Mold Removal & Remediation in Osprey, FL

Can I clean this myself, or does my Osprey home need a company?

EPA's cutoff is about 10 square feet. A small patch on a bathroom ceiling or window sill can usually be cleaned with detergent and water, gloves and an N-95 mask once the moisture source is fixed. Bring in a remediation company when the growth is larger, when it's inside walls or ceilings, when it followed a flood, or when the AC system is involved. Osprey's population skews older, with a median age over 60, and EPA advises that people with asthma or weakened immune systems stay away from moldy areas. For many households that alone is a reason to let someone else handle the cleanup.

What should I know about water and flooding here?

Osprey sits along the Intracoastal Waterway, crossed by the historic Blackburn Point Bridge. Sarasota County calls flooding its most common and recurring natural disaster, from coastal, riverine and urban flooding to storm surge, and the county's Community Rating System coordinator can tell you about the flood hazard for your address. A home that never floods still deals with humidity: the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County recommends running air conditioning to keep indoor humidity below 60 percent, and its environmental health specialist advises on indoor air problems, including mold.

Who issues permits and handles complaints in Osprey?

Osprey is unincorporated, so the Sarasota County Building Division issues building permits for drywall replacement or structural repairs after remediation, with offices at the Sarasota Operations Center and the R.L. Anderson Administration Center in Venice. Renters with a leak the landlord won't fix can contact Sarasota County Code Enforcement, which covers unincorporated areas.

One more local note

Home to Historic Spanish Point and Oscar Scherer State Park, Osprey has a green, coastal setting, and shade and humid air can keep roofs and exterior walls damp longer after rain. Keep gutters clear, trim branches back from the roof, and check the attic after summer storms. Under Florida's s. 468.8419, the company that removes mold can't also assess or clear the same structure within 12 months, so plan on a separate mold assessor if you want testing.