Mold Removal & Mold Services Photo Album: Burst Pipe Triggers Mold Growth in Freehold, NJ

Recently, a three-man Cowleys Mold Solutions crew was sent to a unit in a condominium complex in Freehold, NJ that had been vacant for over a year. During a recent check of the unit, the property manager found that a water pipe in the kitchen had burst, flooding to the entire home. Unfortunately, the unit not only had major water damage but also, because of the water intrusion, significant mold growth.

Kitchen Mold Growth

During our inspection of the kitchen, we found severe mold growth hidden behind the kitchen cabinets.

All Along the Walls

Left untreated, mold will continue to spread with airborne mold spores attaching elsewhere forming new colonies. In this home, there was already mold growth all along the hallway walls.

Any Leaks Can Lead to Mold

t's not just major flooding that leads to mold. Any water intrusion event such as slow leaks that aren't properly repaired can lead to mold growth. And it doesn't take long. Under the right conditions, mold can begin to grow and spread within 24 to 48 hours.

Hazards of Mold

Any strain of mold, not just toxic black mold, is potentially hazardous. The elderly and young children are especially susceptible to health issues from indoor mold. Mold Solutions by Cowleys has a new technology solution that kills active mold and its mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are the primary allergens associated with mold spores that cause most severe allergic reactions.

With Mold Removal, Extreme Care Is Needed

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. Extreme care is needed to remove the mold so that the mold spores don't become dislodged and reattach elsewhere.

Cut Out the Sheetrock

Normally, we don't remove sheetrock or other building materials unless it is water-damaged and has lost its structural integrity. In this particular case, the sheetrock was water-damaged and non-salvageable.

Next Comes MAPS

Once we removed the water-damaged materials, we were ready to treat all of the mold-affected surfaces. We start with an EPA-registered antimicrobial solution called MAPS 1 (Mold Abatement Polymer Solutions) and follow it with a patented sealant (MAPS 2) that encapsulates the mold and kills it at the cellular level. The sealant not only kills the existing mold but is formulated to reactivate to kill any future mold growth.

Fully Treated

In mold case like this one where the whole house is affected and there is water damage, we needed to remove the sheetrock. With the home fully treated, the homeowner could now hire a contractor to replace the sheetrock and perform any related repairs.

Using the Air Scrubber

HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) air scrubber. This machine draws in air and passes it through a series of HEPA filters, capturing the microscopic mold spores, which range from 3-100 microns (a millionth of a meter). Only HEPA filters can capture particles as small as mold spores. Regular air filters will not work and often spreads the spores, exacerbating the problem.