Mold Remediation

Mold Remediation Services

Mold Remediation, also known as mold removal, is the process of finding, stopping, and removing mold from your home or business.  Mold is common, with over 100,000 different species, and is almost everywhere.

In Rochester, NY, and the surrounding areas, mold is common all year round due to the ever-changing weather conditions. Environments that have moisture and usually higher temperatures can become a breeding ground for mold. The most common areas to find mold would be in bathrooms, basements, attics, and crawl spaces. Without proper ventilation, there is a chance mold can grow!

Rock Environmental is a full-service property restoration company that can assess and repair your property water damage and mold. Our vast experience will help determine the source of the mold damage and apply the proper solutions to restore your property. 

If you have mold, we have the knowledge, experience, and specialized equipment to solve the problem. At Rock Environmental, all of our mold remediation professionals and technicians are certified and trained to provide mold removal and mold inspection services. We conduct our mold remediation services, quickly, efficiently, and thoroughly.

When you have an emergency, we are available to you 24/7/365. We assign a Project Manager at the beginning and they will be your main point of contact throughout the project. In addition, if your situation involves an insurance claim, we work directly for you with your insurance company on your claim. 

We take pride in our work, and our job doesn't end until we have fully restored your property to pre-mold conditions.

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Rock Environmental logo for Mold Remediation Rochester NYRock Environmental logo for Mold Remediation Rochester NYRock Environmental logo for Mold Remediation Rochester NYRock Environmental logo for Mold Remediation Rochester NY

What is Mold?


Did you know that mold is a type of fungus? Additionally, each type of mold is made up of many species! With so many different kinds of mold, there or many characteristics including slimy, powdery, hairy of velvet-like.

Depending on the type of mold spores, they may grow in a different area from others. Most mold will be found where there is water damage, or high moisture, low ventilation areas.

There are different classes of mold which are used to determine how harmful the mold spores can be to people and the environment. These classifications include:

  • Allergenic - cause allergy-like symptoms
  • Pathogenic - can make pre-existing health conditions worse
  • Toxigenic - extremely dangerous and these types produce mycotoxin spores (most common is black mold)

Some types of mold are more likely to be found within your home or business than others. You can check out our blog for a comprehensive post of the most commonly found types of mold in and around your home!

Cladosporium moldAspergillis mold

What is Black Mold?


We’ve all probably heard the terms “black mold” and “toxic mold.” Black or toxic mold refers to molds that may produce mycotoxins or toxins. In the category of black or toxic mold, most attention is given to health concerns from Stachybotrys, certain varieties of Aspergillus, Penicillium,Chaetomium, Trichoderma, Phoma, and Fusarium.

Mold isn’t always visible. If you can see mold, it’s only a sign of the real potential health risk – the unhealthy levels of harmful types mold in the air of your home or workplace.

Airborne mold is all around us – in both the outdoors and indoors. The types and amount of mold determines the potential health risk. Most of us are accustomed to the varieties and amounts of mold present in our outdoor environments.

Healthy indoor environments will have mold conditions similar to or better than those in the surrounding outdoors. Over time, because of moisture (ie. humidity and water leaks), many indoor spaces develop unhealthy types and/or unhealthy levels of airborne mold that can be harmful to you or your pets. 

These signs could mean you have unhealthy mold conditions in your house like black mold:

  • Allergic symptoms (especially in winter when outdoor allergens are low)
  • A damp or musty odor in one or more places
  • Frequent headaches
  • Difficulties breathing
  • The air in the home feels different
  • Your house has been flooded or currently has leaks
  • You previously tried removing mold yourself

Take note of how you feel in and out of the house. If the symptoms disappear or decrease when you’re out and about, then you might have a mold problem, yes, even if you can’t see mold.

To see if you have a mold problem, you can have an inspection and air quality test performed by a local mold testing company. The results of this test will typically be available within a week and will tell you the types and amount of mold present. Getting the air in your home or workplace tested is a good way to objectively determine if a mold problem is present or not.

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Cladosporium moldAspergillis moldAspergillis mold

What Causes Mold Growth?


