Job Stories

These Farmingdale homeowners were in the process of selling their home. As often happens, mold was discovered during the home inspection. Often, mold grows in those humid, damp areas of the home that are rarely visited, especially is there had been a water intrusion at some point because of a roof leak, groundwater seepage, or a broken pipe. With this home, the inspector discovered mold on some of the wall sheathing in the attic. Mold will feed on anything that is alive or was once alive, including oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing, which uses an engineered manufacturing process to make rigid uniform panels for wood-framed walls that has no core voids or knotholes. Although OSB sheathing looks nothing like the trees from which it was made, mold will still grow on it as long as there is sufficient water or moisture.The homeowners were concerned that this discovery of mold would delay putting their house on the market, and they contacted Mold Solutions By Cowleys. They called us in to do our mold treatment. We first treat affected areas by applying our EPA-registered anti-microbial (MAPS 1) and then apply our patented polymer sealant (MAPS 2).  While completely safe and non-toxic, this sealant destroys mold. Upon contact with the sealant, any mold is instantly rendered inert, harmless, and non-allergenic. The sealant is also moisture-sensitive and reactivates to prevent the return of any new mold growth in the treated areaThe homeowners chose Mold Solutions By Cowleys because they did not want mold to delay the sale of their home. Our treatment process allows most mold projects to be completed in less than a day. Why?  We directly treat the mold itself instead of tearing out the mold-affected materials (as long as they are not structurally damaged). Also, unlike traditional mold remediation, we warranty our mold treatment process against returning mold.Unfortunately, even when mold is removed, it leaves behind staining and discoloration. This staining is caused by the release of enzymes and certain pigmented compounds. For non-living spaces of the home like crawl spaces and attics, it is an aesthetic choice to have these stains removed, and for certain porous materials like drywall, mold stain removers are ineffective. Residual mold stains, while unsightly, pose no health risk. What’s of critical importance, and our focus, is getting rid of the mold. And after our treatment, not only is the mold is gone, but also any treated areas are protected from future mold growth. Because our process restores the home’s indoor air quality, mold-related respiratory problems are avoided.

A homeowner in Colts Neck, NJ was in the process of selling his home. He had accepted an offer and during the home inspection, something interesting was discovered in his crawl space — mold! In order for the homeowner to sell his home, he needed to get rid of the mold, so he called Mold Solutions by Cowleys for help. We equipped our personal protective equipment, since mold is a biohazard in enclosed spaces, and began inspecting the crawl space. Within a few moments of our inspection, we found mold all over the floor joists. We reported what we found to the homeowner, who then informed us that he had a pipe burst not too long ago. He had the pipe fixed immediately, cleaned up and removed all the water damaged material, and thought that was the end of the problem. Since he rarely goes into the crawl space, he had no idea that mold was starting to grow. One of the main causes of mold in a crawl space, attic, or basement, is high moisture levels. Mold is a living, breathing fungus that multiplies and will continue to spread as long as the conditions in the home remain conducive to mold growth.  For treatment, we applied an EPA-registered, antimicrobial solution called Mold Abatement Polymer Solutions, or MAPS 1 for short. MAPS 1 breaks down mold at a cellular level and kills it instantly. Once that solution dried, we applied a patented sealant called MAPS 2. This moisture-sensitive sealant encapsulates mold, rendering it inert, harmless, and non-allergenic. Also, MAPS 2 reactivates when it gets moist to prevent the growth of any future mold colonies. Now that the mold has been eliminated, the homeowner can continue with the sale of his home. 

These homeowners in Lincroft, NJ needed to have their crawl space insulation removed because of mold formation. Crawl spaces commonly develop mold because they are damp, dark, humid, and surrounded by damp soil — a perfect environment for mold to thrive. Permanent resolution of mold problems in crawl spaces requires encapsulation and dehumidification. Both of these improvements are performed by Cowleys residential contractor division. We spend a lot of our days in crawl spaces! These homeowners decided to put their home up for sale and there would be pre-sale inspection deficiencies without any crawl space insulation. It’s unfortunate that they waited until the sale of their home to do this. The lack of insulation no doubt increased their utility bills and made their ground flood cold and uncomfortable. Nevertheless, the home was getting proper insulation now. For this job, our two-man crew installed R-19 ComfortTherm insulation, a formaldehyde-free poly-encapsulated fiberglass insulation with a vapor-retarder facing. It’s a great thermal and acoustical insulation and our go-to product for basements and crawl spaces.

