Protection During Mold Remediation

1/25/2021 (Permalink)

Use protection during mold cleanup

A musty odor in your home in Ogden, UT, may indicate that you have a mold problem. Before you grab your spray bottle and attack the patch with vigor, however, it's important to know the appropriate personal protective equipment you need to wear. Proper PPE goes beyond just wearing face masks. Follow these tips so that you know you're protected.

Use Proper Protection During Mold Remediation 

Small Mold Growth

A relatively small patch of mold damage on your counter or a contained growth in the grout in your shower may be something you can handle yourself. Before you start any cleaning, however, you need to don the right gear:

• N95 face mask
  
• Rubber gloves
  
• Goggles
  

These items protect your eyes, nose, mouth and hands from any spores that you stir up during the cleanup process. Even if you have to upgrade your gloves because you decide to use a harsher chemical to clean, you should always take measures to ensure that you are working safely.

Large Mold Growth

If the mold growth takes up a whole wall or you smell the odor more strongly when the air conditioner comes on, indicating that it's inside the ducts, you must rely on mold remediation specialists to handle the cleanup job. The technicians are not only careful to wear face masks and other appropriate PPE throughout the mitigation process but also may put on protective coveralls. In addition to safeguarding themselves, they protect the rest of your house from additional fungal spread. The mitigation team starts by sealing off the affected area to prevent spores from traveling throughout the rest of the house. This protects your HVAC system and other vulnerable spaces.

Whether your mold problem is large or small, no mitigation should begin until you or the technicians whom you hire are wearing the appropriate gear. Face masks, gloves and goggles are the minimum requirements for proper protection.