Is Mold Growing?
Have you found mold growing in your home or business? If you have, you’ll need to take action immediately and take steps to get rid of it. If take the right steps to get mold remediation, the costs can range from $500 to $8,000. If you do nothing, mold will continue to grow and drive the cost of mold removal upwards of tens of thousands of dollars.
Hiring a Mold Inspector
If you’ve found mold growing in your home or business, the first thing you’re going to need to do is hire a mold inspector. He or she will inspect your drywall, trim, counter tops, and the rest of your house or business to see how serious the issue is. The mold inspector is highly trained to investigate and discover the root of your mold problem.
When looking for a mold inspector, be sure that you check their credentials. Qualified inspectors should at least have a have an undergraduate (at least) degree in science or engineering. They need to have completed industry-approved coursework specializing in mold investigation. These can either come from American Council for Accredited Certification (also known as American Indoor Air Quality Council) or American Board of Industrial Hygiene.
Ask the mold inspector to show you their industry credentials. Such as their:
- MRS – Mold Removal Specialist
- CIEC – Council-certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
- CMRS – Certified MicrobialRemediation Supervisor
- CMR – Certified MicrobialRemediator
- CIH – Certified Industrial Hygienist
It’s important that you hire a mold inspector that DOES NOT work for a mold remediation company. They should work independently of a mold remediation company and shouldn’t sell mold-related products. Obviously, being a mold inspector and working for a mold remediation company is a conflict of interest.
The mold inspector will take about 2 to 5 hours to completely do their job.
During their work, they’ll take air samples and may open up walls to find mold. The costs of analyzing these air samples can range from $30 to $150 for each sample. Some inspectors roll sampling into their base price while others don’t. Ask ahead of time how the inspector charges for their work.
Sometimes mold needs sampling while other times it does not. The inspector will advise accordingly.
When finished, the mold inspector needs to give you a report that includes lab results of air or surface samples taken. This report should tell you if the mold problem is a DIY solution, or whether you must hire a professional mold remediation expert.
The costs of hiring a mold inspector range from $200 to $600.