Have you ever been online, perhaps on a search engine page or maybe a news portal of some kind and came across an ad for 'free' mold inspections? But "free" always looks good so you click on it anyway, only to find out (after it's too late) what you knew all along. "FREE" always comes with a price tag! Let me take a few minutes to present you four misleading statements you may come across in ads like these.
Let's start off with the first such claim: FREE Mold Inspection by a Licensed Mold Inspector.
There is no such thing as free about mold inspections. It is not inexpensive or easy to become certified mold inspectors and be capable to do mold inspections or to make mold testing. Why would a someone trying to run a legitimate business do all of that work and spend all of that money and time just to offer 'FREE' services? More often than not, when you see an ad for 'free mold inspections' it is being pitched by a company who is going to try to sell you mold removal services. Mold remediation, (mold removal), is a highly profitable business and many mold removal contractors act as mold inspectors use mold inspections to find (and sometimes even create) mold removal jobs for themselves.
If you learn that you have a significantly serious mold problem you can be so daunted by the prospect of what all can go wrong that you don't see what you are being sold by unethical mold remediation businesses who are making these very alluring claims.
Let's say it simply; it is probably never smart to depend on a mold inspector who makes his living from finding and removing mold in homes or businesses like yours. If you want an unbiased test and prognosis about your mold situation you would usually be smart to find a mold inspector who doesn't also offer mold remediation services.
Now let's consider a second misleading idea: FREE Mold Inspection by a LICENSED MOLD INSPECTOR.
You might be surprised to discover that there really isn't any such thing as a "Licensed Mold Inspector" in California. As of 2010 only three states expect mold inspectors to aquire a license, Texas, Florida, and New Jersey. You won't find any other US state requiring mold inspectors to have a license or even offering a licensing procedure. There are some certifications programs available for both mold inspectors and mold remediators.
Secondly, it is fundamental that you never assume that a mold remediation company is in reality a state licensed contractor or that they hold a true contractor license.
In the State of California mold remediation is classified as janitorial work. Legally speaking, any janitor can perform mold removal work without any kind of licensing whatsoever. When choosing a contractor be sure to get their contractor's license number and always check with Contractors State License Board to see if the license is currently active.
The fact of the matter is, there are no actual governmental licensing guidlines or requirements for those who perform mold inspections, mold testing or mold removal. New York City Department of Health (NYDOH) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have produced general guidelines that many businesses follow, however these are merely guidelines, not mandated regulations or standards, which apply mostly to the remediation of fungi in indoor environments.
Furthermore, there are no official state or federal certifications issued to anyone occupied in the occupation of mold inspections, mold testing or mold remediation. There are several unofficial individual companies that provide schoolroom education and/or home study courses and will present a "certificate of completion". None of these privately owned companies with certification programs in mold inspection or remediation are official agencies and are not legally bound to any official government approved curriculum or certification standard.
Additionally here is a third misleading statemenet: Surface samples are necessary!
But what are they necessary for? Yes, it is accurate that surface samples can be used to identify mold on a surface, but if you identify mold on a surface and you know it's mold, what is the point in sampling it? If you've got mold growing on a surface indoors, it doesn't belong there, so get rid of it! Surface sampling does not address the most important concerns of indoor mold growth.
Watch out for 'sample loading'. As the term implies, 'sample loading' is what dishonest mold inspectors do to bump up the rate of their bill by selling you more samples than you really need. Sometimes they will offer you a lower than going rate per sample, but then scare you into letting them take many more samples than are needful by making your mold situation seem much worse than it is.
Here's how you can protect yourself from sample loading by unethical mold inspectors. First of all, know that mold is everywhere, on everything, indoors and outdoors, and it is not always problematic. Just because there is mold on your couch (and rest assure there is) that doesn't mean "sky is falling". The important thing to determine first is, what is in the air and how much of it is there. Generally you will have no reason or need to find out what kind of mold is on a surface by collecting surface samples.
Misleading statement number four: US law says that testing and remediation will be done by different parties!
There is no state or federal law that stipulates that testing and remediation for mold be done by different entities. However, common sense tells us that sampling for mold (testing) by a mold inspector should never be done by one who is also a mold removal contractor who hopes to sell a remediation job. The same applies to post-remediation testing as well. Rest assured that mold removal contractors who perform testing after the job is finished will never fail their own work.
Every business has its share of con artists and scammers. The mold inspection industry is no exception. Corrupt contractors may seek to profit from fear, and naivet? may cost property owners thousands of dollars by creating non-existent problems or failing to properly correct a genuinely hazardous situation.
The golden rules for mold testing are simple. First, never rely on mold inspections conducted by someone who wants to sell you a mold removal job. Second, never permit a mold removal contractor to conduct his own clearance testing. Third, always require on sample analysis by an accredited AIHA / NVLAP laboratory.
Mold is a major health problem and you are right to take it seriously and do what you can to preserve your health, prevent illness and protect your property from its damaging effects. You don't need to permit yourself to be taken advantage of when you do. There is a lot that you can do to assure that you get good, accurate and professional service.
Author Resource:-
Advanced Mold Inspections and Environmental Testing is the leading provider of mold inspections and mold testing services in Southern California. As a certified mold inspector offering comprehensive mold testing expertise you can be confident of the highest level of professionalism and quality service every time. In addition to mold testing, AMI also tests for other indoor contaminants including asbestos, bacteria, lead, volatile organic compounds and more. For immediate service call 1-800-369-8532.
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