Environmental Services
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Services – Add-on Inspection Services
Radon Gas Testing:
This service may likely be the best investment you’ll ever make for piece of mind. Radon Gas is a naturally occurring gas, which is an odorless, colorless, invisible gas, that is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer, taking a back seat to tobacco smoking. Radon is random, and may accumulate in one home, and be below detectable levels in the next. The U.S.E.P.A., and the U.S. Surgeon General, recommend all homes be tested for radon. To see a map of suspected radon levels in your area, click here. (NOTE: High radon levels should not be the basis for the decision to purchase a home, or not. Homes with radon levels at 4.0 pCi/L or higher, can be mitigated 100% of the time, and will become safe for you and your family immediately after mitigation. To learn more about radon mitigation, please visit our sister companies website.)
Mold Sampling:
This service is typically on an as needed basis. Although mold testing can be ordered as a stand-alone inspection, or in conjunction with a home inspection, the inspector will usually perform a visual evaluation to determine the need for a test. In most situations, mold is noticeably apparent, and the client doesn’t need to invest in this service to receive a piece of paper for confirmation. On the other hand, if the inspector suspects mold growth which is not readily accessible, it’s a good idea to confirm the suspicion in order to provide documentation to the seller, landlord, owner, buyer, etc. Mold sampling can be performed in several manners, with the most accurate and entailed being an indoor air quality test. Because every home has mold (yes, every home has mold), there becomes a need to determine the levels and types of mold within the living space, in comparison to the immediate outdoor levels. This test will also identify the types of mold, any fragments or dust particles, and the amount of each. In general, a home which has lower levels of mold than the immediate exterior area, is considered healthy.
IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) Testing:
This service is typically performed to determine the complete air quality, usually to determine the cause for specific symptoms occupants are experiencing. This test can also be performed as an ancillary service with a home inspection, if the purchaser either suspects issues which may have arisen during their showing, or if they have allergy issues that may prevent them from taking possession of the property.
Lead-based Paint:
This service is made available to our customers, but is considered trivial for the cost-versus-need aspect. Most homes constructed before 1978 have lead-based paint. However, lead is only dangerous when ingested. So unless you plan renovations which entail sanding, or otherwise disturbing the paint, the presumption that it is there would suffice. If this test is conducted and found to be positive, remediation would only be performed on an as-needed basis. Please do not misunderstand this message, as all of these services are very valuable. However, purchasing a home may result in some ‘hidden’ expenses as it is.
Septic Dye Test:
This test is typically performed where a private septic system exists, to determine if the lines are continuous, and the leech fields are functional. However, this test doesn’t include a permit search to determine if the septic system is approved, or clandestine. The local health department sanitarian should be employed if this determination is desired.
Water Testing:
Water sampling is typically requested when a private well exists to the subject property. There are different types of tests, consisting of:
- Chemical & Bacteria: Bacteria (Total Coliform, E Coli), Nitrate, Nitrite,
- Chemical/Bacteria/Lead Bacteria (Total Coliform, E Coli), Lead, Nitrate, Nitrite,
- Complete Water Analysis Alkalinity, Bacteria (Total Coliform, E Coli), Nitrate, Nitrite,
Total Nitrate/Nitrite, Iron, and Turbidity
Total Nitrate/Nitrite, PH, Iron, and Turbidity
Clarity, Chlorine, Color, Copper, Hardness, Iron, Lead,
Nitrate, Nitrite, Total Nitrate/Nitrite, PH (Acidity)
Of course, each customer may desire different levels of testing, depending on their personal views. Because we are a home inspection company, this service is offered as a convenience to our clients, and we do not have a recommendation as to the level of testing the customer should choose.
