Mould remediation in a student apartment
NLR responded to an untenanted student apartment that had a leak in its ceiling which was unknown, and so over time had large mould growth throughout the apartment.
#Project Highlights
4
day mould remediation process
2x
HEPA filtration units
Anti-microbial
treatment to all walls and floors
4x
surface and air samples for mould testing
#Damaged Caused
Due to a water leak from the sprinkler system, it had caused heavy water damage to a part of the ceiling, which had collapsed. The result of the event left unchecked, created a conducive environment for heavy mould growth to occur across the apartment. As a result, the following damage occurred:
Collapsed plaster ceiling
Mould affected cabinetry
Mouldy plaster walls
Heavily affected carpet tiles
Table top swollen
Bed frame corroded
Mouldy mattress
Bathroom door swollen
#Heavy Mould Damage Procedure
Safety
Our first concern to address to completing the job was ensuring the safety of all trades and people attending the site. We installed appropriate containment and air filtration devices (AFD) under negative pressure to ensure both safety and secondary damage. Once complete an Electrical make-safe was conducted to the house and solar panels.
Contents
A large concern was mitigating further damage to the insureds contents. On first day, contents items such as furniture or any other porous items that were at risk were identified and isolated in a clean environment. We then installed an AFD in that area to ensure safety to the items. During the below remediation, all mould affected contents were document and assessed.
Remediation
All affected non structural building materials in the lower level were then removed by technicians wearing electronic resperators and full set of PPE. The building material was then disposed off site. After these were removed, mould remediation to exposed structural building elements began. This includes HEPA vacuuming to all affected surfaces, abrasive scrub to all timber joists, beams, & stud frames, wet wipe and treatment to all affected areas, and pressure clean to concrete subfloor and tiled areas. Once the primary remdiation had been completed, the area was then treat with a H202 vaporisation as a knock down treatment. All exposed timber was then excapsulated with ecapsulation paint.
Testing
A third party hygienist was then engaged to give the clearance testing.
#Result
NLR technicians stripped out the heavily affected and non-recoverable walls and sections of ceilings as well as the cabinetry and carpet tiles. Non-recoverable contents were reported and with permission/authority, were disposed of.
Anti-microbial treatment was applied to the remaining walls and to the cement subfloor, and air filtration with HEPA filters was put in place to clean the air of spores. HEPA vacuuming and abrasive scrubbing were taken on all stud work to remove remaining spores.
After four days of remediation, testing was used to confirm the absence of mould on surfaces and in the air. The apartment, now free of mould, was ready to have its walls, cabinetry, flooring installed safely.
