Mold Remediation in Selden, NY

There is a musty smell or dark spotting on my wall or ceiling after a leak. Is that mold?

It can be. A musty odor or dark, fuzzy or speckled patches that show up after a leak usually mean building materials stayed damp long enough for mold to take hold, but only a licensed assessor can tell you what a spot is. Once mold is confirmed, the trade that handles it is mold remediation, which means containing the area, removing contaminated material and drying what remains.

Do not scrub, bleach or paint over it before someone looks. Disturbing growth can spread spores into clean rooms, and paint hides moisture that is still there.

Mold follows the water, so the leak comes first

Mold needs moisture and an organic material to feed on, such as paper-faced drywall, wood framing, ceiling tile, insulation or carpet backing. EPA guidance is to dry wet materials within 24 to 48 hours, because growth becomes more likely after that window. Removing mold without fixing the water source is like mopping while the tap runs.

These are typical sources of the moisture behind a mold problem, and the trade that fixes each one:

• A toilet or sink supply that dripped into a wall or the ceiling below, which needs a licensed plumber
• An air conditioner condensate line that backed up, covered on our AC leak water damage page
• A roof or flashing leak, which needs a roofer, with the stained ceiling handled under ceiling water damage repair
• Siding or window leaks that wet wall cavities
• Seepage in a below-grade room, covered under basement water damage cleanup

We are not a plumbing, roofing or waterproofing company. Call the right trade to stop the source, and we will dry and remediate what the water reached.

Inspection, testing and independent clearance

Testing and removal are two different licensed jobs, and they are kept apart on purpose. A mold assessor inspects, may take air or surface samples, and writes a protocol that defines what should be removed. A remediator carries out that protocol. We are on the remediation side, and we do not test our own work.

New York State's Mold Program, run by the Department of Labor under Labor Law Article 32, requires state licenses for both mold assessors and mold remediators. New York does not let one individual both assess and remediate the same property. An independent assessment is used to define the scope of remediation, and a post-remediation assessment is a minimum work standard. Ask to see the license of anyone who comes to your door.

Sampling results are one piece of information. A visual inspection, moisture readings and the building's history of leaks matter as much as a lab number.

Clearance testing for a home sale or a loan

When a house is being sold or financed, a lender, buyer or agent may ask for proof that a mold problem was dealt with. The usual document is a written post-remediation assessment from an independent licensed assessor, rather than a statement from the company that did the removal. Ask your lender or agent what they accept, since requirements vary and we cannot speak for any lender.

Plan the timeline with that in mind. Dry the area, complete the remediation, let the assessor inspect, then pass the written results to whoever asked. A result that does not clear means further cleaning, then a recheck.

How containment and removal work

1. Fix and verify that the water source is stopped, and take moisture readings.
2. Seal the work area with polyethylene sheeting and containment barriers, with a zipper door for entry.
3. Run HEPA air scrubbers so the area stays under negative pressure and air leaves through a filter.
4. Remove porous materials that cannot be cleaned, such as wet drywall, insulation and carpet pad, and bag them in the work area.
5. HEPA-vacuum and damp-wipe framing and solid surfaces, then sand or clean wood where the protocol says to.
6. Dry the structure with air movers and LGR dehumidifiers until readings return to normal, as explained under structural drying.

Only after drying and cleaning does the independent assessor return to inspect. Rebuilding with new drywall, paint and trim comes after clearance, never before it.

What is cleaned and what is thrown away

Replacing is not always the cheaper path, but it is often the cleaner one. We tell you which materials we expect to remove before work starts.

Selden homes, storms and the 24 to 48 hour window

In August 2014, more than 13 inches of rain fell at Islip in about a day, and a Suffolk County and Town of Brookhaven state of emergency followed. Long Island also gets nor'easters and tropical systems. If a storm sent water into a basement or under-floor space and it stayed wet past two days, our crawl space and basement pages explain the drying side, and mold is a reasonable thing to have checked.

Suburban development in Selden took off in the early 1950s, so a house from that era through the 1970s may still have original materials. A pre-1980 house may have materials that need testing before demolition, so ask about that before wall or ceiling sections are removed. Whether a permit applies depends on the work, so the Town of Brookhaven Division of Building is the one to ask.

What drives the cost of mold remediation

• How much material is affected and how far it has spread
• Which materials must be removed, such as drywall, insulation, flooring and framing
• Containment setup and the number of days of air scrubbers and negative air
• Drying time and equipment, if the structure is still wet
• Rebuild scope after clearance, including drywall, paint and trim

The independent assessment is a separate cost from remediation. Call us and we will explain the scope and price before work starts.

Insurance and mold

Mold coverage varies by policy. Many policies cover mold that results from sudden and accidental water damage, often with limits, and gradual leaks and neglect often are not covered. Flood usually needs separate flood coverage. Check your policy or ask your insurer, and document the damage with photos, moisture readings and a written scope. We provide those records to support your own claim, including for homes in Middle Island.

Stay safe and out of the way