Recently, I was sent to a residence in Manasquan, NJ to treat a mold problem resulting from a small leak in their bedroom window. Any water intrusion, moisture, or humidity problem can trigger dangerous mold growth inside a home. Here, the leak damaged the drywall, causing mold growth on the wood framing. 

The homeowner already had the water-damaged drywall removed prior to my arrival. There was no loss of structural integrity to the wood framing, and i was able to directly treat the mold with no further tear-out of building materials. I first rating the framing with an EPA-registered antimicrobial (MAPS 1) and thoroughly scrubbed the wood to remove all visible mold growth. Mold spreads through microscopic airborne mold spores that travel on air currents and reattach elsewhere on other surfaces. During the mold treatment, I remove the mold to prevent any further re-colonization. After waiting for the anti-microbial to dry, I treated the area with our second application, a patented sealant that actually encapsulates the mold, destroying it at the cellular level and rendering it inert and harmless Whatever remaining mold that I would not scrub off or be neutralized by the anti-microbial would definitely be destroyed with this sealant  Our two-application process ensures that all of the mold is eliminated. Also, this sealant has a unique quality. It is moisture sensitive and will reactive if there are damp conditions that are ripe for mold growth. Should new mold attempt to grow in the treated areas, it too will be automatically killed.  

With the bedroom mold treated, the homeowner could now safely replace the drywall without worrying whether there was still active mold in the home. In less than a day, I successfully treated the mold with minimal inconvenience to the homeowner. This job was typical of our mold treatment services  — a quick, effective, and permanent solution for resolving a residential mold problem.

New homeowners in Manasquan discovered mold in their basement shortly after buying the home. There are numerous strains of mold and mold comes in a variety of colors, shapes, and textures. Not all mold is toxic black mold, and all mold can be potentially dangerous depending on the respiratory sensitivities of those residing in the home. This white mold found in the basement had a chalky texture, and looked crystalized.   

A two-person Mold Solutions crew was sent in to quickly treat the mold problem. There were no structurally damaged building materials so we were able to directly treat the mold without removing any materials. This is commonly the case unless there is major water damage. Our mold treatment program includes two separate applications in areas of mold growth. We first apply an EPA-registered antimicrobial (MAPS 1) to the affected areas, and then cover the affected areas with our patented sealant (MAPS 2), for which Cowleys. This sealant immediately kills molds on contact, an also moisture-sensitive. If the conditions that trigger mold growth return, this sealant will reactivate and kill any new mold growth. Finally, we wiped down any visible staining. In less than a day, the basement was mold-free. New homeowners can find unexpected surprises after the closing and taking occupancy. If mold is not discovered during the inspection, it’s not the end of the world. The usual scenario is that we can treat the mold quickly and avoid expensive tear-out/renovation projects.

The Cowleys Mold Solutions crew was dispatched to a home in Manasquan to treat the crawl space for mold. Upon arrival, we found extensive mold growth throughout the entire crawl space area that was caused by high humidity levels. 

Mold, a fast-growing fungus, is the inevitable result of water or moisture problems inside a structure. There is a popular misconception that you need a major water issue like flooding or a broken pipe to trigger mold growth. In fact, as this homeowner found out the hard way, sustained high indoor humidity levels is more than enough to trigger mold growth. While mold growth can happen anywhere in a home, dark, damp basements and crawl spaces are often prime breeding grounds for mold. Crawl spaces are notorious trouble spots in a home. One of the primary reasons is that the vast majority of crawlspaces are still vented despite the overwhelming proven benefits of crawl space encapsulation. Venting not only allows thick, humid outside air to enter the crawl space area, but also provides easy access for insects and other pests. Crawl space problems are often compounded because this ignored area of the home is often “out of sight and out of mind.” Because homeowners or a repair person rarely ventures into a crawl space unless some work needs to be mold, moisture, and water problems can be festering for months or even years before they are identified and corrective action taken.

This mold problem was discovered because the home was recently listed for sale and the homeowner wanted to be sure that everything was okay down below. It was not, and Cowleys was brought in to treat the problem.

It was time to get to work! We treated the crawlspace by first applying our EPA-registered anti-microbial (MAPS 1) using electrostatic fogging to kill the surface mold as well as any airborne mold spores found in the crawlspace. After waiting for this treatment to dry and give the application time to kill the mold, we applied our patented polymer sealant (MAPS 2), also using electrostatic fogging. This sealant, which destroys mold at the cellular level, is moisture-sensitive, so it will reactivate if exposed to moisture or water and prevent the return of any new mold growth in the treated area. Finally, we scrubbed off all of the visible mold growth.

Because of the chronic humidity issues in the crawl space, we recommended to the homeowner that a commercial-grade dehumidifier be installed to keep down crawlspace humidity levels to prevent further mold growth. To stop re-occurring mold issues, it is critical to correct the underlying conditions that caused the mold growth. However, since the home is for sale, the owner did not want to make this long-term investment. In these situations, all we can hope for is that any buyers will hire a good home inspector that will identify the dampness and humidity issues in the crawl space. Also, the seller is obligated to disclose mold issues to any buyer. The Mold Solutions team was hired to get rid of the mold and restore the home’s indoor air quality. We did a great job of doing just that — and we did so in less than a day without tearing out any building materials.