Are you testing for radon yet?

[balvarez]

Hey guys,

I just noticed something...I may have stepped out of line with my last post. Pardon me, but as you can see I've only been here 22 times. (Or does this make it 23?)

It appears on first glance that some of you spend a lot time here and, of course, you know all of the etiquette and protocols. So I apologize if I have not conducted myself properly.

I signed up and started posting here because of a personal invitation from the big Guy himself, Nick. You see, Nick back in the late nineties, was a really BIG customer of ours, using over 1,000 of our radon samplers per year, back when he owned his HI business. Thanks Nick for your long time support.

We only offered this Free Air Chek Radon Pro-Pack to show the NACHI members the high level of service we can provide for the members (and hopefully some day, they may become our customers too).

Trust me on this one thing...no other lab can match our prices and service. We offered this free package just to prove this, to those who MAY WANT TO GET INTO THE BUSINESS. That is all we were trying to do. You do not have to become a licensed/certified radon professional to do a "dry run" using this totally free, complete Professional Radon Testing package.

For those who don't get it...I say why don't you just use the free package to test your own house or office. That is not illegal in any jurisdiction except maybe New Jersey. (Where gambling and all sorts of other questionable activities are legal except for testing you own property for radon.)

It's getting late here in the East and I had better head back to the ranch...else I'll get into more trouble there too.

Again, I hope I did not offend anyone,

BV Alvarez, CEO
Air Chek, Inc.
http://www.radon-pro.com

[Brian E. Kelly]

BV Alverez, I believe your post is ok. I also believe Will was just looking out for the guys in IL. No harm no foul. From my limited understanding of IL law regarding radon homeowners would be allowed to use your services directly.

[ldapkus]

Yeah it's like offering free Brink's or Dish Net stuff.

[William J. Decker]

No harm, no foul, BV.

it is important to realize that this is a National (and international) association and site. With 50 states, each having their own laws, rules and policy, it is very hard to have a 'one size fits all' marketing policy.

As you say, an individual homeowner has no problem with personal Radon testing in this state (and I won't speak to the others, because I don't know).

Please remember, ther are many new HIs and many are not sure, quite yet, of the rules, laws and methodlogy in their own areas.

As was previously posted, just looking out for my own.

Please give me a call, if you have any questions, problems or suggestions.

Hope this helps;

[balvarez]

Originally Posted by ldapkus

Yeah it's like offering free Brink's or Dish Net stuff.

Linas, if that is how you folks who post here feel...if most of you are going to put me and my small company in the same category as the above mentioned...then I'll withdraw my offer of free trails of our service and I'll say goodbye to this whole message board.

I'll mention again, I only made the offer and started posting here because Nick, who treated me like an old friend, asked me to.

More than anything, I'm really very, very sorry that I have placed our eight fine employees in such an embarrassing position, (that's right, there are only eight working folks here). Go to http://www.radon.com/radon/corp_info.htm You can read about the whole bunch...except that Dr. Joe and I have, more or less, not been of much use the past few years. I only show up every now and then to sign a few checks and make sure nothing has broken. (By the way, Nancy who has answered the phone most every time since September 1986 is retiring soon. So those of you who know her, may want to wish her good luck. She will answer the phone from 8:30 to 5:00 every day for the next month or so. Call 800-AIR-CHEK (247-2435) and press zero (0).

As for our service, we haven't heard many complaints from the customers that ordered 256,457 test kits last year, and not that many from the other 5,298,355 customers during the past 21 years, so maybe some of the folks here are doing their job and treating the customers fairly.

We don't charge much for our service. The price has been the same since 1987. How? We've just worked harder to adsorb all the postage and other increases. And unlike some other famous ones, none of us ride around in big fancy cars. In fact, I drive the fanciest, a four (4) year old Ford 4-door pickup truck. And it runs just fine, thank you.

The folks working here are just honest hard working people who show up every day five to six days each week (and most holidays) to make sure our client's test devices are processed. The good folks here work for their keep and don't ask for any handouts.

And we, for damn sure, are not a big frigging corporation looking for a way to screw the little guy.

Thanks for your input and a damn good lesson,
BV Alvarez, Founder and Owner
Air Chek, Inc.

[William J. Decker]

BV;

As I posted before, I assume no nafarious doings on your part. Good marketing is well thought out and pre-checked marketing. Always know your market and work to serve them and protect them.

Sometimes, things move so quickly that these things are missed or overlooked (not saying that this is what you are doing, to be clear).

Call me. I would like to talk to you.

Thanks;

[balvarez]

Originally Posted by wdecker

No harm, no foul, BV.

it is important to realize that this is a National (and international) association and site. With 50 states, each having their own laws, rules and policy, it is very hard to have a 'one size fits all' marketing policy.

Please remember, ther are many new HIs and many are not sure, quite yet, of the rules, laws and methodlogy in their own areas.;

Will, if there is anything we specialize in, it is dealing with newbies to radon testing, no matter the state or local, we know what each client must do in order to satisfy their particular regs.

If you had taken the time to call, you would have gotten to speak with Mr. Shawn Price, who managed the USEPA RMPP program until it ended in 1998. His sole purpose here at Air Chek, is to deal with all of the National and local regulating bodies, making sure that we help our clients keep their noses clean. His specialty is radon regs. It is just one of the perks we provide for our Professional clients.

In other words, we know what the heck we are doing when comes to radon testing and all the regs no matter where they are made and/or enforced.

