Frequently Asked Questions

Exposure to allergenic and/or toxic molds often manifest as the typical Hayfever-like allergies we see from seasonal allergens such as sneezing, coughing, sinus inflammation, sinus infections, itchy eyes, skin irritation, and headache, however, everyone reacts differently to molds and even members of the same household may be affected in very different ways. Less common reactions do occur such as hypersensitization to mold, chemicals, or other environmental irritants, muscle and joint inflammation, onset of autoimmune or similar diseases, gastrointestinal issues, chronic sinus infections, burning nerve pain, behavioral changes or autism-like behaviors in children, brain fog, changes to vision, rare cancers, and neurological symptoms. Pretty much any symptom can be caused by mold, some are just much more likely than others.

Testing is an important piece of the puzzle because it tells us what we cannot see with our eyes, however, expert inspection and an in-depth, nuanced understanding of how and why mold grows the way it does and how it would be expected to affect a building’s occupants is even more important. You cannot compress years of research, study, a decade’s worth of experience, and thousands of inspections into a training course. We use a combination of expert inspection, specialized instruments and tools, and the appropriate types and methods of mold testing for each situation.

VOCs are the chemicals and fumes which offgas from pretty much everything in our homes, schools, and workplaces. While certain things like paints, adhesives, personal care products, air fresheners, and new carpet are obvious sources of compounds, there can be other, sneakier sources contributing to the chemical load in your breathable air. Most of the time, chemicals are going to contribute to general unwellness—just making you not feel as good or exacerbating other issues. But certain chemical exposures will cause hypersensitization, toxic effects, or significant respiratory symptoms. Chemical exposure in children is often misdiagnosed as asthma and often times misdiagnosed as allergies in adults.

While we can try to eliminate sources of chemicals in our homes and workplaces, we cannot know what we cannot see without specialized chemical testing instruments and unfortunately, almost all consumer grade air quality monitors on the market just don’t work well or at all or only detect a very narrow range of chemicals leading to false assurance.

While we can detect asbestos in the air, the most important aspect with asbestos is to prevent contamination to begin with through proper identification and maintenance of the asbestos or removal by a reputable, licensed abatement contractor. Removal of a popcorn ceiling, sanding or scraping of asbestos flooring, or demoing pipe insulation are all likely sources of catastrophic asbestos contamination requiring expensive remediation to correct.

The EPA recommends testing a home for Radon every 3-5 years or after major changes to HVAC, landscaping around the exterior, or anything else which could affect how air moves in a home. While home test kits can provide a low-cost method for radon testing, they are highly affected by user error. A test using a continuous radon monitor performed by a licensed radon measurement specialist is the most accurate and precise way to measure radon in buildings.

Radon is the #2 cause of lung cancer after smoking. Radon kills 400+ Iowans every year. The radioactive decay of radon gas in buildings bombards the lung tissues with radiation causing the cells to mutate resulting in lung cancer.

Absolutely—poor air quality may even be the primary cause of your respiratory problems! Dust, mold spores, irritating fibers, toxic chemicals, smoke, low humidity, etc. can exacerbate the effects of other health problems leading to greater inflammation and a cascade of additional problems. Poor Air Quality is the straw that broke the camels back!

There is not a all-in-one solution, tool, or monitor. Knowing how to use the right tool for the job, using the most reputable labs, and knowing how all of the data correlates with the conditions observed in the home or building through expert inspection allows us to build the most complete picture of how your space could be impacting your health.

Depending on the type of hazard present, specific recommendations are made to correct those issues. Many issues are either cheap or free to correct and I will provide the necessary guidance or help you make the corrections while I am there. If professional help is necessary such as for a significant mold issue, referrals to reputable contractors specializing in those specific fixes would be made.

Properly water-proof basements prior to finishing (ask me how), running dehumidifiers in basements as necessary, putting off maintenance—it is only going to get more expensive, and the single most important thing no wet basement company will tell you—use your downspout extensions!

Different chemicals have different toxic effects and require lesser or greater doses to affect humans and our pets. Individuals are going to be affected differently as well, so one must understand how these different compounds are likely to affect those who have been sensitized to certain compounds usually well below regulators’ exposure limits. Different government and regulatory agencies have different exposure limits for different compounds. OSHA levels are often very high while NIOSH levels are typically a fraction of OSHA’s. For example, the conditions in your workplace may meet OSHA’s standards, but they are still making you sick, so a conscientious employer would hopefully make corrections to mitigate the issue to the point of you no longer being symptomatic.

Iowa has the highest radon in the country due to our glacial till soils being rich in uranium and radium. 70% of the homes and building in Iowa are elevated for radon. Just because your neighbor’s house tested low does not mean yours will. Every building is different and can even change with the season or over the years. Radon induced lung cancer is entirely preventable, but the only way to know is to test.

In Iowa, we must be certified and licensed for certain things and not others. Iowa regulates Radon and Asbestos for which we are licensed, but Iowa does not regulate mold. This means Iowa is the Wild West when it comes to mold remediation companies, mold inspectors, and even real estate home inspectors. To stay above reproach, we’ve opted to have multiple mold certifications, strive to meet our own higher standards, and run our business as if the state did regulate mold. That keeps everyone accountable and ensures our customers only get referred to reputable mold remediation companies and other specialized contractors. This protects our customers, us, and the remediators we recommend while promoting good customer care, good business practices, good mold remediation practices, and informs the consumer about the existence of con artists, fraudsters, and disreputable businesses.

Every lab report is interpreted and explained with reasoning as to why our recommendations are so that the customer understands the why, how, when, and where of the necessary fixes and will work with your contractors and remediators to come up with a specialized protocol for your situation without any extra cost to you. I won’t write your mold remediators protocol because it doesn’t make sense for us to claim liability for someone else’s work/mistakes, but I will make sure they understand the situation and what needs to be done.

We provide the customer care required by each customer in every situation. That means it might be a 10 minute follow up call, a highly detailed report to meet your needs, or 100+ hours of phone conversations over 10 years (🡨real life example) if that is what is necessary. We our glad to know we provide a value and expertise you literally won’t find anywhere else.