The mold is gone…but your problem remains.
I would like to be a healthy building advocate…keeper of structural healthfulness…happy inhabitant maker. Maybe one of those is the title I really want!
I got into the mold inspection business because I was upset seeing my clients with building issues that caused repeat ‘remediations’, persistent musty smells, and the allergies, sniffling, sneezing, and headaches that followed.
Let’s get to the meat of the conversation…
Mold Remediation can fail in two ways:
They fail to get all the mold. This is generally a shared responsibility between the assessor and the remediator. The assessor’s job is to identify visible mold, and estimate where invisible mold begins and ends (behind an in-tact wall, for example). There are other parts to the job, but that’s a critical passoff of information. They will hand that information over to your remediator with a detailed protocol/report that tells them where to target. It is then in your remediator’s hands to begin the project to those specs, but to continue forward and return the space to a ‘like new’ standard. They can and should find things, which is why it’s critical to use a trusted remediator who is known for getting you back to new. If the mold goes further, ideally so do they.
P.S. This is a great reason to insist on your assessor/inspector returning after your remediator is finished. This is called a PRV (Post Remediation Verification) and it means they will look at the work before it’s covered up again, ensuring completeness. This costs a few extra bucks, but it will allow you to take advantage of their guarantees or warranties. (We offer a 12 month mold-free-guarantee if you use our PRV service.)
This is the prevalent issue in our industry….Remediators Remediate. They are not typically in the prevention business. After all, if they learned how to prevent mold, and spread that information, they might go out of business. Just this week, I’ve met with 5 separate remediation companies. Not one of them knew any companies that installed dehumidification systems, a primary and necessary (AND THE CHEAPEST!!) method for mold prevention. They didn’t have a single suggestion of companies that could handle it. Hard to believe!
P.S. There are some EXCELLENT remediation companies out there. Companies that want to (no, no…insist) on doing the right work. They are few and far between, but if you’re a remediator reading this, I’m sure it’s you and not the other guy. It’s definitely you.
When you hire an assessor like us at Green Check, take our advice. And better yet, go a step further and call us to see if you’re still on the right track as you make future decisions for your home or business. I am a problem solver at heart, a Sherlock of Homes and commercial properties. I genuinely love figuring out what’s really going on, and how to avert future problems.
Whether you use us at Green Check or not…please, please just get it right! Let’s not do this again, eh?
