Drywall mold removal is needed when you find mold on your walls or ceilings. The 'black mold' scare has certainly brought this problem into the consciousness of the public. Not all mold, even mold that is black in color is the dangerous black mold. Unfortunately it takes laboratory testing to tell. Err on the side of caution in this matter. Treat any mold you see with a healthy respect.

Take precautions before you attempt a drywall mold removal project. Check out this government website before you mess with mold. A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home, it will give you some insight and safety tips. Another good article is Mold, on the CDC website. The EPA states that repairs of less than ten square feet can be performed by a homeowner, as long as they follow the guidelines.

Testing Moldy Drywall

You may be concerned that the mold that you have is the dangerous 'black mold' that everyone is afraid of. There are many thousands of types of mold that you could have in your home. Only a few of them are toxic and not all of the toxic ones are black.

There has been overactive use of scare tactics with regard to mold. Some of this comes from the media, and some of it comes from companies that want to sell expensive remediation services.

How can you tell what type of mold you have? You cannot tell by the naked eye. The only way to tell is to have it tested. With that said, testing can be expensive.

There are some relatively inexpensive test kits that can tell you whether or not you have a dangerous problem. You can find 'Test Kits' for purchase at the 'My Mold Detective' website. If you want to put your mind at ease, test the mold before you attempt to clean or remove it.

Make sure you understand the precautions you need to take before proceeding. Review all the information on the EPA website. People have become very sick from breathing airborne mold. We do not want you or your family to be among them.

Mold is an indication of a moisture problem. A leak or some sort or seepage will cause mold. In addition to drywall mold removal you will need to address the problem that caused the mold. Fix the leak at the same time.

Drywall Mold Removal - Information

A contractor will charge you for the amount of work involved to remove and repair the drywall. This is called Mold Remediation and only specialty contractors are licensed to perform this service. Depending on the level and size of the area, these types of repairs could run hundreds perhaps thousands of dollars.

Drywall mold removal can take you into some difficult projects. Taking precautions also adds to the level of work involved.

A small moldy area that is restricted to the surface may be treated with a mold killing solution. There are some that are commercially available. Bleach, diluted with water serves as the main ingredient in most of them.

You can get sick if you breathe a dangerous kind of mold. Wear a mask or respirator. Try not to disturb the mold. Use a solution to disinfect the mold before proceeding with repairs. Quarantine the area until you have the problem solved. Use plastic or keep doors closed with a sign on them to segregate the area.

Drywall Mold Removal – The Steps Involved

When it comes to dealing with mold you have to basic choices. The first is to remove or disinfect the mold on the surface where the mold is occurring. If the mold has not penetrated deep into the wall, this can be effective. You will likely use a cleaner that contains bleach and other chemicals to accomplish this.

For instructions and information, see the article 'Disinfecting Moldy Drywall'. This article has guidelines and some information on what type of products can be used.

For mold that has penetrated deep into the drywall, you will need to remove the drywall. This is a much bigger job, since you will have to repair the drywall that has been removed. See the article, 'Removing Moldy Drywall' for a discussion on what to do and how extensive the project will be..

Summary

Drywall mold removal is a potentially dangerous repair. Take precautions and deal with the problem quickly. To the degree possible you should try not to disturb the mold. Put it in plastic bags and dispose of it properly. Make sure you solve the moisture problem or the mold will come back.

All drywall repairs involve some work. Don't despair they are not that difficult once you know a few basics. Hopefully your drywall mold removal project has gone well. You can move on to other home repair projects.