For any homeowner, mold removal can be a daunting task. Anyone can identify mold with those ugly spots and an earthy or musty odor, but removing it from a home or building is tricky. Mold poses a serious health risk and is a symptom of other issues like water penetration or high humidity.

When the problem gets bigger, mold and mildew can cause allergic symptoms. If you also have visible mold growth or discolored and leached drywalls, it is best to contact a trained professional. To effectively remove mold and avoid it from coming back, a professional mold removal company can help you in such a way that it is gone for good. However, it is crucial to identify the fraudulent contractors who perform substandard work on homes.

To avoid dishonest or untrained contractors, read the following tips to ensure that you correct the mold problem in the first place. Here are the most important tips when choosing a professional restoration contractor to do mold removal work in your home.

1. Check their license and insurance

The mold removal contractors must obtain a license to operate in most states. Moreover, for your safety, the technicians should be insured. This is crucial to protect you from liability in case an accident happens in your home. Therefore, the first thing you need to check before hiring any professional is their license, insurance, training certifications, and credentials for their area of expertise.

2. Pre & post indoor air quality testing

Most mold removal companies perform pre and post-indoor air quality testing for mold. Some remediation companies conduct pre-air quality testing, which should be avoided. It is unnecessary and a waste of money to test the air for mold when it is visible. Some companies conduct their testing, while others call an independent, 3rd party mold inspector to perform air quality testing before (if necessary) and after completing the job. Both ways are fine, but you need to check the lab reports to see if the air quality is safe upon completing the remediation job. The testing should be unbiased, and the air samples should be sent only to a qualified and accredited lab for analysis.

3. Safe cleaning agents for remediation

Mold is toxic, and some cleaning agents used during the remediation process are also harmful. The cleaning products and chemicals used by the remediation contractors must be safe and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Before hiring a professional, ask about their cleaning and restoration methods, chemicals, and cleaners. A certified, reliable, and experienced mold removal professional will always use non-toxic, Eco-friendly natural products.

Before hiring a mold remediation company, to sum it up, check all the legal formalities, their years of experience in this field, industry training certifications, price, professional practices & equipment they use. One of the easiest ways to check the credibility of a professional contractor is to look at their website and read customers’ reviews.