That is the question! When do you need a professional mold remediator? This is one of the questions we get proposed to us on a daily basis. As a mold remediation company, we have walked into situations where the client does not need a professional and we have walked into situations where it is obvious a professional is needed. But what about the in betweens? The situations where it is not so obvious?

We have put together three easy questions to help you determine if you need to call a professional. Answer a few questions and find out for yourself. This will help you avoid spending money on costly testing and remediation if it’s not needed.

1. Are the occupants in the building pose a health risk? At risk occupants include elderly, infants, immune compromised, asthmatic, a history of respiratory illnesses or other medical complaints.

Think Health First!

If you answered yes to this question and you believe you have a mold situation, call a testing company immediately. The right testing company understands how buildings are constructed and where typical leaks can be found. Further they understand how to find hidden mold problems and can detail how a mold professional should clean the area. The testing company should never be the company performing the cleanup, as that poses a conflict of interest. See our article to ensure you do not get scammed.

If no, move to the next question.

2. Is the property occupied by renters? Lawsuits dealing with mold have become prevalent today due to multiple reasons, such as the way buildings are being constructed and education of mold. If you have a renter, you should never try to handle the situation yourself. By doing so, you have opened yourself to a lawsuit. Mold professionals carry the liability for ensuring the job is done right and protects your interests as the owner of the investment property.

If no, move to the next question.

3. How big is the contaminated area? < 10 square feet, 10-30 square feet, 30-100 square feet, > 100 square feet.

Small Mold < 30 SF

<10 square feet up to 30 square feet (small mold problem) – If you believe the area has no significant risk of hidden growth and is no larger than 30 contagious square feet, then you do not need to hire a professional! The homeowner, a handyman or a general cleaning professional should be able to take care of this. There are precautions that need to be taken to protect your health and cross contamination of the rest of the building. When performing mold cleanup, if the area ends up being bigger than expected, tape off the area and call a professional. Remember that mold occurs due to water intruding from a source. This source must be identified and illuminated to make your efforts successful. Look for our future article on DIY Mold Removal for small mold problems.

Large Mold >30 SF

>30 square feet (large mold problem) – If you have a large mold problem, then you need to seek the advice of a mold professional. Removal of mold can pose serious health risks and, if not done correctly, contaminate other areas of your property. The goal of a mold professional is to contain the mold to the affected area and remove the contaminated materials properly. Again, we stress that you read our article to prevent being scammed by a mold professional.  If you are planning to call a professional to assess your situation, please do not attempt to clean up the area before that professional arrives. This could end up costing you more due to cross contamination and not give the professional a clear picture of what is occurring.

These three simple questions should get you on the right track. If you still are not sure whether you need a mold professional, give us a call at (904) 567-3885 and we will let you know. There is no charge to look at your situation. If you do not need a professional, we will let you know and make suggestions.

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