When a water job turns up mold or asbestos

In plain English

Buildings that stayed wet a long time, or are wet over and over, can grow mold. The S500 says that when restorers find mold during a water job, any work that could disturb it should stop until the area is contained, and the remaining drying and mold work should be done by trained remediators following the S520. In Texas that also means TDLR's rules once the mold reaches 25 contiguous square feet.

Asbestos is treated the same way, only more strictly. Asbestos can be in buildings of any age, including new ones, and commonly turns up in ceiling panels, drywall joint compound and textures, vinyl and linoleum flooring and its adhesive, pipe and wall insulation, and block walls filled with vermiculite. If materials that contain or are presumed to contain asbestos may be disturbed, work that could make them airborne stops and a licensed asbestos abatement contractor takes over. Having an owner's asbestos survey doesn't relieve the contractor of controlling exposure during demolition.

Job sites should also post warning signs with the company's emergency contact details — for example, sewage remediation in progress, slip and trip hazards, or work under negative air pressure.

Key points

• Mold found: stop disturbing it until it's contained.
• Mold work follows the S520 (and TDLR rules at 25 contiguous sq ft).
• Suspected asbestos: stop, and bring in a licensed abatement contractor.
• Asbestos can be in new buildings too.

Official text

This topic is covered in our own words because the standard behind it is copyrighted; we cite it below rather than reproduce it.

Citations

• IICRC S500, ANSI/IICRC S500 Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration — Secs. 8.5–8.7, Safety and Health: warning signs, Mold, Asbestos, p. 34. Best practice

Related topics

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