Mold Remediation With Heat

Mold Remediation Through Heat Process

• Traditional mold remediation requires hazardous industrial chemicals and a considerable expense, $20,000 or more. Mold remediation through heat is considered a lower-cost and more environmentally-friendly way of getting rid of mold and is based on the century-year-old process of pasteurization.

  Heat remediation does not require extensive remodeling or the removal of cabinets or other infrastructure. Instead, only a few cuts of dry wall often is necessary. Heated blowers are connected to these holes and hot air is blown into the wall system. Mold spores and other pests like insects, bacteria, etc. are heated in excess of 160 degrees F. According to Alliance Environmental, the remediation success rate is 90 percent. Cleaning Specialist Magazine has cast some doubt on the validity of heat remediation with its own study. Mold spores did not die in the study, but logistical problems may have rendered the project inaccurate.

Mold Remediation Cautions

• While mold remediation is an excellent recourse for those unable to pay for traditional mold remediation, a few issues should be addressed. While the heat should kill the mold, it is imperative that the company also clean the mold spores from the wall. While mold growth will be stopped when spores die, dead mold can still aggravate allergies and other problems.

  When remediating mold in crawl spaces, make sure the crawl space maintains a negative pressure from the remainder of the house. Adding hot air to a crawl space adds pressure and can cause infiltration of dust and other allergens into the main area of the house. Make sure the company doing the heat remediation is aware of pressure issues and addresses them.