Mold remediation or removal is a highly technical service that needs to be done following a specific standard of care with meticulous attention to detail. Failure to engage in proper mold remediation or mold removal practices can be an expensive and possibly a dangerous mistake.
Due to many confounding variables surrounding mold, mold remediation is highly unregulated. Between biodiversity among fungi, synergistic exchanges, and a wide variation of sensitivity among individuals, there is currently no TLVs (threshold limit values) for mold and its byproducts. The subject matter is much too complex to standardize. However, this lack of TLVs and standardization does not warrant a disregard for following a standard of care and proper remedial practices. It simply places the responsibility in the hands of the consumer. Consumers of mold remediation must ensure that they are hiring professionals who are knowledgeable and experienced in mold remediation and mold removal who take meticulous care when following the IICRC’s s520 standard of care.
Components of proper mold remediation involve meticulous containment operating under negative air pressure while removing affected building materials while also protecting our Employees and Occupants. Utilizing the proper products is another very important aspect. Products should be registered with the EPA and an SDS (safety Data Sheet) should be available to review. EPA registration does not necessarily make a product safe but confirms ingredients and efficacy. Many Companies use biocides that may introduce more contaminants into the indoor environment that may exacerbate health issues and if not used properly, make the fungal ecology even worse. Green Home Solutions of The Twin Cities is proud to use the most effective, EPA registered plant based catalytic enzyme available. We use a range of earth friendly and highly effective cleaning products that allow us to perform mold remediation and mold removal more efficiently while not introducing more contaminants to the indoor environment.
Mold remediation and mold removal is a very specialized service that should be done by a company who carries indoor environmental insurance, has and maintains industry accreditation from IICRC and or the ACAC . Specialty insurance varies from basic contractor insurance. This type of specialty insurance requires industry certification and continuing education to maintain these policies. Specific Worker’s Compensation class codes are specific to MN and are also a requirement for Companies that operate legally.
Here at Green Home Solutions of the Twin Cities, we understand the importance of proper and professional mold remediation or mold removal. We understand that mold remediation and mold removal need to follow a standard of care and attention to detail is a must. Because we aim to truly heal a home, we not only follow this standard of care but go a step further to ensure a life-sustaining and healthy environmental biome. We know that removing a pathogen (mold) isn’t always enough to restore the health of a home and its Occupants. We must also address the biome of an environment. After following the standard of care, our technicians can reset the biome of a home. Our technicians can treat the areas outside of remedial zones with our proprietary enzymes. This trio of enzymes work to break mold spores down to their building blocks of amino acids and peptides, rendering them harmless. Our technicians also implement the environment with environmental probiotics. Unlike many other mold remediation companies, we don’t want to replace one indoor air contaminant with another, so we proudly offer our clients our very non-toxic, EPA registered solution.
There are many “restoration” companies in our market, but we are not all built the same way. Many companies have a very heavy emphasis on water mitigation and fire losses that are covered by homeowners’ insurance. Water mitigation and fire restoration can be very profitable, guaranteed revenue streams which makes sense for a healthy and profitable business. Many Companies highly focus on training their staff to these verticals and mold remediation becomes secondary work to stay busy, using technicians that do not specialize in mold remediation or mold removal. There are many exclusions in homeowner’s insurance policy when it comes to mold, so these opportunities are more difficult to navigate. Be very cautious of low bids or estimates that are only intended to keep a company’s schedule full for the week. Most good Companies are scheduled out a length of time because they are good at what they do; be cautious of any Company willing to start the next day. It is very important to ask questions about certification, experience, products used and to also make sure no steps are skipped to perform a proper mold remediation or mold removal job.
To summarize, professional mold remediation should involve:
- Specialty insurance (Indoor Environmental Insurance).
- Requires industry certification and continuing education to maintain such policies.
- Proper Workers Compensation Insurance.
- Bond.
- Standard of Care IICRC s520 and ANSI.
- Accreditation through IICRC and ACAC.
- The use of products that are non-toxic and effective.
- Follow up or clearance testing.
- A remediation Partner with good reviews that focuses on mold remediation!
Contact us today to speak to an indoor environmental professional at 612-964-6679, we’d love to tell you about how we Make Air Better!