Homeowners Guide to Mold

A complete guide to recognizing, removing and preventing mold.

As homeowners learn more about the real damage mold can cause to their health and home, their concerns are rapidly rising. They're beginning to realize that their energy-efficient, tight homes built since the '70s energy crisis can actually be havens for destructive mold, thanks to poor circulation and mold-friendly materials like conventional drywall and particleboard. They're also discovering that many insurance companies are no longer covering mold-related damages. This puts the burden on the homeowner (and the contractor, for new or remodeled homes) to prevent mold before it causes serious and expensive problems. Even a minor, hidden water leak, untreated, can result in major mold problems and thousands of dollars in damage and a severely mold-contaminated house cant be lived in or sold! Once moisture combines with dust or mold-friendly materials like drywall, mold can start growing and spreading in as little as 24-48 hours.

This book will show you how to:

• Inspect for mold throughout a home.
• Remove mold and keep it from coming back including the best maintenance procedures to prevent mold growth.
• Select mold-preventive construction techniques and new mold-resistant materials if youre building or remodeling.
• Deal with insurance companies if youre thinking of submitting a mold damages claim.
• Select a reliable mold removal contractor, and know when you need one.
• Plus standard procedures and costs for mold remediation, testing and repair work from RS Means, the nations best-known construction cost authority.

About the Author

Michael A. Pugliese is a Certified Mold Remediator (CMR, Indoor Air Quality Association) and a Certified Mold technician (CMT, Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration). He has spent thousands of hours over the past six years successfully cleaning up mold-contaminated environments. Many of his customers contracted his services after another remediator failed to get the job done right. He has performed mold remediation work for homeowners, corporate facility owners, major real estate companies and insurance companies, including Wachovia Bank, Old Navy and Remax Realty. His work has spanned eight states along the Gulf Coast and Eastern Seaboard, including major projects in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Prior to his career as a mold remediator, Michael spent several years as a general contractor, where he acquired the skills needed to disassemble and rebuild components of a home contaminated with mold. He also has 13 years experience working in the insurance industry, giving him a valuable perspective on the handling of mold claims.