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The 3 BIG questions: Click or Tap below
What to expect during the inspection
What to expect after the inspection
Important Quick Points: Click or Tap below
What does Unbiased Mold Inspection and Testing mean?
Does Mold Spotters carry insurance?
Air testing and analysis beyond just mold
Why book an inspection?
It’s a good idea to book a mold inspection if your property has experienced any type of water damage.
- Basement flooding
- Rainwater leaks
- Plumbing issues
- Mold like staining on surfaces
- Excessive humidity
- Odd smells or musty odors (and how to get rid of them)
You can book a mold inspection right now at (781) 664-9511 or fill out the form below.
Your mold inspection company should always be an unbiased third party like Mold Spotters.
We are an independent, unbiased mold inspection and testing company.
This means that we do not perform mold remediation or any of the services we recommend. We have nothing to gain by telling you that you have a mold problem. You can feel confident that our recommendations will be accurate and honest.
Some mold remediation companies also offer to inspect for mold. This immediately creates a blatant conflict of interest. These companies are bidding for your mold removal job and could be tempted to tell you that you have a mold problem, even if you don’t.
Beware of the FREE mold inspection scam Click or Tap
Many mold issues don’t require professional mold remediation and can be easily handled by the homeowner or any handyman.
Hiring Mold Spotters to perform your mold inspection could save you thousands of dollars in unnecessary mold remediation expenses.
We will tell you if you do or don’t have a problem, and if so, how you got it, how to get rid of it, and how to keep it from coming back.
Mold Spotters will be your unbiased consultant until your problem is completely resolved.
Important information about insurance
Mold Spotters carries general liability insurance and workers comp insurance. These certificates of insurance (COIs) are available immediately upon request to every customer booking an inspection.
Any company that sends workers to your property should have these types of insurance at a minimum. If not, you won’t be protected against property damage caused by the workers and you could be financially liable if any of the workers are injured.
Reputable companies should be able to provide COIs without hassle. Simply saying that one is insured isn’t enough. Make sure to check the coverage dates to be sure that the COIs haven’t expired. Make sure the company that is listed as insured is the same company that will be performing the work.
Regular employees vs independent contractors:
Find out If the company will be sending regular employees or if they are independent contractors. If the workers are independent contractors, this is almost always illegal and they will probably not be covered under their insurance policies.
All Mold Spotters inspectors are regular employees that are fully covered by our insurance.
It is a serious violation of labor laws to misclassify employees as independent contractors.
Countless businesses, including many in this industry illegally employ independent contractors.
You can read more on this subject here Click or Tap to visit the Mass.gov website
Don’t underestimate the importance of confirming this information.
If a company can’t promptly provide the COIs and if they don’t clearly answer these questions, it immediately raises a red flag and they probably shouldn’t be hired.
The Health Risks of Mold
Indoor exposure to mold has raised countless health concerns over the past several years.
There has been a lot of talk in the news about “Toxic Black Mold”.
We will test your home or business for all known types of mold, including the ones that are known to be the most dangerous and destructive.
From the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency):
“Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins). Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people.”
You can read more on this subject here Click or Tap to visit EPA website
Doctors often recommend mold inspections for people who are experiencing health issues. Others do so just for peace of mind.
Mold and Structural damage
Mold growth can cause structural damage to buildings and building materials.
Mold requires a few things to grow, including water and a source of organic material to feed on. Many types of building materials (insulation, wood, paper backing on wall board) are the perfect food sources for mold. As the mold feeds on these materials, they can be weakened and damaged, possibly leading to structural failure.
If you suspect a mold problem, the worst thing you can do is ignore it. Ignoring problems leads to neglect. Neglect quickly leads to disrepair. It’s much easier to stay ahead of issues and quickly resolve problems than it is to react to catastrophes!
What to expect during the inspection
A certified mold inspector from Mold Spotters will come out to your property. The inspection will typically consist of three different parts.
1 – Learning the back story:
The inspector will speak with you to better understand your concerns and learn more about the situation at the property. All information you can convey about the property’s history relating to mold and moisture issues will be extremely helpful.
