Every Home Inspection is a Preliminary Mold Inspection

Mold Surveys and Environmental Evaluations

I offer mold surveys in two different forms. The first method is a verbal evaluation where I walk through a home with the Client and show them the important issues and provide adivice regarding the discovered conditions. There is no sampling during a verbal survey. Many times this is acceptable for people who do not have enough money for pay for a complete survey or have personal reasons for not wanting a written report. This survice costs $200 to $300 depending on the circumstances of the home.   Call me for a quote 1-209-613-1430

For Clients who need a written report I go by the Indoor Environmental Standards Organization www.iestandards.org  These are the only published standards for evaluating mold in residential housing. 

As a Board-certified Microbial Consultant  (CMC)  www.iaqcouncil.org/Professionals/certifications-at-a-glance.htm  I am qualified for this service.  The standards require an inspection of various systems and basically boils down to a forensic water  instrusion inspection.  The standards require at least 3 samples for the most basic inspection. Prices start at $450.00 for the basic service.  If there are more areas of concern then additional samples will need to be taken and the prices will rise accordingly.  Beware of inspectors who do not follow the standards as their reports are indefensible.  Call me for a quote  1-209-613-1430

Environmental Surveys
Is your home making you sick? 

As a Board-certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC)  www.iaqcouncil.org/Professionals/certifications-at-a-glance.htm I also perform environmental survey for people who have chronic health issues. Do you have a chronic health condition? or just don't feel as good as you should.  It could be your home.  I can sample for dust mites, coackroaches, dander, votalie organic componds, formeldeyhde, and carbon monoxide.  Inspection protocol can be adjusted as directed by your physician to help pin point conditions in your home that may be causing your distress.  Prices for this service start at $800.00 and are adjusted according to the circumstance.  Call me for a quote 1-209-613-1430

Mold Related Industry Links

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (book) Bioaerosols: Assessment and Control, 1999 Edited by Janet Macher from the ACGIH Bioaerosols Committee Chapter 3. Health Effects of Bioaerosols Chapter 10. Prevention and Control of Microbial Contamination - By Richard Shaughnessy, Philip Morey and Eugene Cole Chapter 19. Fungi - by Harriet Burge and James Otten (ordering information for this document: www.acgih.org/store/ProductDetail.cfm?id=349  

American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) Report of Microbial Task Force, 2001 www.aiha.org/committees/html/iac/AIHA%20Microbial%20Growth%20Task%20Force%20Report.pdf 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency New Residential Mold Guide www.epa.gov/mold/

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mold Resources www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/moldresources.html

Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings, March 2001 http://www.epa.gov/mold/mold_remediation.html

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Molds in the Environment www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm 

Questions and Answers on Stachybotrys chartarum and other molds www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/mold/stachy.htm

California Research Bureau Reports Molds, Toxic Molds, and Indoor Air Quality www.library.ca.gov/crb/01/notes/v8n1.pdf

California Department of Health Services - Indoor Air Program Indoor Air Quality Info Sheet Mold in My Home: What Do I Do? /www.cal-iaq.org/mold0107.htm or www.cal-iaq.org/mold0107.pdf

Other mold related web sites: www.cal-iaq.org//iaqsheet.htm#Mold

CDHS Environmental Health Investigations Branch (EHIB) Information on Indoor Mold www.dhs.cahwnet.gov/org/ps/deodc/ehib/EHIB2/topics/mold.html

Minnesota Department of Health Mold in Homes www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/mold/index.html

University of Minnesota, Department of Environmental Health and Safety Fungi in Buildings www.dehs.umn.edu/iaq/fungus/

Fungal Abatement Safe Operating Procedure www.dehs.umn.edu/iaq/sop.html

Managing Water Infiltration Into Buildings www.dehs.umn.edu/iaq/flood.html

Washington State Department of Health Got Mold? Frequently Asked Questions www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/IAQ/Got_Mold.html

Health Canada Fungal contamination in public buildings: A guide to recognition and management, 1995 www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/air/fungal-fongique/index_e.html

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Moisture and Air - Problems and Remedies www.cmhc-chl.gc.ca/en/co/maho/yohoyohe/momo/moaiprre/index.cfm

A Condominium Owner's Guide to Mold www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/maho/yohoyohe/momo/momo_003.cfm

Fighting Mold www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/maho/yohoyohe/momo/momo_005.cfm

Healthy Indoor Air for America's Homes Project www.montana.edu/wwwcxair

Eliminate Molds, Excessive Moisture and Other Biological Pollutants www.montana.edu/wwwcxair/facts_mold.html

Family Handyman Magazine Combating Mold and Mildew by Spike Carlsen www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=18292 OR www.neirc.org/combatingmold.htm
Home Energy Magazine Online November/December 1995 Fundamentals of Moisture In Houses by Joseph Lstiburek and John Carmody www./hem.dis.anl.gov/eehem/95/951108.html

Home Energy Magazine Online March/April 1998 Moisture Control In Bathrooms By Marilou Cheple and Pat Huelman www.homeenergy.org/archive/hem.dis.anl.gov/eehem/95/951108.html

Sample Report

Prices for home inspections are subject to many variables.  The obivous considerations are the size of the home, the age of the home, and is the home built with a crawl space or on a concrete slab?  Is there a basement?  A swimming pool or a spa?  Has the home been expanded or substantially changed from it's original design?  Does the Client want to participate in a walk through with the inspector after the inspection is complete?  But most importantly, how old is the home?

All the above combine to give an experienced inspector of an "estimated time to inspect."  Beware of the companies who provide a flat fee based on so many square feet only.  There are minimum standards for an inspection but you would be surprised at how minimum the standards really are.  If you inspect to the minimum standards then the inspector will only be at the home for about 1.5 to 2 hours.  This provides only a brief overview of the home and probably does not provide all the important information that could help the Client make an informed purchase decision.  The fastest home inspection I have performed took 3 hours for a 2 year old 1,100 square foot home that was very clean.  My typical inspection takes at least 4 hours for a 1500 square foot home plus another hour for a walk through if the Client so chooses.  Typically I perform one inspection per day.

Don't shop price!  When I am asked how much my inspections cost I always answer, "Why do you CARE, the Seller almost always pay for my services!"  "What do you mean?" the Client asks.  "The issues I disclose in the report will greatly outweigh the cost of my report.  Would you pay me $300-$500 to save $5,000 -$10,000 or the highest I know about was $46,000 for one lady?"  The issues discovered in a well made report will first 1) Disclose to you if the home is worthy of consideration.  2) If the home is acceptable then the disclosed issues in the report will allow the Client to negotiate with the Seller for a reduced sales price, or to repair the disclosed conditions; this is especially true in todays "Buyers Market."   In effect, properly utilized home inspections are free to the buyer.  If the transaction fails because of the inspection report then it could save the Client many thousands of dollars spent on a home that was not disclosed properly.  Do not buy someone else's problems! 

When a Client asks for prices he should really be asking for qualifications   How long has the inspector been in the building industry?  How long in the inspection business?  How many inspections has he/her performed?  What accreditations does he have? Does he inspect full time or is he a retired from another industry?

Anyway my typical fees are from about $325 to $500.  Call me for a quote. Brad Deal 1-209-613-1430