A home in Hayward called us about serious mold growth in their attic space.

We did an air-quality test, finding severely elevated levels of Penicillium/Aspergillus, a common but undesirable household mold, and Stachybotrys Chartarum – also known as the dreaded Black Mold. These molds had gotten a foothold thanks to residual moisture in their attic, which wasn’t allowed to ventilate thanks to a broken air circulation system in the home.

When we came in, we saw the mold had affected a number of areas with discoloration. These spots are dangerous, because even though the mold permeates wet areas within walls or closed-off spaces, spores are only produced where the mold meets open air – in this case, the discolored areas. Spores, especially those of black mold, are dangerous and shouldn’t be allowed to spread, so our team got to work immediately.

DryFast’s certified mold remediation experts set up a containment barrier, to prevent spore-laden air from leaving the attic. Plastic sheeting was put down in the workspace, so that any work done wouldn’t dust up the attic. Then, having completed these preparations, we quickly started the mold removal.

Using dustless drywall cutting equipment and full PPE, all affected material was removed and bagged for safe disposal. After thoroughly cleaning the area and wiping the moldy regions down with bleach and proprietary mold-removal mixtures, we did an investigation into the cause of the mold. We found that, though the ventilation had caused the mold to spread, the initial cause of the issue was an undetected roof leak. We dried and cleaned all roof joists and framing following the industry standards for mold removal.

DryFast returned a week later to do final tests. We found all mold levels much lower than outside levels – the industry standard. The black mold was gone, and the attic was usable again.