You see mold growing and you are concerned that it is too complicated for you to deal with.

Reality Check: Mold is bad, but it is commonly mistaken for mildew if it is in high moisture prone areas like showers and bathrooms, you can remove it with common cleaners found at your local store. To prevent it from returning, you need to have better ventilation in the space, and leave the door open after you shower or bathe
Your cellar can have what looks like mold growing on the walls, but in reality it may not be mold. If it is a white and powdery and looks glistening it is call efflorescence. It is totally harmless mineral salts that leach through the foundation because of excessive moisture. With all the snow we get it is very common.

If you see mold and it is spreading, don't wait. call us immediately; before a quick fix becomes a major costly repair.

Within 48 hours mold can grow in warm moist environments. If it gets in the heating ducts, and other areas the cost rises exponentially.

When is time to call in the pros?

• If you are selling or buying a home and the inspector or appraiser thinks there is mold there. They are not experts, you should call us to assess the situation.
• You have cleaned the mold off a wall or ceiling and it comes back.
• It is on ceiling or walls other than in the bathroom where the space has low moisture.
• You have had an area flooded by a broken pipe.
• Water has come in your building from a storm or flood.
• A toilet over flowed on an upper floor or sewer has backed up in your basement or first floor.
• The area that is contaminated is larger than 10 square feet.

Our professional restoration technicians know that damage increases and restoration costs escalate the longer you wait.

Understanding the causes of mold and the proper way to remove it is easy to understand. But the work needed to be done to remove it can be a challenge for the DIYers.

Black Mold; the facts, not the fake news.
The media loves a good story and the more sensational it is the better. The color of the mold is not the concern, it is the toxicity of the mold. To understand this we need to know a few terms. Mycotoxins are molds that produce toxins, and they are known as Stachybotrys. Some black molds fall in this area , but so do white, orange, green, and red molds to name a few. The facts are the conditions that produce molds with mycotoxins are not know and the color does not need to black. An opportunistic company may play on your fears to up sell you on services that are not needed like ripping apart your bathroom when the real issue is mildew, or is just needs to be cleaned and the caulk removed and replaced.

• Assessment is the most important part of the process.
  If the source of the mold obvious, as in you see the area is moisture prone like a bathroom or kitchen. Yes this is a DYI project
• If the area less than 10 sq. ft. and you are handy you can DYI it. But follow the safety precautions, and make sure the area is contained so the spores do not spread. If your heating system uses a furnace make sure the return and air vents are covered and closed.
• If the mold is on the surface and has not penetrated through drywall, a simple cleaning is all that is needed then do it yourself. But, if it comes back in the same area then the source needs to be discovered and removal of drywall, insulation, and any other contaminated materials will need to be done. This is when cross contamination becomes an issue. If the area is small then doing it yourself may make sense.

• 
  buy a mold cleaner at the store and follow the directions. Most cleaners have bleach in them so read the label for directions on dilution, and what materials it is safe to use on.
  if the caulking has mold on it, it is best to remove it rather than clean it. Ask your local hardware store to recommend the correct materials, and how to do it.
  
• Drywall Mold If it is a small portion of drywall,( 6-10 square feet), most moderately handy people can replace it themselves, or hire a handyman to do it. Just be cautious on how the moldy drywall is handled.
  Safety first! Wear protective mask/respirator rated for fine particulate filtering, latex or rubber gloves, and goggles.
  The space should be isolated by closing the door and ventilated by opening the windows. The whole area should be wiped down with some mold-killing solution and dampening the drywall decreases the amount of spores that will be released. Bag the drywall and insulation as it is removed, sealed the bag tightly and disposed of it. once the moldy materials are removed spray the cavity and scrub with mold killer solution. Then let the area dry completely before replacing the insulation and drywall. To finish up clean the area thoroughly and vacuum with a HEPA filtered vacuum and wash clothing separately with bleach or disinfectant detergent. Now you are ready to finish the drywall and paint it.

• If the cause if the problem was caused by water infiltration from flood, broken pipe, sewer backup, or leaking tub or toilet above the ceiling, ice dam and the area is larger than 10 feet square, then you should have it professional removed.
• To get the issue covered by insurance, most policies require a certified mold abatement specialist like ResotrEase to resolve the issue.
• Do I need expensive testing?
  A simple rule of thumb is if you can see it you need to remove it. Because the process of removal is the same for all types of mold, testing is not needed. But if it is found in areas that are not normally moist or has infiltrated the HVAC system then it may need to be tested if there are health concerns from persons who have respiratory issues.
• If you do not have a HEPA filtered vacuum and cannot rent an HEPA air scrubber then it may be more affordable to have us do it.
• See mold removal process page to understand if you are comfortable with attempting the project yourself.