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Do you have allergies? Looking for ways to make them more bearable? Along with warm weather and sunshine, springtime also inevitably brings seasonal allergies. Scientists are saying 2022 could be the worst spring on record for allergy sufferers. Guzi-West frequently assesses indoor air quality issues, and the subject of allergens comes up frequently. Dust sampling for allergens is a common way to...

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Has your building been inspected for asbestos? Do you have an Asbestos O&M Plan? Asbestos and Lead-Based Paint operations and maintenance plans (O&M Plans) are often necessary for building owners’ management of a structure. They’re also sometimes required for financial transactions for the purchases of residential or commercial structures. When requested for financial transact...

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Are you worried about contaminants in your home? Has your house been inspected for asbestos? Before the health effects of asbestos were identified, it was used in almost every phase of construction in every building. For almost a century, asbestos could be commonly found in flooring, siding, roofing and drywall. If it was a component of construction, it probably contained asbestos. Once the toxic...

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Do you have unexplained allergies? Has your home been inspected for contaminants? Indoor Air Quality can be a big issue with asbestos, mold, smoke, allergens and many other contaminants being a concern for homeowners, property managers, and building occupants. Identifying whether a structure has indoor air quality issues is a challenge, especially if a contaminant is naturally occurring in your h...

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“Mold” is a word that strikes fear into the hearts of most property owners. The mere thought that your home or business could contain mold growth conjures images of armies of technicians, interminable repair schedules and mountains of cash to cover the whole thing. Worse yet, as public awareness of mold issues has increased, so has the number of unscrupulous scammers in the mold indus...

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UPDATE: As of 12/14, Federal/State money is now available for homeowners affected by the Fawn Fire. Learn more by clicking the link below! ...

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Our firm is based in Anderson now, but we started in Redding and we all have friends and family all over the Redding area. One of our closest friends was evacuated, but his house was spared.  If you’re reading this, we’re guessing you weren’t so lucky.  When the fires happen in our backyard, it makes us feel even more sadness for those who lost everything. The advice w...

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That’s the question many homeowners and building owners have been asking lately.  Despite all the chaos and destruction, the fires are causing throughout the State of California, we’re actually fairly ‘early’ in the cleanup process for most fires.  If you’re already at a point where you’re ready to clean up your property and are trying to figure out w...

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In nearly every residential and commercial building there’s a system known as an HVAC system. This stands for “Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning.”   In most structures, there are several appliances that push air in or pull air out including things like clothes dryers, bathroom fans, fireplaces and kitchen range hoods. These appliances depressurize the interior of t...

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Guzi-West Inspection and Consulting is excited to announce the expansion of the company’s same-day testing and results capabilities. In addition to our new office in Anderson – and the employment of our new qualified asbestos and mold analyst Bobby Ingram – Guzi-West is proud to announce the addition of two Viken Detection Pb200i X-ray fluorescent (XRF) analyzers.  XRF inst...

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Guzi-West Inspection and Consulting is proud to announce the opening of a new store front with numerous expanded analytical capabilities in our new office in Anderson, CA. With the employment of Bobby Ingram and his years of experience in the analytical industry, Guzi-West will now have the capability to deliver same day results. Guzi-West has worked alongside our sister company PEL Laboratories ...

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Guzi-West is pushing the envelope to develop new ways of presenting the information we capture from our assessments. We conduct detailed mold investigations using state of the art technology. This technology helps to discover the presence of mold and quantify the severity of a problem.  Throughout the inspection, lots of data is generated, including atmospheric readings, moisture readings, i...

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Intro: Our newest team member, Seamus Begley, is a recent Humboldt State graduate who has formal training in Natural Resources and GIS. He brings a fresh perspective to Guzi-West’s growing location intelligence program which develops geospatial resources and helps the sharing of cartographic products (maps and similar information) to our clients to aid in their decision-making. History : GI...

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We sincerely hope the fire cleanup process has gone smoothly for those who lost structures in the 2020 wildfire season. We’ve had a few questions regarding what happens if you do nothing? We have experience with property owners who elected to do this in the past.  Our short answer is … we don’t recommend it!   Based upon past projects we’ve seen, the m...

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If your property was affected by the 2020 wildfires in Northern California, there are two options for addressing debris and ash removal (known as Phase II). You can either ‘opt in’ to the government sponsored program or ‘opt out.’ The deadline to apply for the State of California-Cal Recycle sponsored Consolidated Debris Removal Program is quickly approaching.  We mad...

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We’ve been surprised to see how different landfills and different municipalities are handling the implementation of the both the private and federal and state clean-up programs. As a result, Guzi-West has revised recommendations for each fire in our overall geographic area (Napa County north into Oregon).  The first thing we learned was that the landfills accepting fire debris can inte...

