When you need mold removal
It's time for professional mold removal when growth covers more than about 10 square feet (roughly a 3 by 3 foot patch), when it keeps coming back after cleaning, or when drywall, insulation or carpet stayed wet after a leak or flood.
- Mold spreading across a wall, ceiling or floor
- A musty smell that stays, along with old water damage
- Mold behind cabinets, in closets or in a basement after a leak
- An assessment report that recommends remediation
- An HPD mold violation in a rental building
Who can do mold remediation in New York
For mold projects larger than 10 square feet, New York State requires a licensed mold assessor to write a remediation plan and a licensed mold remediation contractor to do the work.
If you already have an assessment report and work plan, send it to us and we'll price the work from it. If you don't have one yet, you'll need an assessment first.
How we remediate
Every job follows the written work plan. The goal is a room that's clean and dry, with clean air, and a home that stays clean while we work:
- 1
Containment
Where needed, the work area is sealed off with 6-mil plastic sheeting and access is restricted, so spores and dust don't spread to the rest of the home.
- 2
Clean air
HEPA air scrubbers and, where appropriate, negative air pressure filter the air during the work and for a period after it.
- 3
Protective equipment
Workers wear protective equipment suited to the size and conditions of the job, which may include respirators, eye protection, coveralls, gloves and boot covers, following OSHA requirements.
- 4
Controlled removal
Moldy and water-damaged materials that can't be saved are removed carefully and sealed in bags inside the containment before they leave.
- 5
Moisture sources
The leak or moisture source has to be fixed by the owner or management before or during the work, or the mold will come back.
- 6
Cleaning
Remaining surfaces are agitation-cleaned with an EPA-registered product, HEPA vacuumed and wet-wiped. Chemicals never replace removal and drying.
- 7
Sealing
Where appropriate, cleaned and fully dried materials are sealed with a fungicidal coating.
- 8
Clearance
A licensed assessor inspects the areas and confirms the work matches the plan before anything is closed up.
Your proposal, in writing first
Before any work starts you get a written Mold Remediation Proposal. It shows:
- The scope for each area, with its size in square feet
- The price for each area, and the total
- What's not included, so there are no surprises
- The schedule and payment terms
Proposals are normally valid for 30 days. Work is scheduled once we receive the signed proposal, and nothing is done that isn't in it.
Buildings with 10 or more apartments
In New York City, Local Law 61 covers mold of 10 square feet or more in buildings with 10 or more apartments. The work needs a licensed mold assessor and a licensed mold remediator, and the remediator must file a notice with the Department of Environmental Protection at least two business days before work starts. We handle that filing.
After the work, the assessor does the post-remediation assessment and files it with DEP within 7 days. If the job is for an HPD violation, you'll need the assessor's and the remediator's affidavits to certify the correction. See HPD mold violations.
Sources
Rules change. This page explains them in plain English and isn't legal advice.