As an active, full-time Realtor on the Monterey Peninsula, having trusted, knowledgeable, and responsive professionals I can confidently recommend to my clients is essential. Rich Gray has proven to be exactly that. Rich has provided outstanding service for a couple of my valued clients, both involving time-sensitive situations where we needed to move quickly to keep the projects on schedule and meet critical county inspection deadlines. Rich stepped up without hesitation and delivered when it mattered most. His knowledge and expertise in air quality services, combined with his professionalism, responsiveness, and commitment to doing the job right, are truly appreciated. Just as importantly, Rich provides excellent value and understands the importance of working collaboratively with homeowners, contractors, inspectors, and real estate professionals. When I recommend someone to my clients, their performance reflects on me as well. Rich has earned my trust, and I would confidently recommend him to clients and colleagues throughout the Monterey Peninsula. Outstanding service, quality work, and dependable results! read more

Exceptional service by Simon from Certified Environmental. My new apartment had a strange smell, I thought was mildew/mold. When Simon arrived, he let me know that it probably was not mold, and was more likely my new furniture off-gassing. He ran the test and everything is fine. It was definitely worth the money to have the peace of mind about our health and safety. I would highly recommend their service. Many Thanks!! read more

We recently discovered a wet area in a wall while doing some texture work before getting paint touch-ups done. Little did we imagine that two walls were soaking wet and that mold was growing until Rich came and did his testing. I can't emphasize enough how comforting it was to find someone who would come immediately and enable us to identify this issue before it became an even larger problem! Not only that, he gave me phone support in filing a claim with our homeowners insurance. Now it's in the hands of restoration services who were well informed by Rich's report and who are making our house safe for inhabiting as well as protecting our financial asset. read more

They were great because they consulted over the phone to evaluate whether they needed to come in or not. Once we determined they did, they scheduled within a couple days and were in and out within 20 minutes. Their finalized reading came in within 48 hours and they were very accurate to what the inspectors expected. I highly recommend them! read more

Rich has been our go to guy for any indoor air quality issues for many years. He is responsive and provides reports that help us best handle situations so that owners and tenants can have confidence in the homes safety read more

Richard is such a wonderful business owner. He is so friendly, professional, punctual and knowledgeable. We were explained every step of his services and felt very comfortable with the detailed inspections. Richard gave us referrals for companies who can help us remove the mold. I highly recommend Certified-Environmental to anyone who thinks they may have a mold issue. read more

Noticed mold in my house and called Certified Environmental and was able to have inspection done the same day. Rich is very knowledgeable and reassuring. I received the test results in a timely manner and he explained the findings to me. I would recommend his service to my friends and family if they find themselves in the same predicament. read more

Thank you Rich for your thorough inspection on the home we bought and the home we are selling. You are very thorough and meticulous. read more