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Homeowners who lost homes during California and Oregon’s 2020 wildfire season will soon need to decide if they want to “opt-in” to a debris removal program conducted by and overseen by Local/State/Government officials or “opt-out” and hire their own private contractors to complete the debris removal program requirements; we discuss pros and cons of each in an article...

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This guide is meant to help property owners decide whether to opt-in to government run debris removal programs or opt out of the government run programs and utilize their own insurance coverage to cover the debris removal program requirements.  Shortly, each community wherein a fire has destroyed many structures will begin to hear about the government-sponsored/run debris removal program and...

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As a homeowner, you probably want to know – what now?  This guide is based upon our firm’s experience with the recent Carr and Camp Fires in Northern California. We’re sadly well versed in this process from a personal and professional level. The guide is intentionally brief and to the point with links to other sources of helpful information. It also assumes each area will b...

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What is Radon? Radon is a radioactive gas that has been found in homes all over the United States. The gas is produced during the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. Radon typically moves up through the ground and into a home through cracks and/or holes in the foundation. Radon can also enter your home through well water brought in through the plumbing system. Nearly 1 out of e...

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COVID-19 testing is now available to accurately detect whether the virus is present on a surface .  Previously, Guzi-West didn’t recommend surface testing for the presence/absence of Coronavirus, such as COVID-19. The technology wasn’t in place to truly detect the presence/absence of the virus and the presence or absence of bacteria was utilized as a surrogate (i.e. if there is n...

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The Coronavirus is a type of virus that often causes respiratory diseases in people and animals. In the fall of 2019, a new mutation of a Coronavirus was first detected in China. The new variation was soon recognized to have properties similar to the 2003 coronavirus that led to the description of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The virus was named “SARS-CoV-2” by the World ...

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You have been through the complicated process of repairing a water-damage loss in your home. You have called the remediation team, who abated the mold and now have called a company like Guzi-West, who performs “mold clearances.” The remediation company has more than likely conveyed the results to you – either pass or fail.  If the area failed, you needed to schedule another...

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Guzi-West asbestos testing services cover a wide range of structures including residential, industrial, storage, retail, educational, and commercial properties. Asbestos testing is requested by property owners to determine if it’s safe to work in an area of the structure that will be disturbed through renovation, demolition, or general maintenance.   Asbestos-containing materials can b...

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Guzi-West was recently certified as a small business in the State of California. This means that Guzi-West:  now receives a 5-percent bid preference on State solicitations;  can contract more easily with State agencies through a direct contracting process; and  this allows a non-small business prime contractor, who uses certified small business/micro business subcontractors for at ...

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Need to remove debris from your property? Are you overwhelmed with the process? Not sure where to start when it comes to debris removal? Let Guzi-West take care of the hard work while you focus on what you need to do to get through the sudden loss of your home. Here are 10 steps to get you on the way to recovering your property: Contact Guzi-West and our fire disaster repsonse team will take...

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Was your home recently affected by a fire or flooding? Are you struggling to get your life back together after an emergency? Do you need mold testing? If you’re working with a restoration company – we can help. A home damaged by water or fire can completely upend your life. That damage isn’t just physical, but emotional as well. You want your home back to normal as quickly as po...

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Butte County has given out a great, informational PDF about finding your project and tracking its status. This is accessible for both homeowners and contractors. Some tips we’ve found helpful: If you know the Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) or as it is listed “Parcel Number”, use that when looking up your property. Always make sure the next drop-down menu reads “...

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Here’s the scenario many in Paradise face, your home is a total loss, destroyed - you’ve now hopefully still managed to enjoy the holidays, and you’re starting to face the reality of the rebuilding process, looking at insurance coverage, deciding to even re-build at all.  In case any property owner is unaware, you have two decisions to make BEFORE January 31, 2019 that are ...

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So you’ve decided to opt-out or you are at least considering opting out of the government sponsored debris removal program.  Whether you want to opt-out because you want to control the timing of the cleanup and want to re-build as fast as possible, want control over who enters your property, believe you can maximize your insurance coverage more by opting out, or you simply don’t ...

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We’re sincerely sorry that another community is going through this painful process. Our firm, Guzi-West Inspection and Consulting, is based in Redding and we just went through the opt-in and opt-out, debris cleanup, soil testing, and documentation process in the Carr Fire in Shasta County.  We’ve interviewed insurance agents, demolition contractors, city/county officials, and asb...

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Were you affected by the Camp Fire? Unsure of what’s covered by your insurance? Determining and maximizing insurance coverage for debris removal is trickier than you’d think. As we advised before, if you’re a homeowner in the debris removal program, you should first determine your insurance coverage for debris removal. Asking your insurance agency this simple question is more co...

