Top Mold
Scam#1: Mold Inspectors
Who Also Perform Mold Removal
The biggest mold scam is and
always has been – “mold inspectors” who are also in the mold removal business.
You'll see their advertisements, "FREE PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION" - "FREE MOLD
TESTING", but don't be misled. No one is in business to do anything for free.
Free always comes with a hefty price that ends up costing far more than you
thought it would. That Free Professional Mold Inspection may sound pretty good
at first, but nothing good is ever free, and never has that been more true than
in the mold business. The simple truth is:
- Anyone in the mold removal business offering
mold inspections (either for a fee or for free)
is doing so for one reason only - to find mold
removal jobs. Their inspections are specifically
designed to drum up expensive mold removal work.
If and when they actually do find mold, the
problem and the work they claim is necessary to
fix it is often grossly exaggerated. But even
worse, sometimes there really is no mold problem
at all. Sometimes an expensive mold remediation
job is sold just because of a water stain. That
may be hard for most honest people to imagine,
but it happens every day. For more information
on this scam and actual examples of folks who
have fallen prey to it, check out
The Mold Inspectors Blog.
- Also, any mold inspector offering a few free
mold samples with every inspection does so just
to get a foot in the door so they can sell you a
lot more samples that you probably don't need.
Mold removal (also known as mold remediation or
mold abatement) is a very profitable business and
engaging in both mold inspections and mold
remediation is a serious conflict of interest. The
potential for fraudulently creating thousands of
dollars in bogus mold removal work is tremendous and
- unfortunately - an every day occurrence in this
industry.
This is the oldest mold scam going and its easy
to pull off because most consumers (like you) don’t
know enough about mold to realize when they’re being
bamboozled into work that often grossly exaggerated,
and in some instance, may not even need to be done.
REMEMBER: You do not want a mold inspector
who is looking for mold removal jobs. They always
find (or create) what they’re looking for.
Convenience can cost you.
Most people prefer to deal with
one contractor for everything because its
convenient. But when it comes to mold, that
convenience can end up costing you thousands of
dollars in bogus repair work. It is simply not worth
the risk. A mold inspection should be completely
unbiased. Mold inspectors should have no personal
interest in how an inspection turns out, nor should
they ever profit from what they find, either
directly by doing the removal themselves, or
indirectly by referring work to their friends for a
kick-back.
Avoid
the scam.
The only way to ensure you will
get an unbiased inspection report and avoid this
mold scam is to hire a Certified Mold Inspector who
does not perform mold removal work.
Tell
us your experience.
If you have any experience with
this mold scam we want to hear from you. Tell us and
others by posting your story on our
Mold Inspectors Blog.
Top Mold Scam #2:
Duct Cleaning Contractors using a “Field Test Kit”
or “Instant Mold Test" to Assess Mold In HVAC Ducts
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.
Top Mold Scam #3:
Free Post-Remediation Clearance Testing
The final step in the mold removal
process is a post-remediation survey to verify and
document that the remediation was successful. If you
are paying for the remediation work out-of-pocket,
you will want confirmation that the mold problem is
gone before making the final payment to your
contractor. If the remediation is being paid for by
your insurance company or required by a mortgage
lender, they will typically require a third-party
clearance test before payment or funding.
REMEMBER:
- Post-remediation clearance testing should
never be performed by a mold removal contractor
waiting to get paid for his work. This is no
different than a student grading his own final
exam. Many mold remediation contractors even
offer "FREE" clearance testing. Some will
include it in the price of the job. But it is
never in your best interest to let a contractor
grade his final exam. With hundreds, if not
thousands of dollars on the line and no way to
charge you more if it fails, it is highly
unlikely that a mold contractor will fail his
own work.
- Post-remediation clearance testing should
always be done after all the mold has been
removed but before any re-construction work
begins so the inspector can visually see that
there is no mold left on the remediated
materials.
Avoid
the scam.
The way to avoid this scam is the
same as Mold Scam #1. Have you post-remediation
survey and clearance test performed by a Certified
Mold Inspector who does not work for your
remediation contractor.
- Is mold growing or has mold growth occurred
indoors
- What conditions were and/or are the likely
cause
- What areas of the structure are effected
- What conditions are still likely to promote
further mold growth
- What steps should be taken properly address
your mold issue
Top Mold Scam #4:
Encapsulating Mold
Encapsulation is a trade term used
by some mold removal contractors to describe the
process of “gluing down” any mold they may have
missed during remediation. Anti-microbial coatings
used as encapsulants can be sprayed on, rolled or
brushed like paint, but paint (including KILZ) is
neither an anti-microbial coating nor an acceptable
encapsulation product.
