Certified Expert Mold & Indoor Air Quality Assessment/Inspections
CHMI's Mold (Toxic Mold), Flood/Water Damage or “PRV” & In-Door Air Quality Assessments, Inspection/Investigations and the related mold testing & sampling is designed to help our clients discover, document, and understand their "Mold" and/or " In-Door Air Quality" - related issues through a professional assessment, mold testing & sampling process and analysis methods in conjunction with proven sampling strategies, i.e. microscopic vs. culturable analysis (including, but not limited to visual, culturable & non-culturable air sampling, surface sampling and tape lift sampling); said analysis is performed by Eurofins EMLab P&K ("the Company"), located in Phoenix, Arizona. EMLabs P&K is accredited by the "AIHA", NVLAP, ARIZONIA Department of Public Safety (ADHS) for Environmental Microbiology analysis.
Any "Mold" or Flood/Water, "PRV" (post restoration/remediation clearance testing) and/or "In-Door Air Quality" assessment, testing & sampling and licensed laboratory analysis must be accomplished with an effective chain of custody, meeting outlined and proven transport requirements, and in the end all findings must be reported to the client in a professional manner. We only utilize our field investigation and assessment of all data available, such as the results from our moist the final laboratory results collected from any home or building or personal property, to help us fully define a mold problem or issue.
All CHMI assessments/inspections/investigations are in accordance with the standards set forth by the Environmental Assessment Association (EAA), International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (which includes their Mold & IAC2 certified members performing Mold and/or Indoor Air Quality Assessment, Testing & Sampling), the Environmental Solutions Association (ESA) and the International Associations of Certified Indoor Air Consultants (IAQA) and/or pursuant to the methodology derived from NYC (New York City) standards and the ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) and the IESO (Indoor Environmental Standards Organization).
Goals of CHMI's Mold and/or In-Door Air Quality Assessments/Inspections are to:
- Determine if there is a mold or toxic mold or mold dust spore infestation problem.
- Determine the possible cause of the mold or toxic mold or mold dust spore infestation problem.
- Determine the extent of the mold or toxic mold or mold dust spore infestation problem.
- Help determine a possible and appropriate course of action. However, CHMI and/or it's technicians are not medical professionals or medical practitioners or toxicologists trained in environmental medicine, as such we are limited and can not legally advise the client and/or any other individuals associated with any assessment/report in regard to conclusion/recommendations (except for recommendations related to possible cleaning or restoration activities), and/or if anyone should or should not evacuate a property. We can only recommend that the client should share all their lab findings with his primary physician or specialist/or toxicologist, so they can determine what's best for the client. Note: Some molds and/or their sub-types could potentially contribute to health problems in some individuals, particularly those individuals with health problems or the very young and the very old, so they should see their primary care physician for a referral to practitioners who are trained in environmental medicine or related specialties and are knowledgeable about these types of exposures. In addition, whenever any individual is experiencing health problems, they should see their primary care physician in order to establish the cause of said health issues and if it is determined that said health issue might be associated with a environmental, indoor air or mildew, mold or fungi/biorganic issue, all potential sources should be considered and their primary care physician and/or a medical practitioners who are trained in environmental medicine or related specialties and are knowledgeable about these types of exposures should determine if they should evacuate the property.
CHMI's Investigation Methodology/Protocols:
The following investigative methods/protocols are used in all our Assessments, if applicable:
- Limited visual assessment/inspection of suspect areas, exposed, and readily accessible and/or client authorized area(s).
- Collection of moisture level data.
- Relative humidity (RH) and temperature readings were obtained from both the interior and exterior of the subject property.
- Moisture readings were taken throughout the client's specified areas of concern using a calibrated Protimeter Surveymaster SM in Measure Mode (displays one of twenty colored lights and a digital number representing moisture content in wood and % WME in most other building materials).
- Photographic documentation of key observations.
- Baseline "Air" sample collected from outdoors to be used for comparative analysis.
- Spore trap ambient air sample(s) collected pursuant to the methodology derived from NYC (New York City) standards and the ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) and the IESO (Indoor Environmental Standards Organization).
- Surface sample(s) collected pursuant to the methodology derived from NYC (New York City) standards and the ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) and the IESO (Indoor Environmental Standards Organization).
- Laboratory analysis of collected samples.
- Interpretation of laboratory results.
- Production of a written report of findings.
Types of Mold Testing & Sampling Include:
- Moisture Level Testing
- Air Testing using Air Cassettes
- Wall Check Cassettes
- Carpet Check "PCM" Cassettes
- Bulk, Swab & Wipe Samples
- Tape Lift Samples
- Other Types of samples and analyses can be ordered if and when necessary
- "PRV" Clearance Assessment & Testing
Analytical Laboratory Services Provided By:
The largest laboratory service provider in North America, EMLabs P&K (a Eurofins company) CHMI's laboratory is located in Phoenix, Arizona. EMLabs P&K is accredited by the "AIHA", NVLAP, ARIZONIA Department of Public Safety "ADHS" for Environmental Microbiology analysis. Next day laboratory turnaround (excluding weekends, Holidays & Acts of Nature or God) is offered by CHMI to our Clients for their sample analysis.