If you smell a musty odor or if you have observed signs of a wet crawl space, give the remediation experts at Emergency Restoration Services, LLC a call. Our technicians use industry-leading moisture detection equipment along with infrared thermal imaging cameras to determine the extent of water or mold damage the cause of the problem.
Crawl spaces where h d-none d-lg-blockumidity is high or where water is pooling are common sites of mold growth, especially with dirt floors. Crawl space soil typically takes in moisture naturally; however, our humid region of Virginia also dries out the soil through evaporation. Apart from flooding, this additional moisture in the air in the crawl space is a leading cause of mold growth.
Through cracks in walls, floors, and ceilings, the moisture that accumulates in a crawl space also enters other parts of a home or building and contributes to the spread of mold.
ERS’ Crawl Space Remediation Process
1. Mold Inspection and Assessment
A professional crawl space assessment will ensure we have found all mold issues to ensure they don’t come back again. We use state of the art air quality and thermal mold mapping to identify all problem areas.
Emergency Restoration Services mold technicians are not limited to just identifying and assessing mold growth problems. We can also help with replacing or repairing associated crawl space insulation, duct sealing, and air duct issues. While we’re down there, we also relay any termite and rodent infestation problems, as well.
2. Moisture Removal, Drying, and Repair
Where standing or pooling water is found, Emergency Restoration Services will first determine the source of your chronic water problem and complete repairs if necessary. We then employ industrial-grade water pump, vacuuming, drying, and evaporation equipment to eradicate all moisture from the crawl space.
3. Mold Containment Barriers
We begin by putting thick plastic wall and floor sheeting in place to prevent cross-contamination of mold spores to other unaffected areas during our work.
4. Air Filtration
To ensure we maintain safe air quality for our technicians and your family, we set up HEPA-certified air filtration machines.
5. HEPA Vacuum
Emergency Restoration Services employs industrial-grade HEPA vacuums to remove and contain surface mold from exposed organic materials like wooden floor joists, beams, and other structures.
6. Demolition and Removal
Crawl space damage may progress to the point where the removal and replacement of contaminated building materials are required. We carefully remove, bag, seal, and take affected materials from the premises.
7. Anti-Microbial Application
Emergency Restoration Services employs a non-toxic, eco-friendly, and highly effective anti-microbial solution proven to be excellent at killing mold roots and spores.
Our anti-microbial solution contains plant-based enzymes ideal for breaking down allergenic proteins in mold spores. It’s also catalytic (keeps working after application) and is safe on all materials.
8. Embedded Mold Removal
We use mold remediation products to get to hard-to-reach areas, getting between floor joists and beam cracks to kill embedded mold roots and spores.
9. Scrub and Wipe Clean
Our technicians employ good old elbow grease to scrub, wipe, and clean affected surfaces. Our trained mold technicians wear head-to-toe coverings along with air masks to prevent any adverse health effects from breathing in mold spores.
10. HEPA Vacuum Again
During our process, we will re-vacuum surface areas throughout to ensure we thoroughly removed any remaining mold spores and roots.
11. Mold-Proof Coating (Encapsulation)
Our technicians spray-coat a long-lasting sealant into every inch of your crawl space to prevent the re-occurrence of mold for years to come. We offer a 30-year transferrable warranty on all crawl space remediation projects.
Our coating is a bright white latex-based coating designed to cover surfaces with one coat. It provides an extremely durable physical barrier for framing lumber, plywood, brick, and concrete block.
12. Final Inspection
A multi-step checklist ensures we maintain our excellent reputation. Our goal is to entirely remediate and encapsulate your crawl space, protecting it for years to come.
