Welcome to Orange County's oldest and most trusted indoor environmental consulting company, specializing in mold inspections, mold testing, bacteria testing, and other volatile organic compounds (VOC). We hope this web site answers your indoor air quality concerns. If you have a question about mold or other indoor contaminants that is not answered here, please call us toll free at 1-800-369-8532 to speak to a certified indoor air quality professional.

SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY
Dust mites are the leading cause of night time asthma attacks.

MOLD SCAMS AND RIP OFFS
In a perfect world you could trust everyone..... but it's not a perfect world. If you suspect have a mold problem, before you call a mold inspector, STOP - READ THIS FIRST! This information will save you thousands of dollars by avoiding the most common mold scams.

NEW MOLD TESTING METHOD DEVELOPED BY THE EPA

According to a recent survey by the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) using a patented indoor mold testing technology developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 75% of homes with a history of water intrusion tested positive for 26 specific molds that are directly linked to asthma and other respiratory illness.

The test is called the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index, or ERMI, and just one gram of dust will show if these 26 molds are in your home, office or classroom.

IS HIDDEN MOLD AT HOME MAKING YOU SICK?

Except for an occasional asthma flare up, Caitlin Murray is a healthy, happy 5-year-old, who loves doing artwork. But three years ago, she was terribly sick, and no one could figure out why.

"She would have terrible headaches and her face was swollen and she'd throw up sometimes for seven to 10 days," Jill Murray, her mother said. "They tested her for cystic fibrosis, for leukemia, all kinds of diseases and they couldn't find anything wrong with her."

There are many reactions to mold exposure, the severity of which depends on the sensitivity of the exposed person. Allergic reactions are the most common and typically include: chronic clogged throat; wheezing and difficulty breathing; nasal and sinus congestion; burning, watery, reddened eyes or blurry vision; sore throat; dry cough; nose and throat irritation; shortness of breath; nausea; and skin irritation. A person may experience these reactions while in a moldy environment and feel perfectly fine outdoors or indoors where mold levels are not elevated. People with serious allergies to molds may have more severe reactions such as fever and shortness of breath and asthma attacks. Additionally, people with chronic lung illnesses, such as bronchitis, emphysema and other obstructive lung diseases can develop severe infections in their lungs and breathing passages.

The truth is, mold is everywhere in Orange County California and the rest of the Nation. Mold is indoors and outdoors, at work, at home, in the city, in the country, everywhere. Everyone is exposed to some form of mold everyday. Whatever we believe about mold, the harsh reality is that more sickness and disease is being blamed on over-exposure to high concentrations of airborne mold spores than ever before. More people are suing and being sued over mold issues than ever before. Some litigation is frivolous and some is legitimate. Numerous alerts from the medical profession and the skyrocketing number of lawsuits against landlords, realtors, employers, insurers, and even car dealers, warn us of the seriousness of mold and justify the need for proper mold testing, especially in such litigious places like Orange County California.

It Depends Who You Talk To
The controversy over whether or not mold testing is necessary is primarily driven by opinionated proponents on both sides of the mold argument who have their own reasons and agenda.

Some say mold is no big deal. Tell that to asthma sufferers living or working in buildings where mold is growing indoors. But having asthma is not a prerequisite to adverse reactions to mold. Many people who don't have asthma but do have other mold allergies can have severe reactions to moldy environments.

One of the best things to come from mold is the drug Penicillin, which comes from a common mold called Penicillium. Millions of people get Penicillin shots every day all around the world with no reaction at all. Yet before doctors administer the shot they always ask ahead of time if the patient is allergic to Penicillin. Why? Because people who are allergic to Penicillin can have a violent reaction to the mold that the drug is made from. The most common reaction is called hyper-sensitivity pneumonitis. All of the air passages become inflamed and swell up to the point of completely closing, which could ultimately cause suffocation.

If that same person enters a room where the mold Penicillium is growing, it is entirely possible for that person to experience the same hyper-sensitivity pneumonitis reaction by inhaling very high concentrations of airborne Penicillium mold spores, even to the point of not being able to breathe.

