, he tried “DIY” mold remediation, including purchasing different over-the-counter mold removal sprays and saturating the mold with bleach. Not surprisingly, none of these methods worked. Every time, the mold returned. The building owner commented that the only thing he successfully removed was money out of his pocket. Finally, he decided it was time to definitively treat his chronic mold problem, and after researching a number of companies and their mold removal process, decided to go with Mold Solutions by Cowleys.

First, the Mold Solutions team treated the basement with our EPA-registered anti-microbial called MAPS 1 that kills surface mold and airborne mold spores. Next, we applied our patented sealant called MAPS 2. This unique sealant encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders the mold non-allergenic and harmless. MAPS 2 unique feature is its moisture-sensitivity. It will reactivate to prevent the return of any new mold growth in the treated areas, killing both today’s mold and any future mold growth.