What is the difference between testing and inspecting?
Question and answer
Q. Should I have air test samples to find out if mold is in the air?
A. Testing for mold (lab samples) and an inspection for mold and moisture are not the same thing.
Mold inspections are primarily visual in nature. They involve environmental readings such as humidity and moisture content readings of walls floors and ceilings. The inspection is the most valuable and informative and the best way to start an investigation of a suspected mold and moisture issue.
We perform mold and moisture assessments and have prepared a process whereby we look at a property for any existing damage as well as the potential for damage. Most mold problems can be found and solved without any further laboratory testing.
Testing is unnecessary in most cases and companies that tell you they will test to see if mold is present in the air are doing you a disservice. All homes have mold spores in the air. Mold is present in EVERY building, home, office, and work environment on the Planet Earth. There is no occupied space that is devoid of mold. Therefore, when someone performs mold “sampling” or mold “testing,” they will naturally find mold. Testing should only be performed in very defined situations, and for particular goals and 1 indoor and 1 outdoor sample will not help your case.
Since we know that mold is present in every structure, the objective of any mold assessment should be to determine the significance of the presence of mold. The characterization of the significance of the presence of the mold is the foundation for determining the most appropriate action regarding that presence. The most appropriate action will be a spectrum of responses incumbent on the characterization for each individual project or space, and will include everything from “no action required” to “removal of damaged materials.” Killing the mold is entirely unimportant and is never part of a legitimate mold remediation project.
Common Sense Inspections does NOT make repairs or do the clean-up work. We exclusively conduct mold inspections. We are a mold inspection company that is working independently and remaining unbiased is in YOUR best interest. You should be aware of any Los Angeles Mold Inspection company that offers you both the inspection and remediation services. It’s a conflict of interest and many of these Los Angeles mold remediation companies have an interest in finding problems so you will pay them to fix it for a high cost!