The mere mention of this word can send shivers up a home owners spine. With all the media hype lately, many consumers are very concerned about any mention of mold in their homes. I'm going to try and provide you with the truth about this subject. If the Ballard's had not won a court judgement for 32 million dollars, I along with many other professionals believe you still would not know what Stacybotrys was. Overnite, a whole industry based of fear and greed sprung up living off of scared consumers. Just look at many of the mold ads out there. Shock words like "Killer Mold" , "Save your family", "Certain Death" are used on a regular basis to scare consumers. If mold is as bad as they would have you believe, why the fear factor? Why didn't we hear about it back in the 50's, 60's or 70's? Why was it that this industry didn't spring up untill a family won millions of dollars in a lawsuit? Look at who is spreading all the sensationalism. Trial lawyers, Mold Labs selling supplies and certifications, Inspectors who test for mold and the media are all responsible for spreading the fear so they keep duping unsuspecting consumers. Even the EPA and the CDC say that air testing for mold as part of a home inspection is useless. Now the tables are turned and many professionals around the nation and the world are discovering that mold is not the root of all evil as some would have you believe. Several top medical researches have even stated there is no direct link between stachybotrys and the illness it is blamed for. As a professional home inspector, I get tons upon tons of brochures and other junk mail from testing labs and attorny's. Almost every piece of this mail screasm 'GET RICH QUICK, Start Mold Testing Today!". Needless to say, it gets trashed. What about these so called 'Certified Mold Testers?" You and I can buy a mold certification. In fact, we could buy several mold certifications from labs and organizations that sound so credible that any unsuspecting consumer wouldn't think twice about hiring you or me. The simple fact is, if I thought mold testing would be beneficial to my clients, I'd be the first in line. I spent months pouring over available literature and finally seen that all the mold business is just a big scare invented to take money away from consumers. Now we have some of the most noted medical professionals in the country saying that this stuff may make you sick, but it's not deadly as many want you to think it is. The Ballard case is under appeal and now some new news is coming out of that case. True experts are now saying that air sampling is a joke and that only tape lifting is the only reliable method and only than if you have visible mold! See if you see the mold testing folks put that in their ads! Do not take my word for it. Do your research. There is a ton of misinformation out there right now. When you come across some scary sounding information, look and see who is putting it out. What do they have to gain? I think you'll see a pattern forming here. The internet is full of articles on mold. Below are a few that will help you get started. If after reading this, you still want some mold testing done to give you peace of mind, then stay away from the 'MOLD IS GOLD' crowd and hire only responsible professionals with actual college degrees in this field. I recommend Certified Industrial Hygienist. Yes, the will cost more than Bubba running around with his tire pump taking air samples, but if you really want the truth, hire the professionals with the college degrees. Just beware of the "Certified Indoor Air Quality Specialist" and other bogus certifications from testing labs. Toxic Mold in Texas - See what real Texas doctors say about it. Stachybotrys chartarum (Black Mold) - The cause of sick building syndrome? (There are also other great links on this site) The American Industrial Hygiene Association - More information from peopel who actually know what they're talking about. Building Science Corporation - Resources - Mold Issues AWCI - Visit this website and download the free booklet called "Mold: Cause, effect and Response" |
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What's in Your Attic? |
Contact Us: 888-206-5572 Email: |
The mere mention of this word can send shivers up a home owners spine. With all the media hype lately, many consumers are very concerned about any mention of mold in their homes. I'm going to try and provide you with the truth about this subject. If the Ballard's had not won a court judgement for 32 million dollars, I along with many other professionals believe you still would not know what Stacybotrys was. Overnite, a whole industry based of fear and greed sprung up living off of scared consumers. Just look at many of the mold ads out there. Shock words like "Killer Mold" , "Save your family", "Certain Death" are used on a regular basis to scare consumers. If mold is as bad as they would have you believe, why the fear factor? Why didn't we hear about it back in the 50's, 60's or 70's? Why was it that this industry didn't spring up untill a family won millions of dollars in a lawsuit? Look at who is spreading all the sensationalism. Trial lawyers, Mold Labs selling supplies and certifications, Inspectors who test for mold and the media are all responsible for spreading the fear so they keep duping unsuspecting consumers. Even the EPA and the CDC say that air testing for mold as part of a home inspection is useless. Now the tables are turned and many professionals around the nation and the world are discovering that mold is not the root of all evil as some would have you believe. Several top medical researches have even stated there is no direct link between stachybotrys and the illness it is blamed for. As a professional home inspector, I get tons upon tons of brochures and other junk mail from testing labs and attorny's. Almost every piece of this mail screasm 'GET RICH QUICK, Start Mold Testing Today!". Needless to say, it gets trashed. What about these so called 'Certified Mold Testers?" You and I can buy a mold certification. In fact, we could buy several mold certifications from labs and organizations that sound so credible that any unsuspecting consumer wouldn't think twice about hiring you or me. The simple fact is, if I thought mold testing would be beneficial to my clients, I'd be the first in line. I spent months pouring over available literature and finally seen that all the mold business is just a big scare invented to take money away from consumers. Now we have some of the most noted medical professionals in the country saying that this stuff may make you sick, but it's not deadly as many want you to think it is. The Ballard case is under appeal and now some new news is coming out of that case. True experts are now saying that air sampling is a joke and that only tape lifting is the only reliable method and only than if you have visible mold! See if you see the mold testing folks put that in their ads! Do not take my word for it. Do your research. There is a ton of misinformation out there right now. When you come across some scary sounding information, look and see who is putting it out. What do they have to gain? I think you'll see a pattern forming here. The internet is full of articles on mold. Below are a few that will help you get started. If after reading this, you still want some mold testing done to give you peace of mind, then stay away from the 'MOLD IS GOLD' crowd and hire only responsible professionals with actual college degrees in this field. I recommend Certified Industrial Hygienist. Yes, the will cost more than Bubba running around with his tire pump taking air samples, but if you really want the truth, hire the professionals with the college degrees. Just beware of the "Certified Indoor Air Quality Specialist" and other bogus certifications from testing labs. Toxic Mold in Texas - See what real Texas doctors say about it. Stachybotrys chartarum (Black Mold) - The cause of sick building syndrome? (There are also other great links on this site) The American Industrial Hygiene Association - More information from peopel who actually know what they're talking about. Building Science Corporation - Resources - Mold Issues AWCI - Visit this website and download the free booklet called "Mold: Cause, effect and Response" |
Mold 101
