Why a Free Mold Inspection Is a Red Flag

John P. Lapotaire, CIEC

Like any other industry, the mold remediation and inspection business has its share of scams, cons, and rip off artists who seek to profit from your lack of knowledge about mold.

The worst perpetrators of mold scams are mold removal/remediation contractors who also offer mold inspections and mold testing services.  Their scam is creating non-existent mold problems and charging you thousands of dollars to fix them.

If you encounter a mold inspector who also does mold removal/remediation, (or visa-versa) Just Say NO! There are plenty of quality contractors available that don’t do both.

And especially watch out for contractors who offer “FREE MOLD inspections”. That’s a major red flag!

Many contractors offer “FREE” clearance testing also, (which is equivalent to grading their own test) . Don’t fall for it! Clearance testing is crucial to the mold remediation process and should never be performed by a mold removal contractor waiting to get paid for his work.

The best way to avoid getting scammed is to avoid using mold removal/remediation contractors for mold inspections.  A certified inspector that is not in the mold removal business will have no vested interest in how your inspection and testing comes out.  The inspector’s position should always be unbiased, neutral, and without conflict of interest.  Be sure whoever you do choose isn’t looking for remediation work for their own company.  Sadly may unscrupulous companies use the “FREE MOLD INSPECTION” as a tool to justify their inflated remediation proposals.  These contractors play on your fear of mold and use their testing and inspection to foster and justify this fear.

If you have any questions or feel you may have a mold problem visit us at www.Microshield-ES.com