Accredited Laboratory- A lab that has been accredited by a recognized agency to the ISO 17025 Standard.
Aflatoxin- A Mycotoxin which is known to be one of the most toxic naturally occurring substances which is from Aspergillus flavus mold growth.
Allergen- A substance such as mold or pet hair which can cause an allergic reaction.
Ambient air- Outdoor air or representative of a general volume of indoor air.
Amplification of molds- Any indoor scenario which may increase the concentration of molds such as moisture in a wall cavity or mold growth in an HVAC system.
Anti-fungal treatment- Any mold remediation activity which removes, disinfects, or treats surfaces contaminated by mold.
Asbestos- A naturally occurring mineral fiber used in hundreds of building and insulation materials. Exposure to asbestos is a known health risk for cancer especially due to occupational contact. Asbestos is a regulated material and professional removal using engineering controls is recommended in most cases.
Asthma- A condition of respiratory sensitivity when lung tissue swells in reaction to exposure to particles which irritate the small passages of the lung tissue.
Indoor Air Quality Association- www.iaqa.org
American Indoor Air Quality Council- www.iaqcouncil.org
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency- www.epa.gov/mold/
Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification ( IICRC)- www.iicrc.org/pdf/buydocs.pdf
Andrea J.
Rockville, MD
May 29, 2009
I am selling my home and a very overzealous home inspector on the buyers' side determined my attic to have inadequate ventilation causing a 'mold-like' substance in the attic area. Needless-to-say, the mere mention of mold causes everyone to panic and the best course of action was to just have the attic inspected to determine if this was the case or not. I actually found Mr. Ramsey and his company through "(a consumer opinion service)", and the positive reports here along with an A+ rating from the BBB convinced me to hire him to perform a mold inspection. Mr. Ramsey was able to come the day after I spoke with him and showed up right at the appointed time. He was extremely professional and after a careful examination of my attic was able to explain to me in detail exactly what was in my attic, which thankfully was NOT mold. It was actually a residual mud or silt from long ago when townhouse was originally built and the attic trusses were probably laid down in some mud prior to being used in the house. The mud dried over the course of 35 years and still resides on the trusses. Mr. Ramsey also reassured me that the attic has the appropriate ventilation with the correct type of venting and no further actions on my part were necessary. I also appreciated that even though he wrote up a detailed description of his findings, he also volunteered to speak with anyone necessary in the future who may have questions about his findings. I would 100% recommend Mr. Ramsey and his company to any person looking for a qualified mold inspector.
LOUIS C.
Bethesda, MD
April 15, 2009
I called RTS to inspect my basement for mold due to a previous water problem. Paul Ramsey returned my call and we set up an appointment for within a week. Paul arrived on schedule and did the inspection and found only very minor mold which he said could be cleaned easily. He said he did detect some dampness which he felt was due to the limited air circulation in the basement and he recommended installing a humidifier. He also identified areas which a home inspector would cite as concerns and suggested how those could be fixed. He made a number of good suggestions for treating basement walls and floor that would not only retard mold growth but also improve the overall appearance of the cinder block walls for any future sale. Paul provided a written report listing all his suggestions.
Paul Ramsey did an extremely thorough inspection of our entire house, including the crawl space, to identify possible sources of mold. He was extremely observant of little details. He took his time and explained everything he was looking for. He found very little mold, which he felt we could deal with ourselves.
ENRIQUE S.
January 26, 2009
Silver Spring, MD
Paul Ramsey did a mold inspection for a problem area found in the basement.
Member Comments: Great. He was punctual, clean, thorough, and very professional. Also very knowledgeable. He even gave me some tips on things to be aware of whenever selling the house. A+