Definitions of Mold Remediation Terms

Air Monitoring - the collection of airborne samples for the analysis of spores.
 
CFU - Colony Forming Units.
 
Clearance Testing - the running of air and/or surface samples to collect for mold and/or spores. This testing is to determine if the remediation has been performed to satisfactory conditions.
 
Containment - or regulated work area established to perform the disturbance or remediation of mold and adjoining materials. Disinfection, or application of a biocide is also performed inside containment.
 
Contents Decontamination Cube - a plastic lined cube or room with a HEPA filtered air scrubber inside, with an entrance and an exit, large enough to move furniture and contents into, decontaminate them by hand, and move them out. 
Critical Barriers - One or more layers of plastic sheeting sealed over all openings into a containment. Or - Any physical barrier sufficient to prevent airborne spores in a containment from migrating to an adjacent area.
 
Disturbance - Activities that disrupt the mold or its host material potentially cause spore release, including the application of biocides.
 
Dry Decontamination Chamber - An enclosed area adjacent to and connected to the containment area and consisting of an equipment room and clean room, which is used for the decontamination of workers, materials and equipment that are contaminated with mold and spores. An air lock is placed at the entrance and exits of the cube, as well as between the two chambers.
 
Full Face Negative Air Respirator - A negative pressure respirator covering the entire face.
 
Half Face Respirator - A negative pressure respirator covering only the nose and mouth.
 
HEPA - High Efficiency Particulate Air. 99.97% free of all particles greater than .3 microns in diameter.
 
HVAC - Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. The system that heats and cools the home.
 
Media Blasting - Refers to the use of a substance propelled at high speeds against a surface in an attempt to remove a portion of that surface. Examples include the use of sand (The "media") to strip paint from the surface of sheet metal. Indiana Mold Remediation utilizes baking soda to blast mold from many hard to clean surfaces.
 
Negative Pressure Containment - A containment, or regulated area, that has a negative pressure drawn on it with HEPA filtered negative air machines. Negative pressure should be drawn to .02" of water, or approximately 4 air changes per hour. (i.e., a room 1000 cubic feet would require 67 cubic feet of air per minute to be drawn from the area of containment.)
 
OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
 
PPE - Personal Protection Equipment. Protective clothing and coverings to prevent the transfer of contaminates into or on the body. Examples would be disposable coveralls, protective gloves, and respirators.
 
Regulated Area - An area properly marked off for the disturbance or remediation of mold spores. See Containment.
 
Surface Sampling - The use of a tape pull method, swab method or other similar method to collect and culture mold or spores from a surface.