New Jersey's Mold Removal and Remediation Expert

Remodeled homes often wind up concealing a lot of the clues we look for when we assess for mold, making the issues often difficult to find. Take for instance, an older 1940's home recently renovated where the attic was converted to a master bedroom (now we can't see the underside of the roof), and the rear porch was enclosed (has an inaccessible crawl space and enclosed cathedral ceiling with failing ridge vent). More time and some invasive investigating / sampling are often necessary.

Scrubbing molded areas with a detergent and water and then drying the area thoroughly often works for small areas of mold. Using bleach is not recommended as it may cause more harm than good. But there are instances where using a Biocide may be called for.

Simple cleanses and spot remediation can be completed in a few hours, where more elaborate remediations and restoration might take weeks. It depends on the impacts on the home and the occupants.

Many times moisture makes its way into the wall cavity and stimulates molds to grow. Given time they will start to “Bleed Through” the outside wall and at first look like a small dark area. If the moisture source is not obvious, further investigation by a pro is recommended.

Yes! Mold is a natural part of our environment where we like to see normal fungal ecology. But so are bears, ticks, and poison ivy. You wouldn’t want to see any of them in your house now, would you? The same goes for mold, and there are some that we don’t want to see in our homes at any level due to the potential health risks.

Cleaning mold often does not address what is causing the mold to grow in the first place. And that’s what we call the “Moisture Trigger.” While we often think of moisture as a “puddle,” in this case, molds don’t like puddles, and they like elevated humidity, which is hard to detect on your own. Better call a mold pro.

We all have had those stubborn leaks. They tend to show up only when the rain hits the house a certain way, then presto – a puddle or damp spot in the wall. Molds are uniquely adapted to exploit these intermittent micro-climates. Before the mold issue becomes intolerable, better call a mold pro.

Mold growth of this nature is often tied to elevated humidity and poor ventilation in your closet. If you frequently exercise, putting your sneakers away damp could be the culprit.

The term “Black Mold” or “Toxic Black Mold” has been attributed to a dark/black mold (called Stachybotrys) that has been demonized in the media as a result of some very well-known lawsuits. While Stachybotrys is known to produce “mycotoxins” that can adversely affect human health, it does not fare to say it is toxic.

While the State of New Jersey does not require any specific certifications, anyone you work with should have an NJHICL & proper general liability insurance. There are numerous mold certification firms that offer training; any contractor you work with should have mold training and participate in ongoing continuing education.

Many times, areas less than 10 square feet can be cleaned by an individual. If it’s more involved than that, it’s best to get a quote from a mold pro who follows EPA guidelines. Access challenged spaces to work well with dry ice treatments where easily accessible basements respond well to traditional “rubbing and scrubbing.” Your particular space will dictate what is best.

We are all going to die (eventually). But there are no known documented death’s from mold toxicity that we are aware of. But the young, old, and immuno-compromised individuals are more susceptible to mold-related illnesses.

Just give us a call, and we can help with the numbers. Of course, it's best to have a formal mold assessment/inspection done first delineating mold impacts. But if it appears to be a small issue, we can usually figure it out pretty quickly. There's no fee to prepare a quote if you own your home. For Home Buyers, we have a small fee that we credit back when you engage us.

Rust colored mold on your walls might not be mold at all. There is a type of micro-organism called Iron Bacteria that often gives a rust-colored mold.

They are used interchangeably where a Remediation is the removal of molds back to Normal Fungal Ecology. You can't get rid of mold 100%.

It depends on a few factors like access, basement vs. attic, finished areas vs. non-finished areas, and organisms type (toxic vs. non-toxic. So looks at a range of from $5.00/SF to as much as $25.00/SF (or more).

Black mold tends to grow in patchy / clumped areas. The best way to remove it is to dispose of the removable items or cut out that area of the wallboard. Smaller areas less than 5 SF and no health issues to worry about are often easily addressed this way.

First, was the moisture intrusion source(s) corrected? If moisture is under control, a Clearance Test should be performed, which is a combination of factors that include a visual inspection, review of remediation protocol, sampling, etc. Only then can you get a good idea if the area was properly brought back to normal fungal ecology.

Mold is a product of hydrology, humidity, and moisture. Was the source of water that caused the mold addressed as part of your remediation? We know that mold and water go hand in hand. If your environment’s hydrology is not managed correctly, the mold will return. We have Certified Hydrologists on staff to ensure that the water source is appropriately addressed to ensure any future mold growth is mitigated.