Tips For Finding The Best Mold Inspector
The Initial Phone Call and Price
From the very beginning of the call you
want to be able to explain your situation. The inspector should also ask you a
number of questions to determine what is going on to best help you.
Proper Training
Without question, before you go ahead and
hire a mold inspector, you need to know that this person is qualified to help
you… The mold industry is not yet
regulated. For this reason, it is vital to choose an inspector that has adequate
training.
Work Experience
You want to find out first if the mold
inspector does mold inspections part time of full time. Ideally, you want to
find someone who is dedicated to mold full time
Mold Inspection Procedures
Experienced and well-trained mold
inspectors will have a checklist and or routine to follow.
Alliances
It is important for mold inspectors to have
other professionals to help you with the mold removal process. Finding the
right mold removal company can take a lot of time and effort, so the more help
you can get with this part of the process, the better.
Factors to Consider When Looking for a Mold
Inspection Company
Exposure to mold can have serious health
effects such as a cold with accompanying flu symptoms. It is vital to have mold
inspection conducted in your home to eliminate such issues that might emanate
from mold. The choice of a mold inspection company is not easy. Therefore, you
have to consider several factors before opting for a mold inspection company.
This article explains these different elements.
Certification
You should do extensive research before
settling on a certain mold inspection company. Most companies have websites and
the “about us” page reveals whether they are industry certified or not. The
mold inspection field might appear to be hugely unregulated. However, check
whether they have certification from the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and
Restoration
Testimonials and Experience
Testimonials and experience are essential
factors to consider. They help ensure that you do not settle for mold inspector
who is actually a rookie. The testimonials could be by word of mouth or you can
find them in the inspectors or company’s website. This therefore implies that
you have to enquire about the company and any possible recommendations. It
ensures that you settle for a company that will exceed your expectations
Insurance
It is vital to hire an inspector who has
insurance that duly covers them. This protects and guards you in case there
might be any possible losses. Insurance is therefore very important, especially
pertaining to liability if any accident happens in your house. This also
applies when there is sub-contracting. Such contractors also have to be well
trained and insured as well. They ought to bear documents or credentials
clearly depicting the same.
Price and Pre Testing
The price of mold inspection varies from
company to company. It is good and prudent for you to get quotations and
compare them before choosing and settling for one. Some companies insist on
pre-testing mold but this is not important, as it escalates the prices.
Professionals who insist on doing these tests only want your money and to
ultimately drain your bank. It is also not ideal for you to choose quotations
that are exceedingly low hence; this should be a major red flag. Only quacks
charge very low prices, as they are not properly trained but just merely
experimental.
How to Choose a Certified Mold Inspector
and What You Should Pay
Experience
How many mold inspections has the company
performed? An experienced mold inspector most likely will have performed
several hundred mold inspections per year. That way you know the mold inspector
has seen a wide variety of scenarios. Ask your mold inspector how many
verifiable mold inspections have been performed in the Los Angeles area.
Credentials
There a several types of certifications and
as many certifying organizations. The mold inspection company should carry
Workers’ Compensation insurance and professional liability insurance. They should
hold membership in good standing with at least one nationally recognized trade
association for mold professionals. The certifying organization should also be
nationally recognized with an online registry of certified professionals. In
both cases, you can verify the mold inspection company’s trade association
membership and the mold inspector’s certification. Not all certifications are
created equal! Make sure the mold inspector’s certification is based on
verifiable work experience and the certification is issued by an accredited
educational organization
Inspection Equipment
Every mold inspector should have the
basics: a moisture meter, an air sampling pump, and a respirator. Several other
tools should be at the inspector’s disposal including sampling media (swabs,
air cassettes), flash light, gloves, knee pads, and a mirror. There are various
types of each of these tools. Ideally, the mold inspector will have the latest
technology available. There are other tools that are high tech such as a
thermal imaging camera which is a tool designed to detect temperature
variations typically associated with moisture.
