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.