Mold Removal & Mold Services Before & After Photos

Recently, a property investor who owns and manages a 4-unit apartment building in Oceanport, NJ, contacted Mold Solutions By Cowleys to treat a mold problem. His building had a significant water intrusion event. A water pipe had burst in one of the 2nd-floor units, which, in turn, caused fairly extensive flooding in the apartment underneath. 

Since the water problem was caught quickly, the landlord thought that there would not be enough time for any mold to set in. It’s a pretty common misconception that it takes a while for mold to start forming after a water leak. In fact, mold starts growing immediately. Mold spores will attach to damp or wet organic materials —  wood products, ceiling tiles, cardboard, wallpaper, carpets, drywall, fabric, and even insulation —  as long as there is enough water or moisture and temperature conditions are right (mold thrives in hot, humid surroundings). Some strains of mold can easily grow within 24 to 48 hours from the water intrusion event and begin to colonize a day or two thereafter. While it may take a week or two before mold grows enough to be seen by the naked eye, mold is often there at the microscopic level. Inevitably, there is a delay between mold formation and when it is first discovered.

With this particular job, mold growth was discovered when renovations started a short time later. They immediately called us to make sure this mold problem was handled correctly and there were no tenant mold-related complaints down the road.  

We treated all of the mold-affected areas with two products, an EPA-registered antimicrobial called MAPS 1 followed by a patented sealant called MAPS 2.  This sealant, available only to licensed distributors, completely destroys mold, rendering it harmless and non-allergenic. MAPS stands for Mold Abatement Polymer Solutions. MAPS 1 attacks mold at its DNA and kills it immediately while MAPS 2 is a 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.

The Mold Solutions crew was able to treat this mold problem in less than a day, and the renovations were back on track for this landlord with no time loss.

A homeowner in Shrewsbury, NJ had her hot water heater burst. To us, short of a tree crashing through a roof, a burst hot water heater is one of the more damaging, scariest events that can happen to a homeowner and is listed by insurance companies as one of the major sources of residential water damage

This homeowner was not keeping tabs on her hot water heater and paid the price. The tank burst and flooded her basement. She had the water removed and had everything dried out. Unfortunately, mold will start forming with standing water in as little as 24 hours.

Mold Solutions By Cowleys came in and treated the entire basement with our two applications, MAPS 1 and MAPS 2. MAPS 1 is our EPA-registered anti-microbial that kills mold on a cellular level. Next, we applied MAPS 2, which is our patented polymer sealant. This application, which kills mold and vertically any pathogen on contact, is moisture-sensitive and has the ability to reactivate, killing any mold that may reappear in the treated areas.

We thoroughly wiped down all hard surfaces to remove the mold stains. The homeowner was pleased with our service and happy that there was no need to tear out any building materials. As long as the building materials have not lost their structural integrity, Mold Solutions can treat the mold right where it sits, avoiding substantial construction costs often associated with traditional mold remediation. 

This Shrewsbury, NJ homeowner found himself with mold growth on a dining room wall behind a recently hung mirror. This particular job highlights the fact that it does not take much of a water or moisture intrusion for mold to grow.

Homeowners often associate mold growth with only significant water intrusions like flooding or a leaky pipe. However, that is far from the case. Often, we see mold growth formation from sustained high indoor humidity levels, especially in basements, crawl spaces, and attics. With the mold growth in this home, mold had started to form either because there was preexisting moisture on the paper and cardboard backing of the mirror or the direct contact of the mirror against the wall allowed for condensation since the was no room for the room air to move and naturally keep the wall surface dry. Either way, to the surprise of the homeowner, significant mold growth had formed behind the mirror.

I wanted to be sure that there was no mold growth inside the mirror itself behind the paper and cardboard backing, and with the homeowner’s permission, I removed the mirror backing (which was already damaged from moisture build-up) to see if there was anything lurking underneath. Out of an abundance of caution, I treated the backside of the mirror with our treatment products as well as the wall itself (see photos of damaged backing and mirror with the backing removed).

Our treatment uses two products that work in sync with each other. First, we apply an EPA-registered antimicrobial (MAPS 1) followed by a patented proprietary sealant (MAPS 2). This sealant will reactivate when exposed to water or moisture, so it not only kills the existing mold but also stands ready to kill any future mold growth in the treated areas. I recommended to the homeowner that when the mirror is reinstalled that spacers be used to keep it from directly touching the wall. Keeping the mirror off the wall will allow air circulation behind the mirror which will reduce condensation and mold growth. Also, spacers help protect the wall paint.

