Residential and Commercial South Florida Mold Testing
By A Certified Inspector
Professional, Detailed, Non-Bias Reports
No conflict of interest; we inspect only!!!
Post Remediation Clearance Testing
Professional Spore Analysis
Remediation Protocol
MEMBER:
Indoor Air Quality Association
and
American Indoor Air Quality Council
IAQA CIE # 01952
1 (888) 381-6651

Who We Are

• A Accredited is a fully certified mold inspection and indoor air quality testing firm serving Palm Beach, Broward, Dade Orange, and Lee Counties--Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, as well as Orlando and Fort Myers and all of South and Central Florida. For larger inspections, we will travel throughout the state of Florida as well as the Caribbean. We also provide professional quality mold and iaq testing on condos, homes, and commercial buildings: large and small.
  
  
• Your local inspector performs inspections and mold testing in compliance with the standards of practice set forth by the Indoor Environmental Standards Organization. Since we function as an independent inspection firm and not as a remediation firm, we have no conflict of interest. Our only concern is protecting your health. 
  
  Please visit our home page
  
  
  
  Mold Odors In Your Home And Possible Health Implications 
  
  

  Many untrained mold inspectors will enter your home do a quick inspection and take one or two air samples from indoors and one sample from outdoors and e mail you a lab report a week later.
  
  Because visible mold was not obvious and the lab report you receive states that spore levels indoors are lower than outdoors, these inspectors will conclude that you do not have a mold problem, and that your health problems are not related to mold in your home.
  
  They do not seem to consider the fact that mold may be hidden in your property, and they fail to realize that hidden molds can produce other dangerous components such as mVOCs or (mold odors)even when not releasing spores. 
  
  Often such mold inspectors are not experienced enough to know how to detect mold odors that can very easily go unnoticed in closets, in walls and deep inside AC units and ducts. Though no inspector can guarantee that they will find every odor and every hidden mold growth it is sad how often mold inspectors in a rush to make a quick buck miss such odors and miss mold. 

  It appears that mold odors are likely a serious contributor to health effects at many properties that we preform mold inspection on. Even when spore levels are low in the ambient air, mold may be growing hidden in walls, under vinyl floor coverings, deep inside AC systems, or inside AC duct work. Sometimes the molds are trapped and cannot release spores into the air, in other cases the mold is growing vegetatively, this means that it sees no need to waste metabolic energy on the biologically expensive act of spore production so it simply grows via branching out to surrounding areas. This is very common with many species of  cladosporium mold that are found producing odors in moldy AC units and ducts. Though the mold and spores may not register when an air sample is taken from nearby, odors that are often only precipitable to a trained nose are often present in the very area where health complaints are concentrated, this correlation is very strong in this inspectors experience.
  
  People living in areas with these mold odors sometimes do not notice the odors till the inspector remove an electrical outlet cover plate for inner wall sampling and the client stands a foot away from the cover plate, other times the client never noticed the odor till the inspector tells the client to stand in a specific spot, (directly under an AC vent). In many cases prior to the mold investigation one member of the family was barely aware of the odor while another member was not aware of it at all. Such odors are often obvious to this inspector because of experience with them.
  
  In this inspectors experience health complaints related to mold odor include headaches, allergy symptoms, increases in the occurrence of sinus infections, and even asthma development. In fact is is amazing how common it is for this mold inspector to find mold odors coming from walls or coming out of moldy AC ducts and people complaining of building related illness in the exact same area, though spore levels are often low in the air these people are living.
  
  
  
  You do not have to believe me see what others in the indoor air quality field have said about mold odors causing illness. 
  
  
  
  
  State Health Dept
  What are microbial volatile organic compounds?
  Another source of irritation from mold exposure comes from substances known as microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs). These compounds are produced through fungal metabolism and are released directly into the air, often giving off strong or unpleasant odors. Exposure to mVOCs from molds can irritate the eyes and respiratory system and has been linked to symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nasal irritation and nausea. The effects of mVOCs are not completely understood and research is still in the early stages.
  

