Mold can be found in plain sight, hiding in the least-expected places such as behind walls and baseboards, or underneath wallpaper. Darlene Eager, owner of DC Eager Emergency Services, advises people not to be fooled by quick fixes found online, because alleviating a mold issue involves much more than cleansing with detergent and water. “There’s no magical potion that just kills mold. You have to physically remove it,” says Eager. “If mold is on drywall, it eats through that drywall. That’s its food source, so it has to come out.”

Eager’s restoration team is certified through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification as water damage and mold remediation specialists. There are food sources for mold everywhere, such as wood, paper, paint and adhesives, Eager explains, but if moisture is controlled, mold is also controlled. Moisture is the determining factor.

Water can also seep in from outside into basements, creating high humidity or even causing flooding. Eager recommends running a dehumidifier in the basement during humid summer months to reduce the damp conditions that are favorable for mold growth.

Air quality testing is a great way to determine mold dangers within a home or business. While DC Eager Emergency Services removes the mold, a third party must be used for testing the air. It is not only against certification regulations for companies to test their own work, but it is also the best way to keep everyone honest, Eager explains. The air quality test results help DC Eager know where the mold is and what has to be done, giving the entire picture so that all the mold can be removed properly.

There are tens of thousands of different mold species, and some are more toxic than others, Eager notes. When reading air quality results, “You don’t only look at the amounts or levels of mold found in the air, you must also look at what species of molds are found. Stachybotrys, also known as ‘black mold’, should not be on an air test, and is an indicator that something has been wet or getting wet over and over for a long period of time.”

Because DC Eager Emergency Services offers demolition as an adjunct to mold removal, they have started doing the same for remodeling projects. Her crew takes pride in a clean demolition, where everything remains dust-free during the entire process. If mold is found during that time, Eager’s certified team can take care of it right away without needing contractors to call in a mold remediation service and interrupt the project.

Eager’s team has proven valuable to contractors by keeping their projects moving. While the contractor is remodeling one project, DC Eager is demolishing the next one and setting them up to do what they do best—rebuilding. “We educate before we estimate. We focus on quality, detail and customer service. This is what sets us apart from the rest,” reports Eager.