Everyone knows that a general home inspection is an essential part of the home-buying process. After all, you don't want to purchase a home with major electrical or plumbing issues that are going to cost you thousands of dollars to repair shortly down the road.

However, not many people understand the importance of a mold inspection as part of this process. And, since it's not mandatory for homeowners to disclose a mold problem to their real estate agent, mold often gets overlooked during the inspection. This is why you need to hire a separate mold inspector yourself before you sign on the dotted line.

Why Is a Pre-Purchase Mold Inspection Necessary?

You need to have your prospective new home tested for mold prior to purchase for one simple reason: mold remediation is super expensive. When you buy a home that has an undetected moisture problem, you can guarantee mold contamination is right around the corner, if it's not there already. Unless you want to suffer from ongoing respiratory issues, allergies, headaches, and other unpleasant symptoms related to mold, you'll need to solve this underlying problem right away.

Unfortunately, proper mold remediation involves more than just scrubbing away visible mold stains with bleach. Rather, it requires total removal of all mold-contaminated materials (e.g. flooring, drywall, cabinets, etc.)—otherwise, lingering mold spores would continue to populate and contribute to further mold growth. As you can guess, removing and replacing all these structures and fixtures can add up to a very expensive project.

That's why you want to know about mold issues before you buy the home—so you can either back out of the sale or use the added expense of a mold problem to negotiate a better deal.

A General Home Inspection Is Not Enough. Call Today!

Since general home inspectors aren't typically trained to detect the more subtle signs of an underlying moisture or mold problem, they're not likely to catch it. That's why you need the help of an experienced, certified mold inspector like Common Sense Inspections, Inc. We know exactly what to look for to protect your investment in a new home. Call now to schedule an appointment!

Have you checked your front-loading washer for mold? Chances are, you've got some brown or black slime on the inside of your gasket (a.k.a. that rubber seal around the door) that you don't even know about. Even if it's not actual mold yet, it has all the ingredients for mold growth. Unless you give your machine a hard scrub and take proper precautions moving forward, it's only a matter of time before your front-loading washer is ridden with black mold. 

We're not trying to scare you. We simply want to make more people aware of this surprising breeding ground for mold. After all, most homeowners are pretty vigilant when it comes to keeping their bathrooms, kitchens, and basements clear of mold-causing moisture and bacteria... Meanwhile, mold sneaks into their homes right under their noses by taking up residence in their washing machines!

So, how can you prevent mold in your front-loading washer? Let's take a look...

Mold Prevention Tips for Your Washing Machine

Now, it's important for us to note that mold growth is primarily a concern for front-loading washers—not so much for the bigger top-loading units. To be clear, mold should always be a concern when you're dealing with the combination of water and organic matter; however, the design of front-loading washers makes them much more susceptible to poor drainage, trapped water, and excessive detergent residue, all of which contribute to an extremely mold-friendly environment.

Therefore, when you own a front-loading washing machine, you need to take a few extra steps to keep mold away:

• Always use high-efficiency detergent, and use less than you think you need. As high-efficiency machines, these units require less water by design. And when your detergent-to-water ratio is too high, the result is a machine coated in soap residue. This residue builds up, holds onto moisture, and is the perfect food for mold spores.
• Always keep the door ajar when the machine is not in use. This allows the drum to dry out between loads and prevents water from being trapped inside the machine.
• After every load, take a rag and soak up any excess water that has pooled inside the lip of the gasket.
• Once a week, wipe down the interior of the door and gasket with a cleaning solution or distilled white vinegar (which is naturally antimicrobial). This will remove soap residue and mold spores from the surface.

If you follow these recommendations, you'll have no problem preventing mold and keeping your family safe and healthy.

However, if you discover that your washing machine already has significant mold growth, your best bet is to call Common Sense Inspections Inc. so we can identify the type of mold present. We cannot perform mold remediation services ourselves, but we can refer you to a local appliance repairman or mold removal specialist to take care of it for you.

Any questions? Don't hesitate to reach out!

Created by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a globally recognized rating system for green buildings. LEED provides a solid framework to help builders and building owners alike create structures that are healthy, energy efficient, and environmentally sustainable.

LEED certification is a coveted symbol for a steadily increasing number of homeowners—and for good reason. However, a common question we hear from homeowners is, "How do you get a LEED certification?" It involves meeting several criteria according to a specific set of guidelines, but here's the good news: Common Sense Inspections, Inc. is available to help you get there! Keep reading to learn more about LEED and how our team can help you get a green home certification.

Why Get a LEED Certification?

