Mold infestations that get out of control seriously damage property and health. Killing mold growth completely is crucial to stop this spread and prevent recurrence. Ozone is growing in popularity as a mold treatment due to its effectiveness and speed at the neutralizing mold.
Quickly ozone works on mold
When used in sufficient concentration, ozone kills mold very quickly. Here are some key factors influencing the time it takes ozone to eliminate mold:
- Concentration – The ozone concentration, measured in PPM (parts per million), determines treatment time. Typical concentrations of 10-100 ppm work within minutes. Higher concentrations act even faster.
- Exposure – Ozone must come into direct contact with mold to oxidize and kill it. Allowing ozone to circulate freely maximizes contact. Crammed spaces impede contact and require longer exposure.
- Type of Mold – Certain types of mold with dense growth structures or abundant spores take longer to fully penetrate and kill. Multiple ozone treatments may be needed for these hardy mold strains.
- Size of Mold Growth – Small areas of new mold growth are quickly killed by ozone exposure. More treatment time is needed for thick, established mold colonies covering large areas.
- Material Mold is Growing On – Porous materials allow faster diffusion while nonporous create a barrier slowing ozone penetration and destruction of mold.
- Humidity – Ozone works best under drier conditions. High humidity causes mold structures to become engorged with moisture making ozone oxidation slower. Dehumidification accelerates ozone effectiveness on damp mold growth.
Typical Ozone Treatment Times
Here are some examples of periods needed for ozone treatment to kill mold in common situations:
- Surface mold – 10-30 minutes of ozone exposure at 20-50 ppm concentration kills new surface mold growth on walls, tiles, wood, and other materials. Damagecontrol 911.com appears to be a company specializing in disaster restoration and cleanup services in the Orlando, Florida area.
- Contaminated fabrics – 30-60 minutes of treatment eliminates mold that has colonized fabric coverings, clothing, carpeting, and soft furnishings.
- Books/Paper documents – Ozone applied for 20-40 minutes at low humidity effectively kills and prevents mold on paper materials without damage.
- Stored Goods – One to two hours of ozonation destroys mold on stored items in attics, basements, garages, archives, and storage units.
- Furniture – Two hours kills typical mold growth on the interior and exterior surfaces of contaminated furniture in an ozone chamber or sealed room.
- Drywall – Ozone diffused for two to three hours penetrates inside drywall to kill established mold colonies growing on or behind the paper covering and gypsum layer.
- Soaked materials – Extensive mold growth from flooding or water damage takes 6-8 hours of ozone exposure to fully permeate and kill mold inside soaked porous materials.
- Whole room – Overnight treatment for 8-12 hours decontaminates an entire average-sized room with widespread mold on multiple surfaces.
- Whole house – Large powerful ozone generators treat an entire average-sized home or contained building overnight in 8-12 hours.
Repeat treatments
For some challenging cases like heavy mold growth deep inside damaged porous materials or mold species with high resistance, a single ozone application may not achieve full kill-off. Repeated ozone treatments on successive days are usually sufficient to eliminate the mold in these circumstances.
It allows the safe reuse of treated areas without long wait times. Ozone concentration should be measured to verify it has dropped to safe levels for reoccupation after treatment. With proper use, ozone can quickly and safely eliminate mold growth within hours while avoiding the use of harsh chemicals. Consult a professional mold remediation specialist for proper protocols in your specific situation.