I am extremely familiar with the research on mold remediation, and pasteurization is never mentioned (except in a negative sense as in - don't do it!!!). I have attended several Shoemaker conferences where health practitioners, mold remediators, patients, etc. come together to share most recent advances in the field. I attend the annual online mold summit as well. The only consensus is that physically removing mold is the only way to deal with it. If you stress toxigenic mold via pasteurization, spraying, diffusing oils, etc. it will defend itself by producing mycotoxins. Mold forms colonies that communicate. Some mold sense when they are drying out and start ejecting mold spores into the air. Viable mold spores are only a small part of what's released by mold that causes an inflammatory response. This is why air testing is generally considered unreliable by doctors that treat mold illness. Dust tests (ERMI) tests are used instead. This testing is also fraught with issues, but in my experience having both air (one point in time) and dust tests (dust collected over 30 days minimum) give a more complete picture of air quality. Both tests only check for viable spores so they're quite limited. Best is to use mycotoxin tests, but they're in the 5k range. Air tests are most reliable when home is kept closed up for 24 hours, but few testers tell you to do so. To claim that pasteurization works against mold because of un-cited white papers is plain false. Aflatoxin (the toxin excreted by aspergillus) is stable up to 360F. The main tenets of remediation are to prevent the spread of contamination, and to physically remove it. There are a dozen or so groups on Facebook on mold illness. They range to about 10-20k members. Many of the members are well known practitioners. Do a search on "pasteurization" in these groups. See if there are any folks who got better after this or any practitioners who endorse this. I guarantee you there are NONE. What you're going to find is quite the opposite. Many folks sensitive to mold attest that their homes felt much worse after pasteurization. This is not a surprise. Mold when attacked gets angry and produces mycotoxins that get us sick. I posted the report from Certified Environmental in most of these groups for an opinion when I was green in this area. I had a slew of professionals comment and warn me against pasteurization. One included a 2-page critique of the report with references on the problems of pasteurization. Most were appalled that the report barely mentioned gross remediation which is industry standard. To address Rich's comments: doing something for a long time doesn't mean that it's being done right. Most mold testers don't test correctly based on experts on this field. That remediation companies also offer testing services doesn't constitute a conflict of interest unless customer is naive enough to allow remediator to perform his own clearance testing. No one really is this naive, and third party testing is standard in the biz. Remediators only get paid once third party testing clears the property. The markup for air testing is insane so many companies who remediate test on their own as they clean up to make sure that third party testing will clear the property and they'll get paid. They usually don't show these tests to the customer - they're simply for their own use to check on their work. This way, customer doesn't have to pay $1000 repeatedly for 3rd party testing until property clears. To brush off gross remediation and instead push hard pasteurization implies either financial ties with pasteurization company, or lack of understanding of mold. Speaking personally to this pasteurization company recommended by Rich when I was truly interested to learn whether and how it worked, I was fed the same line "we do this all the time" or many "white papers published". No references that I could check on were ever offered. The person who showed up at the house knew a pitiful amount about mold. Luckily I did my own research on this. I'm begging you Rich to look deeper into this instead of getting defensive. I know what hell mold illness is. Recommending pasteurization is putting lives at risk. This is not just me saying it - it's the consensus of the whole mold community. read more

Rich is the best. He is a straight shooter, he is extremely well qualified, he really knows the subject matter, and he is pleasant to deal with. I have used his services both for the sale of our home, and the purchase of a replacement home, and he was very helpful each time. I would not hesitate to recommend him. read more

Richard Gray came highly recommended by Dennis Spenser of Winn Home Inspection. We needed a Mold Inspection specialist to determine if there was the presence of mold in a rental property. He immediately went to the property to make an assessment. We received the Test Result the second day. Thus, allowing us to respond promptly regarding the issue. We highly recommend Richard Gray of Certified Environmental. read more

Rich was very helpful getting my home tested and retested to pass mold. Lots of guidance and helpful suggestions including trying to save me money! read more

Rich was extremely helpful in helping to investigate and inspect mold growth found in my apartment unit. He also provided all the vendors needed to help repair the problem and was very attentive the whole way! It was easy to get ahold of Rich and he was very professional around my tenants. Thanks Rich! read more

We highly recommend Rich and Certified Environmental. When I first called to get some help determining the cause of my mold issue, Rich spoke at length with me on the phone to answer my questions before scheduling an appointment. He was very helpful and not a pushy salesman. I could tell he had been in the business for a long time and was very knowledgeable. One of his staff, Michael, arrived on time a few days later and did an excellent job reviewing the area, testing for moisture in the walls and taking the necessary air samples. He was very professional and informative about the process and in answering my questions. When the results came back, I had some questions and concerns and called and spoke to Rich again. He was able to answer some of my questions and review his recommendations, but also offered to come out to my home the following day to do another review to put my mind at ease. Rich arrived promptly the next day, did another review, confirmed the original findings and offered some helpful suggestions to improve the airflow in my closet and basement to help alleviate the issue. Rich was very professional, extremely knoweldgable and clearly focused on helping his clients resolve their air quality issues - and not focused on doing all he can to jack the bill up. Each of his recommendations were easy things we can take care of ourselves and will not be costly. We will definitely call Rich and Certified Environmental the next time we have a concern about the air quality in our home or business! BTW, I live in Monterey, CA...not sure why Yelp has me in Santa Fe, NM!! read more

