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You may have come across a CDC article or seen other local government agencies that have made the broad statement that mold testing is ‘not necessary or helpful when visible mold is present’.
Here at Water Mold Fire Restoration, we do agree that we can typically go directly into the mold remediation process without mold testing being performed. However, we wholeheartedly disagree that it is not helpful. Mold Testing gives a much clearer picture of the state of the indoor air quality. It not only gives a baseline for the extent of the mold issue but it more importantly gives us an idea on whether or not rooms adjacent to the mold problem are also affected.
The fact of the matter is that this service costs money, and it’s not cheap. Many mold inspectors do not know what they are doing, and people end up spending a lot of money and getting little information. This leads to complaints, which is why government agencies may look down on it.
On the other hand, a good inspector should have a proper testing protocol to get valuable information and produce a good report that a restoration company can use to give an estimate from.
This ultimately drives down the cost of mold remediation as we do not have to pay for site inspectors to look at your job and undertake work in additional rooms just to be sure the mold problem is eradicated.
If money was a non-factor, we would recommend a test in every room of the house before a mold remediation. However, everyone is looking to get these problems taken care of at an affordable cost which is completely understandable
If you do decide to get mold testing performed before mold remediation, we recommend that you ask your inspector to accomplish steps one to four during their inspection. You should get a quality inspection at a decent price that could very well save you money in the long run.
Before we go into how to get rid of indoor mold, we are going to a little bit about how they start.
The number 1 contributor to indoor mold problems is MOISTURE! To make things simple, if you have indoor mold growth you have a moisture problem not a mold problem. Mold is a symptom or by product of the moisture problem. So please remember even after you get rid of the excess mold, you must address the source of moisture if you do not want the problem to return.
This one is easy; water gets into a building envelope in a places that it is not suppose to be which is generally anywhere outside of a sink, toilet or shower.
If you have mold on damaged water damaged building material due to water intrusion, you almost certainly have material that needs to be removed unless it is in an unfinished area like a basement or attic that might not have drywall to remove. It is possible that a mold test shows normal levels before beginning work but air scrubbers are typically used during and after work. This is because the mold colonies are disturbed when removing the material you actually end up with more mold in the air then when you started. The air filtration removes those mold spores and gets the air quality back to normal.
When humidity levels rise, building materials and personal belongings within a property absorb the that is created. Mold spores land and grow on these areas to feed on the water and organic nutrients and begin to colonize. These types of problems are often harder to diagnose because it can often be widespread or at least throughout an entire room and you can’t always point at a specific area and say that is where this problem is coming from.
These types of issues do not always call for building material to be removed as the mold you see can be classified as “surface mold”. When caught early enough, this can simply be wiped away and air scrubbers can be set to filter out the excess mold spores.
In the event the problem goes undetected or ignored and the mold begins to colonize, it can become deep rooted into building materials and personal belongings to the point they become damaged. Under these circumstances these circumstances building material must be removed as the growth will likely come right back if it is wiped away.
Using air filtration systems like air scrubbers and ULV Fogging is of the utmost importance for these types of issues. Many people experience this type of problem and cannot fathom why the mold comes back after they clean it up.
The reason for this is that the concentration of mold in the air is so high that you must address both the visible mold and the mold you cannot see; remove the excess mold from the air to get back to acceptable conditions and fix the moisture problem to have a complete mold remediation.
Once either a restoration company or a third party mold inspector has verified a property is in need of mold remediation a protocol or work plan is put together to perform a mold remediation and remove the problem. If you like most people, you are not familiar with how this is done. Here we will explain various steps of the process so you can understand why each item is necessary when looking at an estimate.
Worn by workers to prevent direct exposure to mold growth. This includes paper masks, half face respirators, full face respirators, gloves, safety glasses, long sleeve / pants and full tyvek suits. What is worn is determined by personal preference and severity of the problem.
If the mold growth is isolated to a certain room or section of a property, a containment is made for work to be performed in. This protects other areas of the home/building from contamination and allows occupants to remain while work is taking place.
When porous materials like drywall, baseboard, crown molding, carpet, wood flooring, etc are damaged by mold they must be taken out and discarded.
A HEPA vacuum should be used before, during and after the demo and cleaning. This helps to control the amount of mold spores that make it airborne and ensures that when they are vacuumed up, they do not make it back out. Often times a shop vacuum with a HEPA filter is used for initial work and HEPA vacuum used for a final pass.
This is an air filtration device that pulls contaminated air through a HEPA filter and re-distributes the clean air back into the environment. This piece of equipment is vital to a proper mold remediation. Quite often, this machine is vented outside to create “negative pressure” inside the containment.