2 – Visual inspection:
The inspector will visually inspect readily accessible areas of your choice and look for conditions conducive to mold growth, such as evidence of water related issues, excess humidity, unusual odors and more. You should use this opportunity to point out areas of concern and things you’ve noticed over time. Equipment such as moisture meters and infrared imaging cameras may be used to help detect possible issues.
3 – Collection of samples:
The inspector will suggest the locations and types of sampling that are appropriate for the areas of concern. The sampling types that are generally collected are air samples and surface samples. Laboratory analysis of the samples is important to help determine the presence of mold and the extent of any possible infestation.
You can also ask for peace of mind samples, meaning additional samples that may not have been suggested by the inspector.
Additional samples are priced at a flat rate which includes the sample and the laboratory fee. No surprise charges.
Air sampling for mold
This involves using a special pump and sampling cassettes to pull air through a collection medium where mold spores are captured.
Air sampling discovers the types and quantities of mold spores that are in the air. This not only reveals what occupants are exposed to and breathing, it also indicates possible problems that are hidden or cannot be seen with the naked eye.
Surface sampling for mold
This involves dragging a sterilized swab across a suspected surface, collecting the material from the surface onto the tip of the swab.
Surface samples are generally collected to prove or disprove mold on surfaces. This can be helpful with insurance claims, to motivate responsible parties to take cleanup action, or to simply know the exact species of suspected mold on the surface.
All inspections include the collection of two samples. The inspector may recommend additional samples above the two that are included with the inspection. It is at your sole discretion to go ahead with additional samples, or to just stick with the two that are included.
Whenever any number of indoor air samples are collected, one outdoor control sample must also be collected. This is an air sample from outside in the vicinity of the property. This sample provides a layer of protection against false elevated conclusions, since outdoor conditions can affect indoor readings to a degree. Since this sample must also be analyzed by the laboratory, the outdoor control sample counts as one of the two included samples.
By nature, surface samples do not require an outdoor control sample. If we only collect surface samples, both included samples will be used as indoor samples.
The sampling cassettes and swabs are then sent to an independent laboratory for analysis to determine the types and quantities of mold present.
Important: It is crucial for an inspection company to use an outside laboratory for mold sample analysis. This ensures an unbiased and transparent process of analysis and reporting.
Inspection companies that analyze samples in house could be biased and could be tempted to report their analysis in such a way that favors their desired outcome.
What to expect after the inspection
After laboratory analysis of the samples is complete, your inspector will email you the lab results, along with a separate, easy to understand report. The report will include inspection observations, helpful recommendations, and photos.
Conclusions will be drawn for your mold samples based on industry standard generally acceptable thresholds of types and counts of mold spores.
Your report will include one of the following:
- If everything checks out okay, mold cleanup will not be necessary.
- If there is a minor, easy to address issue, we will recommend self-cleanup based on CDC and EPA guidelines. This cleanup can usually be performed easily by the customer or any handyman.
- If there is a larger issue or if recommended cleanup requires destruction of building materials, we will recommend further evaluation by a mold remediation contractor.
If professional mold remediation is recommended:
It’s important to choose a licensed and insured contractor with extensive experience in mold remediation. Mold Spotters is an unbiased mold inspection and testing company that is not affiliated with mold remediation contractors.
To remain unbiased, we don’t directly recommend or endorse any specific contractors. However, many of our clients still turn to us for recommendations.
Completion of mold remediation work:
The mold remediation contractor should follow all industry standard protocol related to mold remediation. The steps carried out by the contractor will include most or all of the following items:
- Containment of the work area as to not contaminate the rest of the property
- The use of personal protection equipment
- The creation of negative pressure inside the work area
- The use of a HEPA vacuum
- The application of a biocide and appropriate scrubbing of surfaces
- The removal of contaminated materials
- The use of an air scrubber in the contained area
The contractor you choose may recommend additional steps not listed here. We will also recommend professional cleaning of the HVAC system including the coils and ducts.
