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Do you
suspect you have an indoor mold problem due to obvious or hidden
moisture, flood damage, or excessive indoor humidity? Do you experience
asthma or other physical allergic symptoms while inside your home? Have you observed unpleasant odors, staining or mold-like growth
on walls, floors or personal items? If so this is what you should
do: |
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1) DON'T PANIC! If it is
determined that you have an indoor mold growth situation is likely
manageable! Despite recent media hysteria about it,
Stachybotrys or
"black mold" is relatively rare. Mold
growth reservoirs appear in many colors and textures and there
are several types of mold that commonly grow on water damaged
building materials and can release potentially allergenic and
potentially toxigenic microscopic volatile organic compounds,
mycotoxins, mold spores, and mycelial fragments into the
air. There are also substances that look like mold growth but
are benign substances, lint, carbon deposits, etc. Therefore
DO
NOT DISTURB THE "MOLDY"
MATERIALS
until your situation
is inspected by a professional indoor environmental quality
specialist. Water and mold are not the only indoor environmental
conditions that can contribute to
allergic reactions, irritation, or illnesses. Appropriate
handling methods can prevent personal exposure and
cross-contamination to unaffected areas. |
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2) IDENTIFY. The identification,
qualification, and quantification of mold and allergens in
indoor environments can only be determined by scientific sampling and
laboratory testing. Mold Reporters Inc. Indoor Environmental
Consultants offer qualified and affordable diagnostic and
inspection services for assessment of surfaces and indoor air
quality, and to help identify the source of elevated moisture, water
infiltration, and other potentially destructive conditions
within the property. We are not mold remediation or abatement
contractors. Many situations can be effectively corrected by
building owners without the need for a full-scale remediation.
It is a conflict of interest to offer mold remediation
contracting and also conduct environmental consulting, in fact
some states mandate against the practice. We are strictly
consultants. If it is determined that your situation requires
professional remediation we offer project consulting services
that guide you through the
remediation process and empower you to make
informed choices about your project.
3) STOP. If it is confirmed that you do have an
elevated level of moisture, obvious or hidden mold growth
reservoirs, mold spore contamination or
other significant allergen sources inside
your home the next step is to identify and correct the source, and
have the
contaminated materials cleaned or removed in such a way so as to prevent
personal exposure and cross-contamination to unaffected areas. Our detailed
inspection and analytical reports provide general mold/moisture/indoor
environmental
repair and maintenance recommendations. We also offer written mold remediation
protocol and scope of work reports. We do not perform remediation
or repairs and we will not
try to sell you remediation services. We offer inspection and testing
services before, during, and after
repairs or remediation to give your project a clean bill of health.
4) REMEMBER.
Indoor
environmental factors other than mold can impact air quality and
can potentially cause allergic or other more serious reactions
in sensitive individuals, including but not limited to:
fiberglass, animal dander, rodent/insect allergen, dust mite
allergen, bacteria/Endotoxins, lead, asbestos, formaldehyde,
pesticides, solvents and chemical residues, polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (soot), latex, fragrances, carbon monoxide, ozone, etc. We
offer a wide variety of testing services. Please contact us for
available services. |
