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This article describes an independent , expert building onsite forensic building investigation services under which we inspect and test for toxic mold, allergens, gases, odors, sewage backups, other indoor particles or other indoor contaminants.

Our own in-house forensic and aerobiological laboratory services are described at LABORATORY SERVICES.

This website provides free, in-depth information and procedures for finding, testing, cleaning and preventing indoor mold, toxic black mold, green mold, testing building indoor air quality, and other sick house / sick building investigations. We give in-depth information about mold and other indoor air quality problems: causes of respiratory illness, asthma, or other symptoms such as neurological or psychological problems, air quality investigation methods, and remediation procedures such as mold cleanup, handling toxic mold contamination, and building or mechanical system repairs.

© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website.

OUR FIELD INVESTIGATION SERVICE - Field Investigation Services, Building Environmental Inspection & Testing by Daniel Friedman

See MOLD INSPECTORS & MOLD TESTERS for our online directory of mold inspection and testing experts.
See MOLD CLEANUP COMPANIES for our online directory of mold cleanup companies - mold remediators.

To avoid a conflict of interest we recommend that mold inspection, testing, or post-cleanup inspection and testing should be performed by an expert who has absolutely no financial or business relationship with the mold cleanup or mold remediation company. Before hiring us or any onsite test or investigation expert for a field investigation, inspection, or testing, be sure to review MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE.

If you want to collect and send your own mold or other particle test samples to a lab, see MOLD TEST KITS for DIY MOLD TESTS. Readers interested in laboratory procedures should also see TECHNICAL & LAB PROCEDURES as well as DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY & the MICROSCOPE.

Mold Services: Site Inspection & Lab Testing: Our Field Investigation Service our senior expert goes where no one else wanted to look, uses non-invasive tools and sophisticated testing equipment for mold, gases, moisture, air quality, contaminants, Building problem diagnosis. New York State License # 16000005303 [ret].

Our Building investigation services include thorough on-site studies for residential and commercial buildings in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. We also provide expert 24-hour mold testing lab service for our clients and the public.

The result of field and lab work is a complete field investigation report indicating our field findings, laboratory test results, and detailing just what remediation or other actions are appropriate. Basic medical information about allergenic or toxic mold or other contaminants is also included when available. (New York State License # 16000005303, inception to 2008)

We investigate complaints of respiratory illness, asthma, allergies, neurological and other health concerns, and we identify sources of these and other hazards that may contribute to a wide range of health complaints associated with buildings. To identify and address indoor air quality problems, we identify conditions which may cause or contribute to allergy, asthma, "sick Building syndrome -- SBS," other respiratory illness and distress, as well as possible neurological or other health problems which may be caused or aggravated by mold or other particles in the air.

Field investigation methods include

• Taking site and client history of concerns or complaints, noting any special health concerns or vulnerabilities
• Diagnostic visual inspection of the entire property and building and its mechanical systems, both to identify mold or other problem reservoirs, and to identify building conditions that create special risk of hidden problems
• Invasive inspection where needed: borescope, test cuts, disassembly where appropriate, while respecting the building, its contents, its occupants, with minimal disruption.
• Bulk/surface/vacuum sampling at each location where history or observations warrant, multiple samples collected to permit corroboration of important conclusions
• Calibrated air sampling combined with
• Light microscopy and laboratory analysis to identify common bioaerosols, allergens, pet dander, dust mites, fleas, mold, pollen, fibers, and other potential irritants.

We also are equipped to test for specific contaminant gases such as produced by Building fires or heating equipment as well as mold or other contaminants.

Our Indoor Gas Sampling Plan for Residential buildings describes gas testing procedures, instruments, detection limits, and it lists some of the toxic (or other) indoor gases for which we can test, depending on the Building complaint and Building conditions. No one needs to wield an axe to investigate a Building. And no one needs to bury important findings among pages of vague language.

We use special equipment such as this borescope permitting examination of hidden wall/ceiling/floor cavities using non-destructive methods.

We may use other equipment to actually obtain particle samples from wall/ceiling/floor cavities by the Wall Check™ method,

When conditions warrant and permission is obtained, we also are equipped to make modest test cuts or to perform other more invasive inspection methods. A variety of non-invasive infra-red and moisture measuring tools may also be employed if recent or current leaks are suspected.

A most-useful mold and air quality investigation report includes the following information:

• Field observations and summary of building history and client complaints
• Laboratory test results supporting the conclusions and recommendations of the investigation
• Medical information regarding toxic or allergenic mold or other contaminants identified, and
• Remediation advice including both mold cleanup and Building repairs which are necessary to help avoid future problems.
• Technical documentation is accompanied by photo documentation of field and lab findings.
• Action Plan: A simple report summary provides a "guide to action" for each property we inspect.

See MOLD LAB REPORTS for more about how to interpret your mold test laboratory report.

Mold Test Laboratory Procedures are described below at Laboratory Services. More information about our indoor air mold testing and field and laboratory investigation methodologies and a description of some of our equipment is at Investigation methodology.

Principal field investigator & website editor/author: Daniel Friedman, Member: American Industrial Hygienists Assoc. AIHA#149892, American Society of Home Inspectors ASHI#00577, BOCA, IAEI, ICBO, NPCA. Mr. Friedman has previously offered sick Building, air quality, and mold investigations and home inspections and for problem diagnosis, research, expert witness, legal documentation, & failure claims assistance.

