Mold Solutions by Cowleys Before & After Photos

A new homeowner recently purchased his very first home in Trenton, NJ. The home itself needed a little TLC, especially the attic area since there was mold all over the rafters! He recently had a roofer come in and replace all the broken attic fans as well as repair all the holes in the roof. Now all he needed was us to come in and remove the mold!

We began by applying our EPA-registered antimicrobial solution MAPS 1.  MAPS 1 (which stands for Mold Abatement Polymer Solutions) attacks mold at its DNA and immediately kills it. After applying MAPS 1, we used our mold stain remover (which removes all the excess staining on the wood) and scrubbed away the mold growth. 

Lastly, we applied our patented sealant called MAPS 2. This application encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders mold harmless and, most importantly, non-allergenic. One of the benefits of MAPS 2 is that it is moisture sensitive and will reactivate whenever it gets wet to prevent future mold growth.

Now the homeowner can enjoy his newly acquired property without worrying about dangerous mold growth in his attic.

The Mold Solutions team was dispatched to a residence in Trenton, NJ to take care of a mold problem. And it is a good thing that the homeowner called us when he did — before we are visited this summer by warm, humid “time to turn on the air conditioning” weather.

Mold is a type of fungus. It’s a living, breathing, reproducing organism. As long as there is water or moisture, mold will grow. Mold will consume any organic material by releasing dissolving enzymes. It will even grow on non-living surfaces other than wood because it can live and thrive on thin layers of dust. Dust, which inevitably contains organic debris, pretty much covers everything around us, even if we don’t always see it. As a result, mold is able to rear its ugly head almost anywhere and everywhere. And, as seen with this mold job, air conditioning units are not exempt from developing a nasty mold problem. With this home, the mold had attached itself to the central air unit. Even worse, this mold would have continued to release spores into the ductwork. Once the unit was turned on, the AC system would have turned into a mold-dispersing system, spewing out mold spores throughout the entire home. There is no faster way to spread mold throughout a home than blowing out mold spores through a forced-air HVAC system.

Why do HVAC systems often have mold issues? These systems do a great job of removing excess humidity, one of the most common culprits of indoor mold growth. That’s why it’s smart to use your AC on those hot summer days. Not only are you more comfortable, but you also reduce the chance of mold growth in your living areas. However, over time, mold can become an issue because damp air combined with dust and debris that gets past the air filter can create an environment ripe for mold growth. With AC units, mold often starts to grow on the evaporator coils where the condensation pan is located and where there is always some residual water. Standing water along with our humid, hot New Jersey summer air creates a breeding ground of all sorts of mold and fungi. Homeowners should periodically have their HVAC company inspect their system for mold and moisture before turning it on. The HVAC dust and system components should be free of moisture. Drain and condensate pans should be draining properly. When plugged, they can become a mold nursery. Drain hoses can get clogged and filled with mold. While everyone remembers to change their filters, humidifier pads can get moldy and should be changed as well.

First, we treated the affected areas with our EPA registered solution called Mold Abatement Polymer Solutions 1, also called MAPS 1. This product attacks mold on a cellular level and kills it instantly. Next, we scrubbed away the mold and applied MAPS 2, which is our patented sealant that encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders mold non-allergenic and harmless. MAPS 2 is also moisture-sensitive and reactivates whenever it gets wet to prevent the return of mold.

Before this homeowner could continue the process of selling his home in Somerville, NJ he needed to get rid of the massive mold growth throughout his attic. So he called our office and we were sent out to find the cause of the mold growth and remediate it.

Minutes into our inspection, we were able to identify the cause of the mold growth, improper ventilation due to several broken attic fans. After reporting our findings to the homeowner, we went right to work and applied MAPS 1 throughout the attic. MAPS 1 stands for Mold Abatement Polymer Solutions and is an EPA registered antimicrobial that targets mold on a cellular level and kills it immediately. 