Certified green homes are popular because they decrease utility costs (as a result of reduced energy and water consumption), provide clean indoor air, and utilize safe, eco-friendly building materials. In other words, green homes are a win-win for property owners and the planet.

According to the U.S. Green Building Council, "green construction is becoming increasingly profitable and desirable within the international construction market" due to the growing demand for environmentally conscious buildings. This is why having a LEED certification is extremely beneficial. Simply put, it significantly increases your property value (you know, in addition to reducing your environmental impact).

But, again, this begs the question: How can homeowners achieve this sought-after LEED certification?

How It Works

In a nutshell, here's how the LEED for Homes certification process works:

• When planning your construction project, you pursue "credits" according to the LEED rating system that corresponds with your project. In this case, you'll be following the LEED v4 certification under the Homes rating system.
• You earn a certain number of points for each credit and prerequisite you fulfill.
• The U.S. Green Building Council will review your project once it's complete and award you a certification level based on the number of points you earned: Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.

To help you plan your construction project so you earn the maximum number of credits, the U.S. Green Building Council provides many downloadable resources on its website—"Getting to Know LEED: Homes Design & Construction". Give them a careful read before you begin your project!

How We Can Help

Although Common Sense Inspections, Inc. is not a team of home builders, we are a team of inspection specialists. We can provide you with thorough and accurate testing to ensure your ventilation and indoor air quality are up to LEED's high standards. Proper ventilation and air quality are two key factors in green home certification.

So, whether you're building a new home from scratch or planning a major renovation to increase your resale value, give us a call for help. By starting off with our professional inspection services, you'll be able to pinpoint any existing weaknesses or areas that need improving in order to meet LEED requirements. This will set up your whole project for success!

Have you recently endured a small fire inside your home, office, or restaurant?

Are you living in an area near major forest fires?

Where there's fire, there's smoke. And where there's smoke, there's a major health and safety hazard. Everyone knows it's unsafe to inhale smoke of any kind—but did you know its harmful effects can linger long after the smoke has cleared?

This is why indoor air specialists like Common Sense Inspections Inc. strongly recommend having your indoor air tested after a fire. It's vitally important to find out if your home or workplace's air has residual smoke particles, invisible to the naked eye, floating around and putting your lung health at risk.

If your post-fire air quality test comes back positive for smoke particles, don't panic: this doesn't mean your property is uninhabitable. It simply means you need to purify your air.

Thankfully, the experts at Common Sense Inspections Inc. will be able to recommend the optimal air filtration or purification solution for your space. We specialize in IQAir purification systems that use powerful HEPA filters to pull dirt, bacteria, allergens, and smoke particles out of your indoor air. What you're left with is air that's fresh, clean, and—most importantly—safe.

As an added bonus, we can also perform mold testing, which will come in handy if there was any water damage as a result of fire-extinguishing efforts.

So, when you're recovering after a fire—whether it was inside or outside your property—Common Sense Inspections Inc. has the field training and technical expertise to keep you safe. Call now to make an appointment! We have locations in both Los Angeles and Seattle.

These days, it's common knowledge that smoking endangers not only the smokers themselves, but also the people around them through secondhand smoke. It's not as well known, however, that thirdhand smoke can also present significant health risks to the people exposed to it. Thirdhand smoke is a relatively new concept that's still being studied, so if you're not sure what it is, don't worry—the team at Common Sense Inspections Inc. is here to explain!

What is thirdhand smoke?

Thirdhand smoke consists of residual chemicals, like nicotine, that are left on indoor surfaces as a result of tobacco smoke. By simply coming into physical contact with these surfaces, you or your family could be exposed to these harmful chemicals and suffer from their effects.

Thirdhand smoke can stick to many different types of surfaces, such as:

• Clothing
• Furniture
• Drapes
• Walls
• Bedding
• Carpet
• Dust
• Vehicles

One of the most concerning aspects of thirdhand smoke is that the chemicals can remain on these surfaces long after the smoking has occurred. Thirdhand smoke can't be removed simply by airing out a room, using a fan, or trying to contain the smoking to a particular area. The residue will continue to build up over time unless the surfaces are cleaned thoroughly and regularly.

Why is thirdhand smoke dangerous?

Thirdhand smoke endangers nonsmokers in the same ways that secondhand smoke does. Adults are put at greater risk of lung cancer, stroke, and heart disease. Children are susceptible to risks such as respiratory complications, asthma, or SIDS. Infants and young children, in particular, are endangered by thirdhand smoke due to their tendency to put contaminated surfaces or objects in their mouths.

