Palisades Fire: Responding to Fire & Smoke Damage Losses in the Greater Los Angeles Area

Mold Remediation in Santa Barbara County

Restoration pros serving homes and businesses across Santa Barbara County.

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.

4.5
Based on 32 reviews
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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

  • Thermal imaging finds moisture behind plaster, stucco, or wood paneling without unnecessary demolition.
  • Moisture meters detect saturation in subfloors, beams, and roof decks.
  • Crawlspace and attic inspections identify vapor intrusion and ventilation failures.

Containment & Filtration

  • Negative air machines with HEPA filters stop airborne spores from escaping the work zone.
  • Industrial poly barriers isolate demolition zones, even in complex layouts.

Drying & Source Elimination

  • Commercial desiccant dehumidifiers pull trapped moisture from dense materials like adobe and hardwood.
  • Air movers flush damp air from hidden cavities and built-ins.

Targeted Removal & Sanitation

  • Infested materials are cut out surgically, saving clean sections.
  • EPA-approved antimicrobials coat all exposed surfaces.

Documentation & Clearance

  • Moisture/humidity logs, spore counts, and demolition maps strengthen your insurance claim.
  • Independent environmental hygienists confirm the property is mold-free in writing.

We don’t “treat” mold. We remove it at the root, eliminate its environment, and rebuild so it can’t return.

Fire Damage Restoration

Silent Spread: Why Santa Barbara Mold Moves Faster

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:

  • Eats through lath-and-plaster walls common in pre-1950 homes
  • Rots structural beams in hillside decks and balconies
  • Drops indoor air quality to dangerous levels
  • Triggers asthma, sinus issues, and long-term respiratory distress

We see the fastest spread after:

  • Winter storms drive rain behind stucco
  • Mudslide debris traps moisture against foundations
  • Poor attic ventilation in tile-roofed homes holds humid air year-round

Total Restoration stops it cold.

Google Reviews

Robyn VanTol
01:51 24 Jan 25
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.
Jeff Wilson
14:57 12 Jan 25
I thought a different perspective may be nice with a review. I'm an employee with total restoration and I've worked with the owner for over 6 years. It's been so nice working with and for someone who always just wants to do what's right by the customer and do it well. Coming from a long construction background I can say that's not easy to find. Our team/ family works hard to provide a good experience as well and a good final product. Hopefully you're never in a place to need us, but if you do we are the company I would want walking into my home.
Alan E
19:29 31 Dec 24
Absolutely a great company to work with.
Excellent work
Excellent staff
Very professional
Holly Holder
05:09 21 Dec 24
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.
Randy J Reyes Jr
17:56 11 Dec 24
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.
Sally Ponce-O'Rourke
00:58 11 Sep 24
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!
Lisa Johnson
22:53 27 Feb 23
I was so lucky to find Chris and his company Total Restoration. They were very responsive to my phone calls, came out to see the mold problem and explained in detail how they could fix the issue.
It required remediating mold, which was hidden under my cabinet frames, rebuilding the frames and literally putting my kitchen back together again. Once they were finished my kitchen looked as good as it was originally, including the quartz counters and cabinets!
I can’t be more happy with how fast and careful they completed my entire kitchen repair, including remediating hard to reach mold. Their price was very fair, as my insurance would not cover the issue.
Total Restoration, with it’s owner Chris and his very competant crew, including his sister is the best company I have ever dealt with!

Surface Cleanups Don’t Cut It: Go Deep or Go Home

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.

Mold Abatement: What Total Restoration Delivers In Ojai

Inspection & Testing:

Full property scan — attics, basements, crawlspaces, ductwork, and wall cavities. Third-party testing for species and spore count if needed.

Source Elimination:

Track every water entry point — roof, plumbing, foundation, HVAC — and fix it before removal starts.

Containment:

Industrial barriers and negative air machines lock spores inside the work zone.

Air Filtration:

Continuous HEPA scrubbing prevents cross-contamination.

Selective Demo:

Cut out infested materials with surgical precision. Preserve structural integrity.

Sanitation:

EPA-approved antimicrobials on all surfaces.

Dry-Out:

Dehumidifiers and air movers until moisture readings are stable.

Rebuild:

Restore finishes, structure, and air quality. One crew. One invoice.

Moisture, Airflow, and the Perfect Storm Indoors

In Santa Barbara homes, mold starts when water intrusion meets poor airflow. Common triggers:
  • Leaks from Spanish tile roofs or corroded flashing
  • Salt-air corrosion eating window and door seals
  • Groundwater intrusion in Montecito and Carpinteria basements
  • Blocked foundation vents in older bungalows
  • HVAC systems pulling humid air through leaks in return ducts
Once spores find moisture and organic material, they colonize fast. We don’t just clear the growth, we track the source, dry it, and prevent it from coming back. Because you don’t need just restoration. You need Total Restoration.

Mold Myths vs Reality in Santa Barbara

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.

Safeguarding Your Health and Home

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.

Water Damage Restoration Ventura County

Insurance Only Pays Once — Let’s Make It Count

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:

  • Moisture/humidity logs
  • Pre/post remediation reports
  • Photographic evidence of all damage and repairs

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.

Call Total Restoration For Your Mold Emergency Today

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.

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