Visible Mold Found in Spring Lake, NJ
Challenge
There are many varieties of mold that can grow indoors. Mold, which is a living, breathing fungus, can come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. When homeowners think of mold, especially because of all the publicity about toxic black mold, many have a preconception of what mold should look like — a black, velvety fuzzy coating. And it’s not just the range of colors. Mold can have distinctive textures and profiles. Some are flat-looking while others appear to have hairs or a bumpy appearance to them. Make no mistake about it, locating mold can sometimes be tricky business.
Case in point. Here are two pictures of two different walls in a home in Spring, NJ that we had recently inspected. In each one, the picture was taken in natural light. You can’t see any mold at all. Then we used a bright LED flashlight to shed some light on the problem, literally. Now, you can see the mold clear as day. This is what a good inspection is all about. You can’t just wander around looking at the walls. You’ll never see certain molds because their color and texture act as camouflage. However, once you angle your light down the wall, as we say here in New Jersey, bada bing bada boom, there it is. Also, as the picture shows, you can't see the mold on the furniture and customers' belongings, until you shine a light on it.
Solution
First, we treated the mold with an antimicrobial application called MAPS 1, which stands for Mold Abatement Polymer Solutions. MAPS 1 is an EPA registered product that attacks mold on a cellular level and immediately kills it. Next, we used our mold stain remover and scrubbed away all the mold growth throughout the crawl space.
Next, we applied our patented sealant called MAPS 2. MAPS 2 is a moisture-sensitive application that encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders it harmless, inert, and non-allergenic. One of the best features of MAPS 2 is that it will reactivate whenever it gets wet to prevent future mold growth.
