Trask Research, Inc. - Mold Problem Solving

Mold Remediation in RV’s, Campers and Trailers

By Matthew Yurina, Mold Inspector/Remediator

CONTAIN- the mold from spreading into uncontaminated areas;

KILL- the mold;

REMOVE- the dead mold and materials used for remediation; and

PROTECT- the cleaned out area against future mold infestation

Before starting any mold remediation project, you’ll need the proper personal protective equipment ( PPE ): P100 respirator, gloves, goggles and protective clothing. If you don’t have a Tyvek suit or some other form of disposable, full body coveralls, then you’ll need long sleeves, and long pants that you can wash thoroughly once the remediation is complete. An enzyme based mold cleaner like Oxy Mold is extremely efficient at removing mold and mold spores from clothing, and it’s safe for use in the washing machine.

The second step will be to pinpoint the source of the moisture that caused the mold growth and begin drying out the area completely. You may need to perform Mold Tests in order to get an idea of how extensive the mold contamination is. If there’s mold growing on the walls inside the unit, odds are that there’s more growth behind the wall where it can’t be seen. You’ll need to check behind the walls to find out if there’s hidden mold.

Contaminated insulation, drywall or other extremely porous materials will need to be safely bagged up in 6 mil polyethylene sheeting so that it can be thrown away without spreading mold spores to other location in the unit. If mold testing suggests that there are high concentrations of spores in air, you’ll need to bring contaminated furniture and other objects outside, to a separate place, where they can be cleaned.

Once the mol d c ontamination is exposed and the surfaces are dry, you’ll need to treat the areas with Oxy Mold MX-501™. Apply the MX-500 a minimum of two times to all mold damaged surfaces, allowing 24 hours or so in between applications for the area to dry. HEPA vacuuming may be necessary as well to remove as much of the treated growth as possible. Always remember that even dead mold can still be a health risk.

Once the application of the fungicide is over and the area has dried out, you’ll need to do Clearance Mold Testing to make absolutely sure you’ve killed the mold. Rebuilding, re-insulating or repainting over an unresolved mold problem is the worst thing you can do. This would be giving the mold more food, and so it may start to grow again, and you’ll be back to square one.