Mold stains are different than the mold itself. Mold is a fungus, a living organism, that spreads through releasing mold spores that reattach on new surfaces. Mold is the culprit that can cause respiratory sensitivities, allergies, and in severe cases, lung infections. Mold stains are the non-living residual markings left by mold from its enzymes that dissolve whatever organic materials that the mold is using for food. Although mold stains are unsightly, they are non-allergenic and their removal is an aesthetic decision such as whether the mold is in a living or non-living space of the home. Often, mold stains are so deeply embedded that they cannot be completely removed through scrubbing and a mold stain remover, and the only way to obliterate the mold stains is to paint over them. 

Here, you can see the residual staining on the wall after the mold was treated and we tried to manually scrub away as much of the staining as we could. The homeowner’s concern was to have the mold treated so there would no longer be any active mold growth in his living room. We were able to successfully treat his home and make his living room safe in less than a day.

This homeowner in Manasquan, NJ was having a chronic moisture problem in his basement. The basement ductwork had a chronic condensation problem — water droplets were forming on the outside of the ducts, creating a big mess. Condensation on ductwork can lead to all sorts of problems including damage to ceilings and drywall as well as mold growth. 

Unfortunately, this homeowner found himself with mold growth throughout the basement because of the heavy condensation that had formed on the ducts. Prior to Mold Solutions By Cowleys arriving to treat the mold, he had the ducts properly insulated and also installed a dehumidifier. When we arrived we were happy to hear that the homeowner took care of the conducive conditions that lead to the mold growth! Now we just gotta get rid of the mold!

First, we applied our EPA registered anti-microbial called Mold Abatement Polymer Solutions 1 (MAPS 1 for short). MAPS 1 targets mold at its DNA and kills it instantly. After applying MAPS 1, we then wiped away all the mold and applied MAPS 2. MAPS 2 is a patented sealant that encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders it useless and non-allergenic. 

With the mold destroyed and the underlying problem that had caused the mold growth fixed, this homeowner permanently solved his basement’s moisture and mold issues.

Recently, I went on a service call to a home in Manasquan, NJ after the homeowner contacted us because of mold growth in his basement. As I was equipping my personal protective equipment to start my inspection, I asked the homeowner about any water intrusions that could have triggered the mold growth. He stated that, a short time ago, his water heater had a small leak, spraying water all over the sheetrock wall. Although the leak was fixed immediately, it wasn’t caught quickly enough, and mold started to form. 

Mold is a living fungus that grows by digesting organic matter and spreads by releasing airborne spores that attach on surfaces to form new colonies. In nature, mold is essential to decompose wood, leaves and other plant debris. However, indoor mold poses a serious health hazard. Mold growth can be triggered inside homes because of chronic humidity or some water intrusion, and mold can form on pretty much any surface, from wood and wallpaper to insulation and carpeting. Because mold thrives on water and moisture, any water leak, even a small one, can trigger mold growth. Mold spreads by airborne spores attaching to damp surfaces. Spores in outdoor air can find their way inside homes through open windows or by attaching themselves to anyone or anything entering the home. Short of forming an airtight seal around your home, it is impossible to stop mold spores from coming inside. In fact, mold spores surround us all the time. But just like other invisible allergens, they are too small for us to see!

I began my inspection, and immediately located the obvious mold growth next to the water heater. However, mold growth could attach anywhere once it forms, and to be thorough, I inspected every nook and cranny of the basement to determine if there was mold growth in other areas. Fortunately, the mold growth was localized to the one area near the water heater and no other areas were yet affected. In some instances, sheetrock or other building materials with severe water damage have lost their structural integrity and must be removed. Often, however, the materials just have superficial growth and it is not necessary to remove the materials. Instead, we treat the mold directly right where it sits, which saves the homeowner from an expensive tear-out and renovation project. Here, to the relief of this homeowner, it was not necessary to remove the mold-affected sheetrock.

First, I began treating the affected area with an EPA-registered antimicrobial solution, called MAPS 1 (Mold Abatement Polymer Solutions) that kills existing mold. Then, I follow it with a patented sealant called MAPS 2 to encapsulate the mold rendering it inert, harmless, and nonallergenic. The sealant not only kills the existing mold, but it’s formulated to reactivate to kill any future mold growth. Now the risk of dangerous mold growth, both now and in the future, has been removed.