Initial Investigation
Reasons to Hire a Certified Mold Inspector
- Reports of Water Damage, Roof Leaks or Plumbing Problems
- Occupant Complaints of Illness from Building
- Legally Defensible Testing Methodologies
- Third Party Verification of Mold Repairs
- Perform Due Diligence for Clients
- Visible Signs of Suspected Mold
- Health Department Inquiries
- Disclosure Requirements
- Reports of Musty Odors
So Why Should You Hire Same Day Mold Testing?
- Two Units Inspected for the Price of One! (same location)
- Independent Third Party Assessment of Property Condition
- Nationally Recognized Professional Credentials
- Broad Geographic Coverage
- Available 7 Days a Week
- Same Day Service
Reasons to Hire a Certified Mold Inspector
- Reports of Water Damage, Roof Leaks or Plumbing Problems
- Reports of Musty Odors or Visible Signs of Mold
- Legally Defensible Testing Methodologies
- Perform Due Diligence for Clients
- Disclosure Requirements
- Expedited Lab Results
- Lender Requirements
So Why Should You Hire Same Day Mold Testing?
- Two Units Inspected for the Price of One! (same location)
- Independent Third Party Assessment of Property Condition
- Nationally Recognized Professional Credentials
- Broad Geographic Coverage
- Available 7 Days a Week
- Same Day Mold Inspection Service
Because a house has been prepped for sale, paint may conceal hidden mold problems. Also, disclosure may be lacking in regards to water damage (e.g. Bank Owned Property). As such, wall cavity sampling around plumbing is a way to detect hidden mold problems. Cavity sampling should be coupled with air sampling to determine if there is a hidden mold problem that is compromising indoor air quality. Expedited Lab Results may be necessary depending on how much time is left for the inspection contingency period and to have enough to time to generate the inspection report and submit a request for repairs.
Reasons to Hire a Certified Mold Inspector
- Independent Third Party Assesement of Property Condition
- Do-it-Yourself Mold Test Kits Won’t Hold Up in Court
- Unresponsive or Uncooperative Landlords
- Feeling Sick When Inside the Unit
- Suspect Black Toxic Mold
- Lease Disputes
So Why Should You Hire Same Day Mold Testing?
- Budget Friendly Pricing Options – Possibly Reimbursable by Landlord
- Recommend Actions for Landlord to Solve the Problem
- Cavity Sampling
- DIY Maintenance
- Specialized Tenant Reports
- Broad Geographic Coverage
- Available 7 Days a Week
- Same Day Service
At Same Day Mold Testing, Inc., we offer certified mold inspection in Southern California for general contractors (and other trade specialties) that need an inspection to address a mold concern on behalf of your client. Contact our office to discuss the particulars of your situation. We will determine the best course of action to address the concerns of both you and your valuable clients.
Certified Mold Inspection Los Angeles includes: visual inspection by a well trained, certified mold inspector, moisture readings of construction materials, humidity readings, on-site sampling recommendations and a subsequent written mold inspection report with recommendations.
Post Remediation Verification
Mold Clearance Inspection: The Basics
It is important to make sure that you complete post-remediation verification in Los Angeles, CA right after the removal is complete. So, you have a mold problem that has been corrected and you want to know if it is okay to move occupants back into the building? Get a clearance inspection.
For the purpose of this article, post-abatement, post-remediation, and clearance are synonymous terms. Essentially, it means checking the work after it has been done.
As a general rule, owners can solve a mold problem in-house if the total repair cost is $500 or less, and/or the affected area is less than ten (10) square feet. Otherwise, all mold remediation and water damage restoration in Los Angeles, CA should be done by a company that is licensed, certified, and insured.
In either case, a clearance inspection should be done to verify the mold has been adequately removed prior to reconstruction. It will also satisfy disclosure requirements for buyers in the event of sale or transfer. The clearance inspection will demonstrate your due diligence in having the problem handled properly in the event of a formal complaint or lawsuit.
The purpose of a mold clearance inspection is to provide an assessment report based on the remediation work performed by a mold remediation contractor.
A post remediation inspection, both visual and analytical, is performed to ensure a return to a pre-mold contaminated environment, or Condition 1. The clearance assessment is based on the following four (4) criteria:
- Absence of visible dust, debris and moisture within the containment area(s):
- Absence of visible fungal growth within the containment area(s);
- Moisture content of lumber and other construction materials are within normal limits inside the containment area(s); and
- Balance of the airborne fungal spores found inside the containment area(s) when compared to fungal spores found outside the containment area(s), based on total spore count and/or hierarchy of spores detected.
If all four (4) of these criteria are met, then the mold remediation efforts are considered to be acceptable (PASS) and remediation is complete. If any of the four (4) criteria are not met, then the mold remediation efforts are considered to be unacceptable (FAIL) and further action is recommended. In the event the containment area fails mold clearance, a re-inspection is recommended.
Not all remediation projects require post-remediation verification (PRV), but it should be performed by someone working for the building owner. Clearance testing services ensure the contractor has remediated according to industry accepted standards.
