As we were performing our winter inspection for this Home Protection Plan customer in Little Silver, NJ, we found an abundance of mold all over the rafters in the attic. Attics provide an ideal environment for mold since they contain plenty of food sources such as wood and insulation. Turns out that the homeowner didn't have a working attic fan. We brought this to the owners attention and wanted Mold Solutions to get rid of all the mold in the attic. She also mentioned that she will hire a contractor to install a new attic fan.

First, we treated the entire attic with our EPA registered antimicrobial called MAPS 1, which stands for Mold Abatement Polymer Solutions. MAPS 1 attacks mold at its DNA and immediately kills it. Afterward, we used our mold stain remover and scrubbed away all the excess mold staining throughout the attic. Lastly, we treated every square inch of the attic with our patented sealant called MAPS 2. This application encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders it harmless, inert, and non-allergenic. MAPS 2 is also moisture-sensitive and will reactivate whenever it gets wet to prevent future mold growth!

This homeowner in Little Silver, NJ noticed mold growth at the bottom of her basement stairs after a recent heavy rain. Typically, we don't remove sheetrock during our process unless there is a loss of the material’s structural integrity. With our process, we treat the mold right where it sits and leave any structurally sound materials alone. However, this homeowner was concerned about the source of the water intrusion that triggered the mold growth. She wanted to be sure that there was nothing else going on behind the wall that was contributing to the mold problem. After we removed the sheetrock, we determined that the culprit causing the mold growth was groundwater seepage into the basement after heavy rains.  

The Mold Solutions crew went ahead and treated the basement for mold. Our process involves two separate applications. First, we treat the area with an EPA-registered antimicrobial (MAPS 1) and then use a patented sealant (MAPS 2) available only to licensed distributors. This product instantly on contact renders any mold harmless and non-allergenic. It is also moisture-sensitive and has the ability to reactivate and kill any future mold growth. 

To prevent a re-occurrence of mold, it is critical to identify and fix the source of the water intrusion. If the underlying water problem isn’t fixed, mold will likely return. For this homeowner, the underlying water problem was groundwater seepage resulting from over-saturated soil around the foundation. Groundwater can enter basements when hydrostatic pressure pushes water into the basement through either cove joints (the joint between the wall and basement floor) or floor cracks.  

This homeowner contacted a basement waterproofing company that specializes in groundwater seepage problems. These companies often deal with groundwater seepage by reducing the hydrostatic pressure that caused the seepage in the first place. They do this by installing interior drain tile, which is a system of perforated pipes under the basement floor. These pipes act as a pressure relief valve. The groundwater is collected in the drain tiles and then carried off to the sump pump where it is discharged. Once the groundwater seepage problem eliminated, this homeowner should not have to worry about mold returning to her basement.