Uh oh, do you have a mold problem?
Online researching how long it’s going to take to get rid of, and what you can look forward to once you call a mold remediation specialist?
We can help.
First, here’s the big-ticket points to remember.
In truth, the mold ‘industry’ is like the Wild Wild West. While dealing with mold is based on science, and there are strict guidelines in place, the industry is largely unregulated for lots of complex legal reasons.
There’s really no telling how long mold remediation might take in your situation.
What Is Mold Remediation?
This is a process for dealing with mold. It begins with an inspection, then setting up containment and air filtration, into cleaning and removing the mold. The process is complete once the area is fixed and sanitized, so mold doesn’t return. Mold remediation can also involve demolition to get rid of infested materials.
That being said, for homeowners looking for the best solution it can feel a bit like reaching out to the local roofing industry in the case of a sudden cave-in.
Questions begin swirling across your mind:
Once you start getting in touch with mold remediation companies and professionals, you’ll get an assortment of quotes. In terms of methods, there are essentially two: the conventional way(s) and then OUR way – the ‘by the book’ way. And there aren’t many companies in America who do it our way because of the costs and hard work involved.
Did you know the industry average success rate for mold remediation is only 65%?
That means there’s a 35% chance the company you choose won’t completely eliminate your mold problem, whether they take a day or four days.
Why?
Okay great… But, How Long Does It Take To Do Right?
To show you why we’re successful and give you an idea of how long it could take in your situation, let’s go through the six steps of our process.
Afterward, we’ll quickly look at why we rarely use chemicals and then wrap it up.
Mold is persistent because the moment you begin messing with it, the spores will kick up and travel… everywhere. This is why improper, imprudent, ‘Quick & Easy’ and DIY kit-based methods of mold remediation tend to make the problem 10x worse!
And make it take 10x longer to ultimately resolve…
Containment areas take our crews some time to set up carefully throughout the impacted areas of your home. The picture below shows you what one looks like, but imagine how much more complex it can be in places that aren’t as easy to access.
By the time we’re done, it looks like the place has been turned into a clean room to examine aliens found hiding in your home!
Air Filtration Devices (AFD) are critical components of the mold remediation process. We use them to create negative air pressure during any demolition phase (mold removal) and as air scrubbers during cleaning.
The challenge is ensuring the right size and strength of AFD is used to suit your specific project. Rather than just using any old model, we calculate the cubic footage of air in the containment for setting up air scrubbers. For negative air pressure, we measure the pressure with a manometer (the cubic footage calculations aren’t reliable here because there are openings and gaps in walls, windows, etc.).
Before jumping into demolition, we have to take the time and carefully map the most efficient, cost-effective, and practical way. For you, a quality mold remediation company should strike a balance between overall costs, safety, AND being as successful as possible.
To keep this brief, we’ll just give you the key takeaways of this part of our process.
There are plenty of different ways mold remediation companies can approach the cleaning process. MANY go the route of using chemicals. We avoid that because it’s ineffective.
Our method has two main steps, and when we’re done, it’s so clean in the area Intel could manufacture computer chips in there (not kidding).
If you’re wondering, this isn’t where we take clothes and wipe everything down like you normally would. Like the true Clean Freaks we are, this is where the towel is folded into squares, and each surface is only used once, so we don’t pick up mold from one surface and wipe it onto another.
Spot by spot, meticulously. This is how it’s done, and yes, it takes more time to do it this way. But then again, we maintain a 96% success rate.
While Valor Mold isn’t an interior remodeling company, we’re going to do everything within our power to help restore the area. If needed, we have a list of trusted home-improvement partners we can refer you to in our local area.
Full Transparency: we do use chemical treatments for about 2% of our mold remediation projects.
If you’re like most people, you’re thinking,
“Wait, no bleach? No vinegar or hydrogen peroxide?”
This often surprises people because general mold remediation companies across the country are known for lathering on the chemicals! The thing is, they’re almost never needed. It’s not a conspiracy but basic science.
According to THEE book on mold remediation (ANSI/IICRC S520 Standard For Professional Mold Remediation, or S520 for short):
Here’s just one single quote to demonstrate the point, although there are plenty of others:
“Source removal of mold contamination should always be the primary means of remediation. Indiscriminate use of antimicrobials, coatings, sealants, and cleaning chemicals is not recommended.” [Section 5.8.1 – Chemicals (Antimicrobials & Biocides); page 20]
We hope this article has helped you understand the process of mold remediation and given you a better idea of how long it typically takes. Of course, the project ultimately depends on the specifics of your situation and the methods your remediation company uses. We’ve shown you how it’s done ‘by the book,’ which is meticulous and takes time.
There are plenty of other approaches to mold, but the general success rate across the country for these methods is about 65%. If you’re in Charlottesville, Washington DC,
Northern Virginia, or Southern Maryland, reach out and contact Valor Mold today and get you all taken care of the right way.
We remove mold the right way… and it would be an honor to hear from you.
Your home is in the best hands—our chemical-free remediation has the highest success rate in the industry.
You get the answers you need—our special mold testing provides 99% accurate results on the spot.
You can trust our process—we’ve performed over 300 successful projects since we opened in 2006.
Fill out this form to contact us. We’ll follow up with 24 business hours.
Valor Mold Removal is a certified and experienced mold testing and remediation company. We are fully insured and fully licensed. We also provide crawl space encapsulation, soda blasting, humidity control, and air quality cleaning.