Mold spores grow and travel in a variety of environments, both indoors and out. When mold is growing inside the home, it is more than likely due to humidity, moisture/condensation, and temperature.

When all of these are in the same place, say a bathroom, it becomes the perfect breeding ground for mold to grow and produce.

When our mold remediation experts are called in, many times it is because of a mold infestation in the bathroom. Bathrooms are a perfect place for mold due to the humidity and moisture caused by bathing. Proper ventilation while showering is a must in preventing mold in your bathroom.

Another reason we are needed for mold remediation is due to water damage, or excess water from flooding or leaks. If moisture gets into drywall or other porous materials, like furniture or carpets, mold will grow.

If you notice excess water from a flood or leak, call our mold remediation professionals right away. If water damage is left for too long, mold will begin and continue to grow. This can lead to secondary damage affecting ductwork, indoor air quality, and structural issues causing even more damage.

Mold Remediation Rochester NY needed for mold growth on ceiling

Mold Remediation Rochester NY needed for mold growth on ceiling

Health Risks of Mold Exposure

sick family due to mold in home

The effects of mold can vary from person to person. Some people have severe allergic reactions to mold causing hives, and breathing issues. For any individual who has chronic respiratory illnesses, it is imperative to have our professionals provide expert mold remediation services!

Those who have seasonal allergies may also be affected more, by the presence of mold causing sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, and a dry cough. Prolonged mold exposure can lead to more permanent health issues like mold-related asthma, chronic sinus infections, and severe respiratory illnesses. Learn more about the health risks of mold on the Mayo Clinic website.

If you notice any signs of a mold issue, or symptoms of a mold allergy, first consult with your physician. Next, call Rock Environmental. Through the expert mold remediation services provided by our team, you can be assured that we will effectively remove the presence of mold in your home.

If there is damage caused by excess mold, we have a variety of methods to recover the damage from mold build-up and musty odors including mold removal tools and equipment.

Our Mold Remediation Process

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At Rock Environmental, we have an array of resources and equipment that we use. Our remediation technicians have been trained in using the equipment to ensure proper removal and restoration of your home. We proceed with caution during our work to keep your home, family, and employees safe from possible mold exposure.

1. Antimicrobial Application

This is a first step of corrective action. If your home or business has had recent water damage, but there is no visible mold growth, we can apply an antimicrobial agent that will prevent mold growth from occurring until the wet area is dried out. Antimicrobials can also kill existing mold spores if they are present.

2. Source Identification

Mold is often found in places that have been previously exposed to water or are near a moisture source. Some areas of concern are bathrooms, basements, sink cabinets and window sills due to condensation.

Our technicians can identify elevated moisture concentrations in residential and commercial structures through the use of state of the art, industry specific moisture detection equipment and inspection tools such as thermal imaging. Often this can help determine the source of the moisture intrusion.

3. Containment

Mold can spread quickly if given the right conditions. Once the source of moisture intrusion has been repaired, our technicians isolate the contaminated area(s) to eliminate the spread of mold spores to other areas of the property. Containment is critical in minimizing the potential effects of cross contamination to other unaffected areas.

4. Air Filtration

During the process of mold removal, spores can be disturbed and become airborne. In conjunction with containment, the air needs to be cleaned as well. Negative air machines with high efficiency particulate (HEPA) air filters run continuously throughout the project. This ensures that mold spores, dust, microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs), and other airborne debris are removed from the affected area.

5. Removal and Cleanup

In most instances, the only effective way to ensure proper mold remediation is to remove affected materials completely. This commonly involves drywall, insulation, wood trim, carpet and even furniture.

We follow S520 industry standards written by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) to professionally clean up mold from your home or business. If the area contaminated with mold is greater than 10 sq. ft, the use of a licensed environmental hygienist is required. The hygienist will provide a final clearance test, giving our customer peace of mind that the mold has been properly mitigated.

6. Replacement

As previously indicated, it could be possible that areas contaminated by mold require the removal of affected materials. In situations like this, we can provide restoration services and repair affected areas with new building materials. At the conclusion, the property will be restored to a pre-loss condition.

