Rachel Adams

Q: What do you enjoy most about mold remediation?

A: Every job is unique in the challenges it presents, which I find incredibly interesting. It is also very rewarding knowing that I am helping to restore people's lives and even, in some circumstances, their health.

Q: What are the top tools mold remediation professionals should have in their toolbox?

A: Great inspection tools such as moisture meters, boroscopes and particle counters to name a few!

Q: What are the most common missteps or misconceptions you see related to mold remediation?

A: The biggest issue I see across the board from remediators to IEPs to homeowners, is the misconception that killing mold is how remediation projects should be done. That includes those who spray bleach and those who use fog chemicals in buildings. Mold is unlike most other microbes that we remediate for. Viable and nonviable fungal growth contains the same allergenic and toxigenic properties that can make people sick. It is not about killing mold, but rather performing source removal through the removal of porous materials supporting mold growth, HEPA air filtration, and vacuuming and detailed cleaning with products that contain surfactants/detergents.  

The other misstep I see is contractors who apply paints and sealants and coatings to structural materials following mold remediation. If the source of water has been corrected, and everything is clean and dry, mold will not return, so what is the point of applying these products? Plus, it can have a negative impact for the resale of a home or building when these pigmented products are applied because it indicates that "something" was covered up.

Q: What key steps should mold remediation contractors take to keep themselves safe during projects?

A: Definitely wear protective gear such as respirators. Once an individual becomes sensitized to something that triggers the allergic response, that cannot be undone. The only way to prevent health issues from exposure to all types of microbial contamination is to protect yourself.  

Q: Can you highlight your most memorable mold removal project and why it stands out?

A: I have had so many over the last 30 years. One of the most compelling was in a residential setting where a homeowner contacted me late on a Sunday night because his son had been rushed to the emergency room due to respiratory arrest from exposure to mold. A company had installed a new HVAC system and did not connect the condensate line. Eventually, they discovered this because there were mushrooms growing out of the carpet. They had the company repair the HVAC unit and then hired a family friend who owned a large mitigation franchise in Indianapolis, and they basically put air movers on all of the visible mold growth, which resulted in aerosolizing it through the home.

When the son returned home from college and became exposed, he began having difficulty breathing and eventually went into respiratory arrest. I was brought in to perform the assessment and oversee the proper remediation was done. To this day, although they have had their home successfully remediated, they still have long-term effects from their exposure to mold. This case happened 10 years ago and is now just going into litigation. Moral of the story is: What restoration contractors do on jobs has a bigger impact on the occupants than they realize, and doing a job poorly is worse than not doing anything.

Q: What are your top predictions and/or hopes for the near future of mold remediation?

A: I am hopeful that we can educate the public as well as the government sector, and provide them the information that is in the IICRC S500 and S520 for proper mitigation and remediation processes. I would like to see the IICRC as a household name and utilized as a resource to bring consistency to the restoration and remediation industries.   

Q: What key resources do you turn to for continued education in mold remediation?

A: I look to current research as well as actively participate in the development of our standards. I learn a tremendous amount from my peers and colleagues.