Directory

Mold remediation and removal companies

Mold follows water that was not dried in time, and it can hide behind drywall and under floors. Remediation companies test the air and surfaces, contain the affected area, remove what cannot be cleaned, and treat what is left.

From mold on the walls to a clean, dry room

Illustrations made for this site, not work by the companies listed.

Finished basement with black mold spreading around the window and along the walls, and a stained, damp floor
The same basement restored, with clean walls and a new floor

What remediation involves

  1. Find and fix the moisture. Mold grows where water is: a leak, a flood that was not dried in time, or damp air. Until the source is fixed, removed mold comes back.
  2. Contain the area. The crew seals it off with plastic sheeting and runs air filtration so spores are not spread through the house during the work.
  3. Remove what cannot be cleaned. Drywall, insulation, carpet and other porous materials with mold growing in them are cut out and bagged.
  4. Clean and dry what stays. Hard surfaces are cleaned and vacuumed with HEPA equipment, and the area is dried out.
  5. Check the result before walls are closed up, often with a visual inspection and air or surface sampling.

How big is too big to clean yourself? The US EPA's guidance is that a homeowner can often handle an area under about ten square feet, roughly three feet by three feet, if the moisture problem is fixed; larger areas, mold in heating and cooling ducts, or mold after sewage or flood water call for a professional. Painting over mold or spraying bleach on it does not solve it: the moisture and the growth both have to go. People with asthma, allergies or weakened immune systems should stay out of the area while the work is done.

Questions to ask before you hire

Will you find what caused the mold?

Remediation without fixing the moisture source is temporary. Ask whether the company will find the cause, and who will repair it: some remediators fix leaks, others will tell you which trade to call.

Who does the testing, you or someone independent?

Some homeowners prefer an independent assessor to test before and after the work, so the company doing the removal is not also grading it. In some states the law requires the assessor and the remediation company to be separate businesses.

Are your technicians certified?

The IICRC's Applied Microbial Remediation Technician course is the usual credential for mold remediation. Ask whether the crew coming to your home holds it.

How will you contain the work?

Ask how the area will be sealed off and how the air will be filtered, so spores are not carried into the rest of the house.

Is mold covered by my insurance?

Coverage for mold varies widely. Many policies limit it, or cover it only when it follows a sudden event the policy covers, such as a burst pipe. Check your policy and ask your insurer before work starts.

Does Restoration Advertising check these companies?

No. The companies supplied their own listings, and the directory does not rate, rank or vet them. That is why the questions above are worth asking whoever you call.

What a home with mold often needs next