Getting Rid of Mold — Easier Said Than Done
ABOVE: ARCS mold remediation technician wire brushes and scrapes mold from interior framing.
Ricardo Chavez Klaus Herring co-owners
“If you don’t get rid of the fungus (mold), all you’re doing is providing it with lunch.” –Dr. Cynthia Carey
T
he quote above is from Dr. Cynthia Carey at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The word in parentheses was added by us, as mold, in its infinite number of species, is also a fungus.
ARCS Alpha Restoration & Construction Services, Inc. 505.473.2057 6820 Cerrillos Road #8 Klaus.H@ARCS247.com www.ARCS247.com
IF YOU HAVE MOLD, HOW DO YOU GET RID OF IT? The IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) publishes the ANSI approved Standard for Mold Remediation. Dozens of experts in the field review this publication and all are in agreement with Dr. Carey, but getting rid of mold is easier said than done. With all the roof leaks and various other forms of water damage occurring in many New Mexico homes, mold is having a field day. Plenty of moisture (all that water getting into your house
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from that leaking roof you didn’t fix before winter started), a nice dark space (the space between plaster or drywall and the stucco on the outside of your house), plenty of organic food (all that tasty wood or the scrumptious cellulose on the back of the sheetrock) and really comfy temperatures (right around 68 degrees Fahrenheit) make a perfect home for your newest house guests (Mr. Penicillium, Mrs. Aspergillus, Aunt Cladosporium and Uncle Stachybotrus, just to name a few). Once they’ve moved into your home, getting rid of these house guests is a daunting task. Some folks will lead you to believe that simply wiping the offending fungus away with bleach will do the task. Others swear by any number of magic cures, potions and assorted other hocus pocus that’s to be sprayed over or painted on.