We care.

We've been there, too.

Got mold? We can help! Let us ease your worries.

Our Services

  • Mold/Mildew Clean-up

    Break the Mold uses environmentally safe products to get rid of your mold and corrects the source of the problem for good.

    “Black mold” strikes fear into the hearts of homeowners with good reason. It can cause serious health issues for everyone.  Especially vulnerable are the very young and very old. There’s no reason to panic if you find this unwelcome visitor in your home, but it is extremely important that you have a professional inspection as soon as possible.

    — A SAFE SOLUTION —

    Break the Mold knows how to identify the root cause of your mold problem and eliminate the conditions that allowed the mold (black or other colors) to grow in the first place. Using a safe, non-toxic treatment, we’ll treat existing mold and show you how to take steps to help keep it from becoming a problem again. Prevention is key!

    — CUSTOM TREATMENT FOR YOUR SITUATION —

    When it comes to mold, there are no generic answers; every situation and every home is unique.  This is why we always start with an inspection.  This allows us to craft a plan specifically for your home.

    Executing the plan almost always involves minor construction work to address moisture issues. You can handle this yourself or we can do it for you using trusted and licensed contractors we’ve worked with before. The amount of work needed depends on your specific situation.

    The mold remediation itself is done using a unique and proven mold removal process that effectively and safely decontaminates your home.  Break the Mold uses a less labor-intensive procedure than traditional methods, making our solution surprisingly affordable.

  • Mold & Air Testing

    — AIR SAMPLES —

    - Spore Trap Analysis non-culturable (a.k.a. Cassette)

    Analysis includes identification to genus or group of all fungi present, quantification to spores and a general assessment of background debris. This type is designed for rapid collection and analysis of a wide range of airborne aerosois including mold spores. This is useful in providing quick testing of indoor air quality testing.

    — SURFACES SAMPLES (a.k.a. Bulk Sample, Swab, Tape) —

    - Direct Microscopic Exam (Qualitative)

    Samples for this service are analyzed at various magnifications under light microscopy. The main purpose of the analysis is to visually estimate the presence of any fungal growth in the sample and subsequently identify any fungal growth that is detected to Genus or relevant group. Other particulates and other fungal spores not representing fungal growth are also assessed qualitative.

    ERMI TESTING

    - What Is ERMI?

    The Environmental Relative Moldiness index (ERMI) was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development (ORD) as a research tool to investigate mold contamination in homes. The methodology is based on using mold-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (MSQPCR) to quantify 36 molds and calculate an index number for comparison with a database of reference homes. Eurofins EMLab P&K was one of the first collaborators to help establish the reference database and continues to offer this service to clients for the identification of mold problems in some buildings.

  • Odor Elimination

    Bad smells just can’t be ignored. Skunk spray, cooking odors, pet stains, and cigarette smoke can make a home unlivable. If you’ve tried odor treatment products from the big box stores, you already know that they don’t always work. At best, they just cover up the smells. At worst, some create by-products that compound the problem.

    Break the Mold always starts with a thorough inspection to determine the true sources of odors. Smells can permeate areas of the house far from the actual source.  Often, an odor is not just where a homeowner thinks it is. One customer identified their bedroom as the location where their cat had eliminated. However, a black light inspection showed stains all over the house. With whole-house odor treatment, Break the Mold makes sure all the odors are eliminated.

    Break the Mold uses safe products that destroy bad odors at their source. Rather than covering up smells, The Mold Guy uses a non-toxic, biodegradable treatment that breaks down and destroys the odor-causing molecules, leaving your home smelling fresh again.

    — SELLING A HOME —

    Selling or showing a dirty house a can be a challenge, but selling a house that smells…nearly impossible.

    — WHAT TO EXPECT —

    Treatment times vary based on the severity of odors; typical household odors can be treated in one day. In an extreme case like a home filled with 100 dogs plus several other animals, complete odor elimination took three days. (In that case, we saved the house from being bulldozed!)

    Clear the air in your home

Dave O. says…

“We are extremely happy with Break the Mold and the wonderful job John and his team did to save our old farmhouse. The house has been in our family 140 years, but after all this time, a swing in humidity and temperature allowed mold to start taking hold of the house. We had no idea what to do, and we feel so lucky to have found Break the Mold. John and his company have a passion for helping people with this crippling and potentially deadly health issue, but he also helps people deal with the grief and loss of precious belongings that can occur when mold takes hold.

John managed the project from start to finish, with a scope that required all carpet, draperies, upholstered furnishings, and especially particle board and cardboard products to be removed and the whole house treated. He spent a great deal of time explaining all aspects of the job, products, and options. We were especially pleased with the non-hazardous products he used, and the detailed information he provided. His team removed, cleaned, and put back all the furnishings that were saved (more than we expected). He provided a long-term plan that will help prevent mold issues from coming back.

John was very easy to work with, and he brought a vast experience to the job. In addition to mold, he identified areas where creatures had come into the house. He helped us find experts to prevent that issue, and then he worked hard to clean and remove all odors and damage. In addition, he provided a rare sense of trust as I dealt with the loss of my father immediately after the job began. His goal was to complete the job with as little impact to us as possible, and he gave us the wonderful surprise of having the house ready for family members to visit after my father’s funeral. Many of them hadn’t seen the house and farm in decades.

John made sure we were completely satisfied with the job at the finish. His attention to detail was amazing, and well worth the cost. We can’t thank John and his team enough for getting us though this scary and difficult experience. We highly recommend Break the Mold!”

Get an inspection!

Fill out the contact form and the Mold Guy will get back with you as soon as possible!

269-359-0822

Areas We Serve

We serve all of Southwest Michigan including Kalamazoo, Portage, Grand Rapids, Holland, South Haven, Paw Paw, Mattawan and surrounding areas.