Mold Removal Guide

Most people that find mold in their home do not know what to do. They know they have a serious problem, but they have no idea how dangerous mold exposure can be, or what is involved in removing it. Take a breath and RELAX.

We have laid out the removal process here, in easy to follow steps. The important thing is to make sure you remove all of the mold, and do it as quickly as possible. Don’t cut corners, you want to make sure you do it right the first time. The health of you and your family is at stake.

Steps To Mold Removal

Mold on bathroom walls

If you suspect there is mold in your home, you should thoroughly inspect your home. Here is more on finding mold in your home. Sometimes you won't be able to find the mold because it is hidden. It could be under carpet, inside a wall, in your attic or under wallpaper. Hidden mold can still cause health issues and needs to be removed.
Next you need to figure out what is causing the mold to grow, and how bad the problem is. You should have a professional mold tester come in. Most mold testers are engineers, so in addition to conducting tests they can inspect your home and make sure you have found all of the mold. They will also be able to determine why you have mold, and advise you on how to fix whatever is causing it. Usually it is caused by a leak, a flood, high levels of humidity, or poor ventilation. The air tests they perform will also tell you what kind of mold is growing in your home. The mold tester will help you determine if you can remove the mold yourself or should hire a professional removal company. After the mold has been removed, have the tester come back and do air testing again. This way you will know for sure that all of the mold has been removed. To get a list of professional mold testers in your area, just follow the link.
If you are having any health issues that may have been caused by mold, discuss it with your doctor. Make sure they know you found mold in your home.
If the job isn’t too big, you can remove the mold yourself. Follow the link for information and advice on removing mold. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends hiring a professional to remove the mold if any of these conditions are met: (A) mold covers more than 10 square feet, (B) mold is in the HVAC system, (C) the mold was caused by contaminated water or sewage, (D) you have health concerns and your physician recommends against doing the cleanup.
Call your insurance company and see if the mold removal and repairs are covered by insurance. If you have coverage, it often covers the cost of the mold tester as well. If mold isn’t specifically mentioned, the removal costs may still be covered depending on what caused the mold. This article discusses when mold removal is covered by homeowners insurance.
Hire a professional mold removal service. Use this form to get a list of mold removal professionals in your area. Do not use the mold testing company or someone they recommend to remove the mold from your home. You want an independent company with no affiliations to the testing company. After the mold has been removed have the tester to come back and perform air testing to confirm that all mold has been removed. By using an independent removal service there will be no conflicts of interest. We recommend reading this article on how to choose a mold remediation company, and this article covers the safety of staying in your home during mold remediation.
In addition to removing the mold, make any repairs that are necessary to be sure the mold does not return. (If you hire a mold removal company, they will usually do this.)
Take preventative measures to make sure the mold does not return. Be proactive in preventing future mold problems.
If you have any questions, contact us.