Mold Removal in Community Crawl Space in Freehold, NJ
Challenge
Recently, we were dispatched to an adult community in Freehold, NJ after the maintenance team discovered extensive mold growth in the crawl space. Cowleys contracted with its community association for all of their pest control and mold treatment needs, and we have long-standing contractual relationships with hundreds of condominium associations throughout New Jersey.
Mold, a type of fungus, is always caused by some water or moisture problem inside a structure. Indoor mold can cause a host of respiratory problems for a home’s occupants. Some have higher mold sensitivities than others, and since mold does not affect people uniformly, any amount or strain of mold must be treated. Sustained high indoor humidity levels are enough to trigger mold growth, and, while mold growth can happen anywhere, basements and crawl spaces are prime mold breeding grounds because of their potential for high humidity and water intrusion problems. Unfortunately, many crawl spaces are still vented even though study after study by modern building science experts recommend crawl space encapsulation as the solution to avoid a host of crawl space issues. Vented crawl spaces allow thick, humid outside air to enter, not to mention insects and other pests. Once indoor humidity exceeds 50%, which is common in virtually all open, vented crawl spaces, mold can grow, and once humidity exceeds 60%, mold thrives. This particular crawl space showed the end result of sustained high indoor humidity levels.
Solution
We equipped our Personal Protective Gear and treated every square inch of the area with our EPA-registered antimicrobial solution called Mold Abatement Polymer Solution 1, or MAPS 1. This product attacks mold on a cellular level and kills it instantly. We then used our mold stain remover, scrubbed away all the excess mold staining, and then applied our patented sealant MAPS 2. This application encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders it harmless and non-allergenic. MAPS 2 is also moisture-sensitive and will reactivate whenever it gets wet to prevent future mold growth.
To control the humidity levels, we installed a commercial-grade dehumidifier. These dehumidifiers cost less to run than other dehumidifiers, cover over 3000 square feet, and are energy efficient.
