Provider profile
Environmental Solutions Service
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Southern Maryland homeowners in Charles County dealing with mold after water damage who want an ACAC-credentialed owner personally running the job.
Best for
- Homeowners in Charles County and Southern Maryland who need mold remediation with post-clearance reconstruction handled by the same crew.
- Crawl space mold and moisture problems where encapsulation is the long-term fix.
- Repeat flood situations where you want a company familiar with your property's drainage history.
About this company
Environmental Solutions Service is an owner-operated mold remediation company based in Waldorf, MD, serving Charles, St. Mary's, Calvert, and Prince George's Counties plus Washington DC. The company is led by John G. Paul, who holds the ACAC Council's CMRS (Microbial Remediation Supervisor) credential and an IICRC water damage technician designation. He founded the company in 2006 after 30-plus years in the construction industry.
Beyond mold removal, ESS handles crawl space encapsulation, residential waterproofing, water damage restoration, indoor air quality testing, and mildew removal. They also do reconstruction work after remediation, which means you can avoid hiring a separate contractor to rebuild what was torn out. The company holds Maryland Home Improvement License #83858.
With 21 Google reviews and a 4.8-star rating, ESS has an unusually clean review record. No reviewer in the last 18 months has left a rating below 4 stars. Multiple repeat customers appear in the reviews, including one who has used them for basement flooding roughly every two years.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Waldorf, MD. Serves Charles County, St. Mary's County, Calvert County, Prince George's County, and Washington DC. The company also holds a Virginia mold inspector credential, though the primary service area is Southern Maryland.
Review consensus
John Paul's personal involvement is the most consistent theme. Reviewers name him directly in at least eight reviews, highlighting his willingness to explain issues, show up for same-day consultations, and stay responsive throughout projects. Several reviewers mention fast scheduling and same-day assessments. Alison Asmussen described using ESS for mold abatement, a drainage system, basement rebuild, two bathroom renovations, and a kitchen remodel, calling them the only contractor she uses now. Sunny Grissett, a repeat flooding customer, noted that the one time she used a different company she was displeased and returned to ESS.
0 found across 21 total reviews at 4.8★. No complaints at 3 stars or below have appeared in the last 18 months. Across all 21 reviews, the rating sits at 4.8 stars with no visible negative patterns to assess.
The review base is small (21 reviews over roughly 20 years of operation) but heavily skewed positive. Several reviewers mention switching to ESS after a bad experience with a competitor, suggesting the company may benefit from weak local competition. The repeat-customer pattern (Sunny Grissett, Alison Asmussen) is a stronger signal than single-visit reviews.
John Paul (owner/president — praised in 8+ reviews for responsiveness, knowledge, and hands-on involvement).
ESS is a one-man-led operation where John Paul is directly involved in most jobs. If you value that kind of owner oversight, ask for him specifically. Because they handle both testing and remediation, get an independent mold assessment before committing to their remediation proposal.
Keep in mind
- ESS performs both mold testing and mold remediation, which is a conflict of interest. The same company that tells you whether you have a problem also profits from fixing it. Ask whether they will accept a third-party inspector's findings or recommend an independent tester.
- The company operates Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm, with weekend appointments only by arrangement. If you have an emergency on a Saturday, confirm availability before assuming they can respond.
- With only 21 reviews accumulated since 2006, the volume is low for a company that has been operating for 20 years. That makes it harder to spot patterns in service quality.