Who We Are
Northern Rivers Mould Removal is a referral service for mould inspection and remediation across Byron Bay, Ballina, Lismore, Lennox Head, Bangalow, Mullumbimby, Murwillumbah, Casino, and the wider Northern Rivers region of NSW. We are not a contractor, we do not carry out mould work, and we do not employ technicians. What we do is take your enquiry, and it may be referred to an independent local contractor who does.
Who Operates This Site
Northern Rivers Mould Removal is operated by Mark A Jeanes (ABN 11 229 027 126), who runs this site and reviews every enquiry personally. He does not perform remediation and is not a contractor. When you submit the quote form, your enquiry is captured, screened for spam, and read by him; it may then be referred to one independent local contractor, if and when a contractor is confirmed for your area. That contractor inspects, quotes, invoices and contracts with you directly.
Mould is all we deal with on this site. We would never send your job to a general cleaning company that offers mould removal as a side service. The IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) S520 standard is the internationally recognised benchmark that separates professional remediators from operators with a bottle of bleach and a spray gun; ask any remediator for their current IICRC S520 credentials before you engage them.
We know the area. The subtropical climate, the older housing stock, the high density of Airbnb and holiday rental properties, the Richmond River system, and the enduring aftermath of the 2022 Lismore floods, these are not just background details. They are the conditions that shape every mould job in this region, and they are why we’re careful about who we pass work to.
What This Site Looks For
IICRC Certification: What It Means and Why It Matters
The IICRC S520 standard is the benchmark for mould remediation practice. Achieving IICRC certification requires demonstrated competency in:
- Understanding mould biology and the conditions that support colonisation
- Conducting professional mould inspections and interpreting moisture readings
- Designing and implementing containment protocols to prevent cross-contamination
- HEPA filtration and negative air pressure management
- Safe removal and disposal of contaminated materials
- Clearance testing standards and post-remediation verification
Many operators in the Northern Rivers market use the word “professional” loosely. Current IICRC S520 certification is the credential that backs that claim up, and it is the benchmark this site looks for before any enquiry is referred. Whoever you engage, ask to sight their current IICRC credentials rather than taking a logo on a website at face value.
Post-Flood Mould in the Northern Rivers
The February 2022 Lismore floods, a 14.4-metre peak that inundated more than 10,000 homes with Category 3 contaminated floodwater, created a mould remediation challenge on a scale this region had never seen.
Category 3 water (sewage-contaminated floodwater) is not the same as water from a burst pipe or a roof leak. It carries a pathogen load that colonises building materials differently, and the mould species it can support include some that pose serious health risks. Standard surface cleaning, even thorough surface cleaning, does not address what happens inside wall cavities when Category 3 water is absorbed by timber frames, insulation batts, and the paper facing of plasterboard.
The 2022 floods reshaped how mould is dealt with across Lismore and the broader Richmond River catchment. Identifying concealed mould in homes that look clean now calls for specific investigation techniques, thermal imaging, moisture mapping, targeted invasive investigation, and it comes with an insurance documentation process that flood-affected homeowners have had to learn the hard way. Contractors who work this catchment deal with it constantly, and that experience is what this site looks for before passing an enquiry on.
If your home was flooded in 2022 and you’re still experiencing musty smells, persistent respiratory symptoms, or unexplained wall discolouration, concealed mould is a serious possibility. Read our post-flood mould guide or contact us to arrange an assessment.
Coastal Climate Knowledge
Byron Bay, Lennox Head, and Ballina homeowners face a specific mould challenge that inland markets don’t: the combination of subtropical humidity with coastal salt air. Salt particles are hygroscopic, they attract and hold moisture. When salt deposits on porous building materials like untreated timber, plasterboard, or grouted tiles, it creates permanently humid micro-surfaces that mould spores find very hospitable.
Add to this the intense wet season (December to April), the elevated overnight temperatures that prevent materials from fully drying out, and the heavy occupancy loads that holiday rentals impose on bathrooms and kitchens, and you have conditions that demand specialist knowledge, not general cleaning.
How a Job Gets Approached
Assessment First
Nobody should arrive with a pre-determined solution. Every job starts with a thorough assessment: visual inspection, moisture meter readings, and where appropriate, air quality and surface sampling. What’s actually there has to be understood before a course of action is recommended.
Transparent Scope and Pricing
Before any remediation work begins, you receive a written scope of works with fixed pricing from the contractor. They explain what they’re doing, why they’re doing it, and what outcome you can expect. The quote, the contract and the invoice are all theirs, not ours.
IICRC-Protocol Remediation
For anything beyond minor surface mould, the IICRC S520 standard describes what professional remediation looks like: physical containment of affected areas, negative air pressure using HEPA-filtered air scrubbers, safe removal of contaminated materials, antimicrobial treatment, and post-remediation clearance testing. Ask the contractor quoting your job to walk you through how their method matches it.
Clearance Verification
You shouldn’t have to take anyone’s word for it. Post-remediation clearance testing, air sampling conducted after the work is complete, verifies that mould levels have returned to acceptable baseline. For larger projects, independent third-party clearance testing is available.
Prevention Advice
A completed job should come with site-specific prevention advice: ventilation improvements, humidity management strategies, maintenance schedules, and early warning signs. We’d rather you stayed mould-free than came back to us in six months with the same problem.
Who We Work With
Homeowners dealing with bathroom mould, ceiling mould, or suspected concealed mould in walls, subfloors, or roof voids.
Flood-affected residents in Lismore, Casino, and surrounding areas still managing the aftermath of the 2022 floods or more recent storm events.
Property managers and short-term rental operators in Byron Bay, Lennox Head, and Ballina who need fast, professionally documented remediation that protects their business and complies with platform and regulatory requirements.
Landlords seeking inspection reports and remediation documentation to meet their obligations under the NSW Residential Tenancies Act.
Pre-purchase buyers commissioning mould inspections as part of due diligence, particularly for older Northern Rivers properties or any home in a flood-affected area.
Insurance claimants requiring professionally documented mould assessments to support remediation claims.
Get in Touch
If you’re dealing with mould, or you’re not sure what you’re dealing with, the first step is a proper assessment. We cover the full Northern Rivers region; describe what you can see and smell, and your enquiry will be reviewed personally by the operator.
Request a Free Quote. No pressure, no obligation.