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Information About AMI Mold Services |
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BASIC MOLD INSPECTION
A mold inspection is a non-invasive cursory visual examination of a
property, indoors and outdoors, for mold and conditions that cause mold. AMI uses
industry specific state-of-the-art electronic equipment to detect mold
and moisture
issues in residential and commercial buildings.
What Is The Goal of a Mold Inspection?
The goal of a mold inspection is to identify mold issues, determine the
cause and provide data to help establish an effective remediation
(removal) plan.
A Mold Inspection can help uncover hidden mold problems.
Sometimes mold is obvious and other times it's not. The absence of
visible mold does not necessarily mean that there is no mold problem. A
mold inspection can assist in identifying hidden mold problems that may
go unnoticed by an untrained eye.
[For an
example of how a mold inspection can reveal hidden mold click here.]
A Mold Inspection can help spot small mold problems early. There
are usually many warning signs of a mold problem "in-the-making". If you
identify them soon enough you can often prevent a minor problem from
becoming a major problem.
[For more information on
catching mold problems early click here.]
A Mold Inspection can help determine the cause your mold problem.
Equally as important as identifying mold problems is discovering how
they started. Unless you correct the cause, remediation efforts are
futile because the mold will come back.
[Back To Service Chart]
MOLD TESTING
(SAMPLING)
Mold testing is done by collecting samples on-site and having them
analyzed by an accredited laboratory. Sampling for mold should be
conducted by professionals with specific experience in designing mold
sampling protocols, sampling methods, and interpretation of results.
Sample analysis should follow analytical methods recommended by the
American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), the American Conference
of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), or the Indoor
Environmental Standards Organization (IESO). Types of samples include
air samples, surface samples, bulk samples (chunks of carpet,
insulation, wall board, etc.), and water samples from condensate drain
pans or cooling towers.
SAMPLING OPTIONS:
1. Surface Sampling:
Surface sampling consists of collecting a sample from any surface
either by use of a cotton swab, tape lift, or an actual piece of the
surface (bulk) for direct microscopic analysis.
What Is The Goal of a Surface or Bulk Sample?
The goal of surface and bulk samples is to confirm or rule out that a
suspected stain, discoloration, or substance on a surface is mold, and
if so, what type of mold. Surface sampling is not necessarily a
representation of what type of molds are in the air. Some molds are
light and dry and become airborne with the slightest breeze. Other molds
are wet and sticky and don't become airborne unless they are disturbed.
Why Sample a Surface?
There are three reasons for sampling a surface;
# One is to find out if a suspected stain on a surface is in fact
mold. Sometimes dirt on a surface looks like mold. Sometimes there is
obvious water damage or a water stain on a surface, but you're not sure
if mold is present. Surface sampling will tell you.
# Two is to link mold found on a particular surface to mold in
the air. For example, if an indoor air sample contains Stachybotrys but
the outdoor comparison sample does not, and your objective is to
determine if the source of the Stachybotrys is the mold you see on the
bathroom wall, a surface sample of the mold on the bathroom wall will
either prove or disprove it as the probable source.
# Three is to determine if mold on a surface is viable or
non-viable (alive or dead). (culturing required)
2. Air Sampling:
What Is The Goal of an Air Sample?
The goal of an air sample is to confirm or rule out the probability that
mold is originating indoors. This is accomplished by comparing a sample
of air from a suspect area to a sample of air from a non-suspect area
(typically outdoors). Since no EPA or other Federal threshold limits
have been set for mold or mold spores, sampling cannot be used to check
a building's compliance with Federal mold standards. However, sampling
is the best available indicator that mold is or is not originating
inside a building. In non-problematic buildings, the types and
concentrations of mold in indoor air samples should be similar to what
is found in the local outdoor air.
Why Sample the Air?
There are two reason for sampling the air for mold;
# One: Air samples show what cannot be seen in a visual
inspection. Sometimes a visual inspection may show high moisture
retention inside a wall, ceiling, or floor, but there is no visible
evidence of mold on the surface. While the presence of moisture is not a
confirmation that mold is growing inside that wall, ceiling, or floor,
moisture intrusion is, however, always the cause of indoor mold growth.
Air sampling can help assess the likelihood of mold growth inside a wall
without opening it and exposing occupants unnecessarily.
# Two: Another benefit of air sampling is to assist in
evaluating the indoor air quality of a building in terms of any
potential mold related health risks. Air samples identify individual
mold types present and quantifies each one. This can be particularly
useful information to someone who is allergic to a specific type of mold
because it shows the volume of exposure.
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All prices shown
includes documentation.
* Mold sample prices are the same for residential
and commercial projects.
** The minimum
turn-around time for culture samples is 7 days.
Price shown is a surcharge added
to standard price)
FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS ABOUT MOLD INSPECTIONS AND MOLD
TESTING IN Hidden Hills CALIFORNIA
1. What Is the
Differences Between a Mold Inspection and Mold
Testing?
Mold inspections
and mold testing are two different services that
work together to provide a comprehensive
assessment of indoor mold conditions and their
cause.
2. What Is a Mold
Inspection?