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The County of Butte and Town of Paradise have launched a new website to provide residents affected by the Camp Fire with a one-stop-shop for information and resources for recovery efforts ( https://buttecountyrecovers.org/ ).  The website appears very well put together and offers information from housing for displaced residents to re-entry to the debris removal programs.  Guzi-West will...

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Guzi-West is based in Redding and thus our firm’s own friends and family just went through the Carr Fire and we are collectively in disbelief that another fire would be exponentially worse immediately thereafter; our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Paradise, Concow, Magalia, and surrounding communities.  Fortunately or unfortunately, we are now well versed in what property ...

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Do you know what causes black mold to grow?  Are you aware of the health effects of black mold exposure?  Do you know what to look for to identify black mold in your house? Stachybotrys, also known as black or toxic mold, can be very harmful to those who are exposed to it for long periods of time. It’s commonly found in homes in hidden spots with excess moisture. To get a better i...

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As most of you likely know now, the deadline to either opt-into or out of Shasta County and the City of Redding debris removal program has come and gone.  So, what happens if you didn’t do anything?  We weren’t sure either, so we asked.  Both Shasta County and the City of Redding indicated that they would begin reaching out to homeowners who hadn’t opted in or out...

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All You Need to Know about Opting In or Opting Out I recently read an article in the Record Searchlight where the CEO of the North Coast Builder’s Exchange was interviewed on their experience of re-building after the Napa fires devastated their community.  The article, https://www.redding.com/story/news/2018/08/16/scams-labor-shortage-could-slow-down-rebuilding-efforts-after-carr-fire/...

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There is a tremendous amount of confusion from homeowners affected by the Carr Fire regarding property cleanup and participating in Shasta County’s Consolidated Debris Removal Program or not (this program applies to all homes located within Shasta County regardless of whether the home is located within Redding city limits, etc.).  The scope of work for the debris clean-up is essentiall...

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The Carr fire in Redding, California is one of the most destructive fires in California’s history, spanning 126,913 acres and counting. In response to this unfortunate event, Guzi-West has offered to donate 20% of its August revenue to families who are victims of the fire. There have been six casualties and over 1,000 homes destroyed by the Carr Fire. ...

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What is compliance monitoring? What is the penalty for not complying with the standards for hazardous materials? Is failure to comply with safety regulations common? Demolition, renovation, and inspection often involve hazardous materials. For the safety of those involved, such as pedestrians or construction workers, there are standards set in place to reduce the danger of materials such as lead-...

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What does NESHAP stand for? Who does NESHAP apply to? What is a NESHAP notification? NESHAP, or the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, is a Federal law enforced by the California Air Resources Board. Its goal is to reduce the exposure of air pollutants – including asbestos. The majority of renovations and demolitions completed in California fall are subject to t...

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Have you heard of Valley Fever? Do you know about its causes and symptoms? Did you know that cases are rising fast in California? If you haven’t heard of it or don’t have any odd symptoms, chances are you don’t have it. But—knowing about the current rise of the illness is important. Although it’s not contagious, it is something to understand and take precautions for,...

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How do you know if you or your children are at risk for lead exposure? Are there signs you should look for? If so, what are they? Is there anything you can do to prevent lead exposure? Lead exposure can be a serious health issue. When you’re knowledgeable, you can do a better job of keeping you and your family safe. What are the top three things you should think about when dealing with lead...

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If I find mold, do I remove it myself? How should mold be taken care of? Is there a specific process to follow when removing mold? Since mold is so common, these are questions you’re very likely to ask yourself! Mold remediation comes with safety precautions and specific steps that you should follow. Acting immediately will reduce your risk of exposure. When left alone longer, mold can beco...

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Do you worry about the dangers of mold in your home, office or professional building? Did you know that there are many misconceptions about mold? Do you worry that you may overlook some of the dangers? Don’t worry. There are many misconceptions about mold , but we’re going to help clear them up for you. Being informed is important; it will help you stay safe when approaching mold. Wit...

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Do you know what to do when you find mold in your house? Are you aware of what causes mold and the hazards it presents? Are you afraid that you may have been exposed to mold and not even know it? Mold is virtually everywhere! It can be found inside or outside your property. Do you know how to identify the mold that may be in your home? At Guzi-West, we specialize in mold testing and can help you ...

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Are methamphetamine (meth) labs a problem in your area? Are you concerned that your property may be contaminated or have been formerly used as a meth lab?  Want to learn more about getting your property tested for methamphetamine contamination? The Drug Enforcement Agency maintains a list of contaminated homes reported by law enforcement as Clandestine Laboratories. However, this list only c...

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