Your questions answered by our senior consultant Phil Edwards
Phil has been fixing water damage and mould issues for over 38 years, both here in the UK and for 10 years in the USA. In addition to his extensive experience, Phil is still 'working on the job' and has all the necessary qualifications and certifications available on request. Phil's approach is personable and practical - he's not an alarmist or scare-mongerer, but will advise if your health is at risk. He trusts the scientific analysis from our enviroforensics laboratory but dovetails this with common sense and his vast experience in the results interpretation and reporting. The WHITE KNIGHT solution will always be proportional and appropriate for each individual circumstance.
If I see mould what should I do?
Visible mould in an indoor environment is a strong indicator of either a previous or ongoing water intrusion. Moulds are ubiquitous, which means they can be found everywhere; it’s natures way of recycling waste materials, but issues arise when the amount of mould in an indoor space increases exponentially and has an effect on the building fabric and the human body. Try not to distrub the air around any visible mould as the spores are very light and can cross-contaminate other areas of the property. Call Phil for an informal chat (there's no charge) on what you can do or how we can help you.
Self help
Wear an FFP2 painters mask
Cover the affected area with plastic, and tape the edges firmly with duct tape until a proper assessment can be made
Open windows and doors if possible, to allow better airflow and air exchanges to occur
Turn on bathroom/kitchen extractor fans
Don't use bleach or spray the mould with anything as this can release spores into the air and make matters much worse
Call us to arrange a leak detection / condensation survey + report - COST £695 + vat
I feel unwell at home but nowhere else, is there a mould / indoor air quality issue that requires investigation?
"Hi, this is Phil. I never recall having any mould/allergen/pollen related issues myself as a younger person but about 15 years ago, I recognised significant respiratory symptoms when being in areas with high levels of microbial activity. Despite wearing the best quality PPE and respiratory protection when performing mould surveys and mould remediation, there have been numerous situations where no visible mould was present and therefore I haven't been wearing any PPE, exposing me to higher levels of invisible contaminants than my body could tolerate - in these situations, I have ended up wheezing and have had to grab my respirator. I'm now a cancer patient and so I fully understand the health concerns you are facing but there is light at the end of the tunnel, there are incredible advancements in technology that WHITE KNIGHT have invested in, that can return your home and possessions to pre-incident condition"
So, just because you can’t see mould, it doesn’t mean it isn’t present. In summary, if you are feeling unwell at home or work with symptoms such as respiratory issues, allergies, asthma, sneezing, a runny nose, red eyes and/or skin rashes, it could point to a mould or another indoor air quality issue that requires a full investigation and air sampling.
Call us to arrange a leak detection / moisture survey + report - COST £695 + vat
Is this something I can treat myself or should I call in an expert?
Unfortunately, the mould industry is rife with unscrupulous scare-mongerers who use bogus qualifications like "Indoor Environmental Hygienist" and bunkum science to prey on people who have health issues or a fear associated with mould. In the USA their motto is "Mold for Gold". We advise that you do your very best to avoid companies or individuals that come across like this and use companies who have your best interests at heart.
WHITE KNIGHT perform mould remediation and decontamination - we are a 'for profit' family business but our reputation is far more important than the money we could make performing unnecessary work, so you will always get a fair and reasonable assessment of your personal situation, with a genuine and proportionate solution to fix the problem. Honour and integrity are at the core of our business activities, which is why we retain so many loyal customers.
Call us to arrange a FREE 15 minute "over the phone consultation"
Can you advise on my health issues?
I know firsthand how lethargic and irritating the inflammatory response to mould overexposure can be but I'm not a health professional, so I cannot advise on your personal health issues - anyone who advises that your health concerns are attributable to a water leak or mould activity in your property, without proper investigation and analysis doesn't know either!
