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Mold

Mold remediation in Salt Lake City

Mold follows moisture. After a leak that wasn't dried in time, or in a damp corner of a basement, an independent remediation contractor can find the source and remove the growth. This site only makes the connection.

Call (801) 823-6866
Small patch of grey-green mold spots near the floor in the corner of a painted basement wall

What it involves

Moisture first, then mold

Mold needs moisture, so remediation that doesn't fix the water source tends to fail. The EPA says the key to mold control is moisture control, and that water-damaged areas should be dried within 24 to 48 hours to prevent growth (EPA guide).

Remediation means containing the area so spores aren't spread, removing moldy porous materials, cleaning hard surfaces and drying everything thoroughly. By the EPA's yardstick, a patch under about 10 square feet is usually something a homeowner can handle; above that, or after heavy water damage, it points to its guidance for larger cleanups.

First steps

If you find mold

  • Find and stop the water: leak, condensation or seepage
  • Don't disturb large patches; scraping spreads spores
  • Keep the door to the area closed and the HVAC off there if possible
  • Don't paint over it
  • Ask anyone with asthma or allergies to stay out
  • Photograph it and note when the leak happened

The job

How remediation usually works

  1. Assessment

    The contractor looks for the moisture source and how far growth extends.

  2. Containment

    Plastic barriers and air filtration keep spores in the work area.

  3. Removal

    Moldy drywall, insulation and other porous materials are removed and bagged.

  4. Cleaning

    Framing and hard surfaces are cleaned and dried.

  5. Rebuild

    Replacement materials go in once the area is dry and clean.

Salt Lake City

Choosing a remediation contractor

Mold calls from this site go to independent contractors that do remediation work. Rebuilding walls and floors afterwards is construction work, and Utah Code 58-55-501 makes it unlawful to engage in a construction trade requiring a license without being licensed (Utah Code 58-55-501). Ask for the contractor's license number and look it up with DOPL.

Ask how the contractor will contain the area, what will be removed, how it will confirm the job is finished and whether testing is done by the same company or someone independent.

Call (801) 823-6866

Moisture meter pressed against drywall to check for hidden water

Questions

Mold Remediation: common questions

Do I need mold testing?

Often not. The EPA says that in most cases, when mold growth is visible, sampling is unnecessary; the response is the same either way: fix the moisture and remove the growth. Ask the contractor why it recommends a test if it does.

Can bleach fix it?

Killing mold isn't enough: the EPA notes that dead mold can still cause allergic reactions, so it has to be removed. It also warns never to mix chlorine bleach with cleaners containing ammonia. And bleach does nothing about the moisture.

Is mold covered by insurance?

It often depends on whether the mold came from a covered water event. Ask your insurer; this site can't say what your policy covers.

Related

Other kinds of damage

Salt Lake Valley

Talk the damage through with a local restoration contractor

A single call reaches an independent contractor that handles water, smoke and mold jobs in Salt Lake City and the surrounding cities. You decide whether to book anything.

Water where it shouldn't be?

The call goes to an independent restoration contractor that takes jobs in the Salt Lake Valley. Describe the source, the rooms involved and when it started.

Call (801) 823-6866

Calls may be recorded for quality and billing. How the line is paid: referral disclosure. What is recorded: privacy.

Call (801) 823-6866