Guide: mold removal
Black mold in the house? Size and moisture decide who cleans it.
The EPA says you can usually clean a moldy area smaller than about 10 square feet yourself. Larger growth, mold after a lot of water damage, or mold in walls, ducts or insulation is a job for a mold remediation company. Either way, the moisture causing it has to be fixed, or it comes back.
Connects you to an independent mold remediation company. Home Service Lab does not perform the work and does not set the price.
What to do first
- Do not disturb it. Scrubbing or sanding dry mold puts spores into the air.
- Measure it roughly. About 3 feet by 3 feet is the EPA's line for most DIY cleanups.
- Find the water. A leak, condensation, a damp basement or an old flood. Mold needs moisture to grow.
- Keep the area closed off. Shut the door and keep the HVAC from blowing across it if you can.
- Photograph it, then call. Useful for a remediation quote and for insurance if a covered leak caused it.
If anyone in the house has asthma, allergies or a weakened immune system, do not clean mold yourself, whatever the size.
Remediation is two jobs.
A remediation company contains the area, removes the moldy material and cleans what can be saved. The moisture source is often someone else's work: a plumber for a leak, or a restoration company to dry out what is still wet. Ask who handles the source before work starts.
The color does not tell you how dangerous it is. "Black mold" is a description, not a diagnosis, so size and location are what decide how it is handled.
Before you call
Have these ready before you call.
The company on the other end will want to book someone to come out and look at the mold. These are the things that make that first call quick.
- Your address and ZIP code.The call is routed by ZIP, and the company needs the address to book an inspection.
- What happened, and roughly when.Where the water or smoke came from and how long it has been there decide what kind of job it is.
- Whether the source is stopped.If water is still coming in, say so first. That changes what they send and how soon.
- Your insurer and policy number, if you have them.Not required to book, but it saves a second call once the claim is open.
- When someone can be at the house.Nothing gets measured or quoted until a person has seen it, so have a time in mind.
Questions
Common questions
Who do I call for mold in my house?
A mold remediation company for anything over about 10 square feet, inside walls or ducts, or after significant water damage. Smaller surface patches on hard surfaces you can often clean yourself, once the moisture is fixed.
Does black mold always need professional removal?
Not always. The EPA bases the decision on size and on how much water damage there has been, not on color.
Being straight with you
We connect the call. We do not do the work.
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Local pages
Mold removal in your city.
Related
Other guides and trades.
Still smells musty?
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