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Don’t let your guard down after experiencing a flood or leak, because hidden amid the aftermath is the invisible threat of mold in your home.
Many people may be surprised to hear that mold is actually everywhere. Microscopic mold spores are always in the air that we breathe, although usually in harmlessly low concentrations.
But in the presence of excess moisture — often immediately after a flood or water leak — these mold spores can begin to grow and propagate.
According to the EPA, moisture control is the key to mold control. If a water-damaged surface or area isn’t completely dried within 24-48 hours, you should expect that mold will grow.
What to Do if You Have Mold
Address the problem as soon as possible. Mold is a biological organism that will continue to grow and spread if left alone, causing serious damage to your property and endangering your health.
1. Often the first step in fixing a mold problem is to do a mold assessment.
This is an inspection of the extent of water damage and mold growth. Mold assessments are important for finding and identifying moisture conditions that may be hidden behind walls, underneath floors, and inside building materials.
Jump to mold assessments and inspections
2. The second step is mold remediation and removal.
This involves both removing visible mold growth and fixing the underlying moisture conditions. Based on EPA and New York State Guidelines, you should consider the size of the mold growth when deciding how to remediate it.
- If the mold covers only a small, isolated area that’s less than 10 square feet (approximately a 3 ft. x 3 ft. square), remediation can be done by trained personnel following safe work practices.
- If the mold covers more than 10 square feet, it’s recommended to hire licensed mold professionals to handle the job.
If you choose to do it yourself, read the EPA’s Mold Cleanup Tips and Techniques.
Jump to mold remediation and removal
Licensed Mold Inspection & Remediation Services in NYC
Green Orchard Group has more than 25 years of experience helping New Yorkers assess and address mold problems in homes, buildings, apartments, offices, and businesses.
We are a team of New York State-licensed mold assessment and remediation professionals with the know-how to quickly and effectively tackle any mold issue.
Mold Inspections & Assessments
- Comprehensive mold assessments using moisture sensors and infrared cameras
- Environmental air sampling and testing
Mold Remediation & Removal
- Water extraction, drying, and dehumidifying
- Mold cleanup, remediation, and removal
- Mold and water damage restoration
Need Help with Mold?
Ask a question, get a free quote, or schedule a service — we’ll respond quickly. Just fill out the short contact form below or call (212) 219-8261 to speak with one of our mold experts today!
About Mold Inspections, Assessments, & Testing
Mold problems are like icebergs — what you see is often just the tip. Water and moisture can easily penetrate through walls, floors, and other structural openings, resulting in mold growing in places you can’t see.
The purpose of a mold inspection (also called a mold assessment) is to find all of the places where mold and moisture have invaded in order to come up with a comprehensive plan to fix the problem.
Why Is It Important?
The purpose of a mold inspection is to find all of the places where mold and moisture have invaded in order to come up with a comprehensive plan to fix the problem.
Without knowing where the mold is, it’s difficult to properly address the problem and stop it from spreading. That’s why mold assessments are a necessary step when trying to identify and remediate mold issues.
Note: Mold inspections are not the same as mold testing, which aims to identify the species of mold present. Mold testing is usually unnecessary and not recommended, since any type of mold growth should be remediated regardless of the species.
Depending on the severity of the mold condition, you may either opt to inspect for mold yourself or hire a trained professional. The latter is helpful to ensure an accurate assessment of the moisture problem and develop a site-specific work plan.
The average cost of a professional mold inspection in New York City ranges from $350 to $1500, depending on the size and location of the home or building.
What Does It Entail?
Mold assessments start with a visual inspection to determine the extent of any water damage and mold growth. This includes mold on visible surfaces as well as hidden areas where moisture or mold may be present, such as:
- Inside walls
- Behind wallpaper and moldings
- Underneath carpets and floorboards
- Crawl spaces
- Attics
- Ducts and ventilation systems
- Insulation and other building materials
In order to detect hidden moisture or mold in the aftermath of a flood or leak, equipment such as moisture sensors and infrared cameras should be used during the assessment.
Air sampling is not always necessary, but can also be used to confirm the presence of mold when the source cannot be visually identified. Samples should be taken by a trained professional and analyzed at an accredited laboratory.
At the end of the assessment, you’ll receive a mold assessment report with findings and a detailed plan for remediation.
About Mold Remediation & Removal
The specific methods and processes involved in mold remediation depend on the size and scope of the problem. However, the goals are the same:
- Correct the underlying water or moisture problem
- Clean or remove mold-damaged materials
When Should You Hire a Professional?
In New York, there are no laws or regulations that require you to hire a professional to get rid of mold (unless you own a building with 10+ units and HPD sent you a Class B or Class C mold violation).
When it comes to dealing with mold, you can tackle it yourself if you feel that you have adequate knowledge or training. But before you choose the DIY path, you should be aware that:
- Mold and moisture may be present in areas that are hidden or not readily accessible.
- Household mold cleaners are not always effective at killing all of the mold present.
- Mold can be a serious health hazard if you don’t follow safe work practices or use proper protective equipment.
- Improper or incomplete work may give the mold time to spread, causing the cost of damages and repairs to soar.
- After mold is killed, the area must be properly cleaned up and any dead mold must be removed.
Trained building maintenance staff can handle relatively small or occasional amounts of mold, but more extensively-trained mold remediation professionals will be better equipped to handle larger jobs.
As a rule of thumb, you should consider hiring a mold professional whenever you find mold growth that covers more than 10 square feet.
You should also use a professional in the aftermath of a severe leak or flood when water or moisture has penetrated floors and walls, because there is a high probability of mold growing where you can’t see it.
What Does It Entail?
First, the underlying conditions that lead to the mold growth must be fixed to stop it from reoccurring.
If you’ve recently experienced flooding or water leakage, not only should the visible water be removed, but the affected area must be thoroughly dried and dehumidified to remove any moisture that has accumulated around and inside building materials.
According to the EPA, indoor relative humidity should be kept below 60% in order to stop and prevent mold growth.
Next, all mold-damaged surfaces must be either cleaned or removed, depending on the type of material. According to the NYC Department of Health’s mold guidelines:
- Non-porous materials can almost always be cleaned (e.g. metals, glass, and hard plastics)
- Semi-porous and porous structural materials can be cleaned if they are structurally sound (e.g. wood, concrete)
- Porous materials should be removed and discarded (ceiling tiles, insulation, and wallboards)
Cleaning is typically done with a soap or detergent solution, using gentle cleaning methods to limit the dispersion of mold from the work area. Adjacent areas are also cleaned using vacuums equipped with HEPA filters to remove mold spores and debris.
Post Mold Remediation Checklist ✔
However you decide to tackle the mold problem in your home or building, use this checklist to make sure that the work has been completed safely and properly:
⬜ — Any underlying water or moisture problem(s) has been identified and corrected.
⬜ — If sampling was performed, the results were evaluated by a trained professional.
⬜ — The work area was properly isolated to limit the dispersion of mold spores.
⬜ — A site-specific plan for mold removal and cleanup was created and followed.
⬜ — Any additional moisture or mold damage discovered during remediation was addressed.
⬜ — Upon completion, all surfaces are free from visible dust and debris.
When you work with a licensed mold assessment or remediation company like Green Orchard Group, our professionals will always provide a report evaluating and documenting that the quality assurance factors above were followed.
If you have any questions about mold inspections or removal, feel free to reach out to one of our mold specialists today!