How to Choose a Professional Mold Remediation Company When Doing the Work Yourself Is NOT an Option
Every week I receive countless emails from readers who are attempting to or who would like to attempt to remediate their own homes in order to avoid the cost of professional mold remediation. Sometimes, this is easily done with techniques and products I have featured on the blog. Most small, contained mold issues are pretty easy to successfully tackle with EC3 products, a “cold” fogger, proper protective gear, and a certified HEPA vacuum. As a matter of fact, there have been many situations in our current home when we have had a small leak or water intrusion incident and have addressed and remediated the issue ourselves lickety-split. Those situations are isolated events and leaks and/or water intrusion that is caught quickly and right when it occurs
There are other indoor mold situations that are not so straightforward and contained. Thus, I feel it is my responsibility to address the fact that there are definitely times when hiring a professional mold remediation company is the best decision for you and your family. Even with the tools and knowledge I have now, there are some mold clean-up jobs that I would not touch or advise anyone to do themselves, because the risk is not worth the possible reward or savings
When water damage has gone undetected for an extended period of time, causing lots of visible or invisible “behind the walls” damage to a home. In these cases, the damage is often structural and extensive and needs to be fixed along with proper remediation. This is also the type of work that grows in scope as walls are opened up and the extent of the damage and mold growth is revealed.
When you or your family members are extremely sick and/or mold sensitive. Attempting to remediate your own home if you are ill or mold-sensitive can cause major health problems and expose you to mold at levels that can cause your already suffering body more harm. In my opinion, it is just not worth the risk
When elevated levels of “toxic molds” have been identified inside your home. There are certain molds that produce mycotoxins which makes them more acutely dangerous to human health, even in small exposures. These molds are difficult to remediate as the mycotoxins linger and the mold can cause even more health problems when it is killed. Even the dead mold releases VOCs. A professionally trained remediator can clean structures and contents and knows best how to properly contain and handle this type of situation. Some mycotoxin-producing molds include Cladosporium, Penicillium, Fusarium, Aspergillus, and Stachybotrys.
HOW DO I CHOOSE A MOLD REMOVAL COMPANY?
Many companies market themselves as mold contractors. How can you really know if they are in fact professional mold removal contractors?
When hiring a company for mold removal, consider the following:
Does the company have liability insurance for mold removal? Their policy must clearly state that they are covered for working with mold otherwise they are not carrying the right coverage.
Is the company an IICRC Certified Firm? If the company is an IICRC certified firm they should have a certificate issued by IICRC, The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification, with the company name clearly stated. This certificate confirms that the company has technicians who are properly trained and tested on mold removal protocols.
Does the company encourage you to use a 3rd party for job clearance? When a customer requests a clearance following the completion of mold removal it should be done by a third company, a company other than the one who performed the removal. There is a conflict of interest when a company checks its own work and you, the customer, should be provided with the option to have a third party check the work and be protected.
Does the company provide you with a copy of the mold cleanup protocol and scope of work detailing what will be done in your home to remove the mold?
Is the company offering to remove the mold or just cover it up? Ensure that the company is not going to “seal” or “encapsulate” the mold, this just means that they will cover it. To rid your home or building of mold it has to be physically removed under mold removal protocols.
Will the company provide you with a written work guarantee on the mold removal?
All professional and certified mold removal companies should be able to provide you with all the criteria above.
How to Find the Best Mold Removal Company
With so many mold removal companies to choose from, how do you decide?
Hiring the right company is necessary, yet a difficult decision… especially when it comes to the health and safety of your family. You can’t afford to cut any corners
Before I show you how to find the right mold removal company, I’ll explain the main difference between Mold remediation companies and restoration companies because this distinction will factor into your ultimate decision.
Mold remediation companies are specialized in safely removing contaminated mold in until the home is once again safe to occupy.
Mold remediation companies do not rebuild your home after the mold has been removed, but they may recommend or arrange for a company to help you with that.
Restoration companies rebuild the home back to its original condition after the home after the mold has been removed. Many of these companies will remove the mold as well.
Helpful Tips In Choosing A Professional Mold Removal Service
Most fungi and fungi-like parasites, especially those found at houses or any kind of structures, are most often known and called as molds. These molds thrive and live on dead and living organisms.
Mold most often than not have harmful and dangerous effects on human beings. They should be kept out of homes, offices, and other commercial properties. When mold grows indoors, it will cause health problems that come out as allergic reactions, from sneezing and skin rashes to asthma attacks and respiratory infections
The mold removal contractor should be well-known for their expertise and years of relevant experience.
The mold contractor you have in mind should have the necessary experience to do an effective job, from inspection to removal of mold. This means that the proper procedure will be used, in keeping with guidelines, and that all their staff has been properly trained, ensuring that safe and effective means will be used to accomplish the job successfully.
Get recommendations from others who have used the services of the contractor you have in mind.
When other clients have experienced satisfactory results from the work of the mold removal service, it should be safe to assume that you will also experience the same positive experience. Most companies and contractors have websites so checking out testimonials and success stories from previous clients would also be helpful.
Choose a contractor that also offers expert advice on future prevention of mold growth.
There are specific things and tips you can do to control the extensive growth of mold and expert mold removers not only know how to clean mold; they also know how you can prevent it from reoccurring, or at least contain it so that it does not cause huge damage, as it did the first time
How to Choose the Best Mold Remediation Company for Your Home
Once you discover mold in your home, there will only be one thought on your mind – getting it out of the house as quickly as possible. The presence of mold is a serious problem, and it threatens just about everything you have come to love about your home. It may not be safe to live in your home as long as the mold is present, and the value of your house could decrease if there is serious damage. Any way you look at it, getting the mold out right away should be a top priority.
The removal of mold is rarely a DIY project. Instead, this is a job which should be left to a professional mold remediation company. By bringing in the pros, you can have confidence that your home will be returned to a safe state once work is completed. But how do you find the best mold remediation company for your home? The tips below should point you in the right direction
Licensed and Insured
There is simply no excuse for a mold removal company not to have the appropriate licenses and insurance for your area. Ask for this documentation right up front, and if it is not provided, move on to another option. You shouldn’t accept any kind of excuse for the lack of these items, as any reputable company will have them in place. There are too many good companies available to take your chances on one that is not licensed and insured.
Collect at Least Three Quotes
While you do want to have this work completed quickly, you don’t want to rush into the job so fast that you hire the first company to come along. Make it a goal to ask for quotes from at least three different remediation companies. Most contractors will be happy to provide you with a free written estimate for their services. You don’t necessarily want to go with the lowest quote every time, but price is obviously a factor which will be taken into consideration, as well as the timeline which is offered.
Ask for References
As a last step before you make your choice, ask all contractors you are considering for references from past customers. Any good contracting company will have at least a few references which you can check on to make sure they live up to their promises. Don’t just ask for the references and then let them sit on your desk – actually make a few phone calls to gather opinions. Also, you can check reviews which have been left on the web to get an idea about the reputation of each remediation company in the running
