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Mold The Texas Department of State Health Services regulated mold contamination in their Texas Mold Assessment and Remediation Rules in January of 2005. These regulations apply to all apartment complexes with more than 4 units, all commercial and industrial buildings, and schools. The Texas Rules specifically exclude single family residential structures; however, many homeowners are well advised to use state licensed professionals to evaluate and correct their mold problems in order to ensure that industry accepted standards are adhered to within their real estate property. Mold contamination in any situation falls into a three phase process. The first activity to be completed in this type of environment is to assess the property for the location and extent of the mold growth and the accurate definition of the conditions that contributed to the impact of the building. If the extent of the mold growth is 25 square feet or more, the Assessment Consultant is required to provide the property owner with a Mold Remediation Protocol. This written document is a specific scope of work that details the amount and location of the material removal required, the methods used to sanitize remaining building components, and the criteria for bringing the area back into a clean state. The second phase begins with the remediation of the affected areas by a licensed Mold Remediation Contractor. The remediation should follow, exactly, the Mold Remediation Protocol. It should be understood, however, that in many cases hidden mold growth is often discovered during the remediation process after materials have been removed which can alter the scope of work. Upon completion of the remediation, the property requires a Post Mold Remediation Clearance Evaluation by a Mold Assessment Consultant. The consultant is required to follow the clearance criteria established in the Mold Remediation Protocol and this typically encompasses a thorough visual evaluation of the property for cleanliness, moisture sampling within remaining building components, and the collection of at least one nationally recognized type of mold sample submitted to a licensed Mold Laboratory for analysis. Samples for mold can be collected from the surfaces of a building component or from the air. Laboratory analysis can consist of several different types that vary in cost; however, microscopic and viable analysis methods for environmental mold are most common. Argus Environmental is licensed as a Mold Assessment Company and has two consultants and one technician on staff that has extensive experience in bringing cost-effective and practical solutions to the successful remediation of mold growth within any indoor environment. We are also a licensed Mold Remediation Contractor which affords our clients the benefit of our appreciation of the importance of clear communications amongst the various professionals required to bring the remediation process to a successful conclusion. Argus Environmental’s services in mold include:
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