Chaetomium Mould in a Darlinghurst Apartment: Containment and Negative Air Setup

8 hours ago

3 min read

By Michael Nguyen | Indoor Environmental Professional (IEP) | IICRC WRT, AMRT, ASD (69486970) | Mould Testing Technician (NAT10913005) | Licensed Builder NSW 392154C (Supervisor, KBL+RENO)

On 10 November 2026 we started a mould remediation job in an apartment in Darlinghurst, in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. Water damage had led to fungal contamination, and the hygienist's air sampling identified Chaetomium.

This post covers day one: why Chaetomium matters, and how we set up containment, decontamination chambers and negative air before any removal work started. We will add the rest of the job as it progresses.

Why Chaetomium Matters

Chaetomium is a mould that grows on wet cellulose materials such as the paper face of plasterboard, timber and carpet backing. It needs a lot of moisture for a long time. When it shows up in an air sample, it usually points to water damage that has been there for a while, not just a humid room.

That is why this job is being treated as a full mould remediation under ANSI/IICRC S520, not a surface clean.

Day One: Containment, Decon Chambers and Negative Air

Before any affected material is touched, the work area has to be sealed off from the rest of the apartment. Disturbing mouldy materials releases large numbers of spores, and in an apartment building those spores can travel to other rooms and units.

Containment: polyethylene sheeting held up on spring-loaded poles, sealing the work area off from the rest of the apartment.
Decontamination chambers: a sealed area at the entry where workers, equipment and waste bags are cleaned before leaving the containment, so spores are not carried out on clothing or tools.
Floor protection: heavy paper taped down over the floors along the work path.
Negative air: a HEPA air filtration unit set up to hold the containment under negative pressure, so air flows into the work area rather than out of it.

Mould remediation containment in a Darlinghurst apartment: poly sheeting on spring-loaded poles, floor protection and a HEPA negative air unit

Technician working inside the sealed poly containment corridor during Chaetomium mould remediation in Darlinghurst

All work on this job follows ANSI/IICRC S520, the standard for professional mould remediation.

What Happens Next

With containment and negative air running, the next stage is removing the affected materials, HEPA cleaning and drying. We will update this post with the outcome when the job is finished.

What It Costs

Our mould inspection and quote are free. Professional moisture and mould reports start from $500 + GST. We service Darlinghurst and the rest of the Eastern Suburbs. See our Eastern Suburbs mould removal page, or learn more about our mould removal service.

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About the Author

Michael Nguyen is the director of AAA Mould Removal and leads our water damage and mould remediation work across Sydney. His qualifications include:

Indoor Environmental Professional (IEP) – Testing Water-Damaged Buildings, Australian College of Environmental Studies (RTO 21740), 2026. Includes nationally recognised units NAT11429003 Conduct a comprehensive mould and moisture assessment and NAT11429007 Conduct post remediation verification mould testing (11429NAT Advanced Diploma of Building Biology)
IICRC Water Damage Restoration Technician (WRT)
IICRC Applied Microbial Remediation Technician (AMRT)
IICRC Applied Structural Drying (ASD), IICRC no. 69486970
Mould Testing Technician (NAT10913005)
Licensed Builder NSW 392154C (Supervisor, Kitchen, Bathroom & Laundry and Renovation)
Carpentry Licence

Worried About Mould or Water Damage?

Call AAA Mould Removal on 1300 739 783 or contact us online. We will find the moisture, remove the mould properly and dry your home to IICRC standards.

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