Fearing that mold remediation could be too expensive for your budget, you might ask yourself, "Should I remove mold myself, or should I hire a professional?" Mold can be a serious health hazard and it is important to handle it properly to avoid potential exposure and further contamination.
If you have a small amount of mold that is limited to an area of less than 10 square feet and you feel comfortable handling it, you may be able to remove the mold yourself. However, it is important to take certain precautions to protect yourself and prevent the spread of mold.
When removing mold yourself, it is important to:
There are a few situations where it is particularly important to hire a professional to remove the mold instead of removing mold yourself:
In summary, if you have a very small amount of mold and feel comfortable handling it, you may be able to remove the mold yourself. However, if the mold growth is extensive, if the mold is growing in a hard-to-reach area, if the mold is growing on a porous surface, or if you or a family member has a compromised immune system, it is recommended to hire a professional mold remediation company. We at Clean and Restore are happy to help you make that decision. You might think that as a mold remediation company, we might nudge you toward hiring us every time. But we realize that circumstances vary and we would rather be honest with our customers, knowing they come back to us next time they have a cleaning or restoration need. So give us a call today and we can help you navigate your mold problem!
One of the most obvious signs of a mold problem is the presence of visible mold growth. Mold can appear as a black, white, green, or brownish substance and may appear as a stain, a bloom, or a fuzzy growth.
Mold can grow on a variety of surfaces, including walls, ceilings, floors, and furniture. In addition to visible mold growth, there are a few other signs that you may have a mold problem in your home:
If you suspect that you may have a mold problem in your home, it is important to have it checked by a professional. Clean and Restore of Vermont help by doing a professional mold inspection to take the guesswork out of your home safety. A mold inspection can help identify the type and extent of the mold growth and determine the best course of action for removal. In some cases, it may be necessary to take samples of the mold for laboratory testing to identify the specific type of mold and determine the best treatment method.
If you do have a mold problem, it is important to address it as soon as possible to prevent further growth and potential health problems. In some cases, it may be necessary to hire a professional mold remediation company to safely remove the mold and repair any damage it has caused. If the mold growth is extensive or if you are unable to safely remove the mold yourself, it is important to seek professional help. We're not just saying that to generate more work for ourselves. A good percentage of our mold calls are people who attempted to remedy the situation themselves and found they couldn't successfully eradicate the mold, or found that it came back after a short time. We don't want you to make that costly mistake. And if, after a through mold inspection, we find that you don't need our services, we're happy to let you know.
Preventing mold growth in your home is important to maintain a healthy living environment. Some steps you can take to prevent mold growth include:
If you are concerned about mold in your home, it is important to take action to identify and address the problem as soon as possible. By being proactive, you can help protect the health and well-being of yourself and your family and maintain a healthy living environment.
Whether mold is covered by homeowners insurance can vary depending on the specific policy and the circumstances of the mold growth. In general, homeowners insurance policies cover sudden and accidental damage, but not necessarily gradual damage or wear and tear. Let's talk about those differences in more detail.
If the mold growth in your home is the result of a covered event, such as a burst pipe or a natural disaster, your homeowners insurance policy may cover the cost of mold remediation. For example, if a pipe bursts and causes water damage that leads to mold growth, the water damage and mold remediation may be covered under your policy.
However, if the mold growth in your home is the result of a maintenance issue, such as a slow leak or insufficient ventilation, it may not be covered under your homeowners insurance policy. In these cases, you may be responsible for the cost of mold remediation.
It is important to review your homeowners insurance policy and speak with your insurance company to determine what is and is not covered. Some policies may have specific exclusions or limitations for mold coverage, so it is important to understand the terms of your policy.
Many people feel unsure as to how to proceed, and may even be intimidated by the idea of dealing with an insurance company. Some will even put off dealing with restoration issues for these reasons. We want you to know that we're here to help. We have many years of experience dealing with mold remediation and work with insurance companies. Even if we don't end up doing mold remediation at your home or business, we may be able to offer some advice and guide you through some of the stressful aspects of the process. Please don't hesitate to give us a call.
If you suspect that you have a mold problem in your home, it is important to take action to address it as soon as possible. If the mold growth is extensive or if you are unable to safely remove the mold yourself, it is recommended to hire a professional mold remediation company. The cost of professional mold remediation can vary depending on the extent of the problem, but it is typically more expensive than removing the mold yourself.
If you are concerned about the potential cost of mold remediation, you may want to consider purchasing additional mold coverage as an endorsement to your homeowners insurance policy. Mold coverage is typically available for an additional premium and may help cover the cost of mold remediation in the event of a covered loss.
In summary, whether mold is covered by homeowners insurance can depend on the specific policy and the circumstances of the mold growth. It is important to review your policy and speak with your insurance company to understand what is and is not covered. If you are concerned about the potential cost of mold remediation, you may want to consider purchasing additional mold coverage as an endorsement to your policy.
We were called to a local hospital in Vermont with reports of water leakage and mold. Ground water had come in and created high humidity over extended period of time. This in turn created rot and mold.
We replaced the rotting building materials including wooden studs and sill plates. We also cleaned the space according to IICRC S500 standards for mold remediation and mold removal.
As always, we had it post tested for the presence of mold by a 3rd party industrial hygienist. We passed the the test and received clearance without any issues. If you're wondering if post testing is really needed, the answer is found here.
We're happy to be able to provide a clean and safe medical environment for a local hospital, but we're glad not to have to crawl back in that space again!
Many of our customers ask that question, and the answer tells you a lot about the cleaning company you are working with. Clean and Restore Vermont always has an independent test done after mold remediation and removal.
Clean and Restore was asked to do a post remediation mold assessment by the owner of this historic Bristol, Vermont house. High humidity over a long period of time created mold in the building structure. We were able to remove the mold and air quality was restored to a safe environment.
Clean and Restore’s remediation process is based on the guidelines found in the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification publication S520 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Mold Remediation, so you can be sure that it will always include measures to effectively remove the mold from the structure, leaving you a clean and safe home or business. But it's also important not to assume all mold is gone after the remediation. A post remediation assessment is necessary to be sure that all mold is removed to prevent potential future growth. Clean and Restore takes remediation seriously and always provides a post remediation assessment after we complete our work.
Many of our customers ask that question, and the answer tells you a lot about the cleaning company you are working with. Clean and Restore Vermont always has an independent test done after mold remediation and removal.
Notice the windows in the image below? They are located in an unused room and began to leak undetected. This created high humidity and mold throughout the building. We were able to dry out the structure, replace damaged building materials, and thoroughly remove all mold and mold spores.
Mold is so dangerous, especially to young ones as their respiratory system is not fully developed. This can create serious health issues. So beyond cleaning and removing the mold we use certified tests to verify that the mold issue is indeed resolved. Don’t guess, get it right, and post test.
As you can see on our about page, we're parents, so it was a special honor and pleasure to serve the community and this local school system by performing mold remediation by restoring a safe place for our children to learn.
Many of our customers ask that question, and the answer tells you a lot about the cleaning company you are working with. Clean and Restore Vermont always has an independent test done after mold remediation and removal.