Globally there are NO standards for what constitutes a health concern in relation to mould exposure or indeed, any agreed standards on how to effectively treat mould. The WHO (World Health Organisation), regulatory bodies such as the US EPA (Environmental Prorection Agency) and indoor air quality associations offer simple guidance in the form of "remove the mould, and fix the issues causing water ingress".
Fortunately, as Indoor Environmental Professionals| with many years of expertise in sampling, testing, analysing and removing mould, we can review your individual situation and needs, and write an effective mould protocol to fully resolve your issues.
How can WHITE KNIGHT help me?
At WHITE KNIGHT we’re genuinely interested in helping YOU to improve YOUR living conditions and hopefully this has a positive impact on your health too. We take a holistic view of all the potential issues that can cause long term damage to properties by moulds and fungi and follow industry 'best practice' to achieve the desired outcome.
How much does mould remediation cost and is it covered by my insurance?
Structural damage caused by long term water ingress and microbial activity may or may not be covered by your property insurance - it will depend on the source of the problem, your insurer and how your insurance policy is worded but with the unknown health risks and associated property damage costs, it makes good sense to get an expert opinion and report to help your case. When it comes to genuine health risks, we really believe that people shouldn't take chances, and we are here to help. Mould remediation doesn’t typically run into tens of thousands of pounds but it isn't always a quick, cheap and easy problem to fix properly. An Indoor Air Quality and Moisture Survey is only £695 + vat and our comprehensive photographic detailed report will provide results, conclusions and recommendations that you can submit to your insurance company for approval.
Costs you might incur
Initial survey / inspection / invasive investigation / report fees (range from £695 to £1,495)
Surface swab and laboratory surface bulk sampling / air-sampling / spore count analysis to establish baseline levels of contamination or identify the mould species (from £125 to £325 per sample)
Advanced air sampling requirements , including Microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) which are a variety of compounds formed in the metabolism of fungi and bacteria
Engineering controls and specialist negative air equipment required, to prevent exposure to you and cross-contamination of unaffected areas; PPE and PAPR systems to protect our engineers
Remediation labour costs by our IICRC WRT/ASD/AMRT certified specialists, to carefully perform any enabling works and thoroughly treat/remove all mould affected materials (£995/day)
Controlled materials waste management, removal and disposal at dedicated waste transfer sites
Environmental deep clean to meet HSE regulations (£280 / room)
SteraMist air and surface decontamination treatments (£13.25 /m²)
Clearance validation sampling following mould remediation (£125 / sample - min 2 samples)
The reinstatement works by your preferred building contractor
NOTE: Not all elements outlined above may be required for your particular situation but we will discuss your options and agree the most appropriate and cost-effective solution to get your issues resolved properly.
Let OUR family help YOUR family
All of this may sound quite daunting but our aim is to take the fear out of the situation.
With our commitment to long-term risk management and ongoing support we are trusted by Home Owners, Property Managers, Surveyors, Builders and Insurers to deliver a common sense decontamination action plan and a value for money solution. Let our experienced team guide you through the steps we follow to ensure compliance with ANSI/IICRC S520, BSI PAS64:2013, HSE, COSHH, WHO and internationally recognised standards of duty of care to protect the health and well-being of people and to protect the environment with our non-toxic, green, environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions.
We will explain everything in layman's terms, giving you a full understanding of the situation, helping you to feel comfortable and ensuring that any worries are alleviated.
Qualifications
We are a certified IICRC Firm and follow ANSI/IICRC S500 and ANSI/IICRC S520 protocols in all our business activities
We are SAFECONTRACTOR approved
We are Checkatrade and TrustaTrader vetted and monitored
We are an approved supplier to the Crown Commercial Service
We are Cyber Essentials certified
We are a BICSc corporate member
We are certified by UKAS to ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management and ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management
With over 38 years experience, we have helped thousands of people just like you - please give us a call on 01536 682 300 for an informal discussion about your needs or e-mail helpdesk@wksg.co.uk
We provide sound, unbiased, expert advice without any pressure to undertake our services
We look forward to hearing from you...