During a pending sale of a home in Middletown, NJ, mold was discovered on the fire-blocking wall of a utility room. There was no obvious source of the water intrusion event triggering the mold growth. In addition, the humidity level in the room, at least during our inspection, was not high enough to trigger mold growth. We suspected that the likely source for the mold was moisture in the poured concrete walls.  To proceed with the sale, the homeowner needed a written warranty from us that the mold was successfully treated.. A crew from the Cowleys Mold Solutions division was sent to resolve the mold problem. We applied an EPA-registered antimicrobial (MAPS 1) to the utility room walls. After, we wiped down all of the mold and mold stains on the surfaces. Finally, we applied our patented sealant (MAPS 2) that seals in the mold and prevents any new mold growth from forming. Because of our treatment process works immediately we were able to treat the mold in the utility room in less than a day, and there was no delay in the sale of the home. Good news for the seller, buyer, and realtors in the transaction!

This homeowner in Middletown, NJ had a severe situation happen in his home. One of the toilets in his bathrooms had flooded and caused severe water damage to the area. Although he cleaned it up and fixed the broken toilet, he had no idea that water had seeped below to the spare bedroom closet in the basement, which caused black mold to grow! Since he was a Home Protection Plan customer for our Pest Control Division, he gave our Mold Division a call and we were sent out.  Once we inspected the area, we determined that the black mold growth was so bad that a large portion of the sheetrock, insulation, and wooden beams needed to be removed. The owner agreed and we removed & disposed of every single mold contaminated item. Once we finished, we treated the area with our EPA registered antimicrobial called MAPS 1. This solution attacks mold at its DNA and immediately kills it. Afterward, we applied our mold stain remover and scrubbed away all the mold stains. Lastly, we applied MAPS 2, which is our patented sealant that encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders it harmless and non-allergic. MAPS 2 is also moisture sensitive and will reactivate whenever it gets wet to prevent any future mold growth.

A new customer in Island Heights, NJ called Mold Solutions after smelling a "moldy & musty" odor in his home. After inspecting the inside of the home and not finding any mold, we inspected the crawl space (since 40% of the air we breathe in a home comes from it). Sure enough, we found mold all over the joists. What caused it? High humidity levels in the crawl space.  First, we removed all of the insulation and applied our EPA registered antimicrobial called MAPS 1. This solution attacks mold at its DNA and kills it instantly. Next, we applied our mold stain remover and scrubbed away the mold stains. Afterward, we applied our patented sealant which encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders it harmless and non-allergenic. This sealant is called MAPS 2 and it's also moisture sensitive, which will prevent mold from returning. We also replaced all the old insulation with ComfortTherm® insulation. ComfortTherm® insulation provides excellent temperature and noise control, and comes with a vapor-retarder for use in hot, humid climates. Lastly, to control the high humidity levels, we installed a Sani-Dry Sedona commercial-grade dehumidifier. The Sedona directs the extracted water pulled out of the air directly into the sump pump and will properly control the humidity levels in the crawl space.    

After finding mold in his crawl space, a new customer in Island Heights, NJ called our office for help and we were sent out to remove the mold. First, after equipping our Personal Protective Equipment, we inspected the crawl space to identify the conducive condition that caused the mold growth. After inspecting the area with our hygrometer, we discovered that the high humidity levels in the crawl space led to the mold growth.  First, we removed and disposed of all the contaminated items in the crawl space and then applied our EPA-registered antimicrobial solution called MAPS 1. MAPS 1 (which stands for Mold Abatement Polymer Solution) targets mold at its DNA and kills it instantly. We then used our mold stain remover, scrubbed away all the mold staining, and applied MAPS 2. MAPS 2 encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders it harmless and non-allergenic. MAPS 2 is also moisture-sensitive and will reactivate whenever it gets wet to prevent future mold growth. Finally, to control the humidity levels in the crawl space we installed a Sedona dehumidifier. This dehumidifier can effectively cover indoor living spaces over 3000 square feet, making it well-suited for basements and crawl spaces over 40" high! Now the crawl space is mold-free!

This homeowner decided to it was time to clean out some of the items he had stored in is crawl space. As he was reorganizing some of the containers, he noticed a lot of mold growth along the joists. He immediately went upstairs and called Mold Solutions for help.  As soon as we inspected the crawl space we immediately identified the cause of the mold growth, high humidity levels! High humidity in the air can supply enough moisture for mold to grow. Humidity levels should be kept ideally between 30 percent and 50 percent. After our inspection, we applied an EPA registered antimicrobial solution called MAPS 1. MAPS 1 attacks mold at its DNA and kills it instantly. Next, we applied our mold stain remover, scrubbed away all the mold stains, and applied MAPS 2. This is a patented sealant that encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders it harmless and non-allergic. MAPS 2 is also moisture sensitive and will reactivate whenever it gets wet to prevent any future mold growth. Lastly, to handle the high humidity issue, we installed a Sani-Dry Sedona commercial grade dehumidifier. These dehumidifiers cost less to run than other dehumidifiers, cover over 3000 square feet, are energy efficient, and will properly control the humidity levels in the crawl space.

