Who offers free mold inspections?
Search for mold help in Seattle and you will see plenty of free inspection offers. Nearly all of them come from remediation and restoration companies. The inspection is how they find jobs.
That does not make them dishonest. It means the incentives point one way. The person deciding whether you need remediation, and how much, works for the company that gets paid to do it.
Two states made it illegal
Texas and New York both license mold professionals, and both bar the same company from assessing and remediating the same project. Texas law says a license holder may not do both on one project, and no one may own a stake in both the assessment firm and the remediation firm on that job. New York's mold law has the same rule.
Washington has no mold licensing law, so keeping the two roles separate is up to you.
What goes wrong when one company does both
Scope creep
The remediation plan can grow to fit a budget instead of the problem.
Missed root cause
When cleaning is the product, the moisture source that caused the growth can get less attention, and the mold comes back.
Grading their own work
If the same company tests after cleanup, it is checking its own homework.
How independent assessment works
An independent assessor inspects, samples and writes up the findings. If lab results suggest remediation is needed, the report defines the scope: which areas, what the moisture source is, and what a successful cleanup should look like. You take that scope to any contractor you choose and compare bids on the same terms. After the work, the assessor can return to test that the cleanup met the plan.
Questions to ask before you book
Do you, or any company you are affiliated with, perform remediation? Will you take an outdoor comparison air sample? Which lab analyzes the samples? Will I get a written report I can share with other contractors? Who does the testing after cleanup?
Why All Haven is inspection-only
We do not sell remediation. Our only product is an accurate answer about your home, and sometimes that answer is that you do not need remediation at all.
Frequently asked questions
Are free inspections ever useful?
A free visit can give you a rough read on a visible problem. Treat the recommendation as a sales estimate, and get an independent opinion before you commit to major work.
Does an independent inspection cost more overall?
It adds a fee up front, but a clearly defined scope often keeps you from paying for work you do not need.