I need advice for finding a company that will be honest and reliable for testing and mold removal.
I am not sure we have a problem, but my LLMD says labs confirm I have mold toxins.
We do have an unfinished basement that gets water on one of the outside walls if it rains for several days.
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
Generally, to find someone for testing is fairly easy. It's the remediation part of things that gets very tricky, is usually very costly and not always what it should be.
On the testing side, I would make some phone calls out of the phone book and talk to the people. You'll get a feeling of who feels good to you. They bring their machine to your home and take several air samples (usually at least one sample on each floor of your home). They also take an outdoor sample so they can measure what the baseline would be in your area, so they can compare your outside sample to the inside ones.
I think you can get some people to just do the air sample testing, and this would probably run about $400 or so. Some environmental hygenists want to be hired to do a thorough full-home inspection and air samples. They will provide a detailed report, including your air sample test results, and a detailed outline of the work that would need to be performed in order to remediate. This usually runs in the neighborhood of about $1000.
You never want someone who does both the testing and the remediation. This is a conflict of interest.
I remember momlyme telling us about a company that you can order thru the mail that will test 2 air samples for about $150. I think (if I recall correctly) they send you the machine to collect the air sample, then you send it back for results. Double check in case I am mistaken and remembering wrong.
Based on what you said about your basement, it clearly sounds as if mold would be an issue in your home.
Best to you.
Posted by lax mom (Member # 38743) on :
PM momlyme. She has lots of helpful info.
Posted by surprise (Member # 34987) on :
Some will say the air tests are not enough, an
ERMI test is necessary (google ERMI mold test kit)
we did both.
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
its very complicated...i had 3 estimates---all different...later i found ut all wrong
educate youreself and be careful
the govt site is actually pretty good...separate testers and remediators-conflict of interest
also good site for info: google phil frye mold
Posted by dal123 (Member # 6313) on :
call the Dallas Environmental Center Or Dr Alfred Johnson, both work with mold sickens people from all over the country and they could probably give you some info foe your area!!!
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
For $68 I got two mold plates (for testing 2 rooms) sent to me with instructions and return postage included. Then, the lab emailed me the results, including pictures of what grew on my mold plates.
I did the basement and our bedroom.
Found out that mold was not my problem. Turned out I had a MRSA infection in one of my sinuses. I am fine now. But, these plates were a cheap and easy way to rule out mold as the cause of my illness.
Posted by 2young2dieMom (Member # 25434) on :
check with your home owners insurance to see if they cover mold remediation. Ours did and they paid for 30k of repairs. We still have a mold problem, however. Just found out my son is very allergic to mold and is very sick.
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
WARNING!!!!! i would read your policy b4 you ask homeowners about mold. i asked first and they dropped me!!! i was a few months without insurance...cant even tell you how i got it...but i couldnt fight that they dropped me. be very careful.