One problem a lot of homeowners have in common is mold growing in their crawl space.
This is mostly due to high humidity and moisture. In response to such growth, mold fogger treatments are applied. This will either work by encapsulating or killing mold.
Have you heard of such treatment? If you haven’t, then this article will be your guide.
You’ll learn all there is to know about crawl space mold foggers.
With the information made available below, you’ll easily overcome any ignorance about the use of this all-important mold treatment device.
Mold Foggers For Crawl Space
To provide the basic knowledge of what we’re discussing, we’ll need to begin by explaining what fogging is about.
This is simply the action whereby aerosolized pesticides are applied to kill mold. Fogging requires the use of a fogger.
If you’ve never heard about a fogger, it’s simply any type of device that creates or converts liquid insecticides into a fog. It’s either used to combat pest problems or to kill mold.
This is basically a low-cost alternative a lot of homeowners adopt to manage their pest issues.
Fogging: Is this the Right Approach to Combating Mold Problems?
Do mold bombs work in crawl spaces?
Although crawl space mold fogging is common, one question that may be asked is whether such an approach is the best. This question is best answered by looking at different scenarios.
First off, convenience seems to be the main attraction to fogging but then, there’s the safety angle.
Mold fogging is mainly carried out using antimicrobials. These are chemicals that either destroy mold or suppress further growth. Controlling this fungus is best done using antimicrobials specially designated for mold control.
Let’s get further discuss these points as follows;
i. Convenience
In terms of convenience, mold treatments using a fogger seem to be more convenient for a lot of people. With foggers, you don’t need to move to all points of your crawl space applying antimicrobials.
Rather, the mist or aerosolized chemical reaches all points across the treated area.
The downside to its use is that residual fungal or mold growth may result. In other words, it’s not entirely effective even though it’s a more convenient treatment.
ii. Safety
Safety is paramount when it comes to mold remediation. Here, chemicals used for crawl space mold fogging can be quite dangerous when inhaled.
Sometimes, even wearing personal protective equipment won’t fully guarantee your safety as such equipment may not be ideal for crawl space mold fogging.
Toxicity is a major safety issue with mold fogger use. You’ll have to be sure that the antimicrobial product is indeed ideal for mold treatments.
Safety instructions such as the when, how, and where to apply will have to be adhered to.
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Applications
Application guidelines are necessary to achieve the desired impact. When not properly used, mold issues are likely to persist and worsen. This is why involving the experts is the best approach to take.
Directions for use guarantees safety while also helping you get results.
Types of Mold Foggers
While there are tons of mold fogger brands, these are categorized into two broad types. They include; ultra-low volume foggers as well as thermal foggers.
So, what are the differences between the two?
Let’s take a look at each category;
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Ultra-Low Volume Foggers
This category of mold foggers works by a simple principle; using large air volume at low pressures to convert liquid antimicrobials into mist or fog. Ultra-low volume foggers can be adjusted to obtain a wide range of results.
These are known to be energy efficient and easier to operate. What more? With Ultra-low volume foggers, you get an enhanced level of safety as treatment is easily contained and controlled.
However, there are downsides to the use of foggers within this category.
The disadvantages include being less effective in penetrating tight spaces such as cracks. Additionally, visibility is reduced during treatment. That is because the fog isn’t usually clear.
There’s also the disadvantage of covering lesser space within a set time.
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Thermal Foggers
As the name suggests, thermal foggers use heat to dispense their chemical contents. In clearer terms, chemical solutions are vaporized through heating.
Thermal foggers have a heating barrel as well as a tank that holds the chemical solution. There’s also a pump that delivers the chemical solution to the heating chamber.
Thermal foggers can be further divided into three types; propane, fuel, and electric. Although all three use heat, the type of fuel burned distinguishes them. The “fuel” type of fogger uses any other fuel apart from propane.
Thermal foggers release a dense cloud of mist that permeates the treated area (in this case your crawl space). For propane foggers, a socket is provided where you connect your propane gas cylinder.
For fuel foggers, a tank is provided into which an appropriate fuel is poured.
Electric foggers require connecting to an electrical outlet. As such, a power cord is provided for such a purpose. Thermal fogger benefits are numerous.
One of them includes the use of less chemical solution to cover more space.
Droplets formed tend to be smaller compared to ultra-low volume foggers. This ensures optimal penetration into hard-to-reach areas of your crawl space.
Despite the dense mist being formed, you’re able to see through and easily observe what you’re doing.
There are disadvantages with thermal mold fogger use too. These foggers pose a greater risk of starting a fire due to the heat being used. Plus, energy bills could pile up.
Can I Depend on Mold Foggers For Comprehensive Treatment?
Sometimes, confusion may arise regarding mold treatment using foggers.
For many, the need for the total elimination of mold problems is paramount.
In other words, results matter most to them. Adoption of mold fogging treatments alone isn’t guaranteed to give desired results until when performed by a professional.
This simply means DIY mold fogging treatments aren’t that reliable. You’ll need to have a professional take a look and perform comprehensive treatments. Professional mold fogging treatments are backed by a guarantee.
Here repeat treatments are carried out when expected outcomes aren’t attained.
Crawl space mold fogging treatments are quite common. However, the results obtained depend on how effective the treatments given are.
Again, we recommend you hire a pro for all your mold treatment needs.