Mold Removal & Mold Services Before & After Photos

Two members of the Mold Solutions by Cowleys crew arrived at a home in Spring Lake, NJ to treat extensive mold growth in the attic. The homeowners had belatedly found out that there was absolutely no ventilation in their attic space — and that’s a big problem! During the summer, attics can turn attics into saunas, with temperatures sometimes exceeding 120 or even 130 degrees. Without proper attic ventilation, moisture that rises up through the structure will condense in the attic, damaging studs and insulation, distorting and deteriorating roof shingles, radiating heat into the living spaces, and if that weren’t enough, trigger mold growth.

Prior to our arrival, the homeowners had their roof replaced and had made sure that the attic was being properly ventilated to prevent these problems from reoccurring. After gearing up, we first needed to remove and dispose of all the contaminated insulation. Once that was done, we applied 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.

Now, thanks to MAPS 1 & 2, mold will no longer be an issue in this home. 

Unfortunately, mold growth in non-living areas of the home is often not discovered until the pre-sale home inspection. For potential sellers, this unwelcome discovery can become a big headache that can potentially delay the sale until the mold problem is resolved. With this home in West Long Branch, NJ, mold was found in the basement utility room during the inspection. There was no plumbing leak or other water intrusion. Rather, mold had formed because of chronically high indoor humidity levels. High moisture levels in the air, which happens all too often in crawl spaces, basements, and attics, is more than enough to trigger dangerous mold growth!

This homeowner contacted Mold Solutions by Cowleys. Our team was able to treat the mold in less than a day. We treated the mold-affected areas of the basement with two applications. First, we applied an EPA-registered antimicrobial (MAPS 1) followed by a patented sealant available to licensed distributors (MAPS 2). This unique product not only kills expecting mold at the cellular level rendering it harmless and nonallergic, but also has moisture sensitivity. This sealant will reactivate to kill any future mold growth. We also wiped down any visible staining caused by the mold. Mold stains, residue of mold growth, are not themselves dangerous, but are unsightly and aesthetically unappealing.  

To control the humidity and prevent further mild growth, it is important to fix the underlying problem, which in this case, was high humidity levels. The seller chose to install a dehumidifier on his own as an accommodation to the purchaser. However, for homeowners looking for a powerful, long-term appliance, Cowleys carries SaniDry dehumidifiers. These rugged dehumidifiers are specially designed to work in basements and crawl spaces. They are maintenance-free — there is no water pan to empty and a built-in hygrometer constantly measures the room’s humidity, turning the machine on and off as needed. 

These homeowners in Rumson, NJ, while readying their home for sale, found surface mold growing in their basement, so they called us to come out and remove the mold.  We first treated the mold with our EPA-registered anti-microbial solution called Mold Abatement Polymer Solutions ( or MAPS 1 for short). This product attacks mold at its DNA and kills it instantly. Next, we applied our patented polymer sealant called MAPS 2. This sealant encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders it useless and non-allergenic. MAPS 2 is also moisture-sensitive and reactivates whenever it gets wet to prevent the return of mold.

Although mold can form anywhere in a home, crawl spaces are especially notorious for mold growth.  Mold in crawl spaces are not just caused by flooding, leaky pipes, or some other type of water intrusion event. Often, mold forms because of chronically high indoor humidity levels,  especially during our humid Jersey Shore summers. This homeowner in Long Branch, NJ contacted Mold Solutions by Cowleys because the rafters in his crawl space were covered with mold.

We treated the mold-infested areas with two products, an EPA-registered antimicrobial (MAPS 1) followed by a patented sealant (MAPS 2). This sealant kills mold at the cellular level. Once applied, the mold on any treated areas is rendered completely harmless and non-allergenic. This sealant has a unique property: It offers protection against further mold growth by reactivating based on moisture conditions, killing any new mold growth before it has a chance to take hold!

There photos show the “before and after” of our mold treatment process. As with most of our mold treatment jobs, there was no need to remove any building materials since the rafters themselves were still in great condition. We were able to apply our mold-killing treatment in less than a day. The homeowner was quite pleased with our service, especially because, by using this process instead of traditional mold remediation, he was able to avoid a massive tear-out/renovation project.

A homeowner in Long Branch, NJ was having allergy-type respiratory issues. If you are having chronic symptoms of watery eyes, sneezing, stuffy nose, itchy nose and throat and you can’t attribute it to seasonal allergies or anything else, it may well be a sign that there is a mold problem in your home. Fortunately, she was sick and tired of being sick, and she and her husband decided to make a diligent effort to figure out the cause of these symptoms.

During a thorough inspection of the basement, the husband found mold growing on the basement joists. The washer and dryer were installed in the basement, and every time she went down to do laundry, she was exposed to the mold and all of the airborne mold spores. Different people have different sensitivities to mold, just like pollen, and she had an allergic reaction to the mold.  So they contacted our office and we were sent out to treat.

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.

The homeowner realized that the long-term solution to basement mold was reducing the basement’s humidity levels. Shortly, we will be installing a SaniDry Sedona commercial-grade dehumidifier that is specifically designed to work in challenging environments like basements and crawl spaces. These machines can operate in temperatures as low as 40 degrees, turn on and off automatically using a built-in hygrometer, and empty directly into the drainage system. In short, they work 24/7 and are worry-free. Once this dehumidifier is installed, these homeowners will not have to worry about basement mold, and, with the dramatically improved indoor air quality, this homeowner will no longer get sick from going into the basement to do the laundry!