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.

Bleach May Actually Make The Mold Worse

The use of Chlorine Bleach has been a common recommendation for cleaning and killing mold. However, the fact is that bleach is not an effective chemical for killing colonized mold. It may be effective on hard, non-porous surfaces such as shower walls or countertops, but so are other milder, less noxious, solutions using other detergents. Because non-porous surfaces do not allow the mold to take root into the material itself, the mold is actually growing on dust and other debris that may be on the surface and will typically wipe off with ease.

On porous surfaces such as wood and drywall mold takes root (hyphae) in the material and colonizes. Cleaning the mold off the surface with bleach does nothing to kill the roots. In fact, because bleach is 98% water it can actually make the problem worse because the chlorine in the bleach does not soak into the porous materials, but the water in the bleach does. Since mold requires water to colonize and grow it will likely grow back in a few days - worse than it was before the bleach was introduced.

Both OSHA and the EPA have determined that bleach should not be used in mold remediation. True, the EPA used to recommend the use of a bleach solution to clean mold, but has since removed that recommendation.

The goal of mold remediation is to get rid of the mold; not kill it! Dead mold can still release spores into the air and the concentration of mold spores in the air is the main potential for health problems. If you see visible mold growth on building materials, the chances are that there is more that you cannot see (see the post title “I Don’t See Any Mold”). It is best to hire a certified mold inspector to assess the situation and help you decide the proper plan for remediation.