  
  

  
  
  
  Environmental Protection Agency
   Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds (mVOCs)
  Some compounds produced by molds are volatile and are released directly into the air. These are known as microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs). Because these compounds often have strong and/or unpleasant odors, they can be the source of odors associated with molds. Exposure to mVOCs from molds has been linked to symptoms such as headaches, nasal irritation, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea. Research on MVOCs is still in the early phase.
  http://www.epa.gov/mold/append_b.html

   

  Respected Allergy Related Website
  Volatile Compounds
  (VOC'S) produced by mold are thought to cause headache, attention deficit, inability to concentrate, and dizziness.
  http://www.allergynursing.com/moldy/health_hazards.html
  

  
  Respected Allergy Related Website
  Adverse Reactions to Odor
  Odors produced by molds may also adversely affect some individuals. Ability to perceive odors and respond to them is highly variable among people. Some individuals can detect extremely low concentrations of volatile compounds, while others require high levels for perception. An analogy to music may give perspective to odor response. What is beautiful music to one individual is unbearable noise to another. Some people derive enjoyment from odors of all kinds. Others may respond with headache, nasal stuffiness, nausea or even vomiting to certain odors including various perfumes, cigarette smoke, diesel exhaust or moldy odors. It is not know whether such responses are learned, or are time-dependent sensitization of portions of the brain, perhaps mediated through the olfactory sense (Bell, et al., 1993a; Bell et al., 1993b), or whether they serve a protective function. Asthmatics may respond to odors with symptoms.Author
  Harriet M. Ammann is a senior toxicologist for Washington State Department of Health, Office of Environmental Health Assessments. She provides support to a variety of environmental health programs including ambient and indoor air programs.
  

  
  

   

   

  Respected National Mold Remediation Chain
  Why do molds give off musty odors?
  The musty odors produced by molds are known by scientists as Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds. (These compounds are abbreviated as mVOCs.) Some mVOCs produce musty and moldy odors, which result from the chemical changes taking place during the mold life process. They are waste products given off by actively growing molds. Health effects such as headaches, dizziness and nausea have been linked to exposure to mVOCs, but research is only beginning. Odors from mVOCs are a sign that mold is actively growing and so may indicate a level of mold contamination requiring remediation.

  
  

  
  Mold Law Website
  Mold Irritations
  Fungal exposure can also come from any volatile compounds (VOC's) that a fungi/mold creates through primary or secondary metabolism that then becomes airborne. (Primary metabolic processes are those necessary to sustain the life of an organism.) These volatile compounds may be constantly created as the fungus consumes its food source during the primary metabolic process. VOC's can irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory system.
  Fungi that consume certain organic sources can release highly toxic gases. For instance, a fungus that grows on wallpaper often releases toxic gas arsine directly from the wallpaper that contains arsenic pigments. Thus, fungi and molds can release dangerous materials when they break down the host material. This can cause mucous membrane irritation in sensitized individuals.
  Fungal volatile compounds may impact the "common chemical sense" which senses pungency and responds to it. This sense is primarily associated with the trigeminal nerve. The sensory and motor nerves respond to pungency by trying to hold the breath, discomfort, or through sensations such as itching, burning, and skin crawling. Changes in sensation, swelling of mucous membranes, constriction of respiratory smooth muscle, or dilation of surface blood vessels may be part of fight or flight reactions in response to trigeminal nerve stimulation. Reactions often include a reduced attention level, general disorientation, lowered reflex time, dizziness, etc.
  Volatile Compounds found in or around homes can be responsible for mucous membrane irritants. It is thought that fungi can add to the already existing compounds when breaking down certain organic substances. A mold-contaminated building may have a significant contribution from its fungal contaminants that is added to common VOC's---building materials, paints, plastics and cleaners. VOC's in general can result in symptoms that include lowered attention span, headaches, lack of concentration, and dizziness.
  Reaction to Mold Odors
  Some individuals have very strong reactions to the smells given off by molds. Among humans, there is a high degree of variation in ability to detect these odors. Certain individuals can detect low levels of VOC's, while others can only detect relatively high levels. Those individuals who are particularly susceptible to mold odors may react with headache, nasal stuffiness, nausea or even vomiting. Asthmatics often exhibit symptoms when exposed to certain odors.