Mold and Mildew Remediation Tips: Caveat Emptor: What to consider before you call in the pros

Mold and mildew remediation is an important issue that can greatly impact both your health and your wallet. Mold is often just a sign of a much larger problem that can involve problems with moisture buildup and issues with poor ventilation that you may not have known about. Homeowners that reside in environment that have high humidity are especially prone to mold problems.

To take care of mold problems in the home, you need to work with a contractor who can provide both the inspection and the repairs needed to address the areas of mold that are found. If you are collecting multiple bids for the job, be cautious of overly cheap bids or big promises that seem too good to be true.

Products and services that don’t attack the source of mold and that work as short-term solution are certainly out there, but it is definitely in the homeowners interest to pay for services that are designed to both kill the existing mold and prevent it from returning.

Read the Disclaimers

I recommend assessing contractors and products on more than cost and referrals … consider these three factors too:

1. Prevention: What actions are being taken to prevent future problems? There are endless ads and sites that will assure elimination of mold, and pre and post remediation reports will disclose success, but too often it is SHORT TERM SUCCESS.

2. Read between the Warranty lines: Is the contractor’s and/or manufacturer’s warranty iron clad or are there so many ifs and buts that the warranty has little real value? Beware 20 year, 30 year, lifetime warranties that have exclusions based on water / moisture issues. These warranties seem to protect you unless stuff gets wet. I’m not going to suggest that this makes such warranties useless, but I do have to wonder if the value is not much more than making the home owner feel safe.

3. Homeowners should also beware unnecessary demolition and re-build costs. If existing structures can be saved: save them and a chunk of cash!

When it comes to your home and the health of your family, mold remediation is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Many homeowners don’t realize how much mold can damage the actual structure of their home until they find themselves having to replace an entire wall or area of the basement. By taking wise and informed steps you can rest assured that your home and your family and your wallet will be protected.