"Off-gassing" is another potential concern when it comes to thirdhand smoke. This can occur when the chemical residue left on surfaces interacts with other common indoor pollutants to form even more harmful compounds that could have long-term health effects.

Overall, thirdhand smoke presents adults and children with the potential for tobacco-related health problems.

How can Common Sense Inspections Inc. help detect thirdhand smoke?

When we test for thirdhand smoke, we take samples from the surfaces of a home or commercial property and then test for the main chemicals that signal the presence of tobacco smoke. With just one sample, we can cover up to 2,000 square feet of space. This test is often required by law for commercial spaces, but it's also highly recommended for homes in order to ensure the health and safety of the individuals living there. Since you may not know who lived in the space before you, or whether it was adequately sanitized, it's a smart move to get it tested!

Common Sense Inspections Inc. is available to test for thirdhand smoke throughout the Los Angeles area. Please give us a call if you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment. We're happy to help!

How much can you trust the mold testing experts you've hired? When your mold inspector also doubles as a mold remover, it's not always clear whether they're giving you accurate results.

We don't need to tell you this is a huge conflict of interest. After all, the inspector could easily exaggerate their findings and pressure you into purchasing remediation services you don't actually need because their interests don't align with yours.

You Can Trust Us for Honesty & Transparency

Common Sense Inspections Inc. is staunchly opposed to this practice, which is why we only offer testing and inspections and do not perform remediation or repair services. When you hire us to complete a mold inspection, you are receiving 100% objective, unbiased results.

Again, this is because we won't be trying to sell you on purchasing additional work you don't need. We have no skin in the game. There is no reason for us to intentionally inflate numbers or skew results to scare you into buying remediation services.

Rather, we perform thorough, by-the-books inspections and present you with our sound, impartial judgment as industry experts. Then, based on our findings, we recommend the best strategy for you going forward. Whether our recommendation is to hire a third-party mold removal specialist or to install an air filtration/dehumidification system, you can trust it will be driven solely by facts, not greed.

People Respect What We Inspect!

At Common Sense Inspections Inc., people respect what we inspect. This is our motto, and it's also our mission. We don't take part in any practices that could potentially compromise the respect we've earned from customers over the years.

So, when you want to hire a mold testing company you can actually trust for accurate, pressure-free results, give us a call!

One of the more frustrating aspects of hiring a local service provider is the hassle of scheduling appointments. Sometimes, they just give you a massive window of time so you end up having to block off your whole day with no idea when they'll actually show up. Other times, they give you a specific time-frame, but then they stroll up to your door three hours late without so much as an apology.

Like we said—frustrating.

That must be why people are so happy when they call Common Sense Inspections Inc. for mold testing and other related services. Unlike other service providers, our team takes punctuality very seriously. We value your time, and we'd never disrespect you by keeping you waiting all day.

Plus, considering the dire consequences of mold infestations and other air quality problems, our swift attention is crucial. It would be irresponsible not to act urgently.

Thankfully, our commitment to punctuality is appreciated by our customers. Just take a look at some of these snippets from recent customer reviews:

• "As always, Samuel arrived on time and performed his work with the utmost professionalism and personability." — John S.
• "I called late afternoon and he was here by 8AM the next morning, armed with infrared camera and diagnostic tools." — Judith K.
• "...The person who came out was on time and finished in a timely manner." — Vene T.
• "He arrived right on time (no mean feat for a cross town commute in Los Angeles) and was very thorough." — David G.

So, if you're ready to work with a mold specialist who won't keep you waiting, Common Sense Inspections Inc. is your team! Why not join the ranks of our happy, glowing customers? Give us a call today!

According to EPA research, air inside of homes and other buildings is often more seriously polluted than the air outside. This is especially true for the air inside of apartment buildings. Apartment buildings are more prone to poor air quality issues for a number of reasons, and it's important to be aware of these issues so you can minimize their effects. That's why Common Sense Inspections Inc. strongly encourages thorough air quality testing for apartments and multi-family homes of all sizes. Keep reading for more details!

