American Certified Mold
Inspectors, is an affiliate & partner
of Mark 1 &
Son Home Inspectors.
Serving the South Bay, the West Side, and the entire
Los Angeles and bordering county region Since
1986.
American Council for
Accredited Certification - Board
Certified - E&O & GL Insured
Proud Member of
The Better Business Bureau - A+
Rating
Indoor air
quality (IAQ) and TOXIC MOLD are today's #1 indoor
environmental issues. The serious health concerns and legal
liability issues related to TOXIC MOLD are well documented. It is
important to know the facts and to learn the correct ways to respond
to MOLD. Unfortunately, it is not always an easy task, due
to the fact that this new awareness and the related body
of knowledge is still evolving, and many times information is
ill-informed, misleading, and too often grossly
exaggerated.
Please
allow yourself approximately 10 valuable minutes to read this
informative website. It could save you many headaches and a
lot of money! When finished, call us for a free analysis of
your situation and we can determine together what course of action,
if any, is necessary.
Why are
you here? If you feel you have a mold problem,
find the category below that fits your situation then read on!
Are you
concerned about a mold issue in your residence, or your place of
employment? Most Americans spend
90% of there time indoors, most of that time is spent either at
home or at our jobs. What is the condition of the air
being consumed by the occupants? Mold inspections and air testing are now more
affordable than ever. Read on...learn more and call us for a free
evaluation of the inspection service you may require. Consider
a plan to conduct periodic inspections and air sampling at
home and at the work place, taking a proactive
approach.*
Are you buying a home?
Make
sure you are not purchasing a mold problem! You could be faced with
significant expense cleaning up a mold problem that was not
discovered during the time of purchase. Question your home inspector
about any past, present and potential excessive moisture and water
intrusion issues. An unknown mold problem may exist.
Are you selling a
home? Make sure you are not selling a mold problem! "Ignorance is
bliss" as they say, but lack of knowledge does not relieve liability
and potential for lawsuits. Know what you sell!
Are a you real
estate agent? For the buyer or for the seller?
At this point in time, most professional agents
and brokers are keenly aware of the mold issue and how to handle it.
However, it is recommended that agents and brokers
encourage, as opposed to
discouragemold inspections on any
occasion where moisture or water problems have occurred, and when
their client expresses significant concerns regarding water issues
or mold. Consider supplying your clients with one of our "service
plans"* as a gift at
closing.
Are you a Property Manager or
a Landlord? Protect your interests and your
client's interests by showing "due diligence" regarding mold in
your tenant occupied property. Lawyers are
aggressively encouraging tenants to seek legal actions for
negligence against landlords regarding mold issues, of which, many
times are frivolous. Many are now having annual water
intrusion/mold inspections to insure against frivolous, as well
as legitimate lawsuits. Ask about "The
RED-X System!* -
a service plan.
Are
you a Child Care or Health Care Facility Operator...a
Retirement or Convalescent Home Operator?There is a very high degree
of liability regarding airborne mold spore contamination in these
facilities. A pro-active inspection can reveal issues that can be
addressed before they become a threat to the occupants
health, thus, deflecting potential
liability.*
Do you own REO
properties? We can serve as your inspection
firm so you know exactly what condition your properties are in.*
Are you a Home
Owners Association (HOA) ? If
there was, or if there is a current water intrusion or water leaking
issue of any kind, it could develop into a mold problem for multiple
homeowners. Unknown water problems can result in very costly damages
and can quickly deplete HOA financial reserves and threaten the
property values of those homeowners effected. Consider an annual
inspection plan, specifically for water intrusions and
mold.*
Are you a tenant?
Do you have a mold problem
that is NOT your fault? If so, let your landlord or property manager
know, preferably in writing. Still notify your landlord
regardless if it IS your fault or not, to prevent further
damage and contamination. Give them the opportunity to properly
investigate and correct the problem beforetaking matters into
your own hands.
Are
you a builder/contractor? Building
contractors remain liable for construction
defects well after completion of their projects. In California,
that period is for 10 years in some circumstances. Periodic
inspections can help minimize damages and liability if defects
begin to show. Ask about our service
plans*.
*We
have developed mold/water intrusion inspection operations and
maintenance (O&M) plan (a service plan) for
proactive, pre-scheduled periodic inspections designed specifically
for: Property management companies, landlords,
HOAs, builders, employers, schools, clinics, day care and
health care facilities, retirement and convalescent
facilities, as well as for the typical homeowner. Ask
your inspector about "The RED-X System". (C)
. Consult your inspector
or call or email us TODAY for more information.
