Professional mold remediation follows a set process: find and fix the moisture source, contain the affected area, filter the air with HEPA equipment, remove contaminated porous materials, clean remaining surfaces, dry the structure and confirm the area is clear. The IICRC S520 standard lays out these steps so the mold is removed, not just covered up.
If you’ve found mold in your home in Greenwood Village, Lone Tree or Cherry Hills Village, you probably have one big question: what happens next? It helps to know what the work looks like before a crew shows up at your door.
Across Arapahoe and Douglas counties, mold jobs often trace back to a summer hail storm that damaged a roof, a slow leak in a 1980s tract home in Centennial or a finished basement in Highlands Ranch that took on water. The source changes, but the remediation process stays largely the same.
What is the difference between mold removal and mold remediation?
You’ll hear both terms, and people often use them to mean the same thing. In practice, remediation is the broader idea. It means removing the mold growth you can see and fixing the conditions that let it grow in the first place.
Mold spores exist naturally indoors and outdoors, so no one can make a home completely free of them. The goal of remediation is to remove the active growth, remove or clean the materials it was growing on and bring moisture back to normal so it doesn’t return.
What are the steps of professional mold remediation?
The IICRC S520 standard is the industry standard for mold remediation. A job that follows it generally moves through these steps.
- Inspection and moisture mapping. Technicians look for visible growth and use moisture meters to find wet materials behind walls, under floors and in ceilings.
- Fixing the moisture source. The EPA is clear that the water problem has to be fixed first. A roof leak, plumbing leak or drainage problem must be addressed, or the mold will come back.
- Containment. The work area is sealed off with plastic sheeting and zipper doors. Negative air pressure keeps disturbed spores from drifting into the rest of the house.
- HEPA air filtration. Air scrubbers with HEPA filters run during the job to capture spores and dust stirred up during removal.
- Removal of contaminated porous materials. Drywall, insulation, carpet pad and similar materials with mold growth are cut out, bagged and removed from the home.
- Cleaning. Framing, subfloors and other materials that stay are cleaned, often with HEPA vacuuming and wiping, to remove remaining growth and residue.
- Drying. Dehumidifiers and air movers bring the structure back to normal moisture levels before anything is closed up.
- Clearance. The area is checked to confirm the remediation is complete before rebuilding begins.
Which materials get removed and which can be cleaned?
This is one of the most common questions homeowners ask, because nobody wants more of their house torn out than necessary. The answer depends on the material and how deep the growth goes.
| Material | Type | Usual approach |
|---|---|---|
| Drywall | Porous | Cut out and replace the affected sections |
| Carpet pad | Porous | Remove and replace |
| Fiberglass insulation | Porous | Remove and replace |
| Wood studs and joists | Semi-porous | Usually cleaned and dried if still sound |
| Concrete slab | Semi-porous | Cleaned and dried |
| Metal, glass, hard plastic | Non-porous | Cleaned |
Porous materials hold mold in their fibers and paper backing, so cleaning the surface usually isn’t enough. Structural wood and concrete can often stay once they’re cleaned and properly dried.
How does containment protect the rest of my home?
When moldy drywall gets cut out, spores go airborne. Without containment, they can settle in clean rooms, ductwork and belongings. That can spread the problem to parts of the house that were fine before the work started.
Containment walls, negative air pressure and HEPA filtration work together. The containment keeps the work zone separate, the negative pressure keeps air flowing into the zone instead of out and the HEPA scrubbers capture what gets stirred up. Your HVAC system is usually shut off or sealed at the vents in the work area for the same reason.
How do South Denver homes affect the remediation process?
Where mold shows up in your house changes how the job is set up. In the south metro, a few building features come up again and again.
- Finished basements. Many homes in Littleton, Parker and Highlands Ranch have finished basements. Water from a burst pipe, a failed water heater or a window well can soak carpet pad and the bottom of drywall, so remediation often means cutting drywall up from the floor and removing pad across a large area.
- Attics after hail and storms. Summer hail and thunderstorms can damage shingles and flashing. A small roof leak can wet attic sheathing and insulation for weeks before a ceiling stain appears, which means containment and removal in a tight, hot attic space.
- 1970s to 1990s tract homes. Older homes in Centennial, Englewood and Littleton may have aging supply lines, original plumbing fixtures and tired window seals. Leaks inside walls and under sinks are common starting points.
- Newer builds. Homes in Castle Rock and Parker are tighter and more energy efficient. That’s great for comfort, but moisture from a leak can linger longer inside a well-sealed wall.
Our dry climate helps during the drying phase, but it doesn’t reach inside wall cavities on its own. Professional drying equipment is still needed to bring framing and subfloors down to normal levels.
Can I remove mold myself?
For a small spot, often yes. The EPA’s guidance is that areas larger than about 10 square feet generally call for professional help. Small patches on a hard surface, like a bit of growth on a bathroom window frame, can often be cleaned by a homeowner.
Call a professional if the area is larger than that, if the mold is inside walls or ductwork, if the water came from a sewer backup or if you keep smelling mold after cleaning. Skip the bleach on drywall. It can lighten a stain without dealing with the growth in the paper and gypsum behind it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does mold remediation take? It depends on the size of the affected area, how much material needs to come out and how long drying takes. A small bathroom job may be quick, while a flooded finished basement takes longer. Your technician can give you a timeline after inspecting.
Do I need to leave my home during mold remediation? Often you don’t, because containment keeps the work area sealed off from the rest of the house. Your crew will let you know if a specific job calls for staying out of certain rooms.
Will mold come back after remediation? Mold returns when moisture returns. That’s why fixing the water source is the first step. If the leak is repaired and the structure is dried properly, the conditions for regrowth are removed.
Does insurance cover mold remediation? Coverage varies widely by policy and by what caused the moisture. Check your policy, and document everything for your insurance company with photos and notes from the start.
Know what to expect, then let the pros handle it
Mold remediation is a careful, step-by-step process, and knowing those steps makes a stressful week a little easier. If you’ve found mold after a leak, a storm or a basement flood, our Mold Remediation and Removal crew and IICRC-certified technicians follow the IICRC S520 process from inspection through clearance. Call Best Option Restoration of Denver Area South 24/7.