We then used our mold stain remover and scrubbed away all the excess mold staining throughout the attic. Afterward, we applied our patented sealant called MAPS 2. This application encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders it non-allergenic and harmless. MAPS 2 is also moisture-sensitive and will reactivate whenever it gets wet to prevent future mold growth. With the owners' permission, we installed several new attic fans in order to regulate the humidity in the attic.

Now that the mold has been removed and the conducive condition for the mold growth has been addressed, the homeowner can continue with the process of selling his home.   

After these new homeowners moved into their new home in Princeton Junction, NJ, they discovered something in their basement that made their stomachs turn — mold. They called Mold Solutions by Cowleys and after we did a full inspection of the basement, we discovered that the basement area had incredibly high levels of humidity, which is what caused the mold growth.

We treated the entire basement with our EPA-registered anti-microbial solution called Mold Abatement Polymer Solutions, otherwise known as MAPS 1. This product attacks mold on a cellular level and kills it instantly. Afterward, we applied our patented sealant called MAPS 2. This product encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders the mold non-allergenic and harmless. MAPS 2 is also moisture-sensitive and reactivates whenever it gets wet to prevent the return of mold.

Lastly, to control the humidity levels in the basement, we installed a commercial-grade Sani-dry Sedona dehumidifier. This will keep the humidity levels in the basement at an appropriate, safe, and comfortable level. 

Mold growth in a home is a symptom of an underlying water or moisture problem. Mold can rear its head anywhere and everywhere. Like all living organisms, mold needs air, organic material as a food source, the right temperature, and water or moisture in order to grow. We often think of water and moisture problems as external problems where water intrudes into the home from the outside, such as from flooding or a cracked foundation allowing water seepage from water-saturated soil. But oftentimes, the problems are internal. There are building or repair issues responsible for water accumulation. Common problems are burst or leaky pipes, non-operational sump pumps, backed-up gutters, and a variety of condensation problems from poor building design. Condensation easily forms on cold metal pipes and cold concrete floors as well as from our everyday activities that release moisture including cooking, washing clothes, and bathing. It is no surprise that often mold grows and thrives in crawl spaces, basements, attics, kitchens, washer/dryer areas, and bathrooms. 

One of the most important ways of reducing condensation in our living spaces is through proper ventilation. A well-ventilated home is essential for removing moisture, especially in our bathrooms and kitchens where large quantities of steam permeate the air from hot water. Homes often have vent fans installed in bathrooms to carry away moist air. Proper building construction dictates that vent fans, whether bathroom vents or dryer vents, be vented directly outdoors. Venting exhaust fans into the attic is asking for trouble, even if the attic itself is vented. The excess moisture can cause condensation on the rafters and sheathing, which can lead to wood rot, moisture-saturated insulation, and dangerous mold growth. This homeowner in Kendall Park learned this lesson the hard way. The installer had vented the bathroom fan into the attic rather than outside, and, sure enough, he found himself with a serious mold problem overhead. 

For the long-term, the homeowner should fix the venting problem to remove the underlying condition allowing mold growth. However, Mold Solutions by Cowleys resolved the immediate problem. In less than a day, we applied a powerful anti-microbial to kill the mold, and then applied a patented, proprietary sealant containing silver micro-particles. Cowleys is an authorized applicator of this unique sealant; you can’t get it just anywhere. This sealant kills the mold at the cellular level rendering it inert and harmless so it no longer poses a health risk. However, this sealant does much more. It reactivates with moisture to prevent any regrowth of mold, so it not only kills today’s mold growth but tomorrow’s as well. 

With this project, there was no removal of building materials, no need for home renovation, and no need for the family to relocate. While the homeowner was disappointed that the vent had to be properly reinstalled, he was pleased with Cowleys for taking care of the mold problem so quickly. This project was one of our many successful mold treatment projects — we removed the threat of mold while saving the homeowner the expense and inconvenience of a major renovation that often follows the tear-out of building materials by traditional mold remediators.