The owners of a beach house in Brick, NJ found themselves with an unpleasant surprise when they returned to get the home ready for summer: there was mold growing behind a cabinet and drywall. They contacted Cowleys Mold Solutions and a two-man crew was dispatched to treat the mold.  The homeowner wanted us to removing the cabinet, which was no problem. However, he was hoping to avoid a tear-out and replacement of the drywall panels that had developed mold. Since there was no structural damage to the drywall, we could potentially leave it in depending on whether there was some behind the drywall responsible for the mold growth, and whether we needed to access the area in order to fix the problem. Mold is a sign that a home has some type of water intrusion or chronic moisture from high humidity. While it is important to treat the mold, it is just as important to address the underlying problem that’s causing mold growth in the first place. Otherwise, the mold will return. To check behind the drywall, we cut out four small “peepholes” at the tops and bottoms of each moldy area of the drywall so we could visually access the wall void and determine the water source triggering the mold growth. As it turned out, a condensation drain for AC was dumping water into a bay directly above the mold-affected infected area. We repositioned the condensation line so it would drain water away from the home. We treated the mold problem with our mold treatment process that that involves two separate applications. First, we applied an EPA-registered antimicrobial (MAPS 1) to the affected areas. Next, we applied our patented sealant (MAPS 2), for which Cowleys is a licensed distributor. This sealant kills molds on contact at the cellular level rendering it inert and harmless. Mold is dangerous because its airborne spores can cause various respiratory problems, and some strains of mold contain actual toxins. This sealant is also moisture-sensitive. If the conditions that trigger mold growth return, this sealant has the ability to reactivate and kill any new mold growth in the treated areas. The owners were pleased that we could complete this job in less than a day, that the drywall could be saved thereby avoiding a tear-out/renovation project. And, most important for them, there would be no delays in using the beach house over the summer.

Recently, a two-man crew from Mold Solutions By Cowleys was sent to an office/warehouse in an Industrial Park in Eatontown, NJ to resolve a mold problem. Mold had formed because of water seepage through an exterior wall. Mold is a byproduct of some water intrusion event. If you have mold, there is underlying water problem that’s caused it. Although we tend to associate mold with a major water intrusion event like flooding, mold can also form with a water problem that’s not at noticeable or dramatic. Sometimes, the water problem is internal such as a leaky pipe or chronically high indoor humidity, especially in basements and crawl spaces. Other times, like here, the mold problem is caused by an external event where water enters the building through the roof, foundation, or external walls. Here, the water seepage went unnoticed for some period of time. Once it was found, the building owner immediately has the leak fixed. However, it does not take long for mold to take hold, and here, mold had started to grow on the outside bottom of drywall (sheetrock). As long as there is water or moisture, mold will start growing on any organic material, even on materials that are no longer living. Many processed building materials, including drywall, contain organic material, even though they don’t look like anything that resembles anything that was once alive and found in nature. Although drywall is primarily made of inorganic gypsum plaster. It is pressed between two thick sheets of paper, which is “organic” food for mold. When drywall become water-saturated, it acts like a sponge. Mold formation on drywall can form and spread quickly.   With our mold treatment process, we treat the mold directly, right where it sits. If the building material has not lost its structural integrity, we don’t need to remove it. Since, water had leaked into the building from the exterior wall, it was important to determine if there was any mold growth in the wall void. Mold is not always visible and in plain sight. To ensure that there was no mold growth in the wall void, we cut out a small section of the drywall panel so that we could inspect behind it. No mold had formed in the void. This was good news for the building owner. Since we were only dealing with surface mold, we could treat the mold without removing building materials. Our mold treatment process often allows building owners to avoid costly tear-outs and renovation. Also, removing mold-tainted materials is not foolproof. Significant precautions must be taken so that mold spores don’t fly off and reattach elsewhere. We started by treated the mold with an EPA-registered anti-microbial (MAPS 1). Next, we applied our patented sealant (MAPS 2) which kills mold on contact. This sealant has the unique ability to reactivate with water or moisture and kill future mold growth in any of the treated areas. Finally, we scrubbed off the mold stains. Mold stains are residue of the mold enzymes dissolving the material. These stains themselves are not harmful or allergenic like the mold itself. However, they are aesthetically unappealing. As long as the stains are not too deeply embedded in the materials, we can remove or at least substantially reduce their appearance. Bottom line: Our crew finished up in less than a day, and after we were done, we left the building mold-free and safe for its employees and customers.