MOLD SCAM ALERT! - Duct Cleaners Using a “Field Test Kit” or “Instant Mold Test”

How It Works:

Many Duct Cleaning companies are owned and operated by honest and reliable owners and they offer a valuable service. However, some “Duct Cleaners” or other untrained mold inspection service providers have perfected this scam.

They offer a very low “Duct Cleaning” service to get their foot in your door. When they show up to clean your ducts they offer you a free mold test OR they claim to find hidden mold in the duct work. They basically scare you into a very expensive “spray treatment” and sign you up for a regular “treatment service”. This is a very bogus and risky proposition.

How To Avoid It:

The best way to avoid this scam is to avoid using a service provider that uses “Instant Mold Tests” to conclusively determine if you have a mold problem or not. The manufacturers of these field test kits specifically state in their literature that a positive test result should be followed up with laboratory testing.

Furthermore the EPA specifically recommends AGAINST using a biocide as the sole source of remediation. The biocide used by these scam artists may be much more dangerous than the mold that it is being used to control. The EPA recommends “physical removal” of any mold or mold damaged building materials.

Another interesting note is that many modern homes use a vinyl or plastic “flex duct” that will not even support mold growth, but can also be damaged by improper duct cleaning. If you are going to use a firm to clean your ducts make sure that they are a National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) member and verify this yourself online – don’t take their word for it.

We have had reports from consumers that these con-men always seems like the nicest and most believable guys in the industry.

For more information on this and other scams: Please see "Mold Scams and Fraudulent Mold Practices".

For more information concerning mold and other indoor air quality issues please visit the AMI Environmental Testing Northwest, Inc. website or call us at 503.383.9457.

MOLD SCAM ALERT!

Over the past several weeks we have been receiving calls for a “second opinion” by people that have had a "mold inspection" done by companies that are trying to sell a spraying service/product that “gets rid of mold” - THIS IS A SCAM!

There are several common things that these folks all said take place:

1. The "mold" is found in the attic or somewhere else where you won't be able to see it.

2. The original cause & source (such as damaged plumbing, leaky roof, etc.) of the mold growth is not mentioned or addressed.

3. They have been shown by the inspector a "whitish" residue supposedly found in the attic and told that it was mold "mutating" into another type of mold... typically "toxic black mold".

4. They have been told by the "inspector" that "everything needs to be torn out and replaced OR you can buy my (the supposed mold inspector) product and have my company come in and spray the area.”

5. None of the required testing needed to determine the presence of a mold issue or scope of any problem is done; just showing the "mold" to the potential client and pitching the spray product and service.

Here are a few of the facts:

1. Indoor mold growth is caused by a water intrusion in the home that shouldn’t happen. Causes are typically (but not limited to) conditions such as a plumbing problem, leaky roof, poorly sealed or damaged windows & doors, etc. Without addressing the original source & cause of the water intrusion the mold will just come back no matter what you do.

2. Molds do not mutate into other species of mold. Yes, molds can change within the nature of their own species, but they don't mutate into other species.

3. Proper inspection AND testing are required to provide the correct and comprehensive information about any potential mold issues.

4. The goal of any proper mold remediation is NEVER to kill the mold - it's to GET RID of it! Dead mold can be as damaging to a persons health as viable mold. Simply spraying or painting something on mold will not get rid of it.

5. To avoid conflicts of interest, reputable and trustworthy home inspectors & mold inspectors will usually not also be in the business of fixing the problems they find.

Click on the following link for more information on common mold scams, or call us at any time if you have any questions.

AMI Environmental Testing Northwest, Inc. is an independent Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) service that has nearly a decade of experience and customer satisfaction to bring to your service. Call us today at (503) 383-9457 and we’ll be glad to speak with you about how we can help you.

What Real Estate Brokers and Financiers Need to Know About Mold Inspections & Testing.

Sellers that order their own mold inspection & testing are more likely to make more on the sale of their property than if they leave it to the potential buyer to have done.

• We’re all familiar with the old saying that “knowledge is power.” If the seller knows what is going on with their property they have the ability to retain more power in negotiations.

• If the seller decides to be proactive with this knowledge they can maintain control over the cost of fixing any problems found and turn it into equity.

• If a buyer finds a problem, it can put the seller in a situation where they are under duress to get it fixed without the time to find the right contractors – leaving them more vulnerable to spending more money than they really need to or being outright scammed.
  
  

If your client is the buyer: You should recommend that they have a mold inspection & testing done by a certified, independent environmental testing firm.

• Because of the potential health risks and the certainty of property damage associated with indoor mold growth – it’s just a matter of common sense.

• The small investment in detecting & measuring any potential problems is well worth the thousands of dollars that can be saved by finding the problems early enough and the information required to properly assess repair estimates and choose the right contractors for the job.

