Few companies in the environmental abatement and remediation field earn the prestigious Diamond Certified award, which means they’ve been independently rated Highest in Quality. Even fewer can claim more than three decades of industry experience, but that’s exactly the case for P.W. Stephens Environmental, Inc. “We’re the largest abatement contractor in California, and we’ve also been around the longest,” says marketing manager Kim MacFarlane. “We’ve completed more abatement and remediation jobs than anyone else. We don’t do rebuilds or dry outs–we do one thing and do it well.”

P.W. Stephens Environmental’s Fremont location coordinates asbestos abatement, lead paint removal, mold remediation, duct cleaning and bed bug removal for clients throughout the Bay Area, but the company also maintains offices throughout California for its clients’ convenience. Upon the completion of each job, the customer receives a certification of abatement that demonstrates all work was completed to California environmental and health standards.

Unlike abatement and remediation companies that emphasize project volume over all, P.W. Stephens Environmental considers customer satisfaction its ultimate priority. Not only do the company’s employees strive to adhere to the highest standards of quality on each job, but they also make sure their customers are satisfied on a personal level. “We stand behind all our work,” confirms Ms. MacFarlane. “We never forget that we’re working in someone’s home. Our workers wear booties when they enter, and they sweep and make everything look nice before they leave.”

When starting a building project, make sure your contractor doesn’t plead ignorance about asbestos. There was a time when some contractors would simply ignore their asbestos abatement and licensing obligations. If they got caught by authorities, they could avoid responsibility—and penalties—by pleading ignorance. “They can’t play that game anymore,” says Kim MacFarlane, marketing manager at P.W. Stephens Environmental, Inc. in Fremont. “Today, everyone knows about asbestos.”

Ms. MacFarlane says it’s crucial to hire a contractor with proper abatement licensing and insurance. Otherwise, both the contractor and homeowner risk being fined. She recommends hiring a large company with the in-house resources to handle projects of every size. When small companies take on jobs, particularly large ones, they subcontract to outsiders who might lack the skills—and even the certifications—to work in the tightly regulated abatement industry.

If you suspect you have asbestos in your home, it’s best to contact a professional for immediate testing and removal. Before the work begins, consider the following precautionary tips:

• Don’t dust, sweep or vacuum debris that may contain asbestos.
• Don’t saw, sand, scrape or drill holes in asbestos materials.
• Don’t use abrasive pads or brushes on power strippers to strip wax from asbestos flooring. Never use a power stripper on a dry floor.
• Don’t sand or try to level asbestos flooring or its backing. When asbestos flooring needs to be replaced, install new floor covering over it whenever possible.
• Don’t track material that could contain asbestos through the house.

Once asbestos is removed from your home, there are numerous Green replacement options to consider, including cotton fiber, cellulose and Icynene foam (a nontoxic, water-based polyurethane spray). These recycled building materials can simultaneously reduce landfill waste and decrease annual energy costs up to 25 percent.

Q: Is all asbestos and lead paint dangerous?

A: No. Asbestos and lead are hazards when disturbed and airborne, but they aren’t dangerous when left undisturbed.

Q: How can I tell if I have asbestos in my home?

A: You should hire a qualified professional who’s trained and experienced in working with asbestos and lead to survey your home. It’s also important to have a survey done before you start any sort of renovation.

Q: How do I know if I have mold?

A: You can’t determine if you have mold by visible inspection; you can only tell if your air is tested. If you see something that looks like mold, it probably is, but you won’t know if it’s dangerous until it’s tested. Generally, mold comes from a water leak somewhere behind the sheetrock. If you don’t have proper ventilation, you’re going to get faster build-up.

Q: Will you work with my insurance company?

A: Yes, we’ll act as an intermediary between you and your insurance company. Once they’ve approved our estimate, we’ll work with you to come up with a schedule and ensure your insurance company covers everything you need done. We’re on the preferred vendor list of most major insurance carriers in California and have a 31-year proven track record with them, so they trust us.

Q: Does my insurance company pay you directly?

A: In most cases, your insurance company will send you a check, and then you pay us.

Q: How do I know that you’ve done a quality job?

A: Upon the completion of every job, we bring in a third-party air quality inspector to test the air and ensure the hazardous material levels are within safe limits. The inspector doesn’t work for our company, so he’s able to give a completely independent diagnosis.

Q: Do you offer free estimates?

A: Yes. We’ll tell you what your project will cost and how long it will take to complete.

Q: Do you also handle bed bug infestations?

A: Yes. We use a process called ThermaPureHeat to kill bed bugs. Most companies just use chemicals, which usually ends up scattering the bugs rather than getting rid of them. We put up barriers and apply the heat process to your home for up to eight hours. Then we come in and use HEPA-filtered vacuums to remove the dead bugs. Bed bugs can hide in walls and electrical sockets, so our process is the only way to truly eradicate an infestation.