Is It Safe to Stay in Your Home During Mold Remediation?

Quick answer: Often yes, for smaller jobs where the work area is sealed off with plastic containment, kept under negative air pressure, and you stay out of it. For large projects, work in shared spaces or on the HVAC system, or when someone in the home is an infant, older or has health concerns, plan to stay elsewhere, and ask your doctor if you’re unsure.

What makes it safe to stay home during mold remediation?

Containment. Before anyone disturbs moldy material, the crew seals the work area with plastic sheeting and a zippered door. An air scrubber with HEPA filtration then exhausts air outside, which keeps the containment under slight negative pressure: air flows into the work area instead of out into your house.

The EPA describes containment as the way to limit how much mold gets into the air and reaches the people living there. In Texas, hired-out projects of 25 contiguous square feet or more follow a written protocol from a licensed mold assessor, which spells out the containment and cleaning steps.

When should you plan to leave the house?

Plan a stay elsewhere when any of these apply:

• The mold covers a large area or several rooms. The EPA notes that big projects may call for temporary relocation.
• The work is in a room you can’t avoid, like your only bathroom or the kitchen.
• The HVAC system or ductwork is part of the job, since it will likely be shut down.
• Someone in the household is an infant, older, or has health concerns. Ask their doctor.
• Your pets roam freely and won’t stay out of the work area.

Can you run the AC or heat during mold remediation?

Sometimes, but it depends on the protocol. The EPA advises against running a contaminated system, and supply and return vents inside the containment are typically sealed so the system doesn’t spread spores.

If the air handler or ducts are being cleaned, the system may be off for a day or more. In an Austin July that makes the house hot fast, so ask about timing and plan for a portable AC in one room or a stay elsewhere. Mold in the AC system or ducts is the part Gold Eagle handles as a licensed Texas mold remediation company; mold in walls, attics or belongings goes to a general mold remediation company.

How long does mold remediation take?

It depends on the size of the job and what has to come out. A small, contained area can take a day or two. Larger projects with drywall, insulation or flooring removal can run a week or more, plus drying time. The containment stays up until the work passes clearance.

What should you do before the crew arrives?

• Move belongings out of the work area if you can, or ask the crew how they’ll protect them.
• Don’t scrub, bleach or tear out moldy material yourself first. The EPA doesn’t recommend routine use of biocides (chemical mold killers), and disturbing mold without containment spreads it.
• Ask where the containment, air scrubber and exhaust will go, and which door the crew will use.
• Plan for kids and pets to stay clear of the work zone.

What happens after the mold work is done?

The assessor comes back to confirm the work met the protocol, which may include a visual inspection and testing. Once it passes, Texas rules call for a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation. Keep it with your home records.

Then fix what caused the mold, or it’s likely to come back. Why a remediated home can still have mold problems covers that, and the IICRC S520 and Texas mold rules explains the standards behind the process.

What should you do next?

• Ask for the written protocol and read where the containment and air scrubber will go.
• Ask whether the HVAC system will be shut down, and for how long, so you can plan around the heat.
• Decide whether anyone at home should stay elsewhere, and ask their doctor if you’re unsure.
• After clearance, file the Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation and fix the moisture source. For mold in the AC system or ducts, schedule a visit with Gold Eagle or call 512-489-4653.

Related guides: What Is the IICRC S520, and How It Fits With Texas Mold Rules, Why a “Remediated” Home Can Still Have Mold Problems and Mold Testing: What Each Method Can and Can’t Tell You.

About Gold Eagle Services: This guide comes from the team at Gold Eagle Services, a family-run Austin HVAC, indoor air quality and mold remediation company founded in 2017. We’re licensed (TACLA119235 and RCO1783), insured and bonded, and we serve homes across the greater Austin area.

Need help with this in your home? Learn about our HVAC mold treatment and remediation, or call 512-489-4653 to schedule a visit.

Related Gold Eagle service: HVAC mold remediation