You’ve identified a mold problem in your house, and you’re anxious to get rid of it. Because, the longer you wait, that mold colony will continue to depreciate the value of your home, break down your walls and ceilings, and threaten your family’s health.
It’s time to get someone in.
But you also know that finding the right mold remediation company is crucial, because you don’t want to end up spending all that money on a remediator that doesn’t actually eradicate the problem. Or works so slowly that you and your family will be out of a home for longer than necessary. Or has a terrible track record with customer service. In other words, you’re looking for a proven background of success and professionalism, which isn’t especially easy to find with all of the online advertising and mixed reviews out there.
What you need is a straightforward guide to choosing the right mold remediator. Ultimately, it will be up to you vet your local options and figure out which one gives you a feeling of trustworthiness and reliability, but if you’re not sure of what to ask those mold specialists upon meeting them, here are a few pointers.
Before talking directly to the remediator, do some digging on your own.
It’s not surprising that a remediation company is going to paint you a rosy description of their service when you call them directly. If you start off just by calling every remediation company in the phonebook, then, you might become overwhelmed by the number of seemingly good options.
Instead, look into the online reviews about remediators in your area. Make sure that you’re using an objective third-party website and not relying solely on the testimonials published on the company’s website.
Once you’ve weeded out the companies that don’t have such great feedback, you can start reaching out to the best-rated remediators to ask the following questions:
1. What are your accreditations?
Each state has a different bureau responsible for providing licensure to companies involved in mold removal. So, when you ask the business about their accreditations, they should be able to provide you with their license number. If you’d like to double check their credentials, you can confirm the accreditation with your local licensing agency.
Or, if you don’t feel comfortable asking the company for their license number, you may be able to call the licensing bureau directly and verify whether that company name been properly accredited. Sometimes, your local Better Business Bureau will be able to provide you with any information involving previous complaints, as well.
We listed this step first because it’s very important to find a licensed mold remediator. Those without formal accreditations may charge less, but they’re likely not following the standards laid out by state law. And, chances are, if they’re not following state regulations, they’re not going to be insured either - but more on that later.
2. How are your staff trained/certified?
Just because a business is licensed doesn’t necessarily mean that its employees are properly trained and certified. You’ll know that you’re talking to a reliable company if they mention that they only hire certified employees, such as certified mold inspectors and certified mold remediation contractors.
Again, the specific agency that provides the certification will vary state-by-state, but the process generally involves thorough training. In some states, OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, offers online courses for mold remediation specialists that cover everything from mold sampling to the various treatment options to follow-up procedures and effective communication with homeowners.
Clearly, you want someone who has undergone the most rigorous training available, and the remediation company should feel comfortable sharing their standards for individual staff training with you.
3. How about insurance?
Whether a mold remediator has adequate insurance should be a non-negotiable for you. And here’s why.
Mold can be extremely destructive to the structure of your home, which means that the risk of further damage, both to your property and to the mold specialists, during removal is high. Instead of making you foot the bill for damages incurred during this process, a reputable mold remediator will be able to cover the cost through their insurance.
You can also go one step further by asking what plan the company has. If it seems like the most basic plan just to alleviate your worries instead of actually covering damages, it’s a good idea to avoid the company altogether.
4. What are your testing methods?
You wouldn’t expect a doctor to schedule you for surgery just because you said you were having stomach pains, and you wouldn’t want a mold remediator to start stripping the wallpaper before doing a proper assessment.
Testing methods should be a key part of the overall remediation process, so don’t be shy to ask about a company’s specific technique. Every remediator should do a pretest that includes sampling the air or surfaces in different areas of the house.
Once samples have been collected, there are a couple of different ways to analyze the data, either by sending it off to an independent laboratory or using a real-time analyzer. Either way, you want to make sure that the test is being read by an objective third party to avoid being charged for a larger mold problem than you actually have.
If the company is not willing to keep you in the loop during this initial testing process, you should be concerned. Because cost aside, it’s good for you to know how much mold you’ve been exposed to for health reasons. There’s no reason that the company should withhold this information from you.
5. What does your site containment look like?
Containment is another crucial element in mold remediation because it prevents cross-contamination and damage to other areas of your home. Each remediator on-site should also wear the proper gear and adhere to the containment protocol.
In addition to the proper coverage of your home and the remediation experts, you should make sure that the equipment that is being brought into your home has been fitted with new plastic coverings. You don’t want mold spores from other sites to become introduced to your home.
6. What is your treatment plan?
At it’s core, mold remediation is not an overly complicated process. The general procedure should include pretesting, proper preparation (containment), removal of the source of mold, and, finally, a purification of the air using HEPA filters. That’s it.
If the mold specialist begins to complicate this explanation or make it overly technical, that’s often a red flag that you’re going to be overcharged.
That said, if you have an older home or your mold problem is extensive or in any way out-of-the-ordinary, the treatment plan should reflect your specific needs.
7. Do you offer a guarantee?
We can’t stress the importance of this question. Because, if the mold comes back in your home (without an event like flooding), you want to make sure that the mold remediation company will continue their work until the mold problem has been completely eliminated. Otherwise, you may find yourself throwing money at a company that hasn’t done their job, over and over.
The guarantee should be part of the original contract, so make sure that you read the details carefully and push back, or find another company, if you feel that the guarantee isn’t adequate.
Let’s talk pricing.
As you can see from the guidelines above, pricing in mold remediation has a lot to do with the quality of service that you’re going to receive. The companies that seem to charge the least may be cutting corners when it comes to important things like insurance, effective treatments, and cleanup. It’s important not to get roped into these unbelievably good offers. After all, if you don’t receive quality treatment now, you’ll pay the difference later.
You also want to be sure that you’re not getting overcharged for services, either. Be cautious about remediators who beat around the bush when it comes to giving you a quote. If you’re not getting a clear answer, it should make you wonder whether you’re going to be charged extra fees later on.
So, before you get locked into a contract with one remediation service, it’s a good idea to get a free quote from a number of different options. That way, you can steer clear of the ones with the too-good-to-be-true prices as well as the ones that seem to be charging an arm and a leg.
If a company is genuine and trustworthy, the consultant likely be straightforward about the price, and the price will be fair.
You’re ready to start your search.
We know, the process of finding the right mold remediator can be overwhelming. But if you do your due diligence and ask the right questions, you’ll be able to move forward confidently with a mold remediator that feels more like a partner. Once you find a company you can trust, the rest of the process will go more smoothly, and you can get back to your mold-free home in no time!