Mr. Gray inspected our home in Moraga California in order to assure our home was safe for renters. Mr. Gray was hired by our property management company that has a lot of experience hiring BOARD CERTIFIED mold inspectors. There are many companies out there that test for mold, but are not licensed to do so. In addition, Mr. Gray took the extra time to speak to us in detail many times so we understand mold and fungus in a home. I highly recommend Mr. Richard Gray and Certified Environmental. read more

Jaycee came to our Carmel house to check for any mold issues. She was extremely professional, nice and very informative ! I would recommend Certified-Environmental ( Rich & Jaycee) to any one who is having or suspects a mold problem in their home or work space ! Dante Rondo Carmel, Ca. read more

I can not say enough about the level of service, and the degree of knowledge that stands behind Certified Environmental. My family's concerns were addressed with utmost level of care allowing us to purchase our forever home. read more

Rich was great. I was worried about my mom's apartment and found this company online. I really trusted them from the first phone conversation. It's helpful that Rich is familiar with laws related to landlords having to provide healthy homes. They came out to do the test the day after I called and I had the results back in just a few days. We were surprised but happy to find out that the apartment was safe. Yay. Money well spent with a company I'd definitely use again. read more

I had visible mold in the house that I'm currently renting. The landlord sent a handyman, and he didn't know much about mold, so I called Rich with Certified Environmental to come check it out. Rich and his team were very professional, and the inspection took about 30 minutes. They took humidity readings throughout the house, visually inspected areas of concern, and took air samples inside and outside. They came on a Thursday, and I had a full report along with recommendations e-mailed to me the following Tuesday. From beginning to end, the process was very smooth, and I would recommend Rich and his team to anyone needing home inspection services. read more

This company is great! We had a possible mold issue with our home and couldn't stay in it. We called them, and despite it being his day off, Richard (the owner) came out the same day and did testing. He was so compassionate and VERY experienced. He has been doing this for many, many years. The tests all came back negative for excessive mold. Well... we STILL were having respiratory problems after massive cleaning etc. He came out a second time to do a different type of testing. Once again, all came back negative. Suspecting the crawl space was the culprit, he recommended a few things we could do and the house is getting better. Especially since we're having drier weather. The testing isn't cheap, but we feel we received terrific value for all his efforts. read more

Rich was very helpful with my situation. I had mold I reported to my landlords (MHB Properties) and they ignored my email. I wanted to get out of my old run down moldy house and they gave me the evidence I needed to get out. Rich and Michael were very professional and helpful. I got the results back in a timely manner as requested. Would highly recommend them! read more

Very grateful to Rich's service in testing our rental. Because of his report our land lord cleanup up our rental. His service was worth every penny. read more

Rich saved my dog's life! I was in a cottage for less than four months in Carmel Woods and something was terribly wrong. I had flu symptoms but my dog was very sick almost from the beginning. She was the 'canary in the coal mine". I found Rich and his company Certified Environmental and he did the proper testing on my rental. if he hadn't told me how bad the mold was I would not have my dog. I can't thank him enough. read more

Certified-Environmental was highly recommended by a company I've used and trusted in the past (Pacific Reconstruction, INC) when I used them to remediate some water related damage. The post 'clean-up' required hiring a company that was highly knowledgeable and experienced in quality air testing in order to make sure the remediation efforts had effectively addressed all issues. Pacific Reconstruction provided the contact info for Certified-Environmental and let's say it was the BEST CALL I could have made!! Mr Richard Gray provided me with a detailed description of what needed to take place and the reasons for the extensive testing. He was highly informative, but also made it a point to patiently translate the detailed complicated terminology for my layman's understanding. I am so grateful to have found Certified - Environmental Inc as they are EXTREMELY well versed and knowledgeable in what is a highly technical and scientific arena. Richard Gray and his partner/daughter Jayce, are an EXCEPTIONAL TEAM ... I've used their services a few times now and HIGHLY RECOMMEND their company. read more

