Case Study: Renovation water damage created 1.1 million spores

An older Franklin home undergoing renovation had suffered a water incident in the second-story bathroom. The water damaged the first-floor ceiling and soaked through to the floor below. The immediate problem was fixed, but the ceiling still needed to be opened and replaced—and what was growing inside remained unknown.

Crawlspace inspection revealed additional concerns: slight damage, some mold growth, and a leaking water pipe with standing water that the homeowner hadn't been aware of.

Claro's air testing of the kitchen revealed catastrophic contamination: a MoldSCORE of 300 (maximum severity) with an extraordinary 1,100,000 spores per cubic meter versus 3,600 outside. Penicillium/Aspergillus types dominated the contamination at 830,000 spores versus just 810 outside—a thousand-fold indoor amplification. Cladosporium registered 36,000 spores versus 590 outside, also at a MoldSCORE of 300.

The water incident from the second-story bathroom had cascaded through the ceiling and onto the first floor, creating ideal conditions for massive mold colonization behind the intact ceiling drywall. The crawlspace inspection revealed additional damage: slight mold growth and a leaking water pipe with standing water—a second moisture source feeding the contamination from below.

With 1,100,000 spores in the air, this home required comprehensive intervention: demolition of damaged materials, professional containment, and whole-home treatment before renovation could safely continue.

The scope of work required both demolition and treatment. Claro removed the damaged drywall ceiling to access and assess the concealed damage, then removed and trashed all mold-impacted materials and water-damaged flooring. Air scrubbers were deployed for filtration and fine particle cleaning, with containment measures and safe work zones established throughout.

Following demolition and material removal, Claro performed its two-stage dry fog treatment: InstaPure Dry Fog to denature 99.99% of all mold in the air and on every surface without residue, followed by EverPure Dry Fog to provide a protective shield against microbial particles on all treated surfaces. The crawlspace was also treated.

Post-treatment testing showed a dramatic reduction: from 1,100,000 spores down to 1,000 CFU/m³—a 99.9% reduction in airborne contamination. The catastrophic Penicillium/Aspergillus load of 830,000 and Cladosporium at 36,000 were eliminated. The remaining trace consisted primarily of non-sporulating fungi, well within acceptable range for an active renovation environment. The combination of demolition, material removal, containment, and whole-home dry fog treatment transformed the home from dangerously contaminated to safe for continued renovation work.