Is mold affecting your health or property?
Building occupants, homeowners, facility managers, and insurance companies are becoming increasingly aware of the adverse health implications of mold contamination. Exposure to mold can have serious health and financial impacts.
Prolonged exposure to moisture (pipe leaks, construction defects, seepage, flooding, condensation, etc.) will allow the mold to reproduce and grow until it becomes a potential threat to human health. It has been determined that immune compromised adults and children may experience long and short term health effects from certain mold contaminants.
Hogan Associates has the experience and expertise to minimize those impacts. We are indoor environmental professionals and are IAQA Certified Indoor Environmentalists and Certified Residential Mold Inspectors. Our consultants are trained in the latest methodology with advanced technology for mold testing and mold assessments. Our assessments include the following process:
Identify the Problem
- Visual inspection of the subject property
- Moisture meter readings and relative humidity readings
- Thermal images of suspect areas to find hidden moisture
- Surface and air samples of suspect locations using an AIHA accredited laboratory
- Interpretation of laboratory results
- Comprehensive easy to read report with findings and recommendations
Moisture control and building repair
In all situations, the underlying moisture problem must be corrected to prevent recurring mold growth. Indoor moisture can result from numerous causes, such as: façade and roof leaks; plumbing leaks; floods; condensation; and high relative humidity.
Our inspectors are trained to identify not only the mold growth but also those conditions which, if not corrected, could lead to a return of mold growth.
Remediation Support
The goal of remediation is to remove or clean mold-damaged materials using work practices that protect occupants by controlling the dispersion of mold from the work area and protect remediation workers from exposures to mold.
Hogan-Whiting Associates can provide ongoing remediation support for your situation such as scope of work and remediation plans for any project. As independent indoor environmental professionals and experts in building sciences, we can work with contractors to establish a strategy to properly eliminate the mold and to correct the underlying causes of mold growth.
Post Remediation Verification
Following a detailed plan, Hogan-Whiting Associates is able to determine if the remediation project has been properly completed in accordance with industry standards using our expertise and advanced sampling techniques. We work to protect our clients from incomplete work.
Measures to ensure the quality and effectiveness of remediation should be undertaken regardless of the project size. Evaluations during, as well as after remediation, should be conducted to confirm the effectiveness of remedial work. At minimum, these quality assurance indicators should be followed and documented:
- The underlying moisture problem was identified and eliminated
- Isolation of the work area was appropriate and effective
- Mold removal and worksite cleanup was performed according to the site-specific plan
- Any additional moisture or mold damage discovered during remediation was properly addressed
- Upon completion of remediation, surfaces are free from visible dust and debris.
If environmental sampling was performed, the results of such sampling were evaluated by a trained building or environmental health professional.
Mold Scam: Mold Inspectors Who Do Mold Removal
The worst perpetrators of mold scams are “mold inspectors” who are also in the mold remediation business (mold removal). Mold remediation can be a very profitable business. Many mold removal contractors use free or discounted mold inspections as a means to drum up expensive remediation jobs for themselves. This is a common scam and a conflict of interest that works almost every time if the mold remediation company does not have a 3rd party data assessment and review service.
How To Avoid It:
If someone is offering a FREE or reduced rate mold inspection you should be curious. Almost always a “Free” mold inspection will find mold which results in proposed work to be done. Mold inspectors should never be attached to the outcome of a laboratory report. The best way to avoid this mold scam is to hire an inspector who is not in the remediation business or ensure that the remediation firm is using independent 3rd party review to check ALL of their work. That’s the only way to ensure an unbiased inspection report.