
Santa Barbara County is paradise until you realize paradise has a moisture problem. Ocean fog rolls in, clings to red tile roofs, seeps into attic vents, and hangs in shaded courtyards long after the sun’s up. Add hillside runoff in Montecito, older plaster and adobe walls in downtown Santa Barbara, and salt-air corrosion that eats away at seals, and you’ve got a county-wide mold risk that moves fast and hides deep.
We’ve opened up Mission Canyon living rooms where an unseen roof leak had been feeding colonies for months. We’ve pulled mold out of 1920s basements in Carpinteria where the air felt dry, but the subfloor framing was dripping from groundwater intrusion. By the time you smell that earthy, stale odor, it’s already behind the paint, inside the walls, and circulating through your HVAC.
Because you don’t need just restoration. You need Total Restoration.
Santa Barbara County mold remediation isn’t just about scrubbing visible growth. The real threat is structural — colonies rooted in framing, insulation, and ductwork. And here, the microclimates make it worse. The coastal strip sees daily fog cycles. The foothills trap humidity against shaded slopes. Interior valleys heat up during the day, pulling moisture through cracks at night.
Our process:
Inspection & Mapping
Containment & Filtration
Drying & Source Elimination
Targeted Removal & Sanitation
Documentation & Clearance
We don’t “treat” mold. We remove it at the root, eliminate its environment, and rebuild so it can’t return.
Here’s what homeowners and businesses ask most:
Between the marine layer, hillside fog, and seasonal rains, moisture exposure here is almost constant. All mold needs is water, a porous surface, and time, and our climate delivers.
Unchecked, it:
We see the fastest spread after:
Total Restoration stops it cold.
Posted on Marge MosleyTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I was sound asleep when a stolen car driven by teens crashed through my back fence in the middle of the night. I was totally unprepared for what I needed to do next so I called Total Restoration, which turned out to be the best move that I could have made. I highly recommend them should you have a situation that requires an Emergency Service company.They truly are a 24/7 company and were willing to come out during the middle of the night to perform an emergency board up. The (crew consisting of 1 Supervisor and an additional employee) arrived within 40 minutes of my call. They immediately began to clean up and board up my property, from that initial contact on, Total Restoration helped to walk me though the process of dealing with my insurance co and restoring my property to its original condition. They always arrived to work when they said that they would and before they left for the day they always let me know what would happen next and when they would be back. Everyone I had contact with from the front office all the way down to the field personnel were friendly, polite and knowledgeable about what need to happen and when. It was a pleasure to work with them and they definitely took a lot of stress off me as they totally guided me through the entire rebuild process. They are a fantastic company to work with!Posted on Robyn VanTolTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. These guys did smoke remediation on our house in the Palisades. They did a great job walking us through the process and were very fast in getting us a quote and starting the job. Very appreciative of them.Posted on Alan ETrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Absolutely a great company to work with. Excellent work Excellent staff Very professionalPosted on Holly HolderTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Our experience working with Total Restoration to reconstruct our kitchen after water damage leak was honestly the best service we could have asked for. From the moment we met with Blake who did our estimate and walked me through every single question I had and really worked with us and our insurance agent. Jeff was our project manager and he was not only very personable & great to work with, he worked tirelessly to get us back in our home before Christmas. Not only that but we worked our budget to get us all that we needed and more to get our house back to a home. Thank you to the entire team!! Our home restoration would not have been as smooth with the company our insurance recommended I know that.Posted on Randy J Reyes JrTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great company and very professional. Chris is very knowledgeable and experienced. They take on small and big jobs, if your looking for someone this team is the one to hire.Posted on Sally Ponce-O'RourkeTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I highly recommend Total Restoration whether you have a small job (like in our bathroom) or a challenging one like with our condominium. First, they had to find the window leaks and because it is a 3 story building, had to erect scaffolding on the outside of the condo. They replaced drywall and surprisingly did an incredible job matching the old paint on the interior walls. Jeff Wilson and his team were professional and at the same time approachable. Our daughter & fiancé live in the condo in a different city than where we live. Jeff kept us informed (including pictures] every step of the way which alleviated any concerns we might have had. Also, being my husband is in the construction business, we knew the cost was reasonable and the results were amazing. Guarantee, Total Restoration will be the first & only company we will call when we need a job done right!Load more
A wipe-down won’t fix Santa Barbara mold. Spores here burrow into plaster, wood, and even adobe. Spray bleach on the surface, and you’ve just added water — feeding the growth.
Our certified crews handle full-cycle remediation:
HEPA-filtered air scrubbers trap airborne contaminants during demolition
Full containment zones prevent cross-contamination in multi-room layouts
Selective demolition removes damaged material without overcutting
EPA-approved antimicrobials neutralize spores on remaining surfaces
Industrial drying shuts down the moisture source completely
We don’t leave mold’s roots behind.
Full property scan — attics, basements, crawlspaces, ductwork, and wall cavities. Third-party testing for species and spore count if needed.
Track every water entry point — roof, plumbing, foundation, HVAC — and fix it before removal starts.
Industrial barriers and negative air machines lock spores inside the work zone.
Continuous HEPA scrubbing prevents cross-contamination.
Cut out infested materials with surgical precision. Preserve structural integrity.
EPA-approved antimicrobials on all surfaces.
Dehumidifiers and air movers until moisture readings are stable.
Restore finishes, structure, and air quality. One crew. One invoice.
Myth: Stucco walls can’t get mold.
Reality: Water gets behind stucco through cracks and stays trapped.
Myth: Mold problems only happen with old homes
Reality: Even new builds get mold from poor ventilation or construction leaks.
Myth: Dry weather kills mold.
Reality: Mold goes dormant and restarts when moisture returns.
Myth: Small patches aren’t serious.
Reality: They often signal major hidden growth.
Within 48 hours, untreated moisture can:
Lower indoor air quality
Trigger respiratory illness
Destroy flooring, drywall, and insulation
Reduce property value
Complicate insurance claims
Our process doesn’t just remove mold, it protects your home’s structure and your health.
Santa Barbara insurance carriers often cite “ongoing maintenance” to deny mold claims. If you can’t prove it was sudden and accidental, and that you acted immediately, you’re paying out of pocket.
We build airtight claim files:
Other companies will dry, spray, and send a bill. We go further, because we care more about protecting your claim than padding our schedule. That means building an airtight file that forces approval for the entire remediation and rebuild, not just a cosmetic patch.
When you see mold, it’s been there for weeks. Our 24/7 team rolls to your door within 90 minutes. No subcontracting. No waiting for “business hours.”
Santa Barbara mold emergency?
Call 805-410-4999, our crew mobilizes immediately.