Mold Solutions by Cowleys Before & After Photos

This homeowner in Matawan, NJ, was in the process of selling his home, and during the protective buyer’s home inspection, mold was discovered in the basement bathroom next to and on the HVAC ceiling register box. The likely cause was condensation that had formed on the ductwork. The homeowner was concerned that finding mold during the inspection would delay or even completely derail any possible sale. Fortunately, the Mold Solutions by Cowleys team was called in.

When we inspected, there was no water-damaged materials and everything was structurally intact, so we could treat the mold right where it sits without the time and cost of a tear-out. To treat the mold, we applied an EPA-registered antimicrobial called MAPS 1 that kills mold on a cellular level. We then applied our moisture-sensitive, patented sealant called MAPS 2 that encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders the mold non-allergenic and harmless. MAPS 2 also prevents the return of mold as well as prevents future mold from growing.

Due to the fact that the mold had been present for quite some time, staining had occurred. Mold stains are simply the residue left from mold and are not in and of itself allergenic or otherwise harmful, just purely aesthetic. Once MAPS 1 & 2 have been applied, the mold is no longer a threat.

Once the mold was removed, the buyer felt comfortable to proceed, and the pending sale was not delayed. 

What’s the worst that can happen if your basement is not dehumidified? Well, this homeowner in Perth Amboy, NJ found out what can happen the hard way.  

Chronically high relative indoor humidity will create an environment that is ripe for dangerous mold growth. Homeowners do not need a major water intrusion event like a flood for a serious mold problem to develop. More often than not, mold will form from a slow leaky pipe or high humidity conditions in which the air is saturated with water vapor. Often, this vapor condenses into water beads on cold surfaces like air conditioning ducts. To keep mold from forming, and for your own health and comfort, relative indoor humidity should be kept below 55%.

We treated the affected areas with our EPA registered antimicrobial called MAPS 1, which attacks mold on a cellular level and kills it instantly. We then applied MAPS 2, which is our patented sealant that 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.

To control the humidity levels, we installed a commercial-grade Sani-Dry Sedona dehumidifier. Unlike generic store-bought dehumidifiers, these machines are specifically designed to work 24/7 in the challenging environments of crawl spaces and basements. These dehumidifiers are maintenance-free and require no human intervention to operate. They turn on and off automatically based on a built-in hygrometer that measures humidity levels. Also, we install them to drain the extracted water directly into a sump pump or condensation pump, so there is no water pan to worry about overflowing.  

The Mold Solutions team was dispatched to a Cliffwood residence to resolve a severe mold problem. A lot of our work comes from referrals, and in this case, a Cliffwood Township home inspector who knew our work and our results told the homeowners about us. They were especially interested in our treatment process because they were hoping to treat the surface mold and staining without removing the drywall and dealing with an expensive renovation project. Unlike traditional mold remediators that remove the building materials containing mold growth, we focus on treating the mold directly. As long as the building materials are structurally sound (no severe water damage), our process avoids the time and expense of building tear-outs. 

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 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.

Recently, homeowners from West Orange, NJ, found themselves with a serious mold problem in their basement. Any time there is mold, there is some underlying water intrusion event that’s responsible for the problem. Here, the culprit was a slow pipe leak coming from the first-floor bathroom. Water had dripped onto the basement ceiling, and as often happens with slow pipe leaks hidden in wall voids, the leak went unnoticed for quite a while. The homeowners realized that they had a problem when part of the basement ceiling became so water-saturated that it collapsed from its own weight. Once the water problem came to light, the homeowners observed that portions of the basement sheetrock near the ceiling had developed mold growth. Mold will often form as the byproduct of some underlying water or high indoor humidity/moisture issue. 

The homeowners immediately had the pipe leak fixed, but they were left with a mold problem that needed to be treated. They contacted Mold Solutions by Cowleys and we were sent out to treat the mold.  We treated the mold-affected areas of the basement with two separate treatments. We first applied an EPA-registered antimicrobial called MAPS 1, which attacks mold on a cellular level and kills it instantly. We then scrubbed away the mold and applied MAPS 2, which is our patented sealant that 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.

With this basement mold successfully treated, all that was left for the homeowners was to have the removed sections of the sheetrock replaced, and their basement will be as good as new. It’s important for homeowners to periodically inspect all of the nonliving areas of the home like basements, crawl spaces, and attics to check for water stains and other signs of potential water or humidity problems that can trigger dangerous mold growth. Although sometimes it’s unavoidable, please don’t wait until part of your ceiling collapses! 

This homeowner in Lakewood, NJ, had some paintings and pictures that were hung along the walls of the staircase leading into the basement. He had taken them down in order to clean them, and when doing so, had an unpleasant surprise — there was mold hiding behind them. Paintings and pictures that are flush against walls can sometimes develop mold if the walls are damp in any way. 

With this home, the staircase area had the perfect environment for mold growth because humid unconditioned air from the basement came into contact with conditioned air from the first floor. You could feel the dampness in the walls from the condensation. We treated the mold in the staircase with an EPA-registered antimicrobial called MAPS 1 that attacks the mold at its DNA and kills it immediately. 

We then followed up with our patented, moisture-sensitive sealant called MAPS 2. This product encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders the mold non-allergenic and harmless and prevents any future mold growth in the treated areas. 

The homeowner did not want to risk future mold growth in the staircase area or basement of his home. The only long-term solution is to keep down the relative indoor humidity level in the basement (below 55%), so mold cannot grow. We installed a commercial-grade high-performance SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier and filtration system that is specifically designed to work in basements and crawl spaces. These dehumidifiers operate automatically with a built-in humidity sensor (humidistat) that allows the homeowner to set the target humidity level and let the machine take care of everything else. Also, these humidifiers drain directly either outdoors or to a sump pump, so there is no pan or reservoir to empty.