We determine that you may have a mold-related health issue, a physical inspection of your home and/or work place is just as important as any medical examination and treatment.

According to a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO), 50 percent of buildings in the United States have water damage. We believe this percentage is much higher in Tampa.

We have the experience and the track record necessary to restore your health by treating mold-related diseases.

We have seen far too many patients ignore the advice we gave them about “mold checks” at home and work, resulting in mold problems that remain unresolved. You can achieve the desired clinical outcomes by treating such inspections with the same seriousness as your treatment.

Mold-Genetics Connection

A quarter of people have genetics that prevent their bodies from fighting mold toxins or other biotoxins, which are commonly present in water-damaged homes and offices. These patients are concerned about the safety of their living and working environments.

While 75 percent of people can live comfortably in a moldy house and experience little to no symptoms, 25 percent have to struggle with the mold toxins in their bodies and are often chronically ill and inflamed. Anyone can get sick if they are exposed to mold for a long time, especially if it is the severe kind.

This condition is known as CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Reaction Syndrome – Water-damaged Building) and has multiple symptoms. It won’t disappear without treatment, even if you and your loved ones pack up and move out of the toxic environment.

The medical staff offers some tips to toxic mold victims who are interested in mold inspection in Tampa. In no particular order:

1. Check licensing: Verify that the mold assessor and remediator are licensed in Florida. Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation is responsible for licensing and regulating both mold assessors and remediators.

2. Do not support double-dipping: Do not hire a mold inspector who performs both inspection andre mediation in the same location. It’s against the law in Florida to perform both tasks at the same place. We agree with the state that this is a conflict.

3. Include HVAC: Conduct an inspection of your HVAC system at home or in the office. The ventilation system, which is also known as the air system, can cause indoor air quality problems.

Mold spores in the building envelope can cross-contaminate the HVAC system, causing it to disperse toxins into the spaces that the HVAC is meant to serve.

4. Don’t forget to sample: Avoid hiring a company who limits their inspection to only air and surface samples.

Additional sampling methods conducted during the investigation will provide additional data, which is necessary to help understand what’s inside the affected environment.

Note: Multiple data points are needed to fully understand the scope of work required for remediation. These data are also useful for medical professionals, to diagnose our patients correctly.

5. Look for a vendor who is medically-informed: Hire a mold assessor that understands the health risks a sick house presents. This will increase your chances of getting a thorough assessment and sampling plan.

The most important thing about sampling is that it allows you to validate the information gathered during your assessment.

6. Don’t be afraid to ask questions: Asking questions is not a sign of weakness.

In the same way, inspectors and remediators will ask you questions about your background to help them better understand their approach to assessment and remediation.

7. Inspect high and low. Hire an inspector to inspect your entire home or office, including crawl spaces and basements. The building envelope is a system, just like the human body. Contaminants in these areas can affect the occupied area.

8. Do not listen to the naysayers: Once you have selected a mold inspector, do not let external influences interfere with upcoming inspections. Many people don’t realize the dangers that mold can pose to your health.

9. Ask for referrals: Ask family, friends and other reliable sources to refer mold assessors or remediators.

10. Do not participate in kickbacks: Do not hire a mold assessment or remediation firm that offers compensation to another business or rewards for a referral. This is against the law in Florida!

Testing for mold toxins or mold species is a crucial step to ensure the safety of the environment. This will help to heal the patient as soon as clinical treatment is started.