Black Mold Removal in Pinellas Park, FL

What happens after you call

You'll be connected with an independent local remediation company. Expect questions about the size of the dark patch, the room it's in, any recent leak or storm, and whether the home is site-built or manufactured. A site visit usually includes moisture readings, a look inside cabinets and closets near the stain, and a check of the air handler and its drain. The company should give you a written scope covering containment, removal, cleaning and drying of framing, and when walls can be closed. In Florida, the business that removes the mold can't assess the same structure within 12 months, so if you want a clearance check, hire a separate mold assessor. Look up the supervisor's Florida mold remediator license on DBPR's licensee search.

Cost factors

Angi puts typical Tampa-area remediation at $1,347 to $3,778, and HomeAdvisor's typical Tampa range is $1,248 to $2,550. Neither is a quote for a Pinellas Park address. Price depends on:

• How far the growth runs once drywall is opened
• Work beneath a manufactured home, which Angi's crawl-space range of $525 to $2,150 in Tampa roughly reflects
• Bathroom-only jobs, which Angi lists at $525 to $1,075
• Replacement drywall, carpet and paint afterward

Local conditions

Pinellas Park is an inland city in mid-Pinellas with an older housing stock: the median year built is about 1978 and about 57 percent of units predate 1980. About 15 percent of units are mobile or manufactured homes, and roughly 31 percent of occupied homes are rented. Older roofs, galvanized lines and replaced-but-not-rerouted AC drains are the usual suspects. Pinellas County still says everyone in the county lives in some flood zone and standard policies typically don't cover flood, and after Milton it urged residents of flooded homes to get wet contents out quickly to prevent mold. The city runs its own building department on 78th Avenue N for any rebuilding permits.

Before the company arrives

• Shut off water to a leaking fixture
• Turn off the AC if growth is near vents
• Check under a manufactured home for drips or sagging insulation
• Photograph the damage for your insurer
• Note when you first saw the stain or smell