Inside the Business of Mold Inspecting

[Guest guest]

Mark Sayre, Investigative Reporter

I-Team: Inside the Business of Mold Inspecting

May 7, 2008

KLAS-TV - Las Vegas,NV*

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=8281739 & nav=menu102_2

Just hearing the word mold probably scares you. Can mold kill you?

Will you get sick? What should you do if you have mold in your home?

There are no government standards relating to mold exposure. Nor are

there any government requirements in order to call yourself a mold

inspector. You can take out an advertisement and call yourself one

right now.

But the fear of mold is big business, and big money.

Read the EPA's Mold Guide

The I-Team called three different companies that call themselves

mold inspectors and asked them to take a look at this recently

remodeled bathroom. But before the house calls, we put hidden

cameras in the bathroom, including one in a plant and another in a

child's toy. We also checked with Professor Stezenbach from

UNLV. She's an expert in mold.

" Well, mold are a type of fungi and they are filamentous -- they

grow very well, " she said.

In a dry climate, Stetzenbach says dangerous indoor mold is not

usually a problem unless there is significant water damage, such as

a burst pipe.

" That mold may pose a health risk to you -- it might cause an

allergic reaction, it might cause an irritant response, " she said.

While the government does not set health standards governing mold

exposure, the Environmental Protection Agency does recommend removal

of indoor mold. But the EPA says you can often do it yourself.

" You have to be a knowledgeable consumer, " said Stetzenbach.

But that's a big challenge. With all of those competing ads in the

Yellow Pages and the internet, who's going to give you the straight

story on mold?

Back inside our home, Tom Quid from SOS Environmental says he is a

Senior Field Hygienist. Quid finds nothing using a moisture meter

then suggests an expensive air sample.

" One sample is $150, " he said.

It took Quid just ten minutes to check out the bathroom, " It is

still not showing anything so you should not have any problems. "

Quid then collected his equipment and the agreed upon fee, " It will

be $245 to SOS Environmental. "

So what did we get for our money?

Two hours after Quid left, a 13 page report arrived by e-mail. It

had this drawing of the bathroom and a recommendation to reseal the

toilet.

Larry from Moldsniffers never did give us his last name. He also

asked about air samples, " But it is $100 extra for each sample. "

Larry then used a flashlight and a moisture meter to look around the

bathroom. In just ten minutes, Larry also gives us the good news.

" I scanned the walls, scanned your floor around and went around your

toilet and everything else and there's nothing back there at all.

It's dry, " he said.

Larry seemed to apologize for collecting the agreed upon $195

fee, " It may not seem like I did anything there. "

He also told us how fortunate we were.

" There's nothing at all going on with your bathroom, so you're safe

as can be, " he said.

Larry gave us the card of his boss, a man named Lundgaard, who

says he is a Certified Microbial Investigator.

Even though Lundgaard never visited the property, he signed a 9 page

report which had some pictures of the bathroom and a comment that

there was " no fungal growth observed. "

Finally, we were visited by Murat Hodzic. His card says he is

certified in mold inspection. It took him less than five minutes to

give his conclusion, " Here you don't have any, any mold. "

Hodzic suggested we buy a sealant, but never took any moisture

readings at all, relying only on his observations.

" I don't see any evidence and I don't see any reason that you have

to do the testing, " he said.

How much did it cost?

" I told you on the phone $100 dollars, " he said.

None of the men or the companies they work for agreed to on-camera

interviews. When we went to their business addresses, we found two

UPS Store mail drops and one private residence.

By phone, the I-Team was told all the men who came to our house were

all certified by various private industry groups, but with no

government standards on certification, there's no way to know what

you are actually getting.

Email your comments to Investigative Reporter Mark Sayre