When using a mold lab what is important to you and how much do typical air sample services cost to include shipping? Thanks…I think I can save you guys a bunch of money and NO I AM NOT GEICO!
Hi Russell,
The report that the lab sends is what is important to me. I like when the lab states in the report if there is a problem or not. They have a 24 hour turnaround time.
I buy my air samples in lots of 30. They cost 22.50 each, which includes the swab or air canister. The shipping is done through the USPS and costs 4.85 per customer.
Greg,
What lab do you use? I use Pro-Lab and their fees are much higher than what you are saying. Lab fees is $25.00 and shipping FedEx envelop is now $15.00 from $10.00 before and they will charge you for shipping your supplies. Now if you do not buy the lab fee with the canister/swap/bi-o-tape, than they will charge you like $5.75 each and then another $25.00 for Lab thereafter.
R/John M. Acaron
HOMEINSPECTORUSA
Hi John,
I use Pro-Lab. You can get a reduced cost if you buy in bulk. I stopped using the Fed Ex shipping and just use priority mail. The samples arrive within 2 days. That gives me a 3 day turnaround. If I take the samples on Monday I promise the report by close of business Thursday.
I have a lab that I have been using and they ROCK…its $25 per sample and its SAME DAY turn around time and FREE overnight shipping and they are an accredited lab…and they have a much better repuation than Pro Lab with the professional mitigation companies here. If a mitigation company sees a Pro Lab report they immediately retest with their lab…I have no idea what its like in other parts of the US and Florida…just here. I do the test Monday…have the results and report written by Tuesday…its making me ton of money…
This lab states if there is an abnormality or not and are willing to work with you…they have been the best lab to work with.
BTW.thanks for replying Greg…if you ever get this way stop by…
I switched my mold lab from Pro-Lab to EMSL. They have a couple of labs right by me, so I just drive my samples over to the lab at the end of the day. I can buy my sample cassettes through them or any other supplier. Granted…I am paying for sample cassettes now and the lab fees are the same as what Pro-Lab was charging me, but now I don’t have overnight shipping fees. I get my report the next day from whenever I drop off the samples. EMSL has a lot better reputation than Pro-Lab in my opinion. Besides, I don’t want my lab competing with me by selling crappy DIY home test kits to the same clients I am trying to market to have testing done by a qualified professional.
Pro-Lab IS an accredited lab my friend. They also charge $25 per sample and they also have a 24 hour turn around time, unless of course you decide on a faster service at a premium.
I suggest the next time you question the integrity of a company such as Pro-Lab on an open forum you be sure to back your allegations with proof (also known as facts), not just salesman hype. That is what you are attempting to do is it not?
Greg,
I just did 100 air samples, 40 carpet cassettes and 40 swabs with a fellow NACHI member and will be doing 100+ after remediation on a huge project. Prolab has given me a discount on the lab fees. They currently have a deal if you purchase 24 (or more) lab fees they charge $22.50 per sample. Prolab is a 20 minute drive from my house, so I drive to the lab and therefore I don’t use FedEx or the postal service. I do however use FedEx for asbestos samples because Prolab in Toronto doesn’t have the ability to analyze these samples.
BTW I’m working with the LARGEST remediation company in Toronto possibly in the Province (have worked with them in the past as well) and not once have they questioned my lab reports.
I also switched to EMSL labs from Pro-Lab for obvious reasons. I too have had professional remediation contractors tell me that they wouldn’t use Pro-Lab if it was free. EMSL has been around for almost 30 years and have something like 30 labs across the U.S. They don’t sell petri dishes for anyone to grow mold in and tell them they have mold in their home. What a scam!!! I worked out a deal for $22.50 for mold samples w/24 turnaround and free overnight shipping. No need to spend money up front for lab fees, I get a monthly invoice. and if you mess up a cassette you’re not out $25 for a $4 cassette. Lift tape and swab media are free. Great lab and service. Reports are awsome. And they don’t call once a week to try to sell you crap or try to get you to renew your NACHI membership.:p:p:p
I am not a lab, nor am I in any way financially tied to a lab. I have had a bad experience with them…and PLEASE ask someone who is not a Home Inspector and is just a MOLD testing company and ask tehm what lab they use…See for yourself…
I also dropped Pro-Lab…lot better deals else where with better support and they don’t call me every day trying to sell products!!!
[FONT=Verdana]Quite interesting topic my friends. I have been dealing with ProLab since inception of my business. However, when I asked them to support a Health Expo that I was participating they said: “We do not have any promotional material to provide to you regarding IAQ in general”.
[/FONT]Only one company (association) came forward InterNACHI. Thanks to Nick I was able to put together a great show. Also, I used some of the promotional material given to me from EMSL in the past. Maybe, now is time to reconsider an approach again EMSL. Additionally, the cost of ProLab FedEx envelopes when from $10.00 to $15.00 and no freebies anymore. The statement that ProLab competes with us is correct. Often, when visiting Home Depot or Lowes I see their Mold kits for sale, not mentioning the internet. However, this month I have send over 17 IAQ samples to ProLab for testing. I had the opportunity to team up with an Industrial Hygienist during a commercial job and when asked what lab you guys send the samples to be tested, the answer was EMSL. I wish that EMSL will offer water testing (FHA) providing the package and shipping at a reasonable cost.
John Give them a call…the petri dish that pro lab sells…well ask a TURE mold PROFESSIONAL about the petri dish…of course mold begins to grow in it and it look like a nightmare! Scares the hell out of people, which I think is their intention.
My latest experience: Last week I team up with an Industrial Hygienist (supervisor) performing IAQ testing on a commercial job. Guess what mold trap he was using…Aerosol……… Guest what lab they use…EMSL.
They indicated that they have been using EMSL for many years and were quite satisfied with their report and analyses. These people perform hundreds of jobs every year. So, what is the lesson learned here??
Recently, I send a job to PRO-LAB; all the results IAQ came with the famous word “YES”. However, there was one result that said “NO”. When call the lab for verification regarding the assessment. They indicated that now they look at the spores / m3 rather than the raw count. In the past anything above 2 + raw counts was a “YES”. Now is not. How about that? Quite confusing… I would like to have EMSL take position on this assessment.
Anybody else had such encounter?? and what is your take on this subject?
EMSL tells us we have send them 2,600 samples or more each year. I just asked our 3 inspectors and not one of them could think of a complaint about their service. I really don’t know our cost per sample but it must be competitive, besides we pass it on to the client. Staff at EMSL is always helpful with quick responses to our questions or concerns.
YES or NO lab results
http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldcourse/chapter3/lesson3.html
“Experience in interpreting results is essential” EPA
“Sampling for mold should be conducted by professionals who have specific experience in designing mold sampling protocols, sampling methods, and interpreting the results.” EPA
“interpreting the results”
Does this mean having someone, sometimes hundreds of miles from a mold job determining if a problem exists? With the “famous YES or NO” results.
Another question:
“The Z5 sampling cassette is a cost effective, first-line mold screening tool that efficiently and reliably collects mold. It can be easily used by home inspectors to get preliminary information on whether a mold problem may exist and **further investigation is warranted”. PRO LAB **http://www.reliablelab.com/store/index.html?lang=en-us&target=p32.html](http://www.reliablelab.com/store/index.html?lang=en-us&target=p32.html)
Does this mean the home inspector recommend a mold inspection or tell the client “call a mold remediation company to pinpoint the problem and clean it up”?
We see this last statement on many reports from other home inspectors. Who is the mold inspector? Is it the cleanup company or the inspection company?
Use the accredited lab you like and trust, best price is a factor to some. Cost is not nearly as important as the quality of the report you provide your client.