Mold Removal & Mold Services Before & After Photos

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 is the result of water or moisture buildup. There are numerous ways that excess water or moisture can occur inside a home. Often, it's a leaky pipe while other times, its moisture build-up in crawl spaces, attics, and basements because of chronically high indoor humidity levels. With this homeowner in Manchester Township, NJ, the cause of the mold formation was, believe it or not, furniture placement! 

The homeowners placed furniture directly against their HVAC registers — those vent grilles in your home that cover the hole where the duct enters the room to blow out heated or cooled air. As this homeowner found out the hard way, never block these registers! Doing so not only impedes the efficiency of your HVAC system, but it can also trigger dangerous mold growth by trapping the moisture in the air that’s blowing out of the ducts.

First, we treated the affected areas with our EPA registered anti-microbial 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.

Finally, as a precaution, we treated the ductwork. Since there was no underlying damage to any building materials and everything was structurally sound, there was no need for a building tear-out. With our mold treatment process, we simply kill the mold right where it sits, and we are often able to do so in less than a day.

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. 

One of the Mold Solutions By Cowleys crews was called out to treat and remove mold that had formed in the basement of a restaurant in New Brunswick, NJ. The basement had significant mold growth on the joists (the lumber supporting the basement ceiling) and the walls due to moisture and condensation from high humidity levels down below. 

We first treated the joists and walls were treated with our EPA-registered anti-microbial called MAPS 1, which attacks mold at its DNA and kills it instantly. We then wiped away all the mold and applied MAPS 2, which is a patented sealant that encapsulates the surface mold is growing on and renders it useless and non-allergenic. 

Mold formation in this New Brunswick, NJ basement could have been prevented if a dehumidifier had been installed. Dehumidification is, by far, the most important long-term preventative measure for controlling dangerous crawl space and basement moisture that will inevitably lead to mold growth. We recommended the purchase of a commercial-grade dehumidifier to maintain indoor humidity at levels that would minimize or prevent mold growth. The owner understood the importance of dehumidification to keep a basement clean and dry, and stated that he would contact us at a later date if he decided to go forward with purchasing a unit.