When a homeowner suspects their home is what’s causing mysterious symptoms, they often pick up the phone and call an air quality professional to test their home. Suddenly, their suspicions are confirmed. The results come in and it’s bad news – the home has a severe toxic mold problem that requires extensive and expensive repairs the homeowner cannot afford to make.
The bad news doesn’t end there: the home value may have just taken a huge hit. This is because of the paper trail and witnesses that now exist when a home is tested by anyone other than the homeowner and analyzed by a lab that has the subject property address on file. Why? A homeowner must disclose any and all KNOWN environmental conditions if the home is listed for sale.
There are ways to avoid a value hit but they involve taking your own sampling and avoiding a paper trail that leads directly to your property address.
In some cases, it is impossible, even undesirable, to sidestep the paper trail.
Either way, POA has negotiated discounted testing options, not offered to the public, that meet your needs. We do not encourage nondisclosure of a known problem however a potential value hit should not be a deterrent especially when health is at stake.
This section discusses various sets of circumstances that may help determine which testing option is best for you.
Stealth Testing (and DNA match testing) – no property address required
If you fit into any of the following categories, you may want to consider “stealth testing” – that is, using a lab that does not require the property address. The same lab offers DNA matching – a must for anyone involved with personal injury litigation.
- Homeowner suspicious mold is causing health problems;
- Homeowner trying to determine cause and extent of water damage for the purposes of making repairs or before an insurance claim is filed*;
- Plaintiff embroiled in personal injury litigation that needs to prove DNA of mold found in home matches DNA of mold found in body; or
- Patient requiring immediate medical attention and needs to show doctor documentation in order to receive proper treatment.
CLICK HERE FOR THIS OPTION
Property-specific testing – property address is required.
Avoiding the paper trail may be a moot point if any of the following circumstances, all of which require documentation, apply:
- The person doing the testing is considering buying or is currently renting the subject property;
- An insurance claim has already been made involving mold*;
- The home is the subject of litigation; or
- The homeowner is using the defect as reason to reduce property taxes.
CLICK HERE FOR THIS OPTION
POA encourages anyone suspicious of a mold problem to test and has negotiated discounts for those who opt to do so. POA does not suggest that homeowners commit fraud and not disclose a KNOWN problem. But, we recognize that many people who SHOULD test do not do so because of the paper trail most testing creates. If there is no paper trail, the only ones who know for certain the property is contaminated are you and God. POA will never inject itself into that relationship. |