Black Mold Removal Near Me – 7 Things You Should Know

Searching for ‘black mold removal near me?’ There are some important things you should know before hiring anyone to remove the mold. Whether you live in our service area or not, we want everyone to know what to look for in a mold remediation company. Be sure to hire a company you can trust!

Black Mold – Something of a Misnomer

While all molds have the potential to cause irritation and allergy symptoms, some molds can also cause much more dangerous health problems. Some molds, but not all, produce toxins. Toxic molds can cause health problems ranging from poisoning to cancer. Not all molds are toxic, but many are. The thing is… dangerous and toxic mold is not just black, it can be many different colors. Toxic molds can appear to be green, yellow, brown, and black. So, where is the line between an allergic mold and a toxic mold? That line is defined by something called a mycotoxin, and is NOT defined by color.

Mycotoxins, literally ‘fungus poison’ in Latin, are secondary metabolites that can be produced by molds, and are not living organisms.2 Mycotoxins are a byproduct of mold. Not all mold spores produce mycotoxins, but some do. So the molds that produce mycotoxins are the ones that could be categorized as toxic or poisonous.2,8

Mycotoxins are chemical substances that can cause many health problems ranging from mild to severe.2,8 Even if you are not allergic to mold, you can be affected by mycotoxins.8

To learn even more about the health effects of mold check out our posts: Effects of Mold on Children’s Health and Mold and Mycotoxins: Effects on the Brain and Nervous System in Adults.

How much does black mold removal cost?

This is the question most people ask, but the answer is not that simple. Costs for black mold removal depend on the extent of the damage and what underlying problems caused the damage in the first place. Any company who gives you numbers before they inspect your home has a preconceived idea of what they ‘think’ the problem is. What you really need is a comprehensive mold and indoor air quality inspection. Whether you live in our service area or not, we want everyone to know what to look for in a mold remediation company.

A comprehensive mold and indoor air quality inspection (like ours) is very different from simply handing over a price. Imagine if your mechanic told you how much it would cost to fix your car without looking under the hood? Would you trust him (or her)? Getting a price for black mold remediation without paying for a comprehensive mold inspection is a lot like that. Spending a few hundred dollars on a comprehensive mold inspection is money well spent, since a few hundred now could save you thousands in the long run.

What Should The Inspection Process Look Like?

Whether you live in our service area or not, we want everyone to know what to look for in a mold remediation company. The company you choose should offer a comprehensive mold and indoor air quality inspection that you pay for, not hand over a price without truly investigating the problem. 

The primary reason you want to pay for a comprehensive mold inspection is the time and resources that go into the inspection. Some of our competitors offer “free” inspections, which basically means that the inspector shows up and hands over a price to fix a symptom, without truly knowing the nature of the problem. 

Our process is far different. In addition to the questions we ask over the phone, once we arrive we ask many more. We treat every inspection like  an investigation, and we’re on the case.

• Did you paint recently?
• How is your health?
• Any new furniture?
• Have you had any remodeling done?

Answers to these types of questions get us closer to solving the problem at hand, and help us to know where to look.

Next, the real investigation begins. We’ll then crawl under the house, poke around, and take moisture and relative humidity readings in affected areas, unaffected areas, and outdoors for the best possible points of reference.

Sometimes the mold problem can be easily diagnosed and repaired, like a pipe leaking under the house, but other times we don’t find mold at all. Because the root of the problem is beyond the obvious, we need to think outside the box. No company that offers a free mold inspection will be going to great lengths to determine the true causes of your problem.

Will Insurance Cover Black Mold Removal Costs?

Well, yes and no. If you have a catastrophic event, such as a tree fall, and the mold grows as a result, then it might be covered. It depends on your individual insurance policy. Preventable mold growth, such as growth caused by a slow water leak, is normally not covered by homeowners insurance. Insurance companies expect you to take care of your own property, that includes: keeping your roof in good shape, preventing leaks in the roof and plumbing, checking your basement or crawl space regularly, properly ventilating the bathroom, etc.

So, for example, if you have mold forming in your bathroom, and you or your family members are sick as a result, it will probably not be covered by your homeowners insurance. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t try to fix the problem! Mold is not something you want in your home!

To learn more about mold and insurance coverage go to: Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Mold? by Insurance.com

To learn how to prevent mold from growing in the first place check out our posts: Top 10 Ways to Prevent Water Damage and How to Prevent Bathroom Mold.

Is Black Mold A Health Problem?

In one word… Yes. Mold is an insidious, invisible predator in your home. It hides in places no one ever thinks to look like under cabinets, in crawl spaces, and behind furniture. People may spend weeks, months, and even years fighting illness, and never know what they are really fighting…mold. Many of our customers find us after a recommendation from their doctor, that they may in fact have a mold problem, and not just an illness.

Mold is most often associated with allergies, but mold is much more menacing than people know. While all molds have the potential to cause irritation and allergy symptoms, molds can also cause much more dangerous health problems including: fungal poisoning and mental health problems.

Remember that the color of the mold is not what causes it to be dangerous. The danger is from mycotoxins: the dangerous substances the mold produces. You can learn more about mycotoxin poisoning in our article: When Mold Is Worse Than Allergies.

To learn more about how mold can affect mental health check out our articles: Mold and Mycotoxins: Effects on the Brain and Nervous System in Adults and Effects of Mold on Children’s Health.

Do You Need A Mold Inspection When Buying A New Home?

When you purchase a new home, a home inspection is part of the requirements. Did you know that home inspectors are not required to report mold? Some inspectors will tell you about what they find, but others keep quiet. Even if they take a ‘mold air sample’ that doesn’t mean that you’re safe.

Mold is going to be present on any air sample because mold naturally occurs in the environment. There is no situation where an air sample would be completely negative.

The reality is that you are about to sink the majority of your wealth into this single investment. You’re going to end up with a great home in a great part of town, without any equity to borrow against for unexpected repairs.

You simply don’t know what is hiding on the other side of the drywall or just beneath the floorboards or right there in the crawlspace. Your home inspector doesn’t either.

Adding a comprehensive mold and air quality inspection to your due diligence package is such a small price to pay. We would go as far as to say, it is the single best thing you can do to protect your purchase.

To learn even more check out our posts: Should I Get a Mold Inspection When Buying a Home? and Branch Tells You the Truth About Mold Air Sampling In The Next 60 Seconds.

What does Black Mold Removal look like?

If your Mold and Indoor Air Quality Inspection Report indicates that you have mold (no matter what color), your inspector will let you know the extent of the damage, and what repairs need to be made, such as fixing leaking pipes. The inspector will define the extent of the necessary work and what may or may not need to be done. We’ll talk through all your options and tailor a plan that fits your needs and your budget. To learn more check out our post: Home Mold Remediation for all the details.

The Branch Difference

If you think you’ve got a real problem, you’re far better off with a thorough inspection like ours. At Branch Environmental, we analyze the symptoms to determine the root cause of your problem. We see each mold inspection as an in-depth investigation, not an opportunity to hand over a guess-based estimate of work. If you think you may need a mold inspection, get in touch with us, and we’ll get down to the source.

Call Branch Environmental. We’re experts not only at mold removal, but at determining and remediating the underlying causes. From hidden mold sources to major contaminants, we can identify exactly what is going on in your home and rid it of environmental toxins, often for good.