Some have even called mold "The Silent Killer". Some would argue that such a label is extreme, others have personal stories that confirm the death threat. Whether mold has actually been responsible for someone's death or not is still being debated. But with all the information available about mold and it's potential for harm, there are plenty of valid and good common sense reasons for mold testing. For example, we now know that some molds produce mycotoxins (toxic gas) which can be linked to severe cases of asthma and other respiratory problems such as bleeding lungs. Many other very serious ailments including immune system disorders. The medical and legal communities are now taking mold contamination more seriously than ever before.

Why Take Chances?
With so much overwhelming evidence supporting the dangers of exposure to mold, mold testing is the first common sense step to properly assessing a potentially dangerous mold condition. If you suspect you have mold growing indoors, mold testing will tell you what kinds of molds they are and what the levels are. How?

An air test for mold is done by taking a sample of air from indoors and comparing to a sample from outdoors. This is done using calibrated air sampling equipment to insure consistency in both samples. Ideally, whatever types of molds are present in the air outdoors, the indoor sample should reflect the same types. If there are molds found indoors that were not outdoors at the time of sampling, the assumption is that those molds are originating from indoor mold growth. In addition to the types of molds being consistent between indoors and out, the airborne mold spore count indoors should also be in equilibrium with the outdoor air. If the airborne mold spore count is higher indoors than outdoors, the assumption is that mold is originating indoors. While the principal of the test is simple, the methodology in sample collection and analysis is state-of-the-art and reliable.

Does mold cause health problems with everyone? Of course not. But if you are sensitive to molds, have mold allergies or other medical issues that can be exasperated by over-exposure to mold, there is always the possibility that you could have an adverse reaction in moldy environments.

If you suspect mold is growing inside your home, school, workplace, or vehicle, call AMI today for a free phone consultation at 1-800-369-8532

WHY CHOOSE AMI FOR MOLD INSPECTIONS AND MOLD TESTING?

There are many sound reasons to choose AMI for mold and other indoor environmental testing such as, the best credentials in the IAQ industry, a firm commitment to continued education, 10 years of proven service in Orange County, a Triple A rating with Better Business Bureau, and 100% customer satisfaction. But one of the most important reasons to choose AMI is our Limited Service Policy.

SERVICE LIMITATIONS
At AMI, our services are deliberately limited to inspections, testing and reporting. We are not engaged in remediation or abatement services. Why is that important? Think about it. Why would you hire a mold inspector who might be motivated to find a mold remediation job?

It is our strong conviction that environmental inspectors should not profit from problems they discover in the course of their investigations. For that reason, we are purposely not engaged in the business of abatement or remediation. As an AMI client you can be confident knowing that our evaluations of your property are unbiased, factual and not motivated by the potential of securing costly abatement contracts.

INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS
All AMI Inspectors are certified through on or more of the follow certifying bodies:

	The American Council for Accredited Certification (ACAC) - formerly The American Indoor Air Quality Council. ACAC Council certifications are the only certifications specifically for mold inspectors that are fully accredited by the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB). ACAC promotes awareness, education and certification in the field of Indoor Air Quality by establishing credible certifications to IAQ professionals, their clients and the public.
	The Indoor Environmental Air Quality Council (IEAQC) - IEAQC established the only true "No Conflict of Interest Code of Ethics" for IAQ professionals and is the only non-profit organization that provides Council-certified, college-based IAQ training credentials.
	Environmental Solutions Association (ESA) - ESA is a membership-based training organization formed exclusively to provide industry professionals with the training and education necessary to confront today's Indoor Air Quality issues. ESA is a major provider of educational courses for the IAQ issues of Radon, Mold, VOC's, Allergens and Bacteria. Our courses are recognized to be the most up-to-date in the IAQ industry.

IAQ INDUSTRY STANDARDS
All AMI inspectors are trained and operate in strict compliance with the Indoor Environmental Standards Organization.

IAQ MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATIONS & ASSOCIATIONS:

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