As a final step in the mold remediation process,
encapsulating a few loose spores to avoid failing a
post-remediation test is not a scam. However,
encapsulation as a stand-alone solution for mold
remediation is nothing more than covering up mold
that should have been removed, and that is a total
scam.
Why
And When To Encapsulate
In the remediation process a
contractor will remove and discard construction
materials that are permanently damaged or would cost
more to clean than replace. Any salvaged materials,
such as framing lumber, that shows evidence of mold
growth is then scraped, sanded, and wire brushed
until all visible mold growth is removed.
At that point the remediation is finished and ready
to be tested. However, in some instances it is not
possible to completely remove every last bit of mold
trapped in small cracks and crevices without
removing costly structural framing. And while a few
spores of Chaetomium, Stachybotrys or Aspergillus
are unlikely to ever pose a threat as long as those
cracks and crevices never get wet again, the dilemma
is this; as long as certain molds that are
considered markers* (indicators) of indoor mold
growth show up in a post-remediation air test, you
cannot document that the mold remediation was
successful – unless of course your mold inspector is
one who will report his opinion rather than a
traceable industry standard. But the integrity of
that report will come under scrutiny at some point,
either by your insurance company, your mortgage
lender, or a prospective buyer when you go to sell
the property in the future. Under such conditions,
if all visible mold growth has been removed and all
salvaged materials have been dried to industry
standards, encapsulating a few rogue mold spores is
an acceptable step as long as :
- The encapsulant product itself is clear (not
a solid color) so that during the
Post-Remediation Verification Survey, which
includes a visual inspection and moisture
assessment of all remediated construction
materials, your third-party mold Inspector can
visually confirm that all materials under the
encapsulant are clean and mold free. Many mold
remediation contractors use solid color
encapsulants to cover up mold that was not
removed. Some even paint over mold with KILZ,
which is a stain-killing paint with no
anti-microbial properties whatsoever. Remember,
you pay your contractor to remediate mold. You
pay your Inspector to confirm that the
contractor did what you paid him to do. Be sure
to have this discussion with your contractor
before the work begins. Ask him directly if he
intends to encapsulate or use any anti-microbial
sealants or coatings. If the answer is yes,
insist on clear products only.
- Encapsulation is not to be done as a method
of mold remediation. As obviously ludicrous as
that sounds (and is) it is exactly what many
contractors do and it is nothing less than a
fraudulent mold scam. Encapsulation is never an
approved or acceptable method of mold
remediation.
Avoid
the scam.
There are two things you can do to
avoid being scammed by encapsulation. If your
contractor objects to either, find another
contractor.
- As stated above, before the remediation work
begins, ask your contractor if he intends to
encapsulate or use any anti-microbial sealants
or coatings. If the answer is yes, insist on
clear products only and insist that the product
brand name and ID number is spelled out in the
contract. The best and most widely used clear
encapsulants are Fiberlock Aftershock Fungicidal
Coating and Foster 40-51 Fungicidal Protective
Coating.
- Before your contractor applies an
encapsulant, ask him to take you into the
containment area (the work area). You may
encounter some resistance, but this is a
perfectly normal and justified request. If it is
safe for him to be in there, it is safe for you.
Once inside, ask him to show you what materials
will be encapsulated and explain to you why he
believes encapsulation is necessary. Then ask to
see the encapsulant product to be used and ask
to see the empty containers afterward.
If these suggestions seem strong, they are
intended to be. Thousands of property owners who
have been scammed by contractors who, “seemed so
nice, seemed so honest and so knowledgeable.” If you
are uncomfortable making such demands on your
contractor, AMI offers on-site project management
services with or without the Post-Remediation
Verification Survey. This service will insure that
every detail at every step of the remediation
process is done with your best interest in mind.
* Stachybotrys and other marker
types: Certain types of mold, such as Aureobasidium,
Chaetomium, Fusarium, Trichoderma, and Ulocladium,
are generally found in very low numbers outdoors.
Consequently their presence indoors, even in
relatively low numbers, is often an indication that
these molds are originating from growth indoors.
When present, these mold types are often the
clearest indicator of a mold problem.
Top Mold Scam #5:
Killing Mold
Sounds like a good idea, but is it
really?
To understand this premise you must first understand
the different characteristics between molds that are
viable (alive) and molds that are dead (non-viable).
Once you do it will be clear why killing mold is not
a good option for dealing with a mold problem.
The one important detail most people never knew.