• Because of the potential health risks and the certainty of property damage associated with indoor mold growth – it’s just a matter of common sense. (No… repeating this isn’t a typo.)
  
  

Because, more often than not, mold problems are hidden and require special equipment & testing to detect and measure: Most home inspectors “don’t do mold” because it’s not within the proper scope of their job.

• A mold inspection & testing is a specialized profession that should work in concert with a home inspection. A certified, independent mold inspection & testing should always be a routine part of any real estate transaction.

• There are still a few home inspectors out there who will “poo poo” the need for a mold inspection or tell you, “That whole mold thing is a scam.” If your home inspector tells you that: Ask him to put that in writing in his report and see what happens! Again, this applies to only the few. Most home inspectors understand the scope of their job and have enough knowledge about the potential problems associated with indoor mold growth to recommend a mold inspection be performed.

• Good home inspectors & mold inspectors will work together to ensure their clients receive all the facts they need to make the right decisions at the right time.
  
  

Remember: “Independent & Certified.”

• Due to the fact that mold is everywhere in our environment and it varies by region, weather conditions, etc. and that different people react to mold differently: There is no possible way that a set standard for “acceptable mold levels” can correctly be made. An Indoor Air Quality Professional certified by recognized organizations and trained in the most current and best industry standards understands the proper scope and limitations of mold growth issues.
  
  
• Due to potential conflict of interests: An environmental testing firm that is not also engaged in or “in cahoots” with a business of fixing the problems they find is essential. Why expose yourself or your clients to the possibility of getting scammed?
  
  
• A “free mold inspection” will end up costing you more in the end by charging you more for the samples to cover their cost of inspecting and/or finding problems that don’t really exist and/or exaggerating problems that do exist to make more profit on the remediation contract.

• Of course, we’d all like to believe that everybody is honest and trustworthy, but not everybody is. Again, it’s just common sense.

• Find out more about Mold Scams here.
  
  

AMI Environment Testing Northwest, Inc. is the independent, certified IAQ industry leader serving Oregon & Washington. Call us at 503.383.9457 first if you want to save time, money and ensure the job is done right, or call us last if you really want to find out the difference between us and the rest!

Mold in Foreclosed, Vacant Properties

As the number of vacant bank-owned properties rises, the link between foreclosure and mold keeps growing. The recent downturn in real estate has led to a growing number of vacant or abandoned homes owned by the mortgage holders that have serious mold problems.

Mold infestation in vacant properties is a serious problem throughout the country. Water, sewage, flooding and leaking problems go untreated when the homeowner is not there to notice and fix them. Even without the event of a major water intrusion many vacant houses—especially in areas with high humidity—can develop mold problems due to factors such as poor ventilation, lack of regular housecleaning, etc.

It also stands to reason that even if the previous owner knew they had a problem that they, more than likely, did not get it inspected or fixed properly while they were in the foreclosure process or planning to abandon the property.

Mold problems or even the suspicion of one can potentially scare away buyers! Most people just are not educated about mold. Chances are, though, that they’ve seen a news story on the television or read an article about “toxic mold” or “black mold” and that’s the extent of their knowledge of the subject. Whether the stories they’ve heard are exaggerated or not, the end result is the same – they’d rather just not bother going through the process of buying a house that has, or may have, a mold problem.

Even if a buyer isn’t scared away a mold problem or potential mold problem can drive the price of a property. Because mold growth not detected and repaired early enough can quickly add up to thousands of dollars of damage to take care of you can be sure that it will be a major factor in the price negotiations.

If history is any indication we will likely see more lawsuits brought by buyers that have purchased bank-owned properties and found a mold issue. Frivolous or not, lawsuits cost a lot of time and money for all involved to come to a settlement – a lot of time and money that might not have to be wasted if there are documented actions that can show due diligence to detect and remedy any mold problems by hiring professionals certified in the mold industry.

These are a few good reasons why it is important to have a mold inspection done by an independent, certified mold inspector first to find out whether there is a problem and what the scope of the problem is.

1. Ordering a mold inspection by an independent, certified mold inspection & testing service helps ensure that there is no conflict of interest presented by an inspection service that is also in the business of fixing the problems it can find.

2. For all parties involved in a real estate transaction, knowing the “what, where and why” of a mold problem can save headaches and money over the long run. Get the full picture in a timely manner, preferably before any price negotiations so that you can enter negotiations with the information you need.

3. By acting and showing “due diligence”, you can help avoid any future legal issues surrounding mold issues.

AMI Environmental Testing Northwest, Inc. is an independent Indoor Air Quality service that has nearly a decade of experience and customer satisfaction to bring to your service. Call us today at (503) 383-9457 and we’ll be glad to speak with you about how we can help you.