Failing to carry out the full protocol of protective measures during remediation could lead to the spread of mold spores and other contaminants throughout the property. This could compromise the air quality even further and possibly lead to the return of mold growth. It’s imperative that all protective measures are taken.
Your report will outline all of the important steps a contractor should follow to perform the work correctly.
Clearance inspection and testing:
After mold remediation is completed and before reconstruction begins, you should contact Mold Spotters for an unbiased inspection and clearance test. This will consist of another mold inspection in the work area to determine if the remediation work was sufficient. Samples will again be collected and analyzed by the laboratory.
The remediation company that performed the work should not be the same company providing clearance. The clearance inspection and testing should be performed by an unbiased third party with no involvement in warranting the remediation work.
Remodeling and reconstruction:
Based on the results of the clearance inspection and testing, the inspector will either give the go ahead to begin reconstruction, or a make a recommendation for further mold remediation work. Remodeling and reconstruction should never begin without clearance inspection and testing being performed.
Privacy and Discretion
The inspector will arrive at your property in a vehicle without graphics or signs. The inspector will be wearing regular clothing without company logos. Onlookers should not have any indication of who we are or what we are doing.
Conversations, photos, and results of lab analysis will be kept strictly between us and the customer. Photos will not be used for advertising or for social media. We do not report results to the state or town. If anybody other than the customer contacts our office with questions, our staff will not engage with anybody without your written permission.
We are happy to collaborate with anybody you’d like. Just send us a quick email granting us permission to do so. To put it simply, the inspection is for the ordering party and nobody else.
Real estate sales
Don’t get stuck with somebody else’s mold problem. Know before you buy.
Home inspectors regularly recommend mold inspections with real estate sales.
Honest and unbiased mold inspections are crucial with real estate sales. Opportunist remediation contractors can overstate the severity of problems, resulting in unwarranted lost deals. We will provide you with the facts you need to make informed decisions.
The typical real estate transaction process includes the following main steps:
- Offer and acceptance of the offer
- Purchase and sale agreement
- Closing and transfer of ownership
The best time to schedule a mold inspection is after the offer is accepted and before the purchase and sale agreement is signed.
The mold inspection should be scheduled as quickly as possible after acceptance of the offer. This will give both parties time to agree on the inspection date, time to react to the results of the inspection, and the opportunity for possible further negotiation based on the inspection results.
Insurance claims
Mold inspection and mold remediation costs may be covered by your insurance company.
Many of our customers have been reimbursed by their insurance company for our services. Contact your insurance agent or provider to find out if you’re covered and to what extent.
If you use an agent for your homeowner’s insurance, we recommend asking them for advice. Your agent will probably be willing to provide helpful advice on how to make sure your claim is paid. The insurance adjuster from the insurance company is usually an employee of the insurance company. He or she is operating with the company’s best interests in mind, not necessarily yours.
Air testing and analysis beyond just mold
Add Mold Plus Analysis and Testing to any mold sample/area for an additional $75.00 per sample.
Mold Plus Analysis and Testing includes ALL of the following:
- Additional Analysis
Mold samples will be analyzed for additional particulate matter including dust mites, fiberglass, pollen and about 25 other substances.
- Formaldehyde and TVOCs
Formaldehyde and TVOCs are potentially harmful substances released from spray foam insulation, new carpeting and paint, pressed wood furniture and many other items.
- Air Testing with a 6 Channel Particle Counter
This is separate air testing that provides a better understanding of overall air quality by reporting a broad range of airborne particles.
Pick and choose which samples/areas you’d like, or add this option to all of them.
Feel free to speak with your inspector and decide on this option at the time of inspection.
Click or Tap here for detailed information on Mold Plus Analysis and Testing
Book an inspection right here
You can book your mold inspection with Mold Spotters right here online. If you prefer to speak to one of our friendly customer service representatives first, feel free to give us a call at (781) 664-9511. We are looking forward to serving you!
Please fill out the following form. One of our friendly customer service representatives will contact you shortly to confirm your inspection date and time. If submitted during regular business hours, you will usually be contacted within just a few minutes. If after regular business hours, you will be contacted promptly the next business day.