Mold Solutions by Cowleys Before & After Photos

After these new homeowners moved into their new home in Princeton Junction, NJ, they discovered something in their basement that made their stomachs turn — mold. They called Mold Solutions by Cowleys and after we did a full inspection of the basement, we discovered that the basement area had incredibly high levels of humidity, which is what caused the mold growth.

We treated the entire basement with our EPA-registered anti-microbial solution called Mold Abatement Polymer Solutions, otherwise known as MAPS 1. This product attacks mold on a cellular level and kills it instantly. Afterward, we applied our patented sealant called MAPS 2. This product 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.

Lastly, to control the humidity levels in the basement, we installed a commercial-grade Sani-dry Sedona dehumidifier. This will keep the humidity levels in the basement at an appropriate, safe, and comfortable level. 

Mold growth in a home is a symptom of an underlying water or moisture problem. Mold can rear its head anywhere and everywhere. Like all living organisms, mold needs air, organic material as a food source, the right temperature, and water or moisture in order to grow. We often think of water and moisture problems as external problems where water intrudes into the home from the outside, such as from flooding or a cracked foundation allowing water seepage from water-saturated soil. But oftentimes, the problems are internal. There are building or repair issues responsible for water accumulation. Common problems are burst or leaky pipes, non-operational sump pumps, backed-up gutters, and a variety of condensation problems from poor building design. Condensation easily forms on cold metal pipes and cold concrete floors as well as from our everyday activities that release moisture including cooking, washing clothes, and bathing. It is no surprise that often mold grows and thrives in crawl spaces, basements, attics, kitchens, washer/dryer areas, and bathrooms. 

One of the most important ways of reducing condensation in our living spaces is through proper ventilation. A well-ventilated home is essential for removing moisture, especially in our bathrooms and kitchens where large quantities of steam permeate the air from hot water. Homes often have vent fans installed in bathrooms to carry away moist air. Proper building construction dictates that vent fans, whether bathroom vents or dryer vents, be vented directly outdoors. Venting exhaust fans into the attic is asking for trouble, even if the attic itself is vented. The excess moisture can cause condensation on the rafters and sheathing, which can lead to wood rot, moisture-saturated insulation, and dangerous mold growth. This homeowner in Kendall Park learned this lesson the hard way. The installer had vented the bathroom fan into the attic rather than outside, and, sure enough, he found himself with a serious mold problem overhead. 

For the long-term, the homeowner should fix the venting problem to remove the underlying condition allowing mold growth. However, Mold Solutions by Cowleys resolved the immediate problem. In less than a day, we applied a powerful anti-microbial to kill the mold, and then applied a patented, proprietary sealant containing silver micro-particles. Cowleys is an authorized applicator of this unique sealant; you can’t get it just anywhere. This sealant kills the mold at the cellular level rendering it inert and harmless so it no longer poses a health risk. However, this sealant does much more. It reactivates with moisture to prevent any regrowth of mold, so it not only kills today’s mold growth but tomorrow’s as well. 

With this project, there was no removal of building materials, no need for home renovation, and no need for the family to relocate. While the homeowner was disappointed that the vent had to be properly reinstalled, he was pleased with Cowleys for taking care of the mold problem so quickly. This project was one of our many successful mold treatment projects — we removed the threat of mold while saving the homeowner the expense and inconvenience of a major renovation that often follows the tear-out of building materials by traditional mold remediators. 

Mold growth is the result of water or moisture buildup. There are numerous ways that excess water or moisture can occur inside a home. Often, it's a leaky pipe while other times, its moisture build-up in crawl spaces, attics, and basements because of chronically high indoor humidity levels. With this homeowner in Manchester Township, NJ, the cause of the mold formation was, believe it or not, furniture placement! 

The homeowners placed furniture directly against their HVAC registers — those vent grilles in your home that cover the hole where the duct enters the room to blow out heated or cooled air. As this homeowner found out the hard way, never block these registers! Doing so not only impedes the efficiency of your HVAC system, but it can also trigger dangerous mold growth by trapping the moisture in the air that’s blowing out of the ducts.

First, we 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.

Finally, as a precaution, we treated the ductwork. Since there was no underlying damage to any building materials and everything was structurally sound, there was no need for a building tear-out. With our mold treatment process, we simply kill the mold right where it sits, and we are often able to do so in less than a day.

One of the Mold Solutions By Cowleys crews was called out to treat and remove mold that had formed in the basement of a restaurant in New Brunswick, NJ. The basement had significant mold growth on the joists (the lumber supporting the basement ceiling) and the walls due to moisture and condensation from high humidity levels down below. 

We first treated the joists and walls were treated with our EPA-registered anti-microbial called MAPS 1, which attacks mold at its DNA and kills it instantly. We then wiped away all the mold and applied MAPS 2, which is a patented sealant that encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders it useless and non-allergenic. 

Mold formation in this New Brunswick, NJ basement could have been prevented if a dehumidifier had been installed. Dehumidification is, by far, the most important long-term preventative measure for controlling dangerous crawl space and basement moisture that will inevitably lead to mold growth. We recommended the purchase of a commercial-grade dehumidifier to maintain indoor humidity at levels that would minimize or prevent mold growth. The owner understood the importance of dehumidification to keep a basement clean and dry, and stated that he would contact us at a later date if he decided to go forward with purchasing a unit. 

A two-member team of Mold Solutions By Cowleys was sent to a home in Millstone Township, NJ to treat an isolated mold problem in the home. Here, the bathroom fan had stopped working and, unfortunately, was not timely repaired. Without a working ventilation system in a small enclosed area such as in a bathroom where there are high moisture conditions from all of the steam and hot water, there is a high risk of mold growth. And that’s exactly what happened.

Mold had formed on the ceiling. The homeowners had the fan fixed, but it was too late. They found themselves with a serious mold problem. Once mold forms, it will either continue to spread or become dormant depending on temperature and moisture conditions. Mold, a living organism, is a type of fungus. It will not simply “die” and go away on its own. Rather, mold, by its very nature, produces mold spores that become airborne will attach elsewhere in the home. Also, a home’s occupants can breathe in those spores, and those with respiratory sensitivities can develop allergy-like symptoms or even develop respiratory infections. Any mold, not just so-called toxic black mold, is potentially dangerous and must be treated.

For this bathroom mold problem, we treated the mold with two applications. First, we applied an EPA-registered antimicrobial (MAPS 1) that kills the mold on contact. Second, we applied a patented sealant (MAPS 2) that is available only to licensed distributors. This sealant not only kills the mold, but it is also moisture sensitive and will reactivate to kill any future mold growth. We also wiped down any visible staining caused by the mold. Mold stains are the residue of mold growth. They are not by themselves allergenic. However, they are unsightly, aesthetically unappealing, and can give the mistaken impression that there is still a mold problem.  

The homeowner learned a valuable lesson about the importance of ventilation to keep down moisture and humidity levels in enclosed spaces. It is important to have working exhaust fans in bathrooms and attics where there can be high levels of humidity. In other areas of the home, such as basements and crawl spaces, where good ventilation isn't an option, it is important to have a commercial-grade dehumidification system to avoid mold problems and have clean, dry air circulating throughout the home.