Does homeowner’s insurance cover any of the costs?
Mold remediation is sometimes covered by insurance, or it may be included under water damage repairs. You will need to contact your insurance agent for details.
What are some of the features of mold remediation?
Our technicians are trained in and conform to accepted containment, removal, and treatment procedures, ensuring that contamination does not spread to other areas of your home. HEPA air filters and vacuums are utilized extensively to reduce the likelihood of cross contamination. Without these stringent procedures, thousands of mold spores could be released, allowing possible mold contamination in other areas of the structure.
Remediation services include:
* HEPA air filtration
* HEPA vacuuming
* negative air containment procedures
* demolition, removal and replacement of damaged materials
* cleaning and disinfecting of remaining building materials
* antimicrobial treatment
* attic and crawlspace treatment
When are antimicrobial treatments necessary?
Antimicrobial treatments are useful when dealing with building materials that are not easily removed. Areas such as attic sheathing or crawlspace subflooring are expensive to replace and typically the mold growth is only superficial. Antimicrobial treatments provide an economical yet effective solution for these difficult areas. Additionally the area can be sealed with a stain blocking primer after the mold growth has been eliminated.
Where can the antimicrobial treatments be applied?
Any accessible bare wood within the home can receive the antimicrobial treatment. This includes attic sheathing and rafters, crawlspace materials and exposed framing.
Are the antimicrobial chemicals toxic?
No, the chemicals we use are registered with the EPA as non-toxic and are commonly used in both the hospital and construction industries.
Will I have to vacate my home during the mold cleanup?
Generally, mold remediation does not compel you to temporarily move out of your home. This is because the work area is enclosed in plastic sheeting (forming an air containment), and isolated from the remainder of the house. Exceptions include the remediation of a critical room, such as the kitchen or the sole bathroom of the dwelling. For example, if your house or apartment has only one bathroom (and that room requires remediation) it may be necessary for you to arrange for temporary quarters elsewhere. Individual room mold abatement can typically take four to ten days to complete (your unique situation may vary from this), and will not be accessible by you during that time. Other work condition considerations are covered in the next question.
What conditions can I expect to encounter during the mold removal?
While working in the containment, our certified technicians will wear Tyvek® suits (made of white tear-resistant paper that provides a dry particulate barrier) and air filtering respirators. Many of the moldy and water damaged materials will need to be removed from the premises. All affected wood studs will be "scrubbed" (sanded) to remove discoloration, vacuumed with a vacuum cleaner (HEPA filter equipped), and then sprayed with a fungicide. Air-moving blowers called "negative air machines" take in air from the containment and are exhausted to the outside. These blowers can also be used as air "scrubbers" to filter out mold spores while recirculating air. Dehumidifiers may also be used to remove moisture from the structure. These machines make a loud noise, and some must run constantly for the duration of the remediation and post-remediation testing periods.
Why must I test for mold again after the remediation?
It is very important to verify the effectiveness of the cleanup. Work can be evaluated using what is called post-remediation sampling, or clearance sampling. The clearance inspection and sampling are performed after the remediation is complete, but before the rebuilding (restoration) of the affected area. When the post-remediation sampling test results are satisfactory, the Post-Remediation Sampling Report provides professional third party documentation that the mold was effectively and completely removed.
