Mold and water damage questions

Fixr's national figures put a typical mold remediation job at $1,500 to $9,000 (about $3,500 on average), or $10 to $30 per square foot. Mold in an AC system runs $3,000 to $10,000, an attic $1,500 to $9,000, and a whole house $10,000 to $30,000. In Florida, an assessor who looks at the job before or after cannot also be the company that removes it, so budget for that visit separately.

Fixr's national figure for a whole house is $10,000 to $30,000. Most Orlando jobs are one area: an AC closet and its ducts ($3,000 to $10,000 for HVAC work), a ceiling under a roof leak, or a bathroom. Whole-house jobs usually follow a flood, a long hidden leak, or a house closed up through a summer with the AC off.

Fixr lists a mold inspection at $450 to $800, about $500 on average, with lab samples at $60 to $80 per sample beyond the first few. Bob Vila puts basic air testing at $250 to $350. In Florida, someone who assesses mold growth over 10 square feet for pay needs a state mold assessor license.

Fixr lists water damage restoration at $1,200 to $5,000 with a $3,000 national average, and Bob Vila at $1,305 to $5,707. Clean water from a supply line costs less per square foot ($3.75 to $4.25) than sewage or flood water ($7 to $7.50). Rebuilding is extra.

Florida licenses mold work under Part XVI of Chapter 468 of the Florida Statutes, run by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Assessing or remediating mold growth larger than 10 square feet for pay takes a state license: mold assessor or mold remediator. An assessor may not remediate a structure it assessed in the last 12 months, and a remediator may not assess a structure it remediated in the last 12 months. Homeowners working on their own property are exempt.

Not within a year. Florida Statutes section 468.8419 bars a mold assessor, or the assessor's company, from remediating a structure it assessed in the last 12 months, and bars a remediator from assessing a structure it remediated in the last 12 months.

Use the Florida DBPR's Verify a License search at myfloridalicense.com. Search the person or company name and check that the license is for mold-related services (remediator or assessor, as the job requires) and that the status is current and active.

In Florida, the one that matters is the state license from the DBPR. Private certifications are training, not permission to work. A company doing paid remediation over 10 square feet needs a licensed mold remediator, and must carry at least $1 million in general liability insurance.

Containing the area so spores don't spread, removing material that can't be cleaned and cleaning what can. Then drying the structure and fixing the moisture source. In Florida, paid work on more than 10 square feet takes a state mold remediator license.

Almost always. Mold is a moisture problem with a cleanup attached. Fix the water source, remove what can't be cleaned, clean the rest and dry the structure. In Orlando that usually also means getting indoor humidity down. Whole-house jobs exist, but Fixr's whole-house figure is $10,000 to $30,000, far below the cost of the house.

There's no federal or Florida number for an acceptable indoor mold level. The EPA's guidance is that mold indoors should be cleaned up and the moisture fixed, and that if you can see or smell it, you have a problem. Spores are always present outdoors and indoors in small amounts.

Often not. The EPA and the Florida Department of Health both say that if you can see or smell mold, you have a problem, and sampling usually isn't needed to decide to fix it. The state health department doesn't test homes. Testing earns its fee when the smell has no visible source, or to confirm a job is finished.

When you smell mold but can't find it, after a leak inside a wall or ceiling, before buying a house, or when you want an independent check that a job is done. In Florida, the person who does it for pay on growth over 10 square feet needs a mold assessor license.

For a small patch, usually yes. The EPA says an area under about 10 square feet is something most people can clean themselves: scrub hard surfaces with detergent and water and dry them. Throw out porous things that stay moldy. Florida's license rule also starts above 10 square feet, and homeowners working on their own property are exempt.

The EPA's guidance is detergent and water on hard surfaces, then drying them. Bleach doesn't fix the moisture, and on porous material like drywall or ceiling tile the mold can stay in the material. The EPA warns never to mix bleach with cleaners that contain ammonia.

Nothing sprayed on it. Mold stops when the material stays dry. Clean or remove the growth, then fix the moisture that let it grow. In an Orlando house that usually means keeping indoor humidity under about 50 to 60 percent with the AC and, where needed, a dehumidifier.

Drying after a leak usually takes about three days, according to Fixr and Bob Vila. Mold jobs that start with an assessor's report and end with a clearance check take longer, so plan on a week or more from first call to a passed clearance, longer if lab results or insurance are involved.

The EPA says to dry water-damaged materials within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth. In Orlando from June to September, when the outdoor dew point sits above 70°F most days, wet drywall does not dry on its own. It needs air conditioning, dehumidifiers and fans.

Sometimes. Mold that follows a covered sudden loss, like a burst supply line, is often covered up to a mold limit written into the policy. In December 2002 Florida regulators approved what became the standard endorsement capping mold at $10,000 per occurrence, and many policies still carry a mold or fungi limit, so read that section. Mold from a slow leak or long-term humidity usually is not covered. Rising flood water needs a separate flood policy. On policies issued since January 1, 2023, you can no longer sign your claim benefits over to a contractor.

Florida Statutes section 83.51 makes a landlord comply with building, housing and health codes, or where none apply, keep the roof, walls and plumbing in repair. The statute doesn't name mold, but leaks and broken plumbing are usually the cause. Write to the landlord first. Section 83.60 lets a tenant withhold rent only after 7 days' written notice that says so, and getting it wrong can lead to eviction. Inside Orlando city limits, call 311 or use the city's code violation form. This is general information, not legal advice.

Send a request here, or call (407) 584-8685. We pass it to an independent local company that serves your ZIP. Ask any company you call for its Florida mold remediator license number and a written contract before work starts.