Drying to stop mold growth, and a written scope and checklist before any mold removal work begins.
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Mold after water damage grows on wet materials that were not dried quickly enough. Augusta Water Damage Restoration answers at any hour for Augusta and nearby towns, dries the structure to readings to limit further growth, and sets out what to ask for in writing before any mold removal begins.
Mold is a fungus that grows on damp organic material, such as paper, wood, dust, fabric and some paints. It needs moisture more than anything else, which is why a water loss that is dried slowly is the usual setting for growth. Mold does not need the water to be visible to start. It can grow on the back of a drywall panel or on the underside of a subfloor long before a stain or a smell reaches the room.
The first step is almost always the same: remove the water and dry the materials to readings, because that stops the conditions that let growth continue. The second step is different. If growth has already started on a surface, the question becomes how to assess it, how to clean or remove it and how to show the work was done. That is a separate scope of work with its own questions.
This page covers the drying side, which is part of the water work, and it sets out the questions to ask any contractor before mold work begins. It names no licence or registration that a contractor must hold for mold work in Georgia. It does tell you what to ask for in writing so that the scope, the method and the proof can be checked.
Do not disturb a visible growth area with a broom, a fan or a dry brush, because the disturbance spreads spores into the air. Do not mix bleach with another cleaner. Keep children, older adults and people with breathing problems out of the area, and let a contractor with a written scope handle any removal. Wear a mask and gloves if you must enter the area before the work starts.
Growth on a painted wall, a baseboard or a closet shelf is often visible and limited to the surface. It may be cleaned if the material is sound and the moisture behind it is gone. A surface that is soft or staining through the paint is treated as a removal item, and the technician notes the difference.
Growth behind drywall or under a subfloor is found when the material is opened. The work needs containment so that spores and dust do not move into clean rooms. The scope names how the cavity is opened, cleaned and dried, and what is removed from it.
Stored clothing, books, paper, shoes and furniture that have grown mold may be removed rather than cleaned, depending on what they are and how long they stayed wet. The owner decides what to keep after the technician explains the options.
Tell us what's happening and we'll tell you honestly whether it's a quick fix, and what mold after water damage should cost.
This page names no Georgia licence for mold work. Ask any contractor whether the work needs a licence or registration, and if one applies, ask for the number and the office that issued it in writing.
A contractor who says no licence is needed should be able to name the rule, the agency or the code that says so. A vague answer is a reason to ask again before the work starts, and to ask for the answer in writing.
Whatever the answer, the scope of work and the proof of completion are the two documents to request. They are the parts of the job a reader can check, and they are more useful than any single statement about who holds what.
A written scope should name the areas to be treated, the method, the materials to be removed, the containment and cleaning steps, the testing if any, and the proof of completion. A scope that lists only a price and a date is incomplete.
The areas should be named by room and by surface, so the work can be checked against the house. The method should say how each surface is cleaned, removed or sealed. The containment should say how dust and spores are kept out of clean rooms during the work.
The proof of completion is the final set of readings, photographs and a statement of what was done. It is the record you keep and the record a later contractor or insurer will look for.
Testing can help in some situations, but it is not always needed to decide what to do. Visible growth and high moisture readings usually tell the technician enough to write the scope. If testing is proposed, ask who does it, what it measures and how the results will be explained.
Air sampling and surface sampling are methods that some contractors use, and they can show what is in the air or on a surface at one moment. They do not show the whole history of the building, and they can be misread if the sample is taken at the wrong time or place.
Ask for the testing plan in writing before it is done, and ask for the results with an explanation of what they mean. The technician can explain how the readings relate to the scope, and the choice to test is yours.
Mold usually comes back when the moisture source was not fixed or when the material behind the cleaned surface stayed wet. Cleaning removes the visible growth but not the water that feeds it.
A surface that is cleaned and then closed up while a wall cavity is still wet will often grow again. The growth may be hidden at first, which is why the readings should show dry before any surface is painted or covered.
A leak that was never fixed will keep feeding growth wherever it reaches. The plumber, roofer or other tradesperson who fixes the source is part of the job, and the drying record shows whether the source was still active when the work finished.
The area affected, the materials that have to be removed, the containment needed, the testing if any and the time required all shape the cost. No price is given over the phone, and the figure is explained and approved on site before any mold work begins.
A small area on a finished surface is a different job from growth inside several walls and under a floor. Containment, the removal of materials and the final testing each add to the scope, and the technician names each part in writing.
The drying that stops the growth is priced separately from the removal, so you can see what each part of the job costs and why. Nothing is added to the scope without the reason being explained first.
Water is removed and the materials are dried to readings before any growth work is discussed. Growth continues while the material stays wet, so drying comes before any decision about removal.
The technician notes where growth is visible and where readings suggest moisture is still present. A surface that has grown is different from one that is only damp, and each is recorded on its own line.
Any growth removal should be described in writing before it starts. The scope names the areas, the method, the materials to be removed, the containment to be used and the proof of completion that will be provided.
Materials that cannot be cleaned are removed and bagged where the scope says so. Surfaces that can be cleaned are treated with the method in the scope and then checked for growth and moisture.
The final readings and the scope completion record are given to you. Keep them with the water work records, because a later question about the area can be answered from the file.
A house that has had water in a wall cavity or under a floor is the one most likely to need mold work later, because the materials stay damp longer out of sight. A technician reads the cavities and the subfloor on every call where growth is suspected, not just the visible surfaces.
Repairs that open walls or floors to reach mold can need a permit from the Augusta-Richmond County government in its consolidated area, and the city governments of Hephzibah and Blythe handle the question for their own limits. Ask the office that covers the address before the wall is rebuilt.
Growth found after a storm usually traces back to water that stayed in walls, ceilings or crawl spaces longer than it should have, not to the storm alone. That is why drying is the first step, whatever the storm was.
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Moisture readings, air movers and dehumidifiers that dry walls, subfloors and insulation in Augusta homes.
Reading, opening and drying ceilings and drywall that have taken water from a leak above.
Drying carpet, pad and hardwood floors after water, with readings showing which pieces can stay.
The photographs, readings and removal lists a homeowner keeps for a water claim, and where Georgia complaints go.
Mold after a water loss is usually a drying problem first and a removal problem second.
Drying and the removal of mold are separate parts of the job. The technician dries the structure and notes any growth, and the removal is written as its own scope before work starts.
It is better to have one. A written scope lists the areas, methods, materials and proof of completion, and it lets you check the work against what was promised.
Keep people with breathing problems or other health concerns away from the growth while it is being handled. This page makes no health claims, so ask a doctor about any question about your own health.
Drying stops the moisture that feeds growth, which is essential. It does not remove growth that has already started, so a visible area needs a scope and its own removal or cleaning step.
Ask for a written scope, the method, the proof of completion and the answer about any licence or registration in writing. Ask who will do the work and how it will be checked at the end.
Photograph them and keep the list before you throw anything away. The technician can help you decide what can be cleaned and what should be removed, and the decision is written down.