When confronted with a mold problem, many people immediately think that they must hire a mold remediation “specialist.” But then that brings the next question, “How do I find a reputable and knowledgeable mold remediation specialist?” At this point, the experienced consumer might think that the answer would be that such a specialist must have specific training, knowledge, and experience that qualifies them to hold a license to perform mold remediation activities in their respective state. That is a logical conclusion, but unless you live in one of five states (Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, Texas) there are NO state testing or licensing requirements for mold remediation. In effect that means that anyone with a mop and bottle of bleach can call themselves a mold remediation company and charge you potentially considerable amounts of cash for their supposedly professional services. What, therefore, can an individual do to help ensure that the professional they hire is, in fact, a professional?
Professional NOT Required
The first and most important thing to realize is that MOST all mold problems DO NOT REQUIRE a professional, licensed or not, to perform the cleanup and correction. The vast majority of mold situations are ones in which a reasonably healthy and physically able person can do the cleaning and prevention themselves. This is an established and recognized fact published by both state and national health agencies in their guidance regarding mold cleanup. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency: “If the moldy area is less than about 10 square feet (less than roughly a 3 ft. by 3 ft. patch), in most cases, you can handle the job yourself…”
You Can Do It Yourself
While the EPA provides guidance that is, of course, conservative in its estimate of what an individual home owner can accomplish, is does establish that mold cleanup does not always, or even mostly, require a professional. Many homeowners are perfectly capable of cleaning larger areas of mold provided they follow some reasonable safety guidelines and use EPA tested and approved as effective chemicals for the task at hand.
Help by Individual State
Many of the individual states offer guidance and recommendations for mold cleanup for their citizens. In a continuing series of posts, we will provide detailed links to such state specific information to better help our customers find the best and most reliable information to help them make informed decisions about mold remediation and cleanup in their homes.
We Are Here to HELP
In the meantime, always remember that the staff at CleanerToday.com are always available electronically to answer your questions about mold and its safe and effective cleanup. We have many years of experience in answering such questions and we are happy to guide you to the most effective solutions to your mold situation, even if that means referring you to another source. We are more concerned with you having a safe and effective experience than in just making a sale of a product. All of our mold remediation products are EPA tested and approved however and if you are deciding to tackle your mold situation on your own, our family of MoldStat products are all excellent choices for the task.
I found some mold in my home that’s black, maybe even a dark green. Would you suggest that I contact a professional? This is exactly as described as what black mold is. I don’t want it harming my families health. Maybe I can try you steps first then contact a professional.
The most cost effective method would be to Use MoldSTAT Plus and MoldSTAT Barrier for yourself. Once completed, if the mold grows back or isn’t under control then you know it’s time to call the pros.
I’m lucky to live in an area where mold get’s fried by the hot dry air. Most of the time it’s the mold on the bread and cheese I have to worry about. Because of this, I know nothing about mold or what to even do with it when I find myself in an area where it is more common. It’s good to know that I can do most of it myself, but I’d have to get professional help with the stuff that’s more dangerous.
We have an ongoing mold problem in our bathroom. I’ve been cleaning it with bleach every month or so for the past year, but it always comes back. I wonder if the mold is somewhere behind the walls and ceiling and I haven’t actually been killing most of the mold. Is it possible for remediation experts to remove moisture from bathroom walls in order to fix the issue since it’s a bathroom?
High Moisture areas (like bathrooms or basements) grow mold faster than dry areas.
A mold remediation specialist may be able to replace wall board with a concrete backer board that would discourage mold growth.. It’s an involved ( read expensive ) project. In the end, cleaning with MoldSTAT Barrier may be a better approach. It will slow regrowth, but nothing will eliminate mold growth.
I use moldSTAT products and they work pretty darned well. I can tell you that for smaller areas it is the only thing I use!
Thanks for making a quality product!
There are ways to protect yourself, however, by following simple mold remediation contractor guidelines : Ventilate, Cover and Wait.