Cooking a house to make the air results worse than they actually are.

Mold inspectors must take a sample of the air in your house as part of their inspection. This is a good way to determine whether or not there is a mold problem, even if you cannot see the mold. Some companies will “cook” your property, so that the results of your tests look far worse than they actually are. While you may have a mold issue, the results of your test will reveal that you have a far more severe mold problem that you really do, prompting you to pay an outlandish price for remediation that could have been far less expensive.

They will do this by closing all the windows and turning on the air systems—either the heater or the air conditioner. They will then turn on fans, and any other ventilation systems that you have. This will be followed by vacuuming or fluffing furniture, in order to release any spores trapped in the carpet or fabric. They will then test the air. With the windows closed, all of the air is being recycled again and again through your air system, so that mold spores are becoming far more prevalent.

Air quality tests are designed to compare outside air to inside air. After they take a sample of outside air, they will cook the house so that it appears as though the inside mold numbers are much higher than the outside mold numbers, which indicates a mold infestation. Proper inspections do consist of closing doors and windows, but they should not turn on air systems or do any manipulation of fabric around the home. They should take their sample in the same conditions in which you normally live.

 

Avoid It: Prepare for the test yourself. In order to get proper mold readings, close your windows and doors at least six hours before the inspector arrives for the test. Then, be sure that your inspector first tests any areas where there are visible mold colonies. If none of these places exist, be sure that he takes a sample of your normal conditions before he starts turning on air systems.

 

For more information about mold inspections and removal processes, call us today (406) 755-5322.  We pride ourselves on being an authority on all things mold. If you have a question about this topic, do not hesitate to contact us  today.