Do Mold Foggers Work? [And Are They Safe For Home Use?]

A recent leak or flood in your home can cause mold infestation. You can usually see or smell these molds if they are already severe. There are different ways to remedy them, including mold fogging. But you may wonder if it will work against the molds. We got the information to answer this query for you.

Fogging kills molds because of its antimicrobial and odor-controlling solution. It's also most likely safe unless you buy a product unapproved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for fogging. However, they won't remove actively growing molds because it doesn't resolve the infestation's root cause. To ensure that you clear away all the molds, take the necessary remediation steps first.

You need to understand why you must also take other methods for mold remediation aside from fogging your home to resolve mold issues. Find out all that you need to know on how you can ensure that molds stop infesting your home by reading more.

How Mold Foggers Work

Mold foggers coat everything in your space, even the cracks and crevices you might otherwise miss, by producing a mist. Because of this, it can cover mold on all types of surfaces. They work for rooms, tight spaces, and even your furniture.

Fogging is often offered for mold remediation and you can do it yourself. However, even with their antimicrobial and odor-controlling solution, it's still only primarily used as an extra precaution for mold remediation.

There are two types of foggers: dry foggers and wet foggers. Dry foggers create droplets of less than 15 microns per droplet, while wet foggers create larger droplets. These foggers are safe for usage if the EPA approves them as a mold remediation product.

Though their properties allow them to kill molds, they can't get rid of ones that are still growing if the root cause of it hasn't been resolved. That is why it is essential first to determine the conditions that made the molds grow in your space, dry any wet area, and remove wet items you can't clean.

After fogging, molds will still be visible on your floor, wall, or ceiling. Mold foggers collect all the mold from the air and pull them to the ground, so molds aren't gone in your home yet. Dead molds can also still cause health-related issues, so mold remediation shouldn't just be fogging alone.

Guide For Proper Mold Remediation

The remediation process for each situation may vary, but there are essential guidelines you need to follow to get rid of mold. Before starting the process, wear proper protective equipment such as an N95 or half-face respirator, goggles, gloves, and overalls.

To effectively stop mold infestation, here is a guide you can follow:

Resolve the root cause of the mold infestation. Molds come from leaks or floods, which is why you must first fix what caused the leaks. It ensures that molds wouldn't have any more surfaces they can grow.
Seal off areas with mold, and protect HVAC appliances and ductwork. Make sure that the mold growing in a specific spot of your home doesn't cross-contaminate any other places to prevent it from becoming a bigger problem.
Remove damaged or damp items. Make sure not to use wet materials covered with mold as it may compromise your health otherwise.
Treat the area with mold with a solvent such as hydrogen peroxide or Benefect Decon 30. For hydrogen peroxide, pour it into a spray bottle into the area affected. Leave it for 10 minutes until it stops bubbling and scrub it off with a rag or soft brush. You can use Benefect Decon 30 similarly, except wipe the moldy surface with it instead of brushing.
Vacuum the surface affected by mold. Make sure to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter and not to miss any surface affected.
Treat the area's air quality. You can use air scrubbers, air purifiers, or foggers to eliminate mold spores and smells.
Check if there are still molds.

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How To Use A Mold Fogger

Mold fogging kills mold spores and is typically done by professionals after the other mold remediation steps. Here is what you should do to use a fogger to improve the air quality of your home while mold remediating:

1. Choose The Right Mold Fogger

Before using a mold fogger, ensure you're buying the right agent for it first.

Not all antimicrobial products commonly used for fogging are safe, especially ones not approved by the EPA, because they may become harmful when turned into mist and breathed in. For instance, hydrogen peroxide fog can damage your furniture and other items and may get your lungs at risk.

After ensuring that the chemical you're using is safe, here are some types of foggers you can use depending on how you want to treat your area:

Handheld fogger: Use this type of fogger if you need to carry it around different locations as it is lightweight.
Multipurpose fogger: You can use this for insect fumigation, sanitization, sterilization, or mold treatment.
Single-use fogger: This fogger is a mold-killing agent to help with mold remediation.
Adjustable stream fogger: This creates a fine mist to decrease the chance of damaging your surfaces because of moisture.

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2. Use The Fogger For Your Mold-Infested Area

Mold fogging is easy as long as you use a suitable fogger. Here are instructions you can follow to use it for killing mold spores:

Remove any furniture, electronics, or paper in the area you need to treat.
Pour your mold control liquid into the fogger tank. Make sure to adjust the liquid flow rate of the fogger to your desired setting.
Place the fogger where you need it to run and angle the fogger head to disperse the mist evenly.
Turn the fogger on depending on how long you want it to run. However, do not run it on too much that the solution inside pools on the ground.
Turn the machine off and leave the area you fogged for 30 minutes or more.
Open all the windows and turn on your fans to dry the area.

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How Long Does It Take For A Mold Fogger To Work?

Run a fogger for about 2-3 minutes to ensure it evenly coats all the surfaces and doesn't pool over it. Afterward, it will take about 30 minutes before the fogger works and kills mold spores. You may need to leave it for a couple more hours if you want to or if your product's manufacturer suggests it.

When Do You Need To Call A Mold Removal Specialist?

You need to hire a specialist if the mold covers more than 10 square feet of your surface. Mold removal professionals have the skills and required ample equipment to remove large mold sizes.

Hiring them will assure you that the molds stop actively growing in your area. Furthermore, containing more than 10 square feet of space covered with mold is challenging and tricky to do yourself.

On average, mold remediation costs $500 to $6,000, but hiring a professional at this price is better than damaging your area or entire home, which can cost more.

In Closing

Mold fogging can kill molds and improve the air quality of your home. In addition, foggers are generally safe to use if you buy an EPA-approved agent for them. However, experts do not advise you to rely solely on fogging to stop mold infestation in your home.

Before you go, read these posts about how to remove molds on different surfaces for more information:

How To Get Rid Of Mold On Bedroom Walls

How To Clean Mold From Shower Grout (Incld. Naturally)?

How To Remove Mold From Your Curtains [5 Steps]