Viable
Mold
Molds are living organisms that
require food and water to stay alive. Take away one
or the other and mold dies. Molds produce two
things; enzymes to digest organic matter and spores
to reproduce. Outdoors mold is a vital part of our
ecosystem. Without it we would be neck-deep in dead
plant matter and other organic materials. But
indoors mold can be a real problem when it starts
digesting organic materials like lumber, drywall,
cabinets, and other personal property. As long as
mold has a food source and a water source, it can
live indefinitely and cause significant damage to
anything it comes in contact with.
Non-Viable Mold
When mold loses its food or water
source it dies or goes dormant. At that point, the
good news is it can no longer cause any further
damage to your property. The bad news is, as mold
dies it dries out and starts to release spores into
the air at a highly accelerated rate, and mold
spores – dead or alive – have the same affect on
people and animals. (READ
THAT AGAIN!)
So, if dead mold is just as harmful alive mold –
what would be the point in killing it?
Mold spores are organized into three groups
according to human responses;
- Allergenic
Most likely to affect those who are already
allergic or asthmatic
- Pathogenic
Serious health effects in persons with
suppressed immune systems
- Toxigenic
Capable of causing serious health effects in
almost anybody
Dead mold may provide your property with some
reprieve. But there is clearly no upside to killing
mold when it comes to the potential health risks
associated mold exposure – dead or alive. For that
reason, the goal of mold remediation never to kill
mold – it is always to remove mold.
Who Promotes the Idea
of Killing Mold and Why? Follow The Money
Mold-Killing Products
So who would have you believe that
killing mold is a good idea and why? Anyone making
money selling products and services that kill mold.
Search Google for ”how to kill mold”. What you will
find is 500,000 web sites selling products that
supposedly “kill mold”. Check out the cleaning
products isle at your local grocery store and you’ll
find a number of mold-killing solutions to choose
from. And of course there’s the home remedies that
have been around for years, like bleach, vinegar,
baking soda, etc. But even if a remedy or a retail
product works, the question that begs asking is,
“what is the point in killing mold?”
Mold-Killing Services
If you spend a few dollars on a
mold-killing solution, the most you’ll be out is a
few dollars. The real mold-killing scam, however, is
the thermal or ”high-heat” treatments being passed
off as mold remediation by some contractors. Can
extreme heat kill mold and other indoor
contaminants? Yes. But again, the question to ask
is, “what is the point in killing mold?”. Whatever
technical catch phrase they come up with to sell
their concept, killing mold is not mold remediation.
Remediation means removing mold. In the simplest of
terms, if mold is properly remediated (removed)
there should be nothing left to kill.
Other products and services being sold as
mold-killers are Ozone air purifiers and high ozone
treatments. Ozone is a colorless, toxic gas with a
noticeable odor. When inhaled in relatively low
amounts, ozone can cause chest pain, coughing,
shortness of breath, damage the lungs and irritate
the throat.
Regarding contractors who sell high ozone treatments
as a method of mold remediation, the truth is - the
amount of ozone it takes to kill mold will kill you
too! But even if you check into a hotel for a few
days while they while they fill your house with
lethal doses of deadly gas, the best you can hope
for in the end is dead mold. And just like high heat
treatments, remediation will still be required to
remove it.
As for ozone products, manufacturers and resellers
of Ozone Generators sold as air purifiers claim that
these products help to kill and control mold.
However, according to the Environmental Protection
Agency, (EPA), these products may very well add to
indoor air pollution and even make indoor mold
conditions worse.
Several brands of ozone generators have EPA
“establishment numbers” on their packaging. This is
NOT an EPA approval or endorsement. It is nothing
more than deceptive marketing designed to
intentionally mislead consumers. The only purpose of
an EPA establishment number is to help the EPA
identify the specific facility that produces the
product.
THE DISPLAY OF THIS NUMBER ON OZONE PRODUCTS DOES
NOT IMPLY IN ANY WAY THAT EPA HAS FOUND THE PRODUCT
TO BE EITHER SAFE OR EFFECTIVE.
FROM
EPA’s WEB SITE:
Q: Are Ozone Generators Effective
in Controlling Indoor Air Pollution?
A: Available scientific evidence shows that
at concentrations that do not exceed public health
standards, ozone has little potential to remove
indoor air contaminants. Some manufacturers or
vendors suggest that ozone will render almost every
chemical contaminant harmless by producing a
chemical reaction whose only by-products are carbon
dioxide, oxygen and water. This is misleading. The
EPA does not certify or endorse any air cleaning
devices or recommend air cleaning devices or
manufacturers.
For more information from the EPA regarding the use
or effectiveness of ozone generators, please visit
their web site at:
www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html
