Mold Inspection, Testing, Asbestos and Air Quality Services in Santa Ana, CA

Air quality testing can detect a number of airborne contaminants. Some of the more common contaminants that air quality testing shows are: Identification and enumeration of fungal spores, total dander, fiber and pollen counts, cellulose fibers, dander, fiberglass, and other particles that may affect indoor air quality and bacteria and viruses. 

Many of our clients wonder how often they should test the air in their homes. We like to remind them that as environmental factors and conditions indoors change, so does the risk of contaminants within your airflow.

We recommend that homeowners check their air quality at least once during warm summer seasons or during a yearly dramatic weather change. If you make big changes in your house, like painting rooms or buying lots of new furniture, you may also be dealing with new chemicals in the air and request an air quality check

People may be exposed to asbestos in their workplace, their communities, or their homes. If products containing asbestos are disturbed, tiny asbestos fibers are released into the air. When asbestos fibers are breathed in, they may get trapped in the lungs and remain there for a long time. Over time, these fibers can accumulate and cause scarring and inflammation, which can affect breathing and lead to serious health problems. Asbestos has been classified as a known human carcinogen (a substance that causes cancer) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. According to IARC, there is sufficient evidence that asbestos causes mesothelioma (a relatively rare cancer of the thin membranes that line the chest and abdomen), and cancers of the lung and larynx. Mesothelioma is the most common form of cancer associated with asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure may also increase the risk of asbestosis, an inflammatory condition affecting the lungs that can cause shortness of breath, coughing, and permanent lung damage. 

If a general home inspector identifies areas that may have actual visible mold or areas of suspected mold, they will most likely red flag the suspect area and consult their client to have the area(s) evaluated further by a properly certified mold inspection firm. If this is the case with your home, do not panic! We can come to your property and provide a site assessment of the areas of concern and confirm whether mold contamination is present or not. If the laboratory returns a report that shows that fungi were not detected during analysis, then we can provide a report stating that the suspect areas do not contain any findings of concern via our investigation and data received by the accredited laboratory. If the laboratory confirms that, in fact, mold contamination is present, then we will provide you with a detailed report which includes a scope of work so you as the client know exactly what to expect for a successful mold remediation/removal. We also can provide our clients with a list of properly certified mold remediation companies.

If your home has been tested positive for mold and a proper comprehensive mold investigation has been completed by an ACAC accredited mold inspector/hygenist, you must contact an ACAC/IICRC certified mold remediation/removal contractor to review our report, make a site visit and provide you a detailed written estimate for work to be performed. Once you have hired an accredited remediation contractor and the contractor notifies you that the work is complete and areas are ready for post-remediation clearance, you must retain the hiring ACAC certified mold inspection company to inspect and re-assess the area(s) to ensure all mold has been removed successfully. An indoor air quality sample must be taken from outside of the property, and one within the specified containment to ensure that the air quality is within a normal fungal ecology, and the build back of the areas may begin. Once air sample analysis has been returned by an AIHA accredited third-party laboratory indicating a normal fungal ecology, you will be provided a clearance report certifying that remediation efforts were completed successfully and to industry standards.

Related experience in construction or engineering is helpful, but is no substitute for training and experience in the unique discipline of home inspection. If the inspection is for a commercial property, then this should be asked about as well.