Homeowners and businesses struggling with recurring mold problems often ask mold remediation professionals – how long does it take to completely remove mold?

Well, there is no straightforward answer to this question.

Although both mold removal and mold remediation appear to be simple processes, they do require professional intervention with an experienced and licensed mold remediation specialist.

When Can a Mold Remediation Expert tell you about the Time it’d take to remove Mold?

When a mold removal & remediation specialist visits your property to examine a mold problem, he or she will first need to examine the problem to estimate the time it’d take to fix the problem.

Professional mold inspection typically includes the following:

• Visual inspection of the entire home or place of business

• Use of tools such as moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras

• Air quality testing to estimate the concentration of mold spores in the indoor air

• Mold swab test in order to determine the type of mold

Depending upon the severity of the mold issue at hand, your local mold inspector can recommend one or all of these inspection methods to estimate the extent and severity of your mold problem.

In most cases, mold inspections can be completed in around 1-2 hours.  In case the mold sample is sent for lab testing (which is usually done to determine the type of mold and whether it’s toxic), you may have to wait two to three business days for the test results. Certain species of mold can be toxic to everyone, including humans and pets.

After a thorough mold assessment, mold removal specialists can estimate the time required to complete mold removal.

How Long Does It Take to Remove Mold?

The time required to completely remove mold depends on several factors including but not limited to:

• Location of the mold: Mold removal professionals will need more time to remove mold from hard-to-reach areas such as between the walls, around the crawl space, and inside the air ducts.

• Severity of mold growth: Mold infestations turn severe with each passing week if left untreated. While you may have mold in just one area of your property at first, it can quickly spread to other areas of your home through airborne mold spores. These spores can colonize new surfaces, including floorboards, fabrics, air vents, etc.

• Whether any demolition is required: There are occasions, when it may be necessary to replace or remove moldy materials to ensure the mold does not return. For instance, you cannot just apply an anti-mold solution over a moldy drywall and hope that it’d fix the problem.

• Underlying causes: Mold thrives in moist or damp areas. So, if there is a hidden leak somewhere, you may have to deal with recurring mold problems. So, it is advisable to have the underlying causes of your mold problem investigated.

A mold removal professional can remove toxic black mold in your shower or kitchen in less than an hour with the right tools and solutions.

But, it may take several hours or even days to complete a mold removal job if the infestation is severe and the mold has begun growing in hidden areas such as on appliance seals or drip pans, under floor mats, on carpets or upholstery, around water heaters and boilers, beneath drywall or wallpaper, on plumbing and ductwork, around HVAC vents, on roof shingles, etc.

It is safe to assume that mold removal may take one to five business days. In most cases, mold removal teams can be in and out within one day.

Also Read: The Importance of Routine Plumbing Maintenance

The Mold Removal Process Determines the Time Needed to Remove Mold

A certified mold removal and remediation company will always follow a standard process to rid your property of mold.

After a thorough mold inspection (explained above), mold remediation professionals will prepare a detailed plan and consult you on how you want them to proceed.

Ventilation and containment of the affected area is the first and most important step in the mold removal process. To make sure mold spores do not spread into other areas of your home or commercial facility, it is important to completely isolate the area. Besides thick plastic sheets, professionals often use devices such as dehumidifiers, air movers, and air scrubbers for containment.

Next, surfaces contaminated by mold colonies are cleaned and disinfected with the help of specialized solutions. At times, it may be necessary to completely discard moldy materials such as carpets, wallpaper, drywall, etc. as it may not be possible to completely clean them. In some cases, mold remediation professionals also use a special paint to encapsulate dry mold to prevent future mold growth.

Trained professionals will use personal protective equipment and state-of-the-art equipment to safely and quickly remove mold. All contaminated materials are discarded in air-tight plastic bags.

One Time Mold Removal May Not Guarantee Permanent Remediation

Keep in mind that one time mold removal rarely fixes the problem. Therefore, it is necessary to remediate the root cause of a mold problem.

What if there is a hidden leak somewhere in your plumbing, roof, basement, attic or basement?

If this is the case, you will need to get the leak identified and fixed. If you just remove mold but do not remedy the causes, you will have to deal with another mold infestation in the future.

Final Words

It’s understandable that you want to get rid of mold as quickly as possible.

Mold is not just unsightly. No, it does not just cause allergies.

It can even cause serious symptoms in children and adults with existing respiratory health issues. Therefore, it’s important that you focus on total mold remediation and not just one-time mold removal.

In any case, do not ignore a mold issue simply because you are too busy or do not want to spend money on professional mold removal. In the long run, you will only end up spending more money, both on mold removal and repairs that would be necessary to contain mold damage.

Guest Contributor: Jim and Dave Schuelke