Anyone use Pro-Lab test kits from HD, Lowes, etc.?

[Alex1803]

Does anyone recommend Pro-Lab home testing kits (asbestos, lead paint, mold, water quality, radon, etc.) found in most home stores for a more complete inspection to their clients? These seem like a complete set of kits to offer as a package to potential clients. I know there are more expensive means of measuring some of the same items (like a continuous radon monitoring system, dedicated CO monitoring, etc.) but I found these and thought as a newbie, I could offer them to clients. Any thoughts would be great. Thanks.

[hausdok]

I wouldn't.

I'd tell them that if they're concerned about those things they should have the home tested by a professional lab, not a home inspector. If they bellyached about cost, I'd tell them where they could find the test stuff at the big box and tell them that they're welcome to do it themselves, but I'm not going to do it for them and shoulder that additional liability. About as far as I've ever gone with any environmental testing is to drop off samples at a lab for a customer, put in the order in the customer's name and tell the customer where he or she can pick up and pay for the results.

I say do one thing and do it well. Let other folks whose fields actually have something to do with that kind of thing do all that other crap.

Home inspectors have enough things to do and worry about without trying to become the local Quicky Mart selling everything under the sun.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Alex1803]

Mike-

Do you do any radon testing? How about CO monitoring? You make some good points about doing one thing and doing it well. I am trying to come out of the gates in stride and I thought that by offering more services in addition to home inspections would generate a lot of business. Thanks for the advice.

Alex

[Scottpat]

Originally posted by Alex1803

Does anyone recommend Pro-Lab home testing kits (asbestos, lead paint, mold, water quality, radon, etc.) found in most home stores for a more complete inspection to their clients? These seem like a complete set of kits to offer as a package to potential clients. I know there are more expensive means of measuring some of the same items (like a continuous radon monitoring system, dedicated CO monitoring, etc.) but I found these and thought as a newbie, I could offer them to clients. Any thoughts would be great. Thanks.

If you are offering a service you need to be sure that you are knowledgeable about it and you also might need an additional license. Most states license Lead & Asbestos as does the EPA.

Mold is a scam, just stay away from it. Why do you want to test when you can see that you have mold. You do not blind test for mold.

Water quality; find a local lab that will do it for you. Learn how to collect samples properly. Depending on what you are testing for the samples need to be treated differently.

CO testing; toooooo much liability. This is not to say that CO measurement devices do not have a place in our profession. I have had one sitting on a shelf for about four years. []

Radon testing; If radon is an issue in your area, you should be knowledgeable about it. I test for radon with a CRM. I have been to school and taken the test and CE as required for the certification. Many states regulate radon testing.

[homnspector]

The only testing I offer is asbestos for ceiling texture, tile and whatever else. It costs me $7 to have the lab test it and I charge $75. It's so easy I can't resist but only offer it when asked about it.

[hausdok]

Hi,

Well, in my area I don't think that anyone does radon testing unless they're scamming folks. I hear that there are dangerous concentrations in other parts of the state but out here in the western corridor it's a non-issue.

CO Monitoring - Just how the heck is someone supposed to do that in the course of a home transaction? What's the point? I once had a furnace with a hole the size of a 50 cent piece in the back of the heat exchanger right where it could be clearly seen with a flashlight. I checked the exhaust with my Monoxir and it read something like 45 PPM in the stack and 0 PPM at any of the registers or around that unit. Obviously the A/F ratio of thta furnace was pretty well fine-tuned. What good would CO monitoring have done me in that circumstance.

I used that Monoxir every day for the first 2 or 3 years and finally put it away. I've found more CO hazards in the 8 years since, using just my training, eyes, and common sense than I'd ever found with the Monoxir. I guess I don't understand the question. Is this "Co Monitoring" some kind of new deal that someone has come up with or is it just one more way to suck money out of a customer's pocket doing something that the customer could do themselves, such as installing a quality CO detector.

Come-on ejumakate me - I'm willin to hear what it is. Jus don know wedder I'm gonna get into it or knot.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[inspector57]

I have been contacted several times lately by folks looking for someone to do lead testing for clearance on properties. Does anyone have knowledge of what this is and who does it? I have done a few online searches but have not found anyone locally.

I am not interested in doing it, just learning more about it.

Jim

[hausdok]

Texas has its own certification and licensing program for lead inspectors. You can find out more about the program and clearance sampling at the last two links below.

Also, you can learn everything else you want to know about lead at the first 4 links.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/index.cfm

http://www.epa.gov/lead/

http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/traincert.htm

http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/elp/default.shtm

http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/elp/pdf/HUD ... ojects.pdf