Mold Inspection Costs in Washington DC

4 min read

All homeowners dread finding mold thriving unnoticed anywhere in their homes. Mold exists naturally in nature and has a meaningful ecological role. However, it is harmful to people’s health and damage properties. As such, it is crucial to get professionals to remove mold from your property as soon as possible.

An important question comes to mind: how much does mold inspection cost? Let’s take a look at the latest estimates.

Mold Removal Costs: The Real Picture

When you’re paying for mold remediation, you’re not just paying for the actual removal of the mold. You’re also paying for other services that may be necessary to ensure its complete removal. Some factors also affect the total cost of the service. These include:

• The severity of the infestation or the amount of mold to be removed.
• The size of the affected area.
• The accessibility and location of the affected area.
• Whether or not there’s a need for special equipment.
• If supplementary services like mold inspection, moisture mapping, air quality tests, and HVAC inspection are required.
• Any temporary repairs after remediation.

Forbes estimates the average mold inspection cost at $650, with $300 at the lowest and over $1,000 at the highest. The range can go even higher in situations when a third-party company has to come in to do some pre- or post-mold remediation work, like minor demolitions and construction debris removal.

For comparison, here are the estimates from other sources:

• Bob Vila: average $648, range of $295 – $1,010
• Angi/HomeAdvisor: average of $648, range of $298 – $999
• Fixr: average of $500, range of $450 – $800

If we include the cost of repairing structural damage and restoring your house’s former condition, the estimates can easily climb to five figures, depending on how big of a renovation needs to be done.

If you’re thinking, would it be possible to remove mold removal costs and exclude the peripheral services to reduce your overall bill? It may be possible. However, you might still have to pay for demolition equipment and tarp-over services if your mold situation is so bad that the damaged areas are unsalvageable. Remediators will have to remove the rotten materials before treating the affected area with disinfectants and mold-killing products.

Demolitions may be necessary if the mold has eaten through drywall and cladding. There’s a huge chance that the fungi have spread further through the gaps and crevices in walls, floors, and ceilings. In this case, remediators cannot just remove mold removal costs from the total estimate and quote you that smaller figure. They would have to do additional services like moisture mapping and debris removal to eliminate all the mold and prevent further damage to your property.

How Does Mold Affect Your Health?

You must be wondering why we’re discussing health risks when we’re talking about mold remediation costs. This is because the earlier you detect mold, the cheaper it will be to remove it. Mold has a distinctive smell and appearance, but if it thrives somewhere hidden behind a wall cladding or underneath your bathroom tiles, your household might experience health symptoms before you see or smell mold.

People react differently to mold. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC, people with asthma, those who are immunodeficient, or allergic to mold may experience the following symptoms more intensely every time they are near the infested area:

• Headaches
• Uncontrollable sneezing and stuffy nose
• Shortness of breath
• Tightening sensation in the chest and difficulty breathing
• Itchy, watery eyes
• Fever

If your household experiences these symptoms only when staying in a specific room or area in your house, there’s a good chance you have a mold problem. You can purchase a DIY mold testing kit from $10 to over $300, but if you want a more reliable test, you can call a professional mold remediation company and spend around $40 – $65 per test sample.

Choose a Reliable and Affordable Mold Removal Company in Washington DC

It’s reasonable to worry about mold inspection costs and the expenses following mold remediation. Most home insurances only cover mold remediation caused by covered perils – most of which are accidental or sudden, like a malfunctioning washing machine or ruptured pipe. However, mold remediation is a must for your health and well-being. And the earlier you detect mold, the less you need to pay for its removal.

Get in touch with Restoration 1 of Washington, DC, for mold inspection and remediation. We have the equipment to locate and remove hidden mold with minor damage to your home. Contact us to schedule an appointment.