There are many
reasons why you may be here, but when it comes
to mold,
DON'T BE
CONFUSED!
IT'S ALL
ABOUT THE AIR WE
BREATHE!
(as well as, the value of your real
estate)
It is a fact that mold spores can
enter our bodies through skin, eye and mouth contact but in
the truest sense, MOLD primarily becomes a "problem" when
the air that we breathe becomes saturated with amplified
levels of MOLD spores! Excessive
moisture is the culprit, MOLD is the
result.
When MOLD colonizes
(reproduces) indoors, it releases spores that
become airborne, just as though it was outdoors, however,
when trapped, so to speak, by the indoor containment, the airborne spores have
nowhere to go. Accordingly, much like smoke in a closed room, the air becomes
densely filled with, what are too often "TOXIC" MOLD spores,
forcing MEGA-doses to be ingested by all that occupy the
environment.
Stop the moisture sourcefirst...then clean up the
MOLD! Followed by creating a dryer
and more efficiently ventilated indoor
environment, OR the situation only continues, and
worsens. REMEMBER...mold spores are present naturally on most
every surface. Mold spores simply wait for water to begin
colonizing. It can be a simple elevation humidity of, not just
actual visible water. We can NEVER get rid of mold completely, but
we can control it.
INSPECT
FOR WATER INTRUSIONS & MOLD AND TEST THE
AIR!
The only way to know what is in the
air, is through AIR TESTING! Many consumers are
spending far too much time and money cleaning up
MOLD conditions that pose no direct or potential health
threat.
A formal water
intrusion/mold inspection goal is to reveal present
and potential water intrusions and subsequent mold
colonization. Air sampling and mold testing should
reveal any amplified levels of airborne mold spores, and
ideally the source of the MOLD spore contamination. Lab
analysis will determine the types of molds and the total mold
spore counts present, and help to determine what further
actions, if any, that may be appropriate.
BEWARE!
Never hire an inspection company who is also in
the repair or in the "remediation" business! The
company who performs the inspection and testing should
be independent of any other interest. This is currently the mold industry's #1
conflict of interest, as recognized by the more
respected powers in this old, but now re-born, and
rapidly evolving industry. ALWAYS
ASK!
REMEMBER THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FACT - There
are a lot of companies out there who simply want to play on your
fears and separate you from your money. Keep this in
mind...a true mold problem is handled in 3 steps.
These 3 steps will produce 3 separate documents that are
necessary to document everything so that if in the future
there is a need to disclose or defend how the mold problem
was remedied.
1. An independent mold inspection by a
certified and insured mold inspection firm. This documents the
problem and serves as a guide for any
necessary repairs needed, so you can effectively proceed
to step 2.
2. Professional mold remediation by a certified
mold remediation firm (following IICRC standards of
practice).
3. Re-inspection to determine that the repairs
were properly and effectively completed.
Note: Your inspection firm typically acts as
your guide during the process. After this 3 step process is
complete, you will end up with the 3 documents previously
mentioned representing - a. the establishment of the
problem b. the repair of the problem. and c. the
verification that all repairs were
successful.
By adhering to the 3-step process, not only
will you be comfortable that your environment is safe once again,
but you will also be protected from real estate
devaluation. In today's real estate world, nobody wants to
buy a mold problem. It is required by law to disclose the
conditions of your home before you sell. If you have had water
intrusions or leaks that have resulted in mold, by producing the
three documents to the buyer and/or buyers agent, you
immunize yourself from their attempt at negotiating a lower
price due to a mold
problem.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD MOLD INSPECTOR?
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT
QUESTION! - As this new industry evolves, many
have jumped into the mold business to take advantage of this new
service and potential profit center. And, as one
might imagine, some are
much more qualified than others. There are many
great mold inspectors who came
from other professions, having received superb training and
certifications, and who are leading the way providing top
quality mold inspection services to their
clients.
Keeping that in mind, many agree that for the
most part, the best mold inspectors are those who
have an extended background in general building construction
and inspection.
