Mold Remediation Guide – lookmold.com

Do you have a SERIOUS mold problem, that may need Mold Remediation?

Then you're in the right place.

There is a dark side to the mold industry that you simply have to know...

or you may find yourself in thousands of dollars of debt...or even with a worse mold problem than you originally had!

In today's post I'm going to teach you everything you need to know, before deciding if your mold problem requires a Mold Remediation Expert.

I'll even show you a few tips if you feel brave enough to do it on your own.

Let's do this!

When referring to a mold removal company and a mold remediation company, both of these terms are used interchangeably.

If we are getting technical...

They are not the same thing.

Mold removal is just one part of the whole remediation process. Not all mold remediation projects will require mold removal as it may involve sanitizing the home only.

As you will learn, later on, the mold remediation process has many moving parts. You may also read terms such as mold extraction or mold abatement. These are other synonyms for mold remediation.

Don't worry if this is confusing. It will all make sense after this guide.

People can really freak out when they hear that four letter "M" word, but the truth is people tend to make more of it than there needs to be.

I am not insinuating that mold can't be dangerous because it absolutely can.

However...

There is usually some mold spores present in most indoor building environments, especially if you live in an area that is hot and humid.

Depending upon when mold remediation is necessary may vary from person to person. If somebody has an auto-immune disease or an allergy to a particular species of mold, the home will need to be as close to mold-free as possible. Simple issues that don't affect the normal person may harm them and sanitization may be necessary for the home.

When the mold is just on the surface, depending on the root cause, it can usually be cleaned by you rather than removed.

For example, below is a picture of surface mold on the top of a closet wall:

This mold as you can probably guess is on the surface.

The key thing that you need to know about surface mold is that this type of mold is not using the wall as a food source.

Mold is just kind of "chilling" on the wall. It can easily be cleaned.

Here is something that will also completely blow your mind that no other mold professional will tell you...

You MAY NOT have to clean it!

I know it sounds crazy, you have mold on the wall and you can just leave it there.

But here's the thing:

That mold is likely not airborne and will generally not hurt you.

I'm not saying that you should leave it there either...

Who wants mold on their closet wall?

Nobody of course!

The point I am trying make is that mold remediation is not always necessary. A simple wipe down can be sufficient if there is a surface mold.

Mold remediation is necessary when:

Mold is using building material as a food source or the air quality in the home is negatively affected!

If done correctly, mold remediation can ensure all mold is either removed or contained.

There is one thing that many homeowners obsess with during the mold remediation process:

Killing mold!

Sorry to burst your bubble here, but killing mold is not all that important. Besides the fact, the mold may already be dead!

Let me explain:

Mold can harm you whether it's living or dead.

As a matter of fact, in some cases, dead mold spores may make your sick more than living mold spores.

Here's why

Remember, you need three elements for mold to grow:

If you take any one of those three elements out, mold will stop growing

AKA become dormant mold.

For example, let's say you have a leak in your kitchen behind the dishwasher.

While the leak is active, the mold spores growing on the wall behind the dishwasher are wet and heavy. Because of this reason, the mold spores may not be airborne as much.

Once the area is dried out, the mold spores are no longer wet, and no longer heavy...

That means, yes, they can now become more airborne!

When breathing in mold spores, your body cannot distinguish the difference between living or dead mold spores.

The dead mold spores affect humans just as much.

Killing mold is not the answer! Proper mold remediation is.

Let me ask you, would you want to be breathing in this?

The mold industry is broken down into two separate sectors. You have the mold remediation companies and you have the mold assessors which can also be referred to as mold inspectors.

The mold inspectors are the ones that originally should be called out to the home to investigate any suspicions you may have about having mold in your home.

They are also qualified to take air and surface samples to confirm that you have a mold problem.

A mold inspector will write the protocol of the remediation work that needs to be done.

When having the original mold assessment, it should never be done by the company that performs the remediation.

In certain states, it's actually a law that a company can't do both on the same project. Having a company that does both at the same job site gives the remediation company a license to scam you out of money and completely exaggerate the extent of mold damage.

You can hire a mold assessor to not only perform the original inspection but to be a consultant to you through the remediation process and ensure the work has been done correctly after remediation. This may cost you some money but can save you THOUSANDS in the long run.

It's ok to take recommendations from your mold inspector for mold remediation companies, however, you should always ask for three. Make sure the inspector has no affiliation with any of the companies or tries to sway you in the direction of one particular company.

While it is recommended that you should hire a mold inspection professional to check your home for mold, it is not free.

If you have financial restrictions, your only choice may be checking the home for mold yourself.

There are two main things you should be looking for:

Problem is: You may not always be able to see mold or water damage.

Look around all doors, windows, under and around plumbing fixtures, on all ceilings, etc.

Do you see any staining?

Is paint starting to peel or bubble?

These are some of the questions that you should be asking yourself.

If you can't find anything, it's a step in the right direction but you are not out of the clear just yet.

To check for hidden moisture I recommend using a moisture meter and checking around the same areas. If you are detecting moisture it could mean a leak.

Now:

Just because you detected some moisture, does it mean you have mold?

Maybe, maybe not...

Does it mean you have a mold problem? Not necessarily.

Stopping the cause of the leak needs to be a priority, yes, but what you should be concerned with is if the leak is affecting the air quality within the home.

I know you are probably scratching your head right now thinking " how the heck can I do that?"

Don't worry, I got you covered.

An inexpensive option is getting yourself a My Mold Detective Kit. You can check out my full review of the kit by clicking here.

The air sampling pump does the same exact thing that a licensed professional's pump will do for a fraction of the cost.

Once you send in your samples you will receive an easy to read mold report which will tell you if mold is airborne throughout the sampled areas of the home.

Emergency water damage restoration can be a precursor for mold remediation. I would call it a sister industry to mold remediation. Some companies just do the emergency dry-outs and some mold abatement companies do both.

Nothing can be quite as stressful as having a flood in your home due to a water leak.

Having a big leak is usually a surprise...

Everything is soaked, wood is expanding, you're concerned about mold, it's just a messy situation.

But here's the thing:

If you catch the leak early enough, you can dramatically decrease your chances of having to need mold damage restoration.

Timing is everything.

For example, if you go away on vacation and come home to your home looking like this:

It's too late...

However, let's say you wake up in the morning and find water on the ground of your home due to a water leak that happened three hours earlier, how quickly you act will be crucial.

As stated above, there are companies that specialize in drying everything out to prevent mold. These companies services are referred to as:

Water Damage Restoration

Usually with the word "emergency" in the name because when you get a leak, well, it's usually an emergency! These terms are all used interchangeably. You may find these companies a few different ways...

Your first phone call should probably be your insurance company. These services are usually covered by your homeowner's insurance company but that is no sure thing.

See more here:
Mold Remediation Guide - lookmold.com