Do You Suspect Mold in Your Home?
If you suspect mold in your home, you are probably anxious to get the problem taken care of as soon as possible. If you have small children, older adults, or animals in your home, it is even more important to rid your home of mold effectively so that it doesn’t adversely affect their health.
Advertisement Follow these three tips for choosing a reliable and competent mold remediator:
Only choose mold remediators that are certified
To ensure the highest quality of service, go with mold remediators that perform all of their own inspections and remediations. You can find this out by asking if they hire subcontractors.You can also find out if a mold remediation company is reliable by asking for a list of past clients. Generally, mold remediators who have been in business for a while and who have worked in a variety of settings including commercial and residential areas will be able to perform the most reliable services for you and your home.
Find a mold remediator that will inspect your home before they begin work
You can find mold remediation companies that will test for asbestos and lead as well as different types of mold. When the mold remediators visit your home for the first time, expect them to do a visual pre-inspection of your property before proceeding. Later, the mold remediators should perform both an air-quality check and a swab check to test for mold.After your home is checked by the mold remediators, get a proposal of services that the remediators plan on providing for you home. Look for a remediation company that will give you general information about mold and its health risks, thorough lab results, and a detailed list of the procedures that will be performed on your behalf to fix the mold problem. Make sure that contact information is included in the proposal so you’ll know who to get in touch with in case of problems.The best mold remediators will be prepared to stand by their service. After your home has been disinfected, it should be retested for any remaining traces of mold. Even a little leftover mold can reproduce quickly and undo all the work that you paid for. Look for a mold remediator that will give you a written document certifying that your home has been cleared of all mold.
Check for a warranty
Check that the mold remediator also offers to come back and redo any area that shows signs of mold within six months to a year. If the mold remediator is not confident enough to back up their service with this guarantee, look elsewhere.
By taking a little extra time to choose the best mold remediator for your home, you will enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you have hired the very best to take care of a serious problem.
Further Recommended Reading
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What if my restoration contractor and insurance adjuster do not agree with my mold remediator?
Hi just writing for advice really.. We moved into our new place in october and since then my partners daughter has bin ill with chest infections, wheezy chest bin on steriods 3 times and bin put on 2 inhallers which she has never needed before and she is 5 i really think its her bedroom as she is fine throughout the day but come a friday night few hours into her sleep she is up needing her inhaller but she is fine when she stays at her nans house. The problem is there is no visible mould in her bedroom or any dampness?????
My son and Dtr-in-law in law discovered mold in their home and removed cabinets and walls to replace with new. The children are constantly sick and missing most of school year. They discov er ed more mold, even worse. They can’t move or tear down walls again. Does homeowners insurance pick any of mold removal up ?
We are worried for their health.
We had water pouring in through/around the top of the bay window this winter from ice dams on the roof. Can see black ? seeping below the wood trim. How do I know if it is mold?
Thanks, Robin
I rent a cottage built in 1926 from the Tow Of Weston, CT. I know there is bad mold here & need to prove it to the town so that they will finally remedy it for me, their rent-paying tenant since 2006.
The basement is dirt, not insulated.
thanks for a reply.
About a year ago I did some renovation in my basement; knocked down a wall put up some drywall in a few spots and painted over that drywall and some of the existing drywall that was already there. The drywall that was already there had some watermarks, but it was not damp. Anyway I’ve spent more time down there since we’ve cleaned up and put furniture there.
I used to do video editing there because I had my computer there, but what happens is if I’m in the area for about 10 mins I’ll develop a shortness of breath. If I stay longer then 10 mins I’ll have the shortness of breath feeling for up to a day long. I sometimes feel like I have to yawn just to get a full breath and I end up coughing a lot it seems just from not getting my full breath.
I’ve been in homes with dusty basements, including my parents place. I can be at there place in the basement for weeks without any symptoms but at my house in the basement area where the watermarked drywall was just 10 mins before facing symptoms. I also very often have a stuffy nose at my place.
I’m concerned it’s mold. I cut out a small piece of the drywall near the bottom by a pipe and I can see that there’s also dark watermarks on the wooden frame of the wall.
How likely is this a sign of mold? I’ve also noticed that my insulation has a few spots that have changed colour ever so slightly, there are a few black spots, but it appears all dry.
Somebody please help me determine if mold is the problem. I think it is but I don’t know for sure.
You cant tell mold from the naked eye, or by color. Look up the particle size, compared to other micro-organisms. Wish I had seen this BEFORE calling for professional advice, the remediator NEVER suggested air quality tests before and after. He gave me an astronomical estimate. With the help of a (non certified) but very experienced contractor, and a lot of work on my part, we handled the situation for a fraction of the cost & were JUST as thourough.
One more thing, water stains on wood floors, get it tested ! Dont EVER let your idiot friends use bleach on water stains. Dont use bleach on any mold, use concrobium, but especially wood floors. I told him not to, he did it anyway, would post pic if here if i could.
My boyfriend’s basement apartment became submerged in water and ultimately mold two years ago when a pipe froze and best due to lack of insulation. He never handled the issue (great), and it came through the light fixtures above his bed and trickled to a connecting light fixture close to the kitchenette area as well. There is clear visual evidence of black mold on the mattress as well as the carpet. I have been helping him disinfect the bathroom and kitchen and we always have fans on as well as the windows open, which provide a substantial amount of venilation considering the space. He has replaced the sheetrock and shackled since, and plans to remove the carpet entirely and finish the wood flooring underneath. My main concern is how long it has gone unhandled and the fact we are cohabitating in this room, and using the same bed and mattress with newly disinfected and layered sheets and new pillows. Is it absolutely vital we have a mold mediator? Our budget is very tight for the recovery of the space so I’m inquiring mostly for advice and to understand if it is vital to hire an outside contractor. Thank you!
I NEED SOME HELP PLEASE AS NOT SURE WHAT IN SHOULD DO, I LIVE IN A RENTAL APARTMENT BUILDING CONSISTING OF 8 APARTMENTS, AND I THINK THERE IS MOLD DOWNSTAIRS IN BASEMENT ON THE WALLS WHERE OUR STORAGE UNITS ARE AND WHERE WE HAVE ALL OUR WASHER…DRYER HOOKUPS AND WE DO OUR LAUNDRY.. I HAVE HAD RESPIRATORY ISSUES SINCE LIVING HERE FOR OVER 4 YRS, AND MY SON, GRADSON HAS HAD ISSUES.. ONE GRANDSON HAS HAD NOSEBLEEDS, AND OTHER RESPIRATORY ISSUES.. PLEASE REPLY BACK BY EMAIL IF POSSIBLE.. I FEEL THE LANDLORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS BUT DOES NOTHING