TOXIC FRAUD. High Fees & Deception, Mold Contractor to Expose Scams
- Posted by admin on March 1st, 2007 filed in Web Articles
When a house has a mold
problem, how much should it cost to clean it up? Surprisingly, many
homeowners have found an honest answer hard to come by, with opinions
varying as widely as the prices. According to Mike Schatz, the owner of
Environix, a national mold inspection and cleanup company, it is a problem
all too common in the industry. The solution, Toxic Fraud Watch, is a new
program designed to protect consumers from mold contractors with bad
intentions.
“I’m amazed by the audacity of contractors to charge such outlandish
prices. We’re not just talking a few extra dollars here, often times we
encounter bids that are ten or twenty thousand dollars beyond what is
reasonable,” Mr. Schatz said. The problem is not limited to any single
region. Recently, states with severe mold problems like Texas and Louisiana
have enacted legislation to protect consumers from unscrupulous practices.
Even with legislation, the vast majority of homeowners are left to
decide on their own if a bid is reasonable. Frustrated by the lack of
consumer protection available, Environix created Toxic Fraud Watch, a free
bid reviewing service. Send them a bid from a local mold contractor and
they will tell you if it’s reasonable. According to Mr. Schatz, “the goal
isn’t to check every last detail, but to provide consumers with a general
idea if the price is legitimate.”
Environix is currently offering the service for free, though Mr. Schatz
is concerned about the volume of inquiries he may receive: “I will keep
offering the service as long as I’ve got the manpower to respond.”
March 25th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Hello. I had someone come into my house and sprayed ozone to remove mold. Then I had an invirmental Hygenist come and take air samples. What do you think of ozone therapy in occupied homes? And why do they allow people to spray ozone when it is so dangerous to your health? The hygenist still came up with mold spores and toxins in the air, so what actully would ozone do?
April 13th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Like you mentioned, ozone therapy in occupied homes is not only ineffective it is potentially dangerous. The most significant drawback of ozone treatment is that it does not actually remove the mold spores. Unfortunately dead mold spores are just as allergenic as live mold spores, thus rendering the ozone treatment quite ineffective. You mention that your industrial hygienist still found mold spores and toxins in the air. The real question is what level of mold spores were detected. Even the cleanest house will still have some level of mold spores in the air. It is critical to compare the level of spores in your home to an outside control sample.
April 20th, 2007 at 11:56 am
Hi, I wanted to let you know about an a new Organic service available to homeowners/businesses. This product is unbelievable -gets rid of mold, bacteria, and viruses.
I turned my heater on for the first time last year and an awful smell was coming out of my vents. I thought something had died but found out it was mold.
Microbial Masters ‘fogged’ my HVAC system and the smell was gone within minutes as well as my fear of becoming ill from the mold.
Sincerely,
Susan
March 27th, 2008 at 2:48 am
Is there any optional cure for these mold, which is not harmful but friendly to humans and also to the environment?