It keeps happening . . .

Last week we were called out to do another site visit for a mold removal consultation. The walls of the finished basement of this beautiful home near Philadelphia were covered in black mold.

As the story unfolded, the homeowners had a flood in their basement last Spring that was caused by a broken supply line to their washing machine. This was a clean water loss (Category I), which meant that everything could be saved. However, instead of calling an IICRC certified firm http://www.certifiedcleaners.org/water_damage.shtml, the poor homeowners called a carpet cleaning company who had advertised themselves as a “flood damage expert” to come in to remove the water. The carpet cleaner didn’t have the knowledge or tools – like moisture meters and infrared camera – to assess the damage correctly when it occurred.

Because the carpet cleaning company missed the water that had wicked up the drywall, they left a lot of water in the walls and insulation that caused the mold to grow. Now the homeowners have significant health problems like constant headaches and coughing that their doctor told them was from toxic mold exposure http://www.toxic-black-mold-info.com/moldhealth.htm . For a list of symptoms associated with toxic mold exposure see Dr. Mercola’s recent article at http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/07/30/dr-thrasher-on-the-health-dangers-of-mold.aspx?e_cid=20110730_DNL_art_1
The mold in this home grew on the drywall and insulation in the basement and was circulated throughout the home by the forced air heating/air conditioning system. The initial damage caused by this clean water loss in the home might have cost the homeowners less than their insurance deductible if it had been dried in three days with the proper equipment. Now, the full mold remediation project will cost them thousands to repair.

Unfortunately, in our challenging economy, this kind of story is becoming commonplace. As more and more people have lost their jobs, it seems like any “yahoo” with a pickup truck is calling themselves a “restoration professional” even though they don’t have the education or equipment to do the job right.

So how can you protect yourself?

1. Do: try to work with local and branded contractors. Tip: Usually these folks have uniforms.
2. DO: verify the contractor’s work with online vetting organizations like Angie’s List https://my.angieslist.com and Merchant Circle https://www.merchantcircle.com Tip: See what others have said about the contractor in a public forum.
3. Do: ask to see the contractor’s licenses or certificates. Tip: The contractor numbers should be visible to you on the trucks as required by law in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
4. Do: pay with a check or a credit card. Tip: Beware of a contractor who tries to pressure you – if an offer is only good “now or never,” find someone else!
5. Don’t: Pay for all the work until it is finished and you are satisfied! Usually a down payment is required for work to begin, but a reputable contractor will provide you with an explanation of the work to be done and the steps that will be taken. Remember: price is not the best indicator! There will always be less than honorable contractors out there ready to undersell a job just to get the work, but it’s no guarantee they know what they’re doing.
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