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Technical Reviewers & References

• InspectAPedia.com^® - Daniel Friedman - Publisher & Editor.
• InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also include a list of recommended books for the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
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• Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

FORENSIC BUILDING INVESTIGATION SERVICES
FORENSIC PARTICLE LABORATORY SERVICES
MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE
MOLD TEST KITS for DIY MOLD TESTS

• Allergen Detection What various indoor allergens look like - identification photos to help identify pollen, dust mites, animal dander, toxic or allergenic mold - Common Mold and other Allergens, Irritants, Remedies & Advice
• Animal Allergens: Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Cleanup & Prevention Information for Asthmatics and regarding Indoor Air Quality.
• Associations: A Directory of IAQ, Sick Building, Mold Allergen Testing, Building Investigation Service Providers
• Associations: Sick House, Sick Building, SBS - Air Quality, Government, Private Associations and Information Resources
• BASKETBALL MOLD SYNDROME - BBMS- sudden attention to old clues in buildings makes them seem brand new to some observers
• Bibliography of Mold Identification, Aerobiology, Forensic Microscopy - References we use in our Laboratory
• Directory of Building Air Quality and Mold Investigators: field and lab work, sick Building syndrome, air quality measurements, cleanup
• Indoor Air Pollution : Introduction for Health Professionals- IAQ Indoor Air Quality Concerns - US CPSC Book
• FAQs on Mold - Frequently Asked Questions About Mold -- check this FAQ List & Site Map to see if you can find a quick answer to your mold concern
• FAQs on Accuracy - Website/Author credibility
• Mold Test Kits - How to Collect and Send Your Own Mold Sample to our mold testing lab
• House Dust from an HVAC system frightened building occupants unnecessarily
• Lighting, using to find mold - proper use of a flashlight can help spot mold on paneling and other building surfaces
• Mold Detection - What Does Mold Look Like? Mold spores in the Home - a Photo ID Library for detection and identification of mold allergens
• Mold Detection - Lighting Proper use of lighting discloses hard to see but toxic light or white mold colonies on building surfaces - read this if you're doing your own tape sampling for mold.
• Mold Detection - How to Find and Test for Mold in buildings - Looking for Mold - A "how to" photo and text primer on finding and testing for mold in buildings
• Mold Detection - Stuff that is Not Mold but is often mistaken for it - things you may not want to test. Not all "black mold" is toxic or harmful.
• Mold Detection - in Fiberglass Insulation Moldy fiberglass building insulation © 2005 comments about a field study in process, & more about health hazards from fiberglass insulation - DJF
• Mold Detection - Investigation Tips Mold Investigation Guide for Home Inspectors how to find mold, where to look, what is likely to be important. Advice to Building inspectors intending to inspect or test for toxic or problematic mold indoors, mold inspection methods, and mold test methods which are valid or invalid
• Meruliporia incrassata the house eating fungus or "poria" may be mistaken for wood rot.
• Prevention of Mold Mold-Resistant Building Practices some suggestions from an expert
• Products - Mold & Allergy Products: Allergy/Asthma, Air Quality, Cleaning, Filtering, Ventilating, Dehumidification
• Standards for Mold Cleaning, Remediation, & Clearance Testing Standards list of documents

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
• Aerobiology, Building Science, Microscopy, & Laboratory References, an extensive technical bibliography
• Atlas of Clinical Fungi, 2nd Ed., GS deHoog, J Guarro, J Gene, & MJ Figueras, Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, 2000, ISBN 90-70351-43-9
• Atlas of Mold Related Illness: Index of Symptoms and health, physical, neurological, psychological, and other complaint which people suspect may be mold or building-related.
• Atlas of Indoor Mold, Online Clinical Mold Atlas, Toxins, Pathogens, Allergens and Other Indoor Particles - Medical Health Effects of Mold (separate online document)
• Building Floods: quick steps after a building flood or plumbing leak can prevent costly mold contamination
• Classes of Mold: what types of cosmetic, allergenic, or toxic mold are a problem? Can mold be cleaned-up successfully?
• Clinical Mold References - Detailed bibliography of mold reference texts
• "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
• "Disease Prevention Program for Certain Vegetable Crops," David B. Langston, Jr., Extension Plant Pathologist - Vegetables, University of Georgia (PDF document) original source: www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/209797.html
• "Disease Prevention in Home Vegetable Gardens," Patricia Donald, Department of Plant Microbiology and Pathology, Lewis Jett
  Department of Horticulture, University of Missouri Extension - extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6202
• "Management of Powdery Mildew, Leveillula taurica, in Greenhouse Peppers," Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, British Columbia - Original source: www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/peppermildew.htm
• Environmental Health & Investigation Bibliography - our own technical library on indoor air quality inspection, testing, laboratory procedures, forensic microscopy, etc.
• Fifth Kingdom, Bryce Kendrick, ISBN13: 9781585100224, is available from the InspectAPedia online bookstore - we recommend the CD-ROM version of this book. This 3rd/edition is a compact but comprehensive encyclopedia of all things mycological. Every aspect of the fungi, from aflatoxin to zppspores, with an accessible blend of verve and wit. The 24 chapters are filled with up-to-date information of classification, yeast, lichens, spore dispersal, allergies, ecology, genetics, plant pathology, predatory fungi, biological control, mutualistic symbioses with animals and plants, fungi as food, food spoilage and mycotoxins.
• Fungi, Identifying Filamentous, A Clinical Laboratory Handbook, Guy St-Germain, Richard Summerbell, Star Publishing, 1996, ISBN 0-89863-177-7 (English)
• Mold Action Guide: Step-by-Step Instructions, What to do about mold, mildew, and other indoor allergens
• US EPA: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building US EPA
• US EPA: Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo - en Espanol
• Most Common Indoor Molds Found in buildings, A Table of
• Mycology, Fundamentals of Diagnostic, Fran Fisher, Norma B. Cook, W.B. Saunders Co. 1998, ISBN 0-7216-5006-6
• ...