A mold inspection is a cursory visual
examination of a structure (inside and out) for mold
and conditions that cause
mold. Moisture is a primary cause of mold
growth. AMI uses state-of-the-art equipment to detect moisture
in construction materials and visually identify
any other conditions that are commonly
associated with properties in Hidden Hills that have
mold problems.
3. What Are the
Benefits of a Mold Inspection?
A Mold Inspection can catch small mold problems
before they become big mold problems and save
thousands of dollars in costly repair work.
There are usually many warning signs of a mold
problem "in-the-making". Knowing what
to look for can often prevent a minor
problem from becoming a major problem.
A Mold Inspection can
help determine the
cause of a mold problem.
Equally as important as identifying a mold
problem is discovering the cause. Unless
you correct the cause, remediation efforts are
futile because the mold will come back sooner or
later.
A Mold
Inspection can reveal hidden mold problems
that may otherwise go unnoticed by an untrained
eye. The absence of visible mold is not
necessarily a confirmation that a property does
not have mold issues. Hidden mold problems
inside walls, ceilings and floors are typically
the most costly to repair because of their
potential to do significant damage long before
being detected. Hidden mold can also cause
unpleasant odors indoors and generate high
concentrations of unhealthy mold spores in the
air. [For
more on hidden mold click here.]
4. What Is Mold
Testing?
When you think of mold testing, think
of "samples". When evaluating mold conditions,
samples can be collected from surfaces or from
the air. At the most elementary level, surface
samples identify mold on surfaces, and air
samples identify mold spores in the air.
5. What Are the
Benefits of Mold Testing?
Mold samples serve several purposes:
Mold
samples can confirm or rule out that mold is
originating indoors.
Mold
samples can evaluate potential health risks.
Mold
samples can help locate the source of hidden
mold.
6. What's the Difference Between a Home
Inspector and a Mold Inspector?
Most home inspectors that service
Hidden Hills are not specifically trained to find mold
problems or identify unusual mold conditions in
a property. Their area of expertise lies in
virtually every aspect of building conditions
except for mold.
Likewise, most certified mold inspectors in
the Hidden Hills area are not trained in any aspects
of building conditions other than mold and water
intrusion. Home inspectors and mold inspectors
do not generally compete with each other.
7. Why Test For
Mold?
A decade ago it was asbestos. Today,
mold is in the spotlight. In fact, mold is often
referred to as "the asbestos of today".
Residents and business owners in Hidden Hills
California are divided over whether mold really
is a legitimate concern or just another
over-rated environmental issue. Getting the
facts about mold testing can be a challenge,
especially since most of what we hear about mold
comes from either the "doom-and-gloom media" or
someone trying to sell us something.
Whatever we believe or dont believe about mold,
the reality is; mold is here to stay. If only
half of everything we hear about mold is true,
there are plenty of valid reasons for mold
testing. Numerous alerts from the medical
profession and the skyrocketing number of
lawsuits against landlords, realtors,
employers, insurers, and
even car dealers, warn us of the
seriousness of mold and justify the need for
proper mold testing, especially in such a
litigious environment as California.
If you suspect your Hidden Hills property has a
mold problem, the first responsible step is to
take swift action. Having your home or office
inspected and tested by a professional certified
mold inspector will tell you whether you have a
small clean-up project or a job that requires
professional mold remediation. Either way, it is
vital to know that your mold assessment is
accurate and unbiased when deciding on a course
of action. And the only way to be sure the
information you get is trustworthy is by hiring
an inspector who not financially motivated by
the outcome of your inspection.
8. Is
Post-Remediation Mold Testing Necessary?
All remediation projects should be
tested for mold before any reconstruction work
begins. Post-remediation verification is
important for two reasons:
As a
consumer paying for a service, a
post-remediation verification report is your
only assurance that your remediation project was
successful. Success is defined as; no visible
evidence of mold remains and airborne mold spore
levels are lower in the containment area than
outdoors. Without a post-remediation
verification report you have no way of knowing
that your remediation contractor performed all
work properly. Some remediation contractors
offer free mold clearance testing. But
third-party verification is the only way you can
be sure the data is un-biased.
As a
matter of law, sellers of real estate are
required to disclose any water intrusion and
mold history. A third-party post-remediation
verification report is the only assurance a
potential buyer has that any disclosed mold
matters have been resolved. Without a
third-party post-remediation verification, the
buyer may be denied affordable insurance
coverage. More and more financiers of Hidden Hills
real estate today are requiring mold inspections
and many require that mold disclosure statements
be accompanied by third-party post-remediation
clearance reports.
Hidden Hills residents and
business owners trust AMI. You can too.
AMI is not in the mold removal
business. We are, in fact, certified mold
remediators as well as certified mold
inspectors, but we do not engage in mold
remediation work. AMI inspectors are are trained
and certified in mold remediation for the sole
purpose of knowing whether or not your
remediation project was done right.
If you suspect you have a mold problem, call
AMI today. You'll be glad you did!
TO
SCHEDULE A MOLD INSPECTION CALL 1-800-369-8532
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