Mold / Asbestos Testing
Testing The Air You Breathe

Certified Home Inspections’ environmental division, EnviroTech, provides full service surveying and testing for air quality. Our inspectors are ITA trained as certified mold specialists and have performed hundreds of tests for environmental air quality.

EnviroTech mold specialists conduct air cell surveys, swab and swatch testing as well as surface probes when signs of mold contamination are found. These tests are sent to a nationally-accredited professional microbial laboratory for analysis. Our industrial hygenists utilize the laboratory analyses to create a report on findings of all testing. These findings are contained in a client report which is clear, concise and easy to understand.

Should lab reports reveal the presence of mold, our hygenists are qualified to prepare formal plans for remediation. Working with a third-party remediation company, our mold specialists oversee remediation work to ensure all proper protocols are followed and the work is done to industry standards. Upon completion of remediation work, our certified mold specialists then conduct “clearance tests” to make sure there is no longer mold present at a property.

Besides air quality/mold testing, our specialists also conduct surveys for asbestos, ecoli, lead and meth. EnviroTech has worked with health officials in Fresno, Madera, Merced and Stanislaus counties as well as school districts in Madera and Mariposa counties. The company has also performed contracted work with numerous housing developers in the Central Valley.

Why test for Mold
The purpose of a mold inspection is to determine the presence of mold spores in an indoor environment. Envirotech’s mold inspection will determine what kind of mold genus is present, the amounts found in the air or a surface if mold is visible and if the amount of spores found are normal for that environment or elevated. A major component of the inspection is to determine the source of the indoor air quality problem and the solution.

What Is Mold:
Mildew and molds are fungi - simple microscopic organisms that thrive anywhere there is a moist environment. Molds are a necessary part of the environment; without them, leaves would not decay and aspects of soil enrichment could not take place. It is their ability to destroy organic materials that makes mold a problem for people. Mildew (mold in its early stages) and molds grow on wood products, ceiling tiles, cardboard, wallpaper, carpets, drywall, fabric, plants, foods, insulation, decaying leaves and other organic materials. Mold colonies can start to grow on a damp surface within 24 to 48 hours. They reproduce via spores - tiny, lightweight “seeds”- that travel through the air. Molds digest organic material, eventually destroying the material they grow on, and then spread to destroy adjacent organic material. In addition to the damage molds can cause in your home, they can also cause mild to severe health problems.

Mold and your HEALTH:
We are exposed to many kinds of mold both inside and outside the house. The exposure is greater in damp or wet conditions, especially when timely drying out does not have a chance to occur. Of the thousands of molds that exist, some are known allergens (aggravating or causing skin, eye and respiratory problems) and a few molds produce harmful mycotoxins that can cause serious problems. But all molds, in the right conditions and high enough concentrations, are capable of adversely affecting human health. The potential for health problems occurs when people inhale large quantities of the airborne mold spores. For some people, however, a relatively small number of mold spores can cause health problems. Infants, children, immune-compromised patients, pregnant women, individuals with existing respiratory conditions and the elderly are at higher risks for adverse health effects from mold.

Health Problems from Mold Exposure
Typical symptoms reported from mold exposure include: Respiratory problems – sneezing, asthma attacks, etc. Nasal and sinus congesting or dry, hacking cough Eye irritation – burning, watery, redness Nose or throat irritation – sneezing fits, bloody noses Skin irritations – rashes or hives Nervous system – headaches, memory loss, mood changes Aches and pains. The more serious health problems have been associated with Stachybotrys atra, a highly toxic mold. The mold is a greenish-black and slimy, resembling tar or black paint. Stachybotrys typically grows only on repeatedly wetted materials that contain cellulose like paper and ceiling tiles, and any kind of wood.

Mold and your house:
You may have mold and/or mildew growing in your home if your home has water damage due to:

• Sewage back-up from flooding in the area.
• Plumbing or roof leaks.
• A damp basement or crawl space.
• Overflows from bathtub or sinks.
• High humidity (steam cooking, dryer vents, humidifiers, bad AC).

Mold and mildew will develop within 24-48 hours of water exposure. And it will continue to grow until steps are taken to eliminate the source of moisture, and effectively deal with the mold problem. Mold can grow on almost any kind of surface, and eventually decomposing the material, they can grow and damage building materials, fabrics, furniture, and personal belongings; that is why it is best to determine if you have mold before it destroys your home.

How to know if you have mold:
There could be mold in your home and you may not know it, mold could be growing behind leaky appliances, behind walls or ceiling, underneath carpet and even inside your air conditioning system. Mold is not always noticeable, and even if it is noticeable you most likely won't know what kind it is and how much of it is in the air. If there is a musty like odor in you house it could indicate that there is mold present; and if you can smell in the air is probably in high amounts. so be aware of musty odors.
What do we do:
The Inspection Process:

1 We walk through the entire area of the house looking for possible (red flags) water intrusion, water stains or leaks.
2 We check these possible water problems to determine if the moisture is active, using moisture detectors.
3 We take air or surface samples of possible mold contamination as required.
4 The samples taken are analyzed by an AIHA accredited laboratory.
5 Lab results are studied and interpreted. We write a comprehensive report indicating what kind of mold spores we found and how much of it was present in the air or surface tested, we also determine if the mold present in the environment is normal or elevated. Additionally we write recommendations about how to remove the contamination and prevent it from returning in the future.

Why choose us!

• Many companies will charge you just to tell you that you have an indoor air quality problem, but we go further and find the source or origin of the problem and the solution and prevention of your specific indoor air quality problem.
• We have many years of experience in construction and air quality fields.
• We have performed more than 2,000 inspections.
• We are certified mold inspectors by ITA, ESA, and EMLAB professional microbiology lab.
• All our inspectors undergo continuing education on a regular basis.
• We care about our clients, and we go the extra mile to offer a great service.



Professionally trained and fully insured for your protection.
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