Mold Remediation
Containment, removal, and cleaning to the IICRC S520 standard.
Short answer
Mold remediation is the controlled removal of mold and the materials it has damaged. Sterling seals the work area, runs HEPA-filtered negative air, removes what can't be cleaned, HEPA-cleans what can, and confirms the area is dry. An independent assessor then tests the area, and containment stays up until it passes. Florida licensed remediator MRSR5761.
Also called: mold removal, mold abatement, mold cleanup, black mold removal, mold mitigation
What this service addresses
- Visible growth on drywall, framing, cabinetry, and trim
- Materials that have to come out: moldy drywall, insulation, carpet, and pad
- Settled spores and debris in and around the work area
- Moisture left in the materials that stay
- Musty odor that traces back to the growth
Who needs it
- Homeowners with an assessor's report or protocol that calls for remediation
- Growth covering more than 10 square feet, where Florida law treats the work as remediation
- Homes where a leak or AC problem left drywall, cabinets, or flooring moldy
- Sellers and landlords who need the work documented and cleared
- FL Licensed Mold Assessor · MRSA5798
- FL Licensed Mold Remediator · MRSR5761
- IICRC Certified Water Restoration Tech
- NORMI-Certified Assessor & Remediator
- Insured · GL + E&O
- Independent Inspections · FL 12-Month Rule
If we inspected your home this year, we can't remediate it
Florida Statute § 468.8419(1)(d) bars a mold assessor from remediating a structure it assessed within the last 12 months, and § 468.8419(2)(d) bars a remediator from assessing a structure it remediated. Sterling holds both licenses and follows both rules. If Sterling inspected your home this year, you'll need another licensed remediator, and Sterling takes no referral fees from anyone. If Sterling remediates your home, your clearance test comes from an independent assessor.
That separation is why an inspection from Sterling can be trusted: nothing in the report is steering you toward a remediation job for us.
Removal, not cover-up
Mold on drywall, carpet, and insulation grows into the material, so those materials come out. Solid materials like framing and concrete are cleaned. Sprays, fogs, and paint can't stand in for that work, and they aren't how Sterling remediates. Where an antimicrobial or a sealant belongs, it goes on after removal and cleaning, never in place of them.
The moisture that fed the growth has to be fixed too, or the mold comes back. We tell you what we found, and when the fix needs a plumber, roofer, or HVAC contractor, we say so before containment comes down.
What's included — and what isn't
Clear scope, honestly stated.
Included
- A free on-site estimate, or a quote written to your assessor's protocol
- Containment: plastic sheeting, sealed openings, and a zippered entry
- Negative air with HEPA air scrubbers, so spores stay inside the work area
- Removal and bagging of mold-damaged porous materials
- HEPA vacuuming and damp-wiping of every surface in the work area
- Moisture readings until the remaining materials are dry
- Containment left in place until the area passes independent clearance
Not included
- Homes Sterling inspected in the last 12 months: Florida law bars it (§ 468.8419(1)(d))
- Testing our own work: clearance comes from an independent assessor (§ 468.8419(2)(d))
- Fixing the leak itself when it needs a plumber, roofer, or HVAC contractor
- Rebuild (new drywall, paint, flooring, cabinets), which isn't part of the remediation estimate
- Fogging or spraying in place of removal
A calm, methodical process.
Step 1: Estimate
We walk the area, measure it, and give you a written, itemized estimate. If you already have an assessor's protocol, we quote to it line by line.
Step 2: Contain
The work area is sealed with plastic sheeting, and HEPA air scrubbers hold it under negative pressure so nothing drifts into the rest of the house.
Step 3: Remove
Mold-damaged porous materials are cut out, bagged inside containment, and taken off site.
Step 4: Clean
Every surface in the work area is HEPA-vacuumed and damp-wiped. Framing that stays is cleaned until it's visibly free of growth.
Step 5: Dry
Moisture readings confirm that what remains is dry, so the problem isn't sealed back into the wall.
Step 6: Clear
An independent assessor tests the area. Containment comes down only after it passes.
Thermal imaging reveals hidden moisture.
Drag the slider — infrared exposes the cold signature of moisture behind a wall that looks perfectly normal. It's the difference between guessing and knowing.
Methods & equipment
- IICRC S520 procedures
- Polyethylene containment with a zippered entry
- HEPA air scrubbers under negative pressure
- HEPA vacuums and damp-wipe cleaning
- Moisture meters
What you receive
- A written, itemized estimate before any work starts
- A signed agreement that states the scope
- Final moisture readings for the work area
- A work area ready for independent clearance testing
Typical timing
Your estimate lists the work days, which depend on the size of the area and what has to come out. Clearance testing follows the work, and lab results for clearance samples depend on the laboratory's turnaround.
Pricing
Free on-site estimate
Mold remediation ranges from about $300 into five figures and up, depending on what's wrong and what has to be done. A free on-site estimate pins down your number from the size of the area, what has to be removed, and access, and no work starts until you've signed the itemized estimate.
Financing is available for mold remediation and water damage work; ask about it with your free on-site estimate.
Mold Remediation — questions
No. Florida Statute § 468.8419(1)(d) bars the company that assessed a structure from remediating it for 12 months. You can hire any licensed mold remediator and hand them the report and protocol as they are. We take no referral fees.
You may also need
Attic Mold Removal
Removal of mold from attic sheathing, framing, and insulation, with HEPA cleaning and a clear answer on what caused it.
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HVAC & Air Handler Mold Remediation
Mold cleaning for air handlers, coils, drain pans, blowers, and plenums, with the moisture cause identified and repairs left to a licensed HVAC contractor.
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Water Damage Restoration
Emergency water extraction and structural drying from Vero Beach to Boca Raton, with daily moisture readings and records for your claim.
Learn moreMold Remediation by city
Local mold remediation pages for the communities Sterling serves — from the Treasure Coast to Palm Beach County.
Ready to get the mold out?
Send your assessor's report or protocol, or book a free on-site estimate. If Sterling inspected the home in the last 12 months, we'll tell you up front that another licensed remediator has to do the work.