Mold Remediation - Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company Mold Remediation - Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company
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Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services by Cousino Restoration & Environmental Company

Mold Remediation

Cousino Restoration & Environmental is a renowned leader in mold removal & remediation. Whether it is confined to one small area or the entire structure, specially trained teams utilize industry best practices to return the affected environment to a healthy condition as quickly as possible.

For Emergency Mold Remediation ServicesCall 800-874-2122


Mold Remediation Services For Northwest Ohio & Southeast Michigan Areas

With 45+ years of mold remediation in residential and commercial properties, we are the clear choice to secure any size contamination.

 

​Expert Mold Remediation Services

When mold growth occurs indoors, it should be a cause for concern. Left untreated, mold can negatively affect your health and damage your property. In addition, it is often a sign of another problem, such as a water leak or condensation. Without dealing with the root cause, you will continue to have an issue. If you notice any signs of mold, it’s time to call the mold remediation experts at Cousino Restoration & Environmental.

Cousino Restoration & Environmental provides professional mold remediation in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. We have over 45 years of experience providing mold remediation services for residential and commercial properties, and we have the ability to address just about any issue you may have. No job is too large or too small for us. Our team of specialists is committed to delivering exceptional service that restores a healthy environment to your home or business.

What Is Mold?

mold remediation servicesMold occurs naturally and is present everywhere, both indoors and outdoors. It has a dust-like appearance caused by the formation of fungal spores which can get dispersed, spreading the issue to a larger area. However, it can potentially be toxic and harmful when it grows inside your home.

Mold can enter your home in a variety of ways, including through windows, doors and HVAC systems. When these microscopic spores come into contact with moisture, they start growing and can spread throughout the building within 72 hours, making prompt action critical.

Common sources of mold damage include:

  • Construction defects
  • Plumbing issues
  • Improper maintenance
  • Appliance water line or drain line breaks
  • Flooding from severe storms or hurricanes

Black Mold Remediation

Black mold is a type of mold fungus with a black or dark green appearance. It grows and spreads on materials containing a fiber called cellulose. Black mold typically develops in damp or water damaged areas such as showers, basements and windows. It needs moisture and warm temperatures to grow and spread.

There is a common misconception that all black mold is toxic. This is simply untrue. Not all black mold is toxic, and not all toxic mold is black. In fact, the most common form of black mold, Cladosporium, is nontoxic. Anytime mold is present in your home or commercial property, regardless of color, it needs to be tested to determine what type of mold it is and whether it’s toxic.

In general, the symptoms you experience from mold will primarily be determined by whether you have a mold allergy. If you are allergic to mold, you’re more likely to become sick from black mold. Common symptoms include:

  • Coughing
  • Sneezing
  • Postnasal drip
  • Nasal congestion
  • Red eyes
  • Worsening of asthma symptoms
  • Respiratory infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia

For this reason, it’s extremely important to perform mold remediation as soon as possible if you are allergic to mold. Mold remediation can help reduce the symptoms discussed above and prevent the development of a more serious reaction over time.

What Are the Signs of Mold?

signs of moldMold growth may not always be visible or evident. Mold spores are present in the air and enter buildings from the outside. In most cases, these mold spores do not cause any problems until they locate a source for food and water. A slowly leaking roof can cause mold to grow in the attic; water leaking around a bathtub or an appliance can damage walls, floors, and insulation; or condensation on a wall behind a piece of furniture can cause mold to grow.

Because mold can be hidden, annual mold and mildew checks are an important part of your structure’s routine maintenance. You or a professional should check for leaks and signs of mold growth on a regular basis and take action as soon as a potential issue is discovered. Left unchecked, mold will continue to grow and spread, causing damage.

Mold often grows in the following areas:

  • Attics
  • Basements
  • Crawl spaces
  • Ducts
  • Wall interiors
  • Furnaces
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Under sinks
  • Near foundation air vents
  • Under window unit air conditioners

Common signs that your home or business may have a mold problem include:

  • Damp, musty odor
  • Presence of black or white spots on your clothing that feel fluffy or slimy to the touch
  • Spots, odors, or stains on carpet and rugs
  • Condensation on the floor and walls around your water heater (this may be a sign that you have a leak that can promote mold growth)
  • Flare-up of asthma or allergy symptoms, particularly related to respiratory issues
  • Mildew on your furniture
  • Warped walls, as evidenced by bubbled paint or distorted wallpaper (this is a sign that moisture is present, which creates a breeding ground for mold)
  • Persistent cough or cold that just won’t go away
  • Musty smell when you turn on your air conditioning or black, fuzzy spots on the AC filter
  • Noticeable gunk or mildew buildup in the grout of bathroom tiles
  • Previous water damage to your home

What to Do if You Notice Signs of Mold?

If you notice signs of mold in your home or business, make sure to take the following steps at once:

  • Turn off the HVAC system, fans, or other air moving equipment to prevent the spread of mold to other regions of the building
  • Restrict access to the area containing mold for all family members and pets (if the mold is contained in a room or area with a door, close the door or cabinet to prevent the mold from spreading)
  • Try to identify the water source responsible for the mold growth and take any steps necessary to stop additional water from flowing into the region and creating additional mold issues
  • Call a professional mold remediation company at once to address the issue

In addition, make sure to avoid:

  • Touching or disturbing the mold
  • Blowing air across any surfaces with visible or suspected mold growth
  • Spraying bleach or other disinfectants on the area containing mold
  • Trying to dry the area yourself
  • Painting over the mold

What Is Mold Remediation?

professional mold remediationMold remediation is an extensive process performed to remove and clean mold from contaminated areas in your home or business. This process is essential to prevent harmful mold growth from damaging your property and causing health issues to those exposed.