Since mold issues are often caused by water damage, industrial dehumidifiers are often used to remove the excess moisture. Dehumidifiers work by pulling humid air across a cold evaporator that condenses the air, removing moisture that drops to a tray and eventually pumped out through a drain line. So at the end of the mold remediation you should not only get rid of your mold problems but also be left with a dry environment so issues do not return. Air movers or Fans that are typically used on a water damage restoration are typically not used on mold remediation jobs in an effort to control air flow not disrupt it.
An “Ultra Low Volume” Fogger is used during mold remediation spraying a fine mist throughout the affected areas. The anti-microbial clings to mold spores in the air which then drop to a surface to be wiped away.
Sunlight and humidity levels, breaks apart a molecule Draws in ambient air, that passes by a UV light that breaks apart the h20 Humidity molecule and a hydroxyl molecule is released into the air. Now not only is air that is going through the machine cleaned but the molecule within the air is also doing work outside of the machine. This is a naturally occurring molecule that sunlight creates to naturally fight pollutants and a Hydroxyl Generator is mimicking that reaction.
After a structure is cleaned, it may be recommended that the surface be “encapsulated”. This is simply using a anti-microbial paint to cover up staining and prevent future growth. Even after mold is gone, damage may have been done that staining is still visible. Encapsulation is a good option so it does not gather unwanted attention in circumstances like home sale. Also if mold was growing in this area once before, it does not hurt to have an extra layer of security to prevent it from re-occurring.
When a home or building has a mold issue, a HVAC system cleaning is typically a recommended part of the process. The contaminated air has been circulated through the system and potentially causing issues. If you have an isolated area that has been taken care of relatively quickly, you can likely avoid this step. On the other hand, if you have a widespread issue this step should not be skipped. At the end of the day, an HVAC system cleaning is something that should be done once in a while anyways so now would be a good time to get it done.
At the end of the mold remediation project, the client will have the option of getting a clearance test done to confirm the work has been performed correctly and the indoor levels of mold are back to an acceptable range. Some remediation companies do offer their own testing but it is typically considered a conflict of interest and a third party is highly recommended.
In the event the mold test fails, the remediation company should offer to re-clean and most of the time cover the cost for the failed test. However, this guarantee should be discussed and confirmed with whoever you contract for the work. Client's that choose to not get clearance testing done due to monetary restraints or whatever reason should perform a thorough visual inspection of the remediated areas. If visible mold is found or building materials are still wet, further work needs to be performed. Once a project gets clearance; all equipment can be removed and rebuild of any materials that have been removed can take place.
Now to tackle the number one thing that people are thinking about when having to deal with an issue like this, “How Much is This Going to Cost?”.
On average, a properly performed residential mold remediation will cost between $1000-$5000. Large-scale residential jobs like foreclosures covered in mold or commercial mold remediation are often $10,000+.
Here is a list of things that can increase the cost of a mold remediation.
Price varies on a per project basis. Some projects may be quoted via pictures for an isolated area. Most reputable companies will be using a form of Xactimate pricing, which is the industry standard for billing insurance.
Will my insurance company cover the cost for mold remediation?
First you must look in your policy to determine if you have any mold coverage at all, it is fairly common in certain areas Florida or Texas but not so much in others.
Even if you do have mold coverage, you must look at the source of the issue. If it its from a water damage like a pipe leak in the kitchen, just about everyone should have coverage for water damage, the mold treatment may not be covered; it depends on how it is presented to the insurance company. If the mold problem stems from neglect like failure to clean a small shower that gets humid to the point the ceiling needs to come out, this will not be covered by insurance.
In the event you are looking to get damage covered by insurance, the best course of action is to have a restoration contractor look at you policy and speak to the insurance company. These are people experienced with insurance claims and know what the providers are looking to see.
As was mentioned previously, water intrusion and moisture are what cause mold problems. In order to prevent mold from returning after mold remediation has been completed, you MUST address the source of the water/moisture.
Repair any leaks as quickly as possible. If it’s a leak within the home, or one that has occurred outside and could cause damage within the property – make sure it is fixed swiftly before any further damage can occur.
Dry affected areas properly and swiftly. If there have been any accidents or spillages of water, or any issues with condensation make sure that the affected areas are dried out thoroughly and as quickly as possible.
Make sure you control humidity levels properly. Using a dehumidifier in yourbasement or in any problem areas of your home can help prevent the formation of too much moisture.
In the long run, a few preventative steps like the ones mentioned above can help with the formation of mold.
The cost of a mold test and remediation is worth it when you consider the long term damage that a problem such as this can create.
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