Improperly Ventilated Bathroom Leads to Mold in Freehold, NJ

Recently, we went on a service call for a homeowner in Freehold, NJ who contacted Cowleys to resolve a mold issue that had developed in his bathroom. The most common cause of mold growth is humidity. Humidity problems occur when warm, moisture-laden air interacts with a cool ceiling, causing condensation and subsequent mold growth.

After suiting up with our personal protective equipment (mold is a serious bio-hazard in enclosed spaces), we began our inspection of the bathroom. Almost immediately, we discovered an area of the ceiling that had evident mold growth. Whenever mold is discovered, to resolve the problem long-term, it is essential to identify the underlying cause of the mold growth and have those issues remedied so that mold doesn’t return. Here, after a thorough inspection, we determined that the mold growth was due to poor ventilation. Mold growth on a bathroom ceiling is almost always caused by inadequate ventilation. 

Mold is a living, breathing fungus that multiplies and will continue to spread as long as the conditions in the home remain conducive to mold growth. In cases where there is structural damage from the moisture, materials would need to be removed. However, in this case, there was no structural damage so, with our treatment process, we are able to kill mold in its place. 

With our mold treatment process, we first applied MAPS 1, an EPA-registered anti-microbial application. MAPS 1 (Mold Abatement Polymer Solution 1) is specifically designed to kill active mold growth. Next, we applied MAPS 2, a patented polymer sealant that encapsulates the existing dead mold and helps prevent future mold from growing if conducive conditions return. Once MAPS 1 & 2 have been applied, the mold is killed and is no longer a threat. Also, MAPS 2 will reactivate with moisture to fight future mold growth.

Although we treated the mold in the bathroom, there was still the issue of the underlying condition that triggered the growth in the first place: poor ventilation. The homeowner decided to deal with this issue and hired a contractor to install vents in his bathroom. Another mold remediation treatment performed by Cowleys!