Apartment Buildings and Poor Air Quality

These are some of the most common factors that contribute to poor air quality in apartment buildings:

• Communal space: The nature of apartment buildings means you're sharing air with multiple units at once—so anything that's occurring inside one unit has the potential to affect all the surrounding units. Whether your neighbor is a smoker or has mold in their bathroom, those pollutants can easily float their way into your own living space.
• Dust and dust mites: Apartments usually have a small square footage and poor ventilation, both of which lead to a greater concentration of dust and dust mites. Plus, sharing air ducts with the whole building means everyone else's dust could become your problem, too.
• Outdated HVAC equipment: This could be a major problem if you live in an old apartment building. The filters and air ducts will have collected a lot of dust, mold, and bacteria over the years. Unless your landlord is on top of changing your air filters every 3 months, you're likely to experience poor air quality as a result of old equipment.
• Mold growth: As we mentioned above, the communal nature of apartment buildings means mold can easily spread from unit to unit. From poorly ventilated laundry rooms to humid bathrooms to aging window sills, there's no shortage of opportunities for mold to grow and thrive in an apartment building.
• VOCs (volatile organic compounds): What do formaldehyde, acetone, benzene, and ehtylene glycol all have in common? They're VOCs, and they're found in everything from carpets to cleaning products to air fresheners. Even if you're good about using "green" products in your personal space, your neighbors' behaviors and products may still have an impact on your building's air quality.

...And that's just to name a few!

So, whether you're a tenant, landlord, or building manager, you should seriously consider getting your apartment building's air tested for allergens and dangerous pollutants. Once you know what's lurking in your indoor air, you'll be able to take steps to purify your environment for more healthful, breathable air.

If you're in Los Angeles or Seattle, call Common Sense Inspections Inc. for a complete, professional air quality test!

As with all allergic reactions, a mold allergy can manifest differently from person to person. Some people may experience few or mild symptoms, while others may have severe reactions. If you are suffering from a mold allergy, the team at Common Sense Inspections Inc. can help. Read on to find out more!

Symptoms of a Mold Allergy

An allergy is an overreactive immune response to a particular substance. If you suffer from a mold allergy, the body is hypersensitive to mold spores and sends the immune system into overdrive when spores are present.

This extreme immune response to mold can manifest in the following physical symptoms:

• Itchy nose or throat
• Breathing difficulties
• Coughing and wheezing
• Exacerbation of asthma
• Nasal congestion and postnasal drip
• Itchy, irritated, or watery eyes
• Throat soreness
• Sneezing
• Rashes
• Hives
• Dry or scaly skin
• Headaches, including migraines

Mold allergy sufferers experience different combinations of these symptoms at varying levels of severity. Some people may experience discomfort, while others may face serious, even life-threatening, complications.

Mold Testing

If you have any of these symptoms on a regular basis—particularly if they are more severe when you're inside—you should bring in an expert right away to test for mold. Finding out where mold is hiding could do more than just alleviate your symptoms—it might just save someone's life!

Common Sense Inspections Inc. provides state-of-the-art mold testing services. Testing for and removing mold can provide immediate relief and ensure that an allergic reaction doesn't worsen or lead to further complications down the line. Put your health first by calling Common Sense Inspections Inc. to set up an appointment for mold testing today.How to Determine if You Suffer From a Mold Allergy

Frequent Causes of Asthma Symptoms

• Dust mites: Dust mites are found in virtually every home. However, they have the potential to set off allergic reactions ranging from a few sneezes to a full-blown asthma attack. To reduce the chance that dust mites will cause an attack for you, make sure you wash your bedding every week and use hypoallergenic mattress covers and pillow cases.
• Tobacco smoke: Smoke can cause pretty serious asthma attacks, even if it's only secondhand or third-hand smoke. What's third-hand smoke, you ask? It's a term that describes the particles and gases that are leftover after a cigarette is extinguished. These particles are absorbed by virtually any surface in the area where someone has smoked. This means your walls, carpets, clothing, furniture, and even your hair may be emitting third-hand smoke if anyone has ever smoked inside your home. In other words, someone doesn't have to be smoking a cigarette right next to you for you to feel the lingering effects of tobacco smoke. Therefore, keeping your home 100% free from tobacco smoke at all times is the best way to reduce your risk of having an asthma attack.
• Pets: Unfortunately, pet dander can also trigger an asthma attack if you're already allergic. So, if you live with pets, try to keep your home vacuumed as much as possible and groom your pet regularly. You may even want to invest in an air purifier.
• Mold: Breathing in mold can definitely exacerbate asthma symptoms and even induce an attack. If you suspect you might have a mold problem in your home, get rid of it right away to minimize your chances of suffering an asthma attack.

To be clear, this list is not exhaustive. There's a wealth of other issues in your home that could be triggering asthmatic attacks, as well. So if you're unsure about the presence of asthma triggers in your home, call Common Sense Inspections Inc. for expert testing in Los Angeles and Seattle. We'll inspect your entire home and help you uncover what's causing your  asthma attacks! Call now.