References
With the abundance of review sites on the
internet, it should be pretty easy to get an idea about the mold inspection
company’s reputation. Any company that has been around for several years is
bound to have a couple unsatisfied customers. But what is even more alarming
are no reviews at all. It makes you wonder if the company has been around long
enough (or is qualified enough) to be considered for the job at hand. With some
due diligence on your part, you should be able to see a trend in the volume of
reviews: a majority of good reviews means you probably have a reputable mold
inspection company under consideration. Also, make sure the company actually
responds to reviews. If a company ignores any review, it could mean a company
lacks the appreciation for every customer served. A popular subscription based
consumer review site is Angie’s List. Reviews are provided by real people that
pay to be on the site. There is a mutual understanding among members that the
reviews are only useful if they are truthful. A paid subscription-based
consumer site means members have a vested interest in providing genuine reports
because s/he will be depending on other reviews when making his/her hiring
decision. Other popular review sites are Better Business Bureau, Google Maps
and Yelp
Mold “Test Only”
In my opinion, mold inspection companies
should only perform mold testing and not perform mold repair. It is considered
a conflict of interest to do both because the test and repair company may
exaggerate the problem in order to overcharge for a solution. Mold inspection
costs for “test only” companies are paid at the time of the inspection
Picking The Right Mold Inspection Service
It takes a lot of things in order to live
healthily, and one of the most important aspects is to have a healthy living
environment. We know it’s pretty obvious, but that’s why proper cleaning and an
adherence to hygiene really matters, even more so than having a place that
looks good. In order to achieve that, you need to clean regularly and have
preventative maintenance done, such as regular mold inspections.
That’s easy enough, right? You either jump
online or grab your Yellow Pages, book an appointment with the first mold
inspector you find, and you’ll be assured of getting excellent service and
wonderful results, all at a reasonable price. Well…it doesn’t quite work like
that. Just like any other type of business, there are companies you’d be
delighted to work with, and then there are the less desirable ones. Read on for
a few tips to help you choose the right mold inspector
First, remember that not everyone has the
same kinds of problems with mold. Some people are strictly taking precautions
by having an inspection done. Others have had recurring issues, and they’re
praying the problem is gone. The wise choice is to pick a company that handles
numerous issues, inspections to let you know what your situation looks like,
and eradication to get rid of mold once and for all.
What a company does is important, but how
it does it is just as important. Specifically, the company you consider ought
to have access to the latest equipment. They should have testing equipment for
moisture testing, air quality testing, HVAC reports, leak testing, and
microbiological testing. Once the inspection is concluded, you should expect to
receive a report laying out how serious the mold situation is and what can be
done to resolve it
Next, it’s important to find a company
that’s been in business for a while and has a proven track record. If an
inspector has been on the job for a long period of time, they likely have
gained the experience to recognize a number of different issues and have a
number of solutions. You’ll also want to ask if the company is licensed and if
their employees hold certifications for providing mold inspection services.
Tips to Get an Effective Mold Inspection
Here are some things to know when hiring a
contractor to complete a mold inspection.
The mold inspection and remediation process
is a balancing act of ensuring occupant health and 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. The credentials
should include a certification, 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.
To minimize the chance for conflict of
interest, the mold inspection company should strictly be in the business of
inspecting, testing and consulting. That way, the company has no vested
interested in benefiting from the repair that may be necessary through mold
remediation.
The inspection report should be a two-part
document – lab results and an inspection report. Once mold testing is
conducted, samples should be sent to an independent laboratory for analysis.
The results of the lab analysis will be interpreted by the inspection company,
which will then provide a comprehensive analysis of the property condition,
laboratory findings and recommendations
The report should be easy to understand
when you read it. Some inspectors simply provide lab results without any
additional documentation. An inspector also serves as a consultant and should
be able to produce a document to reflect his/her interpretation of the
inspection process