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Mold SCAMS In a perfect world you could
trust everyone.....
but it's not a perfect world. If you have a mold problem, this information
will help you avoid being taken advantage of and save you thousands
of dollars.
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Like any other industry, the mold business has
its share of scams, cons and rip off artists who seek to profit
from your lack of knowledge about mold.
The worst perpetrators of mold scams are:
• mold removal contractors who also
offer mold inspections and mold testing services
• all in one mold service firms which
offer mold removal service after their mold inspection service as
well as their own clearance certificates and post-cleaning results.
Their scam is creating non-existent mold problems and charging you
thousands of dollars to fix them.
JUST
SAY NO THANKS! If you encounter a mold inspector
who also does mold removal (or visa-versa) just say NO THANKS. There's
plenty of quality contractors available that don't do both. And
especially watch out for contractors who offer FREE inspections.
That's a major red flag!
Many contractors
offer "FREE" clearance testing also, (which is equivalent to grading
their own homework). Don't fall for it! Clearance testing
is crucial to the mold remediation process and should never be performed
or provided via the mold removal contractor waiting to get paid
for his work.
AVOID BEING SCAMMED.
The best way to avoid getting scammed this way is to avoid using
mold removal contractors for mold inspections. SBS is not in the
mold removal business and therefore we have no vested interest in
how your inspection and testing comes out. Our position is always
unbiased and neutral. But even if you don't choose SBS for your
inspection and testing needs, be sure whoever you do choose is not
looking for repair work for himself.
The following information
can help you avoid getting scammed and ensure that your mold issues
are handled ethically, honestly and professionally. Take the time
to read it. If you have any questions, please call us.
Make sure your mold
inspector is not in the mold removal business too.
We believe it's a serious conflict of interest for the company
you pay to "inspect" for mold also profits from the "removal"
of mold. There are plenty of companies out there that do both,
the question is; how can you ever truly be sure that they are
not creating more work for themselves - work that doesn't really
need to be done? The opportunity for corruption is far too great.
The only way to know for sure that you're not being "set up" and
scammed into spending thousands of dollars you don't need to spend
is to make sure the person you hire for mold inspections has no
affiliation with any mold removal contractor.
Check your remediation
contractor's experienced and references. AND CALL THE
REFERENCES!
Don't take anyone's word for it when it comes to shelling out
thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of dollars for remediation
work. Ask for references for jobs that are at least 10 to 12 months
old. Why? Because every mold remediation job looks great as soon
as its finished. But if remediation work is not done correctly,
it can take several months to realize it. As a rule, if mold does
not reoccur in that time, the work was done correctly. A remediation
contractor who has nothing to hide, has no problem giving you
references. If a contractor gets offend by your request, say bye-bye!
Hire a remediator to
remediate. Hire a remodeler to remodel.
The standard rates for remodeling or reconstruction work that
involves mold remediation can at times be approximately three
times higher that the exact same remodel without mold remediation.
That means, by hiring one contractor to do the entire job, you
are paying triple the regular rate for the reconstruction work
that takes place after the mold is removed. As rule, you save
a lot of money by hiring a remediation contractor to remove the
mold, then having a remodeling contractor come in to do the reconstruction.
Some remediation contractors will insist on doing all the work
or none at all. Just remember, there's more where they came from.
Furthermore, be sure to have a post-remediation clearance test
done before you pay your remediation contractor. If you agree
to make progress payments, make sure the final payment is a significant
percentage of the total job price so the contractor is motivated
to finish the job correctly.
Never allow a contractor
to provide clearance testing for his own remediation work.
Many remediation contractors will offer to provide FREE clearance
testing after they're work is complete. Nice gesture, but don't
fall for it. The reason they do that is so they pass their own
work and get paid. Also, they more than likely quoted you a firm
price in order to get the work in the first place and if a third
party inspector fails his post-remediation clearance test, he
has to keep coming back until he gets it right. A "free" clearance
test from a contractor offering to pass his own work is not a
good deal for you. Always insist on third party post-remediation
clearance testing and make sure your agreement with the contractor
states that he will come back and correct his work if it fails.
And don't settle the account until you see the clearance report
in writing.
Never allow a remediation
contractor to "encapsulate" mold.
