Mold remediation requires cooperation between a homeowner and the mold remediation company. For instance, a mold-sick patient whose doctor had diagnosed her with mycotoxins and whose home had been inspected and analyzed for mold by qualified, licensed mold assessor, it was determined that she had several issues to deal with that made her home environment ripe for mold growth.

The home was older, with lots of wood accents. Some walls were constructed of pine wood and there were cedar-lined closets and a wood ceiling in the office. Due to the age of the home, many of the wood surfaces were either raw or the finish had worn away or was in poor condition. The finish of the wood flooring had also worn away, exposing raw wood—prime for absorbing excess moisture and humidity, a food source for mold. Mold is unable to determine the difference between a dead, fallen log in the woods to biodegrade and the wood, leather or drywall in a home.

There was a major water leak in the bathroom, as well as a window frame located in another part of the home that had wood rot from excessive moisture. Also, the old stairs had some wood rot caused by mold. Adding to the problem were wicker baskets throughout the home, along with an heirloom raw wood table. With all the moisture in the home, the HVAC was unable to control the humidity, creating an ideal environment for mold to thrive and produce mycotoxins, which are toxic compounds which can lead to serious health problems such as liver damage, neurological damage and immune system suppression.

In any home, once needed recommendations are made and the homeowner refuses to address the items included in the recommendation, it is impossible to remediate the home to acceptable standards and return the environment to mold safe. A contractor’s guarantees and warranties may stipulate cooperation by the homeowner to make the needed changes that enable a successful remediation. Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does not have set standards as to acceptable mold levels, many firms provide contract clearance standards based upon years of experience working with mold-sick homes.

Mold remediation is only one step in the process. A successful remediation requires additional actions. After a home has been determined to have mold by a qualified, licensed mold assessor, it is important that the reasons why mold was present be addressed. First and foremost, no remediation can be successful in the long term unless the causes have been addressed and removed. For a homeowner, the maintenance and monitoring for moisture, leaks and high humidity are required to maintain a mold-safe home.

Julie Hurst-Nicoll is the president of American Mold Experts SWFL, located at 999 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Ste. 200, in Naples. For appointments and more information, call 239-766-8171 or visit ameswfl.com.