The remediation company has a vested interest in passing any type of PRV inspection because it costs more time and money to continue working on your project if it fails inspection. By letting the contractor know you plan to test afterwards puts them on notice to do their best work.
Indoor Air Quality
Many people have allergies and are particularly sensitive to mold. Medical professionals can perform tests to determine if someone is reactive to certain types of mold. Mold can produce several symptoms for individuals, particularly the very young, elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Mold testing the indoor environment will assist in determining if there is a health risk associated with the space one occupies. Residential, commercial and industrial buildings can harbor mold contamination that can create “Sick Building Syndrome.” Hire Same Day Mold Testing, Inc. to investigate your health concerns about the building you or someone you care about occupies.
People can spot mold when there is severe contamination affecting large areas. But what about hidden mold? Mold likes dark, confined spaces because it can grow more easily where there is no disturbance to the area. Often this results in mold growth occurring in hidden places like ceiling cavities, wall cavities, floorboard cavities and crawlspaces. Detecting hidden mold usually requires specialized equipment and a trained mold professional. Hire Same Day Mold Testing, Inc. for a professional and experienced inspector to investigate the areas hidden mold usually resides. We monitor and inspect indoor air quality in Los Angeles, CA and Pasadena, CA.
Okay, so you see something that you think is mold. Does that mean it’s a mold problem? Maybe. Maybe not. Consumers can be misled to think that the mere presence of mold means there is a problem that requires the expertise of a mold removal company. That’s not always the case. There can be mold on a surface but not in the air. Mold removal companies bank on the visible signs of mold to justify expensive repairs that may be unnecessary. Like most repairs, mold repairs have varying levels of severity. Some visible mold can be wiped away, other mold needs to be cut out. Depending on how much mold there is, it could be a simple handyperson fix. Or it could require the specialty service of a mold removal company. Hire Same Day Mold Testing, Inc. to give you an objective opinion about visible mold and its impact on the space you occupy.
Outdoor Air Sample is “Normal” – Whenever we recommend air sampling, we start with an outdoor sample. That is because there are no threshold exposure limits for airborne fungal activity. It’s the baseline that we use to reach our conclusion as to whether or not there is an air quality problem.
For example, if there are 10 spores outside and 100 of the same spore type inside, that would suggest an air quality problem. If there are 10 outside and 2 inside, this would suggest normal fungal ecology. Customers that decline an outdoor sample generally raises more questions on the back end that involve a lot of explanation that could have been answered with the outdoor sample. Especially if the results have to be sent along to a third party, such as tenants passing along to the landlord or an attorney.
Indoor air quality is measured by collecting samples. Mold sampling includes air, surface, bulk materials and cavity samples. It is customary to collect 4 to 5 samples to investigate indoor air quality. Depending on the number of rooms, it may call for several more samples.
As an example, a bathroom with discoloration under the sink would justify 5 samples: 1 surface sample of the discoloration, 1 wall cavity sample to determine if there is hidden mold, 1 air sample of the bathroom for air quality, 1 air sample of another room to determine if there is cross contamination affecting indoor air quality, and 1 outdoor sample for normal air quality in the neighborhood.
Hire Same Day Mold Testing, Inc. to have sampling performed by a certified mold inspector and samples analyzed by an accredited laboratory.
Conflict of Interest
Same Day Mold Testing provides all the information you need about choosing the right mold inspector in Los Angeles. The mold inspection and mold remediation process is a balancing act of ensuring occupant health & safety and preserving the property value for the owner.
The mold inspection company you choose should offer a value proposition that stands apart from others, such as verifiable nationally recognized certifications that can be independently verified with the accreditation bodies. Ideally, the inspection and repair companies would be separate but circumstances might necessitate an immediate all-in-one solution.
There are several mold inspectors with varying degrees of experience and certifications. It can be a challenge for the novice consumer to know what constitutes a competent mold inspector. Certification is the first step. Verify an inspector’s credentials on third-party websites such as the American Council for Accredited Certification, or ACAC.org.
The beauty of ACAC credentials is two-fold: They are nationally recognized and they require verified work experience by third-party customers. For example, a Council-certified Microbial Consultant requires at least eight (8) years of verified experience with mold investigations.
The credentials for mold remediation and water damage restoration contractors should include a CSLB Contractors License, IICRC Certification, years of restoration industry experience, a fine work product, and a competitive price. In addition, the company should be able to provide multiple references of past customers who were satisfied with their experience, although nowadays review sites like ANGI (formerly Angie’s List) and Yelp prevail.
Ultimately, the quality of the mold consultant you hire will be measured by their professionalism, thoroughness, and report writing ability. The ability to articulate their observations and findings in a cogent and comprehensive manner will demystify the process and provide meaningful recommendations that can be used to solve a mold problem. And that is one of the main reasons for hiring a mold expert: To identify the problem and offer actionable ways to solve the problem in proportion to the degree of its severity.
Now that you know what to look for when hiring your mold inspector, contact Same Day Mold Testing to book an appointment.