After our initial visual mold inspection, we will contain the affected area. Next, we will work through different assessments to determine where exactly the mold growth is, how bad the mold damage is, and create a plan for effective mold remediation.

Various equipment will be used including but not limited to:

  • Moisture Meters
  • Various cleaning products and supplies
  • Proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
  • High Powered fans for drying up any remaining moisture left from water damage
  • Air filtration systems and dehumidifiers to remove excess moisture from the air
  • Odor removing cleaners and systems to provide fresh, clean air post-remediation
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How Much Does Mold Remediation Cost?

With the worry about possibly having mold in your home, you’re now thinking about what it’s going to cost to remove it. Honestly, there is no definitive answer as to how much it will cost to successfully remediate a mold problem within your home.

Many factors come into play such as how bad the mold infestation is, how large an area is affected, and what has caused the mold situation in the first place. All these factors will determine the cost of mold removal.

Note that all prices are based on average costs and are not guaranteed. Prices will also vary (+/-)

  • Attics–$500 to $4,000+
  • Crawl Spaces–$500 to $4,000+
  • Basements–$1,500 to $3,000+
  • Bathrooms–$500 to $2,000+
  • Showers–$500 to $1,000+
  • HVAC Systems$4,000 to $6,000+
  • Vents–$100 to $500+
  • Widespread$10,000 to $30,000+
  • Fabric Cleaning$500 to $2,000+
  • Sewage Flood$10,000 to $20,000+
  • Black Mold–$1,000 to $4,500+
  • White Mold–$500 to $3,000+
  • Drywall & Carpe$2,000 to $10,000+
  • Roof Deck–$500 to $10,000+
  • Average Cost–$1,500 to $5,000

Even though the cost of mold remediation isn’t set in stone, don’t let the amount deter you from having professional remediation. In many cases, other work will need to be completed in addition to mold remediation. It would be safe to budget for an additional 15% for materials and damage repairs.

When it comes to mold, the EPA indicates, if the area infested with mold is less than 100 square feet, it is likely a DIY mold removal can be completed.

There are at-home mold testing kits, however, these are unreliable. Almost every home will have a mold presence (it’s everywhere) resulting in the test kit coming back saying you have mold in your home.

Additionally, if the mold situation was caused by water damage, it will be best to have a professional mold remediation company like Rock Environmental come in. Lastly, it is important to know if your insurance company will cover the costs of the remediation project.

Many companies do not cover the costs unless the mold damage was caused by a “freak-like” accident such as a burst pipe, sump-pump malfunction, or other situations similar. Water damage can be a long-term issue if ignored by the homeowner, which is why most companies won’t cover it.

Flooding is also usually not covered unless you have an additional flood insurance policy. If you are unsure of what your homeowner’s insurance will cover, Rock Environmental will collaborate with you and your insurance company to ensure a smooth remediation process for your home.

Mold Remediation Experts

Rock Environmental follows all OSHA safety regulations and uses only the best EPA-approved solutions. Additionally, all of our professionals have completed HAZWOPER training and are IICRC certified.  What does this mean for you? It means that we will provide you only the best, quality services. We strive for excellence from every employee to provide you with the best experience! Also, ask us about asbestos testing and removal!

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Preventing Mold

Rock Environmental has compiled a list for you with tips on preventing mold from growing in your home. Below are some of the ways you can prevent the need for mold remediation:

  • Beware of humidity which can cause condensation. Keep your rooms properly ventilated. Recommended humidity levels range between 40 - 60%.
  • Use dehumidifiers in areas where there is a higher concentration of moisture, like the basement.

  • Clean up any excess water, don't let it "dry up on its own."

  • At the first sign of mold growth, clean using approved mold-killing agents. The CDC has some guidelines you can check out.

  • If there has been recent water damage, ensure the room and belongings have been properly dried and cleaned. The last thing you want is mold to start growing and bring it back into your home. It will spread to other items.

  • If you are unsure if you have a mold problem, contact the mold remediation experts at Rock Environmental for an assessment.