As you will have read by now, I've decided to drop my membership to this message board...mostly because it is so abusive and I really don't like defending our small company when I know we do a very good job at a very fair price. I really don't like bad-mouthing others and don't want to hear it either.

I've already notified Nick of my decision and I'll be more than happy to communicate with anyone, one on one, who has an open mind.

You may call our main number 800-AIR-CHEK (800-247-2435) for my personal contact info. I'll not post it here because our four mail servers already receive over 10,000 junk emails each month, just to my personal address.

Thanks for your input,
BV Alvarez
Air Chek, Inc.
http://www.radon.com

[ldapkus]

Mr. Alvarez I'm sorry if I offended you in any way. And I'm sorry to hear you're not making a killing on the 256,000 kits you sold last year. Even if you made a buck apiece, that's more than most HI's make in 5 years. Give me a break.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Actually I was able to e-mail chat with Mr. Price and was very impressed with him and I found it VERY easy to use the kits......and well....saved me having to buy a freakin Cont. Use Monitor....and (2) of them to meet the QA....so I am happy.

Actually sent one in yesterday and they are probably going to get me the results today....

[mlopezi]

Linas, I am sure his overhead is HIGHER than most home inspectors! I have used Air Check over a year now, great customer service and results in 2 hours of receiving the samples. Tell Pro Lab you want the results in 2 hours, they are 48 hours and the day they receive them does not count in the 48 hours.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

I for one hate to see Air Chek go....I did a Radon test on 8/1 and picked up on 8/3 and mailed out on 8/3 and today is 8/4 and i got my results in less that 24 hours after sending it to them.....Top Notch....

[Paul W. Abernathy]

To whom it may concern.........

Look..........the fine people at Air Chek are simply doing what ANY company would do in marketing their product in all 50 states.

Now...with that said......lay off.....look is BV supposed to post a freakin "IL" warning before posting free giveaway product or explaining their product?

It is up to the local HI to know their laws...not Air Chek.......so if a IL inspector does Radon and is not supposed to and gets caught...so be it....live and learn.......LEARN the laws in your own state.

I get tired of seeing vendors getting beat up for trying to promote their business.....

Now you state...." Vendors ahve one thing in mind $$$$$$".......hmmmm and I ask...WHAT the hell is wrong with that....????

1.) Do they not have families to feed also?
2.) Do they not offer a valued service? ( I happen to think they do )
3.) Do they stand behind their product? ( I happen to think so...)
4.) Employee's to pay ( takes ALOT of $9.95 test kits to pay a salary )

Now......I hate this VENDOR bashing CRAP...........every HI that panhandles to the real estate agent, seller or buyer is a freakin vendor.......having ONE thing in mind...$$$$$$.........

Free enterprise..........

If someone posts a product that lets say is illegal ( which this is not ) like lets say a " Radar Detector"....legal in most states...illegal in VA....so can I use the excuse I did not know it was illegal whenthe COP pulls me over for it and takes it away...NOT....I know the laws in VA.....

Every HI should know their OWN state laws.......a POST should not be limited to one state........Air Chek has a good product and have been around...I could have used anyone and I choose them.......but to see people BASH a freakin guy for selling his product which an HI can make money on is just plain wrong.....and CHILDISH...

I made $ 75.00 on my last test..........they even sent me two samples....HOW can you beat that......so they sold 250,000 of them last year...and made money...GOOD FOR THEM....its the american way....I hope they sell 1,000,000 of them and make a killing....because if they make 1,000,000...the HI industry makes many times that using the product.

If a product does not apply to you.....then dont read the post or skip it.....man some people are freakin A-HOLES

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Originally Posted by ldapkus

Mr. Alvarez I'm sorry if I offended you in any way. And I'm sorry to hear you're not making a killing on the 256,000 kits you sold last year. Even if you made a buck apiece, that's more than most HI's make in 5 years. Give me a break.

WHO gives a CRAP what most HI's make........thats up to the HI......look for $ 9 bucks..........their is not a HUGE margin in it for them so they need volumes.......but again...WHO CARES what they make...I am just glad I have their product to use.....

GEESSHHH>.........now send Bill Gates an e-mail asking him WHY he makes so freakin much money on his MicroSoft products....

Oh...while you are at it.....Can you contact EXXON for me and ask them why they keep making record profits when gas is so high......????....how about lowering the gas price........hey here is an idea.......they can give us some FREE GAS....atleast Air Chek gives you something for FREE to try them out........ok...you can FLAME back...but this is CHILDISH !

[Joseph Hagarty, CMI]

The EPA Website provides all of the necessarry links with regard to licensing requirements and contacts for each State.

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/whereyoulive.html

Air-Chek is a Business providing Quality Services at a Reasonable Cost.

The Use (MisUse) of a Product is the Responsibility of the End User.

Chastising Air Chek or Mr. Alvarez for their Business practice because an ill informed Inspector may misuse the product fraudulently is ridiculous.

[William J. Decker]

Let's mellow out here.

Of course, each Hi in each state (or provience) needs to know their own areas laws and requirements.

But, you have to admit, some vendors (NOT BV or most of the guys on this site) do not always fully inform with regards to requirements. Usually, they are not aware.

We each (most of us) run our own business. Even for business owners, the important phrase is 'let the buyer beware'. Check people out, do the necessary work to protect yourself, and your clients.

Hope this helps.