Depending on the type and location of the mold, the mold remediation process may include:

  • Mold testing
  • Mold removal
  • Demolition
  • Sanitizing
  • Containment
  • Mold cleaning

It’s important to have this process performed by a professional mold remediation company that can restore the mold levels in your home to where they are harmless and won’t result in extensive property damage or health issues.

When Is Mold Remediation Required?

Professional mold remediation services are required anytime largescale mold removal from a building is necessary. There are a variety of situations where mold remediation must be performed, regardless of the size of the impacted area:

  • Disaster recovery – Professional mold remediation services are required anytime mold develops from flooding. Flood water is often contaminated by bacteria, sewage, and chemicals, and this contaminated water damage must be handled by a professional since they pose serious health risks and can result in additional problems long after the flood has been contained.
  • HVAC contamination – If you have mold growth in your HVAC system, it must be handled by a mold remediation company. When an HVAC system is contaminated by mold, the impacted area can spread quickly, turning a small problem into a massive one. Mold grows and travels through spores, and the high velocity of air coming through an HVAC system will cause these spores to disperse throughout your home or business.
  • Structural drying – Mold that develops after flooding or a large leak is much more likely to reappear after cleanup if proper structural drying isn’t performed. Commercial dehumidification and air purifying equipment is required to reduce moisture levels to a point where the mold won’t grow again after removing it.
  • Specialized item cleaning – When you have items impacted by mold that are very valuable or sentimental, they must be cleaned by a professional mold remediation company to ensure they are properly decontaminated, and no spores remain within the fibers of the item.
 
, What Steps Are Involved in Mold Remediation?

What Steps Are Involved in Mold Remediation?

At Cousino Restoration & Environmental, we follow a multi-step process to not only remove the mold, but to prevent it from returning.

  • 1. Address the water source

    Mold growth will only occur indoors when there is an available water source. This water source must be identified and remedied to prevent the mold from returning. After the water source is addressed, the affected area and materials will be dried or removed.

  • 2. Containment

    Mold spores travel by air. When disturbed, thousands of microscopic mold spores can be released into the air to travel throughout your home or commercial property. Before we remove the mold, we will set up a negative-air containment and air scrubbers to trap the mold spores during removal.

  • 3. Removal

    During the removal phase, our technicians will treat hard surfaces to remove mold growth, and we’ll remove porous materials that cannot be effectively cleaned. We will monitor mold levels throughout the removal phase until the levels are within normal range.

  • 4. Reconstruction

    If building materials needed to be removed during the mold remediation process, we will make the necessary repairs to restore the area to its pre-loss condition. This may include replacing insulation, drywall and flooring materials.

 

 

How Much Does Mold Remediation Cost?

cost of mold remediationThe cost of mold remediation can vary significantly depending on the location of the mold and the extensiveness of the contamination. Professional mold remediation services typically range from $1,500 to $9,000, with an average cost of $3,500.

Factors that impact the cost of the project include:

  • Location – When mold is located in an area that is difficult to access and remove, it will increase the cost of remediation services.
  • Size of the contaminated area – The larger the contaminated area, the more expensive the cost.
  • Damage repairs – The cost of mold remediation services also must factor in the expense of any repairs to damaged property and replacement of removed materials.

Who Pays for Mold Remediation?

With such high costs associated with these projects, you may be wondering whether your insurance company will pay for mold remediation. Insurance coverage often varies based on your specific situation.

If the condition causing the mold is covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy, then mold remediation services will generally be covered by your insurance. This may include situations when:

  • A water heater hose leaks or bursts
  • A washing machine or other appliance leaks or gushes water
  • A damaged toilet overflows
  • Excess water accumulates from a natural cause such as a leaking roof following a rainstorm

You can often increase the likelihood of having mold remediation covered by purchasing a hidden water damage supplemental insurance policy that covers damage caused by leaks that aren’t visible. This may include sump pump overflows, sewer line backups, and drain backups.

In general, most homeowner’s insurance policies won’t cover mold remediation services associated with flooding. In most instances, you’ll need a separate flood insurance policy to cover mold damage after a flood.

In addition, mold growth caused by neglect will often not be covered by insurance. This may include failure to repair leaks or broken seals in and around plumbing, appliances, doors, windows, and fixtures.

Other situations where mold remediation services are generally not covered by insurance include:

  • Water backups from clogged sewer lines or broken sump pumps
  • Poor ventilation that increases the humidity in areas prone to mold such as bathrooms or basements
 

Get Professional Mold Removal Help Today

Whether you’re dealing with a large or small mold problem, Cousino Restoration & Environmental will handle the job correctly, giving you peace of mind that your home or business will be safe, healthy, and free of mold growth moving forward. We have extensive training and experience with mold remediation, and we’ll handle the situation efficiently to limit any disruption to your daily life. If you have visible mold growth or suspect you may have a problem, give us a call today!