Mold Found in Recently Purchased Home in Princeton Junction, NJ
Challenge
We were sent out to a homeowner in Princeton Junction, NJ. The homeowners had recently purchased the home and contacted Cowleys after being advised that there was mold growth in the basement. Upon inspection, we determined that groundwater was leaking into the basement through some small foundation cracks. Also, the basement had high relative humidity, which is conducive to mold growth.
There is a misconception that mold can only form after a significant water intrusion event such as groundwater leaking through the foundation, flooding, or leaky or burst pipes. In fact, moisture in the air from high humidity levels is more than enough to trigger dangerous mold growth. Mold can grow as long as indoor relative humidity is above 50%, and once humidity levels reach 60%, mold will thrive. To prevent mold, indoor relative humidity levels should be kept below 45%, preferably around 35%.
Solution
We treated the entire basement 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. Needless to say, the homeowners were quite pleased. After just purchasing the home, they were worried that this mold removal was going to be an unduly expensive problem to fix. All they could think of was the nightmare of an extensive and expensive renovation project. Because of our approach that directly treats and kills the mold while keeping perfectly good building materials, these types of expenses were completely avoided.
