Like any other industry, the mold 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 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.

NO THANKS!

If you encounter a mold inspector who also does mold removal (or visa-versa) just say NO THANKS. There's plenty of quality contractors available that don't do both. And especially watch out for contractors who offer FREE inspections. That's a major red flag! Many contractors offer "FREE" clearance testing also, (which is equivalent to grading their own homework). 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.

AVOID BEING SCAMMED. The best way to avoid getting scammed this way is to avoid using mold removal contractors for mold inspections. A.R.E. INSPECTIONS is not in the mold removal business and therefore we have no vested interest in how your inspection and testing comes out. Our position is always unbiased and neutral. We focus on getting you accurate useful information.

The following information can help you avoid getting scammed and ensure that your mold issues are handled ethically, honestly and professionally. Take the time to read it. If you have any questions, please call us toll free 866-395-MOLD.

  1. Make sure your mold inspector is not in the mold removal business too.We believe it's a serious conflict of interest for the company you pay to "inspect" for mold also profits from the "removal" of mold. There are plenty of companies out there that do both, the question is; how can you ever truly be sure that they are not creating more work for themselves - work that doesn't really need to be done? The opportunity for corruption is far too great. The only way to know for sure that you're not being "set up" and scammed into spending thousands of dollars you don't need to spend is to make sure the person you hire for mold inspections has no affiliation with any mold removal contractor.
  2. Check your remediation contractor's experienced and references.AND CALL THE REFERENCES! Don't take anyone's word for it when it comes to shelling out thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of dollars for remediation work. Ask for references for jobs that are at least 10 to 12 months old. Why? Because every mold remediation job looks great as soon as its finished. But if remediation work is not done correctly, it can take several months to realize it. As a rule, if mold does not reoccur in that time, the work was done correctly. A remediation contractor who has nothing to hide, has no problem giving you references. If a contractor gets offend by your request, say bye-bye!
  3. Hire a remediator to remediate. Hire a remodeler to remodel.The standard rates for remodeling or reconstruction work that involves mold remediation is approximately three time higher that the exact same remodel without mold remediation. That means, by hiring one contractor to do the entire job, you are paying triple the regular rate for the reconstruction work that takes place after the mold is removed. As rule, you save a lot of money by hiring a remediation contractor to remove the mold, then having a remodeling contractor come in to do the reconstruction. Some remediation contractors will insist on doing all the work or none at all. Just remember, there's more where they came from. Furthermore, be sure to have a post-remediation test done before you pay your remediation contractor. If you agree to make progress payments, make sure the final payment is a significant percentage of the total job price so the contractor is motivated to finish the job correctly.
  4. Never allow a contractor to provide post remediation testing for his own remediation work.Many remediation contractors will offer to provide FREE post remediation testing after they're work is complete. Nice gesture, but don't fall for it. The reason they do that is so they pass their own work and get paid. Also, they more than likely quoted you a firm price in order to get the work in the first place and if a third party inspector fails his postremediation test, he has to keep coming back until he gets it right. A "free" post remediation test from a contractor offering to pass his own work is not a good deal for you. Always insist on third party post-remediation testing and make sure your agreement with the contractor states that he will come back and correct his work if it fails. And don't settle the account until you see the post remediation pass certificate report in writing.
  5. Never allow a remediation contractor to "encapsulate" mold.Some mold removal contractors include a process they call "encapsulating" or "encapsulation". Plainly stated, it means they paint or primer over mold, (often with a stain killing paint called KILZ, sold in most Home Depot stores). This practice is not recognized by the EPA or any other legitimate authority on mold remediation. The EPA guidelines for mold abatement is very clear, "REMOVE IT". If the mold is removed, there is no need for encapsulation. Unless mold is removed, it is still there. "Encapsulating" mold by painting over it is just a way to cover up any mold that was not removed. Encapsulation may be used once the post remediation test pass as a way to insure that the structure will not absorb moisture in the future. Are you starting to get it? Encapsulation is a scam. Ask your contractor before he begins if he does encapsulation. We hope this information is helpful.
  6. House PasteurizationYes heating your house to several hundred degrees will kill most types of mold. However, dead mold that is full of toxins is still able to become airborne and therefore ingested. Pasteurization only works in conjunction with removing mold and mold contaminated materials.

OTHER COMMON MOLD SCAMS

  1. Fraudulent Mold TestingSome mold inspectors who are in cahoots with mold remediation contractors have a little trick they play to help the remediator land big remediation jobs, for which the remediator pays the inspector a "referral" fee" (often thousands of dollars). It works like this: The inspector comes to your house concealing an air sample he has already collected from another location. That location is literally being cultivated to produce high amounts of toxic molds. After the inspector leaves your property he tosses your actual samples into the trash sends the bogus samples to the lab for analysis. When your report comes back you are, of course, shocked by the results and frightened into calling the remediation contractor he's in cahoots with. The fraud perpetuates when the remediation contractor plays on your lack of knowledge, selling you expensive repair work you don't need. will bring back to you mold test results showing extremely serious mold problems in your home or on your property.This scam can often be avoided by insisting on having the inspector (tester) show you the test number written on the spore traps and then writing them down on your receipt for his work. When your results come back, confirm that the sample are the same in the lab reports are the same on your receipt. Also, finding your own mold remediation contractor will ensure there is no connection between him and the inspector. Some inspectors know a good remediator but why the risk?
  2. Insurance Companies and Insurance Adjusters as ScammersHere are several mold frauds perpetrated by insurance companies and insurance adjusters. Not all of them are scammers but be informed.
    1. Hiring testing personnel who are loyal to the insurance companies (not the insured) to do the least possible mold testing in the least likely mold locations in an insured's property so that any actual mold is NOT likely to be discovered.
    2. Forcing testers to restrict the air flow to purposely lower the spore count in air sampling cassettes. The two most widely used spore traps (air sampling cassettes) are the Air-O-Cell and the Micro-5. The manufacturer of the Air-O-Cell trap recommends the following pump settings: 15 liters per minute for 5 minutes. The manufacturer of the Micro-5 recommends the following pump settings: 5 liters of air for 5 minutes. AMI recommends you always ask your tester to show you the pump settings.