Have you ever taken your car to a mechanic and wondered if it really was the $1,500.00 computer that needed replacing or if the mechanic was just trying to sell you parts? This is how we feel about mold remediation and building drying. You want to have an unbiased third-party assessing the problem, serving you with no conflicts of interests. Someone that is going to be looking out for your best interest and not beholding to property management or looking to get more work (and $$) out of the job than is necessary.
Mold Remediation:
When you suspect a mold problem you need someone who is going to provide you an honest and accurate assessment. You don’t want someone that is looking to get a piece of the bigger pie, which in this case could be thousands of dollars in mold remediation and restoration costs. This is why it is not a good idea to allow your contractor to determine his own scope of work (“oh yeah, we gotta take out all these walls and …”), nor do you want him verifying in the end that he has done a good job and is ready to get paid. The conflict of interest is obvious.
A good mold remediation contractor is just that, a person that is going to follow industry accepted guidelines and protocols to keep you safe, avoid cross contamination, and return your environment to the condition it was before the mold started growing. The remediation contractor is not a person who performs these investigations everyday, interprets the lab data, and writes up recommendations and remediation protocols. While he may be able to take some samples during the course of his remediation to monitor the integrity of his engineering controls and processes, he is most likely not qualified to do much more. Even if he is qualified, he knows that it is not accepted practice for him to do the pre and post remediation sampling.
Building Drying:
When you have a flood or large moisture intrusion, you need to hire a building drying professional. This person knows his job well and if contacted soon enough can prevent serious microbial growth. So why use a third-party consultant?
In this case Oasis Indoor Environmental can verify that proper equipment and processes are being employed to accomplish the building drying efficiently and completely. We have the experience and expertise to determine if building materials are drying properly, and at a rate that will prevent microbial growth from setting in. This can save you from unnecessary equipment charges and the expense and disruption of a mold remediation down the road. If there are any disputes, you have someone on your side with documentation and knowledge to defend your side of the issue.
–Spencer Hampy CIE, CMC
–President Oasis Indoor Environmental, Inc.