It is acceptable for a mold inspection company to make referrals to remediation companies. It is even acceptable for a company to have separate divisions that perform mold inspections, mold remediation, and water damage restoration. It should be noted that it is not illegal for a company to perform mold inspections and mold removal. The perceived conflict of interest can happen if the company is not transparent about the full-service solutions they provide. If you are suspicious of the recommendations of the inspection company, obtaining a second opinion will assist in determining the appropriate course of action.
The remediation company should be a CSLB licensed & insured contractor and an IICRC Certified Firm because they will be demolishing portions of the property in order to repair it. These repairs should be performed in accordance with industry standards, and the Institute for Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) is the gold standard for mold remediation and water damage restoration both domestically and internationally.
As a licensed contractor, the mold removal company has to comply with legal requirements for deposit limitations, payment schedules, lien notifications, and other disclosures that protect you as a consumer. Any company performing mold removal that is not a CSLB licensed contractor is breaking the law, so verify the active license on the CSLB website before you sign a contract. If the company is not licensed you should report them for unlicensed activity, which can also be done on the CSLB website.
Mold remediation and water damage restoration can be an expensive endeavor and you want to have recourse in the event something goes wrong!
About Mold Remediation
There are times when mold testing is unnecessary because the problem is so obvious that the first step is mold removal. In such instances, hiring a mold remediation company is the priority instead of getting testing done. That makes financial sense too because those hundreds of dollars spent on testing could be applied to actually solving the problem.
In such instances, you want to hire a company that is credentialed, experienced, affordable, and responsive. By credentialed, we mean the company should be a CSLB Licensed Contractor and IICRC Certified Firm. By experienced, we mean the company should have been in the industry for at least 10 years because repair methods evolve over time. Having the longevity is one part of the equation, but knowing the latest and greatest repair methods also matters.
Low price guarantees can make projects affordable, but a “race to the bottom” pricing strategy could compromise quality. Remember: all companies have to pay for rent, utilities, labor, vehicles, fuel, equipment & materials, and taxes, so there is only so low a company can go before they actually lose money on a job. Responsiveness also factors into the overall value proposition because you may have special needs outside of normal business hours.
It could take several interviews to determine the right company for your needs. We encourage you to interview three companies to evaluate their credentials, service offerings, pricing, and availability. Sometimes the sense of urgency doesn’t afford you the time to interview three companies. There is a solution for that: Presto! Restore Rebuild “Restoring Sanity to Restoration Services!” This licensed and certified contractor offers a price match and/or beat of the other similarly credentialed companies in the marketplace.
With transparent pricing and a low price guarantee, you will understand what’s involved with performing the work and what you can expect for your hard-earned money. Presto! Restore Rebuild “Restoring Sanity to Restoration Services!” strives to save customers anywhere from 10% to 30% by hiring them over the competition.
Pricing will vary depending on the level of severity from cleaning, restoration, to remediation/removal. Oftentimes, you can obtain a free estimate for repair to compare companies inexpensively. Mold remediation contractors can also rebuild the affected area so that you can get back to normal life as soon as possible. Be sure to obtain a documented evaluation of the completed mold repair before build-back.
Same Day Mold Testing, Inc. made a decision to offer remediation/restoration services as it became painfully obvious that our valued clients were being overcharged and underserved. We offer these services under our wholly owned subsidiary, Presto! Restore Rebuild (Presto Resto), which is a CSLB General B Licensed contractor and IICRC Certified Firm. We invite customers that know a repair is necessary to interview and obtain quotes from at least one (preferably two) contractors that offer mold removal services. Then present those quotes to Presto Resto for a low price guarantee of similarly credentialed companies. With so many unlicensed contractors performing this work and lack of transparent pricing, you will see the difference in the level of credentials Presto Resto carries, the use of the newest technology for engineering controls, and a commitment to saving you money!
We realize this may be seen as a conflict of interest. Here’s the difference: we are transparent about the services we provide and market them separately to the different segments in the marketplace. In other words, we are not offering “free” inspections to overcharge for repairs that may not be necessary. Same Day Mold Testing remains committed to staying objective in our investigations of mold and water damage. We will continue to offer pragmatic solutions that suit the specific property versus blanket remediation recommendations so common among inspectors and contractors in our industry. In that respect, if there is not a problem, we will say so. If there is a varying degree of cleaning or repair, we will say that too. And if there is a repair in order, we invite you to hire the contractor of your choice.
That being said, if you trust our recommendation and decide to hire Presto Resto for the repair, we have been transparent from the beginning about our intentions as a testing company. Remember: there is a whole other segment of the industry that knows they have a problem that needs to be fixed. Presto Resto is offering services to that segment of the market, so the marketing plan and business model is separate from Same Day Mold Testing even though customers may ultimately decide to do business with both companies because it is more convenient and less expensive. That is a win-win, plain and simple!
If mold cleanup or removal is the next step for you, click the link to be connected to Presto! Restore Rebuild “Restoring Sanity to Restoration Services!” Disclosure: Same Day Mold Testing, Inc. is the owner of Presto! Restore Rebuild (Presto Resto).