Some mold removal contractors include a process they call "encapsulating"
or "encapsulation". Plainly stated, it means they paint over mold,
(often with a stain killing paint called KILZ, sold in most Home
Depot stores). This practice is not recognized by the EPA or any
other legitimate authority on mold remediation. The EPA guidelines
for mold abatement is very clear, "REMOVE IT". If the mold is
removed, there is no need for encapsulation. Unless mold is removed,
it is still there. "Encapsulating" mold by painting over it is
just a way to cover up any mold that was not removed. Are you
starting to get it? Encapsulation is a scam. Ask your contractor
before he begins if he does encapsulation. If he says yes, find
another contractor.
We hope this information is helpful
OTHER
COMMON MOLD SCAMS
Fraudulent Mold Testing.
Some mold inspectors who are in cahoots with mold remediation
contractors have a little trick they play to help the remediator
land big remediation jobs, for which the remediator pays the inspector
a "referral" fee" (often thousands of dollars). It works like
this: The inspector comes to your house concealing an air sample
he has already collected from another location. That location
is literally being cultivated to produce high amounts of toxic
molds. After the inspector leaves your property he tosses your
actual samples into the trash sends the bogus samples to the lab
for analysis. When your report comes back you are, of course,
shocked by the results and frightened into calling the remediation
contractor he's in cahoots with. The fraud perpetuates when the
remediation contractor plays on your lack of knowledge, selling
you expensive repair work you don't need. will bring back to you
mold test results showing extremely serious mold problems in your
home or on your property.
This scam can often be avoided by insisting on having the inspector
(tester) show you the serial numbers located on the spore traps
and then writing them down on your receipt for his work. When
your results come back, confirm that the serial numbers in the
lab reports are the same serial numbers on your receipt. Also,
finding your own mold remediation contractor will ensure there
is no connection between him and the inspector.
House Cooking.
House cooking" is an old scam designed to get the worst possible
test results. The inspector shuts all the windows and turns on
the furnace in order to elevate the number of mold spores in the
air before taking samples. Some will even turn on ceiling fans
and humidifiers full blast. The purpose is to cause high levels
of detectable mold to justify expensive mold remediation work.
Ozone Generator.
Ozone generators that are sold as air cleaners intentionally produce
the toxic gas ozone. Often the vendors of ozone generators make
statements and distribute material that lead the public to believe
that these devices are always safe and effective in controlling
indoor air pollution. Manufacturers and vendors of ozone devices
often use misleading terms to describe ozone. Terms such as "energized
oxygen" or "pure air" suggest that ozone is a healthy kind of
oxygen. The bottom line is, ozone is a toxic gas with vastly different
chemical and toxicological properties from oxygen. Claims that
ozone generators sold as air purifiers are effective at controlling
indoor air pollution are simply misleading.
Insurance Companies
and Insurance Adjusters as Scammers.
Here are several mold frauds perpetrated by insurance companies
and insurance adjusters.
a. Hiring testing personnel who are loyal to the insurance companies
(not the insured) to do the least possible mold testing in the
least likely mold locations in an insured's property so that any
actual mold is NOT likely to be discovered.
b. Forcing testers to restrict the air flow to purposely lower
the spore count in air sampling cassettes. The two most widely
used spore traps (air sampling cassettes) are the Air-O-Cell and
the Micro-5. The manufacturer of the Air-O-Cell trap recommends
the following pump settings: 10 liters per minute for 10 minutes.
The manufacturer of the Micro-5 recommends the following pump
settings: 5 liters of air for 5 minutes. We recommend you always
ask your tester to indicate what Air Flow rate and sampling media
will be used.
c. Forcing the tester to only report findings and lab results
to the insurer, then refusing to disclose the findings with the
insured.
All these scams can be avoided
by hiring Step By Step, SE Florida's most trusted certified mold
inspector.
If you suspect you have a mold problem, whether mold is
visible or not, one call to Step By Step is all it takes to be sure.
Our only interest is in providing our clients with
accurate reporting of the data we collect in the course of the inspection
process and reliable results of mold tests and samples.
Available, dependable, and on-time.
Call us today to schedule an appointment with an
experienced SBS Mold Certified inspector to provide you with the
information necessary to make an educated home purchase decision
by increasing your understanding of the strengths and weaknesses
of the home.
