Mold questions usually come in three parts: is this really mold and do I need a test, who is allowed to remove it, and will insurance pay. Here are straight answers for Northeast Florida homes.
Do you need a mold test?
Not always. If you can see the growth and the moisture source has been found, a test may add cost without changing the plan. The work is the same: fix the moisture, contain the area, remove what is contaminated and clean what can be cleaned.
Testing by an independent licensed mold assessor makes sense when:
- the mold is hidden, for example a musty smell with no visible growth,
- someone in the home has a health concern,
- a sale, a landlord or an insurer needs a written report.
Who is allowed to remove mold in Florida
Florida requires a state license for anyone paid to remediate more than 10 square feet of mold. Ask for the license number before work starts.
Rainbow Restoration of Deerwood holds Florida Mold Remediator License MRSR4584 and is an IICRC Certified Firm.
In Florida, the formal clearance after remediation comes from an independent licensed mold assessor, not from the company that did the removal. That separation is there to protect you.
What remediation involves
- Find the moisture source. Mold keeps coming back until the water that feeds it is fixed.
- Contain the area with plastic barriers and negative air so spores stay put.
- Remove contaminated materials such as drywall, insulation or carpet that can’t be cleaned.
- Clean surfaces with HEPA methods.
- Dry the structure and correct the conditions that fed the growth.
- Final cleaning, then independent clearance.
You get a written estimate before work starts. The average remediation takes 4 to 5 days.
What to do before anyone arrives
Don’t scrub it, bleach it or run fans toward it. That spreads spores. Stay out of the affected room if you can.
What insurance covers
Your carrier decides coverage based on your policy and the cause. Mold that follows a sudden covered water loss is treated differently from mold caused by long-term humidity or a slow leak. Many Florida policies cap mold coverage at $10,000, so ask your carrier what your limit is.
We document the cause, the extent and the work, and we bill your insurance directly when coverage applies. If the job is larger than your coverage, financing can cover the rest.
Next step
A person answers every call, 24/7, and we aim to schedule the same day. Read more about mold removal and remediation, or call (904) 862-7522.
