subject: Mold Remediation - What You Need To Know [print this page] It can be a crushing blow to realize you have spore growth in your home that has gone above and beyond what you can handle on your own. How much is this going to cost, you're probably wondering. Let's be honest: it probably won't be cheap to have a mold remediation company come in and do their thing. That said, you have little choice. Letting it grow unfettered is not an option, as it can make your home unsafe, both environmentally and structurally. Doing it yourself is unwise, as you don't have the tools or training to do it right. Hiring a company is your only choice, so make sure you hire the right one. Here are the things you need to know about doing so.
Liability Insurance
Do not even think about hiring a mold remediation company that can't provide documentation of their liability insurance. These companies must actually carry a special form of this insurance, known as environmental pollution insurance. It is required by most- if not all- state governments. If the company you're thinking of hiring doesn't have it, they are operating at least somewhat illegally. Not to mention the fact that you're taking a big risk. In other words, if they damage something in your home, it may not be covered under the contract.
Testing
It's not unusual for a company to provide both testing and mold remediation, but it's bad form for a company to offer both to the same customer. The reason is obvious. It's a conflict of interest. Of course, a mechanic doesn't consider it a conflict of interest to both diagnose a problem with your car and then charge you a fortune to fix it, but that's the world we live in. In any event, you're better off dealing with two separate companies (assuming that you didn't detect the growth yourself). If you are comfortable with the mold remediation company after they've performed their service, you may feel okay about having them back to test in the future.
Staff
It's not unusual for a mold remediation company to make use of subcontractors to perform the actual work. There's nothing specifically wrong with this, but everything should be above board. In other words, if you've invested your time and resources into making sure the company has a good reputation, is properly licensed and insured, and won't mess up the job, all of that is out the window once subcontractors enter the picture. Make sure the people you hire are actually the people who will be doing the work.
