According to AWA Environmental, the mold inspection service you hire should offer a value proposition that’s unique. Experience, certification, a competitive price, and a fine work product should ideally be part of the company’s credentials. The company should also be capable of providing multiple references of past customers that were satisfied with its experience.
To lower the chance for conflict of interest, the mold inspection service should strictly be involved in the business of inspection, testing, as well as consulting according to AWA Environmental. That way, you can be sure that the company doesn’t have vested interest in benefiting from repairs that might be required through mold remediation.
Inspection
The inspection report needs to be a 2-part document i.e. laboratory results and the inspection report. Once mold testing has been done, samples should be analyzed in an independent laboratory. The mold inspection company will interpret the results of the laboratory analysis and subsequently provide a comprehensive analysis of the condition of the property, laboratory findings, as well as recommendations.
The report needs to be easy to understand when read. Some of the inspectors will just provide laboratory results without any supporting documentation. The inspector also plays the role of a consultant and should be capable of producing documents that reflect their interpretation of the inspection process.
The value proposition is evidenced in the availability of an inspector to talk to and set an appointment, promptness of service, the quality of the report, and price. The report should be both easy to read and informative. Beware of reports that are lengthy with lots of heavy wording designed to protect the mold inspection service as opposed to educating the customer.
Most reports should also include several disclaimers and disclosures. You need to ask yourself whether or not you actually need a legal dissertation included with the inspection report. Sometimes, they are the most expensive results, even though they might reach similar conclusions as a simplified report that’s designed to answer the question regarding whether or not you have a mold problem.
Property managers and owners facing a mold problem should know 4 things:
– Do I have a mold problem?
– If I have a mold problem, how can it be solved?
– How much will solving the problem cost?
– How long will it take to solve it?
The mold inspection service should address the first 2 questions while the remediation service should address the last 2.
Remediation
It’s perfectly acceptable for the mold inspection service to make referrals to remediation companies. However, a good inspection service should refer several remediation companies. The remediation company should be insured and licensed, since contractors have to destroy part of the property before repairing it. It can be quite a costly endeavor. If something goes wrong, you want to have recourse.
The basics of mold remediation ideally include area containment, removal of moldy materials, treatment of remaining construction materials using an antimicrobial solution, disposal of the moldy materials, and air scrubber treatment for removing airborne mold spores. Depending on the source of the water intrusion, the source of the moisture penetration or water damage may have to be identified by a plumber or other trade specialty.
Upon completion of the remediation, a post-remediation verification inspection should also be done before rebuilding the affected area. It can be a good idea to use the same mold inspection service before and after remediation to ensure consistency in testing methodology and inspection protocol. The post-remediation verification inspection should verify whether the mold problem has been properly handled before reconstruction begins.
The scheduling and billing for the clearance or PRV inspection should be done directly through the inspection company rather than the remediation company. This helps ensure independent reporting and accurate pricing.
Once a mold problem is identified, it should be solved. The best way to solve it is through an inspection and remediation. It is in the best interests of both occupants and owners of the property to work in collaboration to have the problem solved without delay to prevent further risk to people or property. Moisture control is the key to mold control.
