This is a frequently asked question Eastern Environmental Solutions gets, and unfortunately, there is not a simple answer. We understand the stress; you discover a new or unfamiliar mold in your house and are concerned. Questions like “is this mold toxic?” “has the mold spread?” “How do you get rid of it?” are common. We wrote this article to provide potential customers a guide on what to expect from a professional mold remediation company.
NYS Laws & Regulations Surrounding Mold Remediation
In the state of New York, there are new changes to the mold remediation industry designed to protect consumers. In 2016 NYS changed the laws surrounding mold remediation and assessments. The biggest change for people within the industry was an adjustment to assessing and remediating the mold. Previously a mold remediation company could do both the mold assessment and the remediation. This is no longer the case; as of 2016, NYS prohibits the performance of both the assessment and remediation on the same property by the same individual. This protects the customers from fraud as many mold assessment companies would fraudulently find a mold problem and then also charge to remediate the fake mold problem.
You may be asking…what does this have to do with cost? This matters because when a client is looking to remove mold, they need to pay for an assessor and a remediator. The assessor’s job will consist of taking indoor air quality samples (IAQs), sending them to labs, and ultimately determining what, if any, mold remediation needs to be done. Usually, a client will pay the assessor for their time/labor and laboratory fees. For the Long Island, New York area in 2021, you can expect a range of 750$-3,000$ for a mold assessor’s labor and laboratory sample costs.
After the assessor takes samples and gets results back from the laboratory, the property owner must then decide based on the results. If the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) comes back positive for toxic mold, it will probably be a good idea to hire a professional remediation company, like Eastern Environmental Solutions, to complete the mold remediation.
After the assessment, Eastern can then perform the mold remediation. The price of the mold remediation can vary depending on the extent of the mold damage. Remediating a small portion of a house vs. an entire mold-infested property will have cost differences. It is safe to assume even minor toxic mold infestations will cost at least 1,000$ to remediate in 2021, with severe mold infestations costing potentially tens of thousands to remediate. While we can’t give exact prices on how much it will cost to mitigate mold infestations on your property – Eastern can say with confidence it is much more cost-efficient to prevent the causes of mold infestations to begin with.
How Long Does Mold Remediation Last?
Another FAQ here at Eastern Enviro, and luckily this answer is a little more straightforward. Nearly all mold infestations are caused by excess moisture on a property, which subsequently turns into a mold problem. A qualified mold professional will ensure whatever caused the mold infestation in the first place has been properly remediated to prevent future unwanted mold growth. For example, if a leaking pipe has caused the mold infestation within your sheetrock, our mold remediation team at Eastern Enviro will find the mold problem’s source and fix the issue and any mold damage that has occurred. Additionally, Eastern uses high-quality mold encapsulants after the mold remediation has been performed. The purpose of these encapsulants is to prevent future mold growth should another pipe burst or unwanted residual water collects unbeknownst to the homeowner.
How to prevent Mold Infestations in the future
There are many causes of mold infestations. The leading cause of mold infestations on properties is unknown water/moisture leaks. It only takes 48-72 hours for mold growth to occur after water damage. Subsequently, the best way to prevent mold infestations is to prevent water and/or moisture leaks on your properties. A few prevention tips include:
- Stop Water Infiltration: make sure water is directed away from your property. Fix plumbing leaks as quickly as possible, and if you have a crawlspace, use plastic to cover the soil in the crawlspace.
- Keep Property Dry & Clean: clean fabrics frequently and increase the airflow within the house if possible. Reduce moisture with dehumidifiers
- Keep dust levels low: Dust is used as a food source for mold. Try and keep dust levels down indoors.
- HEPA Air Filters/Purifiers: Can help remove mold spores from the air, further limiting mold growth.
Health Risks Associated With Toxic Mold Infestations
