In a warm, humid climate like south Florida, mold and mildew are major concerns for homeowners. What is the best way to eliminate mold from your Florida home once and for all? And is it something you can handle yourself? According to Robert Gordon of Gulf Coast Restoration and Construction, a company that provides mold removal in Fort Myers and the surrounding areas, proper testing must first be done to confirm the mold’s presence. Then, he says, the remediation process can begin. Because mold is notoriously difficult to detect and remove, Gordon says that professional testing and remediation are the only ways to ensure that your home is free of harmful spores.
Testing for Mold
As a mold remediation company, Gordon says that Gulf Coast Restoration and Construction often gets calls from homeowners who are concerned about the possible presence of mold in their homes. “The first question we ask,” he says, “is ‘Can you see the mold?’” If the mold is visible, it is usually fairly easy to determine the cause of the mold by asking the homeowner a series of questions. Depending on the extent of the visible mold, Gordon says that his company can either send a technician to estimate remediation costs or wait for the homeowner to contact his insurance company.
If there is a large amount of mold visible, Gordon generally recommends contacting your insurance company first to determine the amount of coverage available for mold remediation. Most insurance companies also maintain a list of contractors with whom they prefer to work. The claims process, Gordon says, will be much easier if you work with one of your insurance company’s preferred contractors.
Sometimes no mold is visible, but there is a musty, mildewy odor in the home. Other times, members of a particular household may be experiencing unexplained breathing difficulties or allergy problems. These can be signs of a hidden mold problem. In these cases, it is necessary to conduct air quality tests to determine whether mold is present.
“To identify hidden mold,” Gordon says, “we take an indoor air sample and send it to a laboratory for analysis. This will result in a report identifying all the fungal components in the sample.” Living in Florida, he says, you can expect some mold to enter every home when a door is opened. It is the type and amount of fungi present in the sample that will determine whether or not mold remediation is necessary.
Mold Remediation
If it’s determined that mold remediation is needed, that remediation must be done professionally. “Many people,” Gordon says, “mistakenly believe they can take care of a mold problem on their own. But it takes special training, professional equipment and meticulous techniques to effectively rid a home of mold.”
The remediation process itself varies based on the location and type of fungi present, Gordon explains. First, the affected area must be contained to prevent spores from being disbursed into non-affected areas. Once the area has been effectively contained, your contractor will use specialized equipment to cleanse the area and antimicrobial agents to kill the spores.
Re-Testing
In the final stage of mold remediation, Gordon says, another indoor air quality sample is taken and sent out for analysis. This serves as verification to both the home owner and the mold remediation company that the problem has been effectively resolved. Your contractor, he says, should provide you with a copy of the indoor air quality report to serve as written proof that the mold has been removed and the indoor air is safe. This type of documentation could become very important should you choose to sell or rent your home in the future.
“It is important that you act rapidly if you ever suspect mold in your house,” Gordon says. “Mold grows quickly and can become a health hazard for you and your family.” Working with an experienced mold remediation professional, he says, is the best way to ensure healthy indoor air for your family and a mold-free home.