I called Rich on short notice to inspect our home in Pebble Beach after a vacation renter was complaining of allergies he said that was due to mold in the home. Rich was able to accommodate us and conducted an inspection within 2 hours. There were no visible signs of mold. He collected an air quality test from the home just to be sure. We were concerned so we paid to expedite the results overnight. When the results came back Rich called to give us the good news that our home was healthy and meets California State Toxic Mold Law. Rich was great to talk with and explained everything thoroughly before sending us the written report. We appreciated his prompt and professional expertise with attention to detail of our issue. I highly recommend Richard Gray. read more

If you have any concerns about mold in your home this is definitely the company to contact. I can't say enough good things about them. They were very responsive and came out to my home right away I couldn't believe it. Michael came to my home for the inspection and was super helpful and very knowledgeable and professional. It's so hard to find professional and trustworthy companies to do anything at my home, so it was a breath of fresh air to find them. I'm hoping this review will help someone worrying about hiring a trustworthy company. Rich and Michael are amazing, and I'm so glad I chose them for my inspection. read more

I have been very impressed with Rich and the job he has done for us. He has truly gone above and beyond, explaining his report/findings on several occasions, even returning calls on the weekend. Rich conducted mold tests on the home we rent, and he did his job in both a professional and empathetic manner. If I am ever in need of an Environmentalist in the future, I won't look any further. Thank you, Rich. read more

Richard Gray may have saved our lives and my home business. We had a water intrusion at our 3 bedroom, Redwood City apartment a few months ago. The landlord did not fix the water damage, so everything just dried out on their own. Three months later, a friend whose father owns an upscale construction company told us to get a mold inspection by certified mold inspector, Mr. Richard Gray. I explained the situation to Mr. Gray on a Friday, and he was at my home on that following Monday. I got the results from the lab on the following Wednesday. Turns out, we were exposed to high levels of toxic mold due to unaddressed water damage. Before Richard came along, I didn't realize how dangerous toxic mold could be. In cases like this, you must hire certified professionals, especially when they are affordable. Richard Gray is worth his weight in gold. His recommendations and mold report led to swift action to resolve our environmental and health concerns. I recommend calling Richard Gray at Certified Environmental for mold testing as soon as you learn of an issue that could lead to mold growth. I've been watching videos about toxic mold exposure, and it's not to be taken lightly. I'm going to call Richard Gray again to make sure the mold remediation and water damage repairs were done correctly. read more

Rich is very knowledgeable and responsible in doing his testing work. Not only did he do a great job on my house, he also guided the cleaning team and gave me lots of great advice to ensure it is well maintained in the long run. He is highly professional, courteous and punctual. I would invite him back in a heart beat. Rich, thank you and we truly appreciate your effective work! read more

We called Rich to do an indoor air quality report. He was able to schedule me right away and came out the next day. Rich was great to work with and patient with all my questions. While taking the air quality tests, he explained what he was doing and how the tests were being conducted. Rich returned the results within the time frame promised. Thank you! read more

Richard and his team recently helped us resolve a mold issue in our bedroom. They responded quickly, were very thorough and helpful during the inspection, testing and re-testing process and a great resource in helping us find the right people to remove and clean up our mold. We have a toddler and dog so this was an urgent issue, we really appreciate their timely help and highly recommend them! read more

I own a Restoration company in San Jose and I have had the pleasure to work with Richard & Jace as I have referred them to many of my customers who have mold issues. They are knowlegable, reliable, prompt, and most of all very honest. Their prices are reasonable too. They have gone above and beyond the call to take care of my customers. I would highly recommend them for mold testing and consulting. read more