“MOLD HAS ALWAYS BEEN WITH US…”

• Mold is everywhere but it is excessive mold growth that is worrisome and possibly dangerous to one’s health. Since the 80’s energy crisis, houses have been constructed more air –tight  so  that interior air is stagnant – circulating again and again through the cooling or heating system, with little or no fresh outside air. This overexposure to the same polluted air is possibly an underlying cause of respiratory, allergy and a host of other potential health problems.
• Mold needs air, moisture and a food source to grow. Among the most common reasons for mold growth are plumbing leaks, roof leaks, (self) flooding or a/c duct leakage and EIFS or masonry stucco exterior.
• Mold can grow on or in just about anything. But it is the hidden mold, with a constant source of moisture that can allow the most dangerous mold situations to grow and exist. Even when dead, mold spores can still be toxic.
• An experienced home inspector like Fernando, of Preferred Home Inspections, can assess a structure and determine where moisture penetration is, or was occurring. An experienced Mold Assessment Consultant like Fernando knows where and how to test to get the most reliable results

WHY YOU SHOULD HIRE PREFERRED HOME INSPECTIONS, INC, TO FIND AND TEST FOR MOLD – WHY YOU SHOULD’NT DO IT YOURSELF

• To properly test and receive a report that yields appropriate and reliable information, an experienced mold assessment consultant like Fernando, of Preferred Home Inspections, utilize his specialized training. Due to this and years of experience, Fernando recognizes construction defects and other factors that are the underlying cause of a mold situation – because excessive mold problems don’t just “happen”.
• An inexperienced person may take samples from “cosmetic” type mold or even an obvious area of mold, thereby completely missing a less obvious but more problematic mold growth.
• An experienced Mold Assessment Consultant like Fernando, of Preferred Home Inspections, knows the value of each type of testing and has the proper equipment and methods of collection for lab evaluation.

I KNOW I HAVE MOLD – I CAN SEE IT – WHY TEST?  7 good reasons

1. Visible mold is not necessarily the dangerous type! Some surface molds are considered “cosmetic” molds, easily killed with the right cleaning product. This type doesn’t normally have to be tested. Invisible mold spores ARE in the air – testing will tell if they are abundant, indicating a problem.

2. An Indoor Air Quality specialist cannot reliably identify a mold genus or species growing on a building surface by the naked eye – he or she must TEST

3. Using basic testing methods, an experienced, licensed mold professional can
   screen a home or building for excessive mold.

4. Hiring a professional, licensed Mold Assessment Consultant for pre-screening a home for mold is not expensive.

5. “Dead” mold sends spores into the air, which can be allergenic or toxic. Testing the air is the only way to determine if and what types of mold spores exist in large amounts, or if toxic dangerous mold is present.

6. Sensitive or immune deficient people, infants, children, the elderly and even pets can be affected. Of course, health and allergy screening tests performed by health care professionals are essential.

7. Your air conditioner could be a breeding ground for spreading mold spores throughout your home. The heating and air conditioning system hasallows humid and moist air passing through it. Moisture is one of the elements needed for mold growth. If it is not functioning properly or has ducting problems, mold can grow at the air return and distribution plenum and the evaporator coil and ducts.

HOW MOLD TESTING IS PERFORMED 

Moisture Inspection 

• Using a hygrometer, Fernando, of Preferred Home Inspections (PHI) will find the humidity level in your home. Remember, mold needs moisture; therefore high humidity is a perfect condition. The result is noted on the lab report form for chain of custody. PHI will look over the exterior and interior structure for any problems that may account for humidity or water penetration such as high grade, roof damage, improper flashing and many other possible factors.
• Preferred Home Inspections will perform a moisture inspection as needed – checking the walls for possible leaks.

           A/C Inspection

• Preferred Home Inspections, will check air return and air registers as needed at random locations for signs of dirt or mold on the louvers (this indicates possible duct problem/air infiltration) Preferred Home Inspections may decide that the a/c system needs to be inspected for mold and will check the attic HVAC system for possible faults and that problems that can account for mold growth. Fernando may recommend that an a/c technician perform work on the system to alleviate problems.

Mold Testing
Fernando of Preferred Home Inspections will determine type of testing needed for the situation. The following two types of mold testing methods are commonly used:

• For Indoor Air Quality, the Z5 Sampling Cassette, a spore trap impaction cassette, uses air movement through slit impaction as the collection mechanism The cassette is attached to a low flow air pump that must be properly calibrated. This method draws air into the cassette and particles in the air attach themselves to a sticky material within the cassette. The cassette is then sent to a lab for analyzing... The Z5 Sampling Cassette is a cost effective, first-line mold screening tool that efficiently and reliably collects mold spores. It can be easily used by mold assessment consultants to get preliminary information on whether a mold problem may exist and further investigation is warranted. This method is an industry recognized and reliable method that allows superior mold spore collection. Air sampling can be useful as a background check for the possibility that there is a large reservoir source which has not yet been found in a building.
  
  
  OR

• For visible mold growth, a Petri dish culturing method for direct swabbing of mold used to determine type and species. This type of testing method has its limitations and is used in cases where a large area of mold was found during investigation. .

WHERE WILL PREFERRED INSPECTIONS TRAVEL TO?
Preferred Home Inspections, Inc. is licensed for work in Texas. Fernando is normally available for inspections in any part of southeast Texas – from Beaumont to Bastrop, from Huntsville to Galveston, and is at your service from 9 am to 8 pm seven days a week.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET RESULTS?

• On site, Indoor Air Quality tests do not take long – depending upon how many areas need to have air drawn. For instance, the taking of one indoor and one outdoor test (required) would take approximately 45 minutes. Note that testing cannot be performed outside in rainy weather.
• Normally tests taken are packaged and sent by Federal Express overnight to the lab in Florida along with the Chain of Custody form.. Once received, they are put into the lab testing queue and wait to be diagnosed by lab technicians. Next Day results are standard ** after lab recieves cassettes 
• Results are forwarded to the inspector via email
• Inspector analyzes the results and composes a report on the laboratory findings. The results and reports are forwarded to the client (you) with instructions on how to read the user-friendly lab reports.
• **If faster turnaround time is needed, check for costs in advance

WHAT IF I HAVE MOLD?
The laboratory will decide if elevated mold conditions exist by comparing the indoor air quality samples side-by-side with the outdoor samples. They conclude whether an elevated or unusual mold condition exists by providing a yes or no answer.

If the tests come back showing elevated mold conditions, the next step is for Fernando, as the Mold Assessment Consultant, to write “Protocol”. The written protocol report will consist of methods for proper management by a licensed Remediator of the mold problem and is an additional cost depending upon the extent of contamination. This report is required by law for a licensed mold remediation company to perform the actual duties of removal of the mold in accordance with the Texas Department of State Health Services.

As leader of the team, the Mold Assessment Consultant and the Mold Remediator will communicate to resolve the mold problem. Fernando, a Licensed Mold Assessment Consultant, will make himself available for any questions that the Mold Remediator may have.

CLEARANCE TESTING?
When the Mold Remediator has finished with all the steps necessary for ridding the structure of mold, he calls for the Mold Assessment Consultant to return and take “clearance” tests, again using the Indoor Air Quality Compaction Cassettes. This cost is over and above the initial testing and protocol report.

When the tests come back from the laboratory with results that show the indoor air quality to be as good as or better than outdoor air, the lab reports will show or mold spore count in the air. At this time a final Clearance report is issued, which should be kept with the home for future owners.

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