Top Mold Removal & Remediation Company in Cottonwood Heights

Why mold removal here is usually a basement job

The city's first subdivisions, Greenfield Village, Cottonwood Ridge along Virginia Hills Drive and Steffensen Heights, went in between 1953 and 1955, according to the city's own history. Building picked up through the following decades, and census data now shows about seven in ten homes are detached single-family houses. Many are split-levels and ramblers with full or partial basements that owners finished long after the original build.

Finished basements hide moisture well. Carpet pad soaks up a slow seep, the bottom plate of a framed wall wicks it upward, and the paper face of the drywall feeds the growth. By the time a musty smell reaches the main floor, mold has often spread along a whole wall. Our removal starts by finding where the material is dry and clean, then cutting back to that line under containment.

Water on the bench: runoff, creeks and slopes

Homes on the bench deal with water that comes downhill. Big Cottonwood Creek, Little Cottonwood Creek and Deaf Smith Creek all run through the city, and Cottonwood Heights links to live creek sensors at Crestwood Park and at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon. In April 2023, spring runoff backed up storm drains and pooled across Wasatch Boulevard near 8555 South before public works crews cleared it.

Most basement mold we see here does not start with a creek leaving its banks. It starts with smaller, steadier sources: snowmelt draining toward a window well, a downspout emptying beside the foundation, or a sloped yard that sends water at the house instead of away from it. Average yearly precipitation is close to 26 inches, and the wettest months run March through May.

What we remove, and what we leave

The EPA says a moldy patch under about 10 square feet can often be cleaned by the homeowner, and that larger areas or significant water damage call for a more careful approach. We follow that framing. If your problem is small and the cause is fixed, we will say so. When the job is bigger, we set up containment and work through the damaged area in order:

• Moldy drywall and insulation are cut out and bagged inside the containment.
• Carpet and pad that stayed wet are removed rather than dried in place.
• Studs, joists and subfloor are cleaned and dried when they are sound.
• The work area is cleaned and vacuumed before the containment comes down.

Keeping a Cottonwood Heights basement dry afterward

Mold comes back when the moisture does. Before we finish, we show you what caused the growth and what it takes to fix it, whether that means regrading a flower bed, extending a downspout or replacing a leaking supply line. The EPA recommends drying wet materials within 24 to 48 hours and keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50.

If your home is near one of the creeks, the city's flood control page explains how to look up your FEMA flood zone. That is worth knowing before you put new drywall and carpet back into a lower level.