What equipment is needed for mold remediation? In this guide, we will discuss recommended mold removal tools for inspection, elimination, and prevention.

Mold can be a real headache for homeowners for a good number of reasons. They make your surfaces look terrible, they smell awful, and they can cause serious health issues to persons exposed to them.

Luckily, there are many tools you can use to get rid of them. We’re not talking about a scrubbing brush, as there are more sophisticated mold removal tools and equipment in the market.

We’ll be taking a look at these tools during the course of this article, so stay with us!

Professional Mold Inspection Tools & Removal Equipment

Mold remediation can be broken into 3 steps –

  • Inspection
  • Removal
  • Prevention

Some tools can be used in each of these stages of mold remediation. We will be discussing them one by one.

Tools Used For The Mold Inspection Phase

Here’s a list of the tools that can be used for a mold inspection.

  1. Moisture Meter

Moisture meters are used by mold inspection experts to determine the amount of moisture in different surfaces. These include the walls, floors, and ceilings.

The good thing about moisture meters is that they can detect moisture without the need to damage the surface. They work non-invasively.

  1. Infrared Camera

A mold inspection cannot be completed without clear visuals. The mold has to be seen and the species has to be properly identified so you’d know the kind of mold you are dealing with.

One of the tools best used for this is an infrared camera.

With this tool, you can get a visual of mold growth even in the most concealed areas. All you have to do is scan the area and wait for a few minutes, after which the camera will produce a thermogram.

For those who don’t know, a thermogram displays several colors that depict several heat signatures of objects and surfaces in the camera’s view.

On an infrared camera, red depicts warmth while blue depicts cooler temperatures. As you would expect, only a certified thermographer can use and read the results of this device, so don’t bother using it yourself.

Professionals will be able to interpret the results, which will let them know where the moisture is lodged, and in turn, give them an educated idea as to where mold is growing.

An infrared camera works with ultimate precision, so there’ll be no need to rip off your walls or raise your floorboards before moisture and mold are detected.

  1. Hygro-thermometer

This device is used to measure the moisture and temperature of the air in a particular environment. The results of this measurement are what is used to determine the relative humidity in a room.

Professional inspectors know that the higher the relative humidity, the higher the chances of mold growth in that area.

As we all know, humidity is one of the major causes of mold growth, which is why determining the relative humidity in the areas where you suspect mold growth is very important.

  1. Particle Scanner

Particle scanners are mold inspection tools used to assess the air quality in an area. It works by counting and scaling the number of particles in the air.

When a reading is taken in a room suspected to have mold problems, the results usually reveal a high amount of particles that range between 2 to 20 microns in size.

That being said, this tool is used to determine how polluted or clean the air in a room is. Remember, mold spores fly all over the place, and a particle scanner is an excellent tool for mold spore detection.

  1. Air Sampling Pumps

Air sampling can be used to test the indoor air to see if they contain pollutants like mold spores, asbestos, and other types of fungi.

There are so many types of air sampling pumps, but they all perform the same function – To collect indoor air at varying flow rates and compress it into a cassette. The sample is later taken to a laboratory for further testing, after which the types of organisms found in the air sample will be revealed.

Professional mold inspectors use air sampling pumps to conduct viable and non-viable mold tests.

Essential Mold Removal Tools & Machine

After the area suspected to have been infested by mold has been tested, the next step would be to remove the mold.  The tools needed to carry out this action vary, depending on the extent of mold Infestation, and the nature of the surfaces that are affected.

Here’s are the recommended mold cleaning equipment–

  1. Protective Gear

Mold removal should not be done if the right gear hasn’t been put on yet. Let’s not forget that mold is dangerous to health, as it can cause severe allergies and worsen breathing issues.

Mold can be dangerous even without coming in physical contact with it, so be sure to put these on before you begin removal.

  • Eye goggles (to protect your eyes from flying mold spores)
  • Rubber gloves (to protect your hands from making direct contact with the mold)
  • Facemask (to protect your nose and mouth from flying mold particles)

Protective gear comes in handy when you are using domestic items like a brush and cleaning solution to remove mold growth from surfaces.

  1. Air Scrubber

Mold spores and other types of fungi are known to release contaminants into the air.

Thanks to the invention of the air scrubber, these harmful pollutants can easily be removed from your indoor air.

This device collects all the particulates and gasses produced by the mold and traps them in a containment chamber.

  1. Negative Air Machine (NAM)

This is an air filtration device that is also used for removing mold spores and other types of fungi from indoor air.

It works by sucking all the contaminated air from the infested area, passing the air through several filters, and releasing the clean air back into the room.

The good thing about the negative air machine is that it can also be used to remove mold spores from the outdoor air.

  1. HEPA Vacuum

HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air, and it is a special type of vacuum cleaner that can collect, trap, and filter large amounts of tiny particles from various surfaces.

The particles that have been collected can later be disposed of.

HEPA vacuums are among the most popular mold particle removal devices you can find. They are also an inexpensive vacuuming tool.

  1. Hydroxyl And Ozone Generators

Several devices can remove mold spores and particles, but not all of them can remove mold odors. One of the very few tools that can do this is the Hydroxyl and Ozone generator.

This device can kill germs, clean the air, and eliminate odors.

We have to warn though – You need to take caution when using this device. Hydroxyl is safe to use in an area with people (kids and pets), but Ozone is not.

If you must use this mold removal tool, then first ensure that the area you are trying to clean is cleared of humans and pets.

Tools Used For The Mold Prevention Phase

After successfully removing the mold from the infested areas, you will need to ensure that they don’t return. The trick here is simple, stop moisture from building up, and you will stop mold from growing.

Besides ventilation and prevention of condensation, there are tools that you can use to prevent moisture in your home.

Let us take a look at these tools one by one.

  1. Dehumidifiers

Dehumidifiers are devices that are built to remove or control humidity within a space.

Mold can easily thrive in areas that have humidity levels of about 60% and above. You can use a dehumidifier to keep humidity levels below 50%, and this would make the area very unconducive for mold to grow.

You can buy a dehumidifier from a home improvement store. It is a common and inexpensive tool.

  1. Sump Pumps

Another mold prevention tool you should consider having is a sump pump. This device is designed to pump standing water that has been collected in the sump pit into the main sewer system.

The pump has a built-in sensor, which detects a rise in water levels. Once triggered, the sensor will turn on the machine and it will begin to pump water away.

Sump pumps are typically installed in the basement. That is the lowest point of a building and that is where water is expected to gather.

  1. Air Mover

Air movers are industrial-grade fans, designed to create pressure differentials that will help convert water into vapor so that it can easily be removed.

Once the water-turned-vapor has been blown away, the area will be dry and the chances of mold growth will be significantly reduced.

Conclusion

Mold remediation can be split into the inspection phase, removal phase, and prevention phase. The mold removal tools and equipment discussed in this article are perfect for the task.

We hope the information here has been helpful.

Thanks for reading!

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