THE "CIH"
MYTH - A "Certified Industrial Hygienist"
(CIH) is indeed a prestigious and revered designation, an
accomplished status requiring college degrees and extreme
certification requirements and testing. However, the mere
"CIH" acronym does not mean that one is educated in the
area of "residential" MOLD, which can be
very misleading. The CIH designation may specialize in many
otherareas. The "I" stands for
"Industrial" not "residential". A "MOLD" qualified
CIH mold inspection is
certainly, in most cases, considered a level above today's typical
"certified" mold inspector. However a CIH inspection
from a "non-mold" qualified inspector, and without structural
knowledge of residential or light commercial construction, may be
of even less qualified than today's "Certified" Inspectors. BUT
THAT ISN'T ALL!...
As over-inflated egos would have it;
unfortunately many CIHs strongly criticize and literally make fun
of the new "certified" mold inspector as "unqualified" etc.
In may cases, this is certainly justified, because there
are a lot of very unqualified and even
fraudulent individuals in this business posing as
"certified" mold inspectors. As time passes and as the industry
ultimately unites, these less-than-desirable inspectors will
become less of a factor. However, one of the main targets of
criticism by some CIHs is toward the "professional home
inspector", many of whom have gone through their own very
involved and rigorous certification requirements, and have added
mold inspections and air quality testing to their services. This
really gets the ire of many CIHs, who have until now enjoyed a
much less competitive monopoly on the market.
LETS GO ONE STEP FURTHER, let's turn the
table for a moment and ask..."Is a CIH as qualified as a
professional home inspector who is also properly certified as a
mold inspector?"
The best mold inspectors are those
who, not only have learned to perform a professional mold
inspection, but those who truly understand why mold
problems occur in the first place. An advanced knowledge
of water intrusions and their causes and origins
are basic essentials. Most good home inspectors are water
intrusion experts...IMPORTANT QUESTION - Is the CIH educated
in this area? In most cases...NO, THEY ARE
NOT!
It's one thing to
analyze a mold problem, which both an adequately certified
home/mold inspector and a CIH that is properly educated in
mold can perform
properly...but...The most important
thing is to be able to identify why the
mold problem happened in the first place, in order to prevent it
from happening again. Experienced professional building
and/or home inspectors typically are better armed with
this experience than those who come from other professions, including a CIH. In time,
this will change as the industry grows, but for now,
many agree that this specific construction defect
oriented background possessed by the professional home
inspector is a great barometer for hiring
a good mold
inspector.
THE BOTTOM LINE...a well certified and
knowledgeable mold inspector with extensive construction
defect/home inspection background is the best
bet.
The popular standard for hiring a qualified mold
inspector that is gaining more and more credibility comes in
4 basic areas.
1. IAQA (Indoor Air Quality Association)
Membership
2. IESO (Indoor Environmental Standards
Organization) Standards of Practice
Certification
3. BOARD CERTIFIED - by
the ACAC - American Council for Accredited Certification,
(formerly known as AmIAQC (American Indoor Air Quality
Council)
4. E& O insured (Errors and Omissions) &
GL insured (General Liability) - Hard to obtain unless
qualified.
Take your time,
and ask lots of questions...get multiple opinions and quotes...and
above all, if you are comfortable with a
specific inspector, don't let the cost be the
determining factor regarding who you finally hire!
ADDITIONAL THINGS
TO BEWARE OF:
1. The word "FREE"
- As most of us have learned in this life, little or nothing
is FREE. Many desperate mold inspectors offer "free"
inspections. Think about it...unless they are providing a
charity, or a giveaway, they would not be in business long if they
truly did free inspections. 100% of the time they will find a mold
problem, whether one exists or not, and many times the unknowing
individual will go along with whatever they are told out of fear
and lack of knowledge.
The legitimate and
knowledgeable inspectors will ask you a number of questions on
your first call to them to qualify the situation. Many, many times
we have taken calls from those who think they have a mold problem
but we determined on the phone that they do not.
2. Insurance
companies - Most insurance companies do not cover mold damages.
Those that do are typically very hard to work with, and will do
all they can to either minimize or refuse the claim. Typical they
will send out their own inspector, and often will not share the
results of any testing with you. You will never know if it
was done completely and correctly. Be cautious in trusting an
insurance company.
BEFORE YOU SPEND
MONEY ON MOLD INSPECTION OR REMOVAL
Take 10
minutes And Do Some More Valuable
Reading
Click On The
Following:
or CALL
1-800-MOLD-212
Goand
click buttons on left for additional
information.
