DIY Dry Ice Blasting for Mold Removal
Mold is a naturally growing bacterium that can be found in households in damp places. When there's only a small amount, it can be wiped away, but larger amounts have to be cleaned with a more aggressive tactic. Dry-ice blasting is being used for often for this because it is clean and it takes between 60 and 80 percent less time than any other method. Dry ice kills the spores of the mold, removing it completely, almost effortlessly.
Safety First
Create ventilation in the area where you will be working by opening a window, but not enough to create a large draft. Carbon dioxide is 50 percent heavier than air, so it is more difficult to ventilate. In smaller areas such as crawl spaces, keep a constant check on the air density. Ventilators may be needed if there will be prolonged exposure.
Wear a full set of personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as insulated gloves and ear protection to cut down the noise.
Containing and Discarding
Install plastic sheeting around the area that you will be cleaning to separate it from areas that are not being blasted. Use these sheets to create as many barriers as you need to contain the area. Use multiple layers of sheets for higher amounts of mold.
Remove any items like drywall or particle board that have mold as they are porous and the mold will not be removed because it runs throughout the material. Place these items in a double-bag and discard them. Keep semi-porous materials such as plywood as it can still be cleaned.
Blasting and Cleaning
The dry-ice blaster shoots pellets out of a pressurized tank. Use pellets that are approximately 1/8-inch high-density for this task. Set the pressure of the machine between 80 and 100 psi, and the CMF to between 100 and 150. Use a 185 CMF tow-behind compressor for diesel-run blasters. Hold the nozzle or blasting gun of the device, pull the trigger and spray the targeted area. If you are spraying a wooden surface, use the fan nozzle for better results. For any surface, you will see the mold being lifted away by the pellets so you can gauge when to stop spraying.
Vacuum all of the surfaces to remove the dust and debris. Spray the area with a mold-remediator such as a micro-biocide spray to prevent the mold from growing back.
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