The basic qualifications for mold investigators and remediation contractors should include:

Transcription

1 Technical Analysis Mold Inspections - What To Expect Mark Misner CIE, CMI, CMRC Introduction If you are in the market for a mold inspector, then you already have a pretty good idea that your home has a problem. Previous water damage, fuzzy growth, spots and staining, and musty odors are all good indicators that mold growth may be present. The rule of thumb is - Where there is water, mold, bacteria, and a host of other unwelcome guests follow. Bulk water intrusion, pipe leaks, sustained relative humidity, and loss of environmental control are the primary causes for indoor mold growth. Mold can begin growing in as little as one to two days after a water event, and the growth rate can be staggering. A single mold spore can generate 10,000 offspring every 72 hours. So a little problem can grow into a major problem in no time. So it is very important to know when to hire a mold inspector and equally important to know what to expect from an inspection. Where To Begin? Mold assessments should only be performed by inspectors who have undergone specific training in fungal assessments. Building contractors, home inspectors, handyman, and even water extraction companies do not necessarily possess the skills and equipment to properly assess your property for mold contamination. Therefore, you should find a professional who specializes in mold assessments and who has been in the industry for more than a few years. While the phonebook and Internet can provide a list of inspectors advertising in your area, there are several national organizations specifically focused on the mold industry. The following organizations provide search engines for locating qualified inspectors: Indoor Air Quality Association - American Industrial Hygiene Association - Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification - Minimum Inspector Qualifications: Many water cleanup companies, Fire-Flood-Water restoration companies, home inspection companies, remodeling companies, and even pest control companies advertise mold inspection and mold remediation services. However, it is best to select a company that specializes only in mold investigation and decontamination work. Mold inspection and mold remediation is a unique industry and should be addressed by contractors with specific training and industry experience. The basic qualifications for mold investigators and remediation contractors should include: Physical Corporate Presence and Appropriate Infrastructure - Building, Trucks, Equipment, etc. Mold Investigator and/or Contractor Certification - IAQA, IICRC or Equivalent Five Years Minimum Experience As A Mold Investigator/Contractor Completed A Minimum of 200 Site Investigations/Remediations Professional and Environmental Insurance Coverage

2 What To Expect From An Investigation: The following information should be included in an inspection report and remediation plan. The inspection report and remediation proposal can be two separate documents, however, collectively they should include: I. Site Evaluation: General Site Assessment - This should include a general assessment of the property. Contamination Assessment - Identification and description of contamination site(s). Moisture Identification & Causation - Location and cause for moisture elevation/intrusion. Contamination Sampling - This may include tape lift and spore trap air sampling for lab analysis. Photo Documentation - Document structural deficiencies and contamination sites. II. Defining The Scope of Work: Remediation Guideline - Recommendations should follow IICRC S520 guidelines for containment, worker protection and decontamination procedures. Defect Corrective Action - Outline steps to eliminate/control moisture that lead to fungal growth. Work Area Definition - Detailed description of areas and items that will be cleaned. Demolition Plan - What will be physically removed and what will remain. Remediation Plan - A detailed step-by-step work plan outlining all work to be performed. Remediation Exclusions - Work that will not be included in the remediation plan. Artwork, rugs, antiques and collectibles, upholstered furniture, and books may not be part of the remediation plan. Chemistry Identification - A chemistry list including EPA registrations and MSDS that will be used. III. Project Costs: Pricing Detail - Not all inspectors are remediators therefore project costs may not be included in the inspection report. However, if the inspector is also bidding on the work to be performed, an itemized project pricing detail should accompany the inspection report. What Questions Should You Ask Before Hiring An Inspector? 1. Qualifications - You should ask for a copy of their certifications, licenses, work experience, and a list of references. 2. Inspector and/or Contractor? - Are they exclusively an inspector, or do they also perform the remediation work? Generally speaking, you want an inspector and not a remediation contractor. If they do both inspection and remediation, ensure that they will be including a detailed report including a Scope of Work so that you can send it out for competitive work bids. 3. Services Provided - What services do they provide during a typical inspection. You should expect, photo documentation, a written report, a Scope of Work, air and surface sampling, and recommendations for selecting qualified Mold Contractors in your area. 4. Additional Services and Costs - Additional services may include tape lifts and air sampling (if deemed necessary), thermal imaging to establish the extent of water damage in the event of water intrusion, and destructive investigation to determine the extent of the mold damage. These additional services may be added to the initial inspection cost. 5. Sample Report - The inspector should be able to provide you with a sample report. In the report, did they clearly identify the moisture source, did they photo document the contamination, did they define the extent of the contamination, and did they provide a detailed Scope of Work?

3 What To Avoid In An Inspection: Inexperienced Inspectors - Unfortunately, the mold inspection/remediation industry is an unregulated industry. Certifications can be acquired with only a few days of class room study and no real practical experience. Most of the experience needed to become a competent inspector happens on the job. Most of the problems encountered in the mold industry is due to non-qualified or under-qualified inspectors. They may miss obvious signs of contamination, or over estimate the amount of contamination present, or recommend cleaning procedures that are not safe. So it is important to first find an inspector with years of experience. Top Tip: Ask the inspector for certifications, years of experience, and insurance coverage. Excessive Testing & Exorbitant Lab Fees - There are no shortcuts to a comprehensive visual inspection. Some investigators rely on expensive air and surface sampling to determine if mold growth is present. Too often air samples either provide a false positive (indicates mold is present when not) or a false negative (mold is present but the air sample did not detect it). Lab testing can add needless costs to an otherwise straightforward assessment. In addition, waiting for lab reports to return can add days to beginning a remediation project. This can create an exposure concern not to mention more mold growth in the interim. Be careful of inspectors who run up hundreds or even thousands of dollars in lab fees. Top Tip: Ask the inspector for the total inspection cost including all typical sampling and lab reports BEFORE they arrive on-site. Incomplete Assessment Reports - Many incomplete inspection reports simply include pages and pages on the dangers of mold growth, a few hard to understand lab reports, and a statement that mold is indeed present. Unfortunately, with an incomplete positive inspection report, you are no closer to finding a solution to the problem. Without a comprehensive Site Evaluation and Scope of Work report, there is no way to determine the remediation costs associated with a positive assessment report. Top Tip: Ask for a sample assessment report BEFORE the inspector arrives onsite. Inspect the sample report to ensure that it contains a Site Evaluation Report, a Scope of Work, detailed site pictures and a clear narrative outlining the causation of the growth and recommendations for correcting the problem and cleaning the affected area(s). Pressure To Begin Work Immediately - You wouldn t buy the first car you saw on the dealer lot and you should not be pressured to blindly accept the proposed project. If your inspector provided you with a detailed Site Evaluation Report and Scop of Work, forward it to other remediation companies for a competitive bid. Many times the contractor may ask to visit the site to ensure that the original inspection report was accurate, however, this site visit should be free of charge. If not, find another contractor. Top Tip: Remediation costs are quite flexible and not all contractors perform the same level of work. Make sure that competitive bids include all the proposed work found in the Scope of Work. What You Can Do To Protect Yourself Prior To An Inspection: 1. DO NOT remove water damaged items that you believe may be contaminated with mold. Disturbing contaminated items can spread fungal spores outside of the immediate impacted areas and can expose you to potentially harmful levels of fungal and bacterial contaminants. 2. Do not begin demolition or removal of water/mold damaged carpets and building materials.

4 3. Isolate the affected area by closing HVAC registers and returns and tape around doors and/or use plastic sheeting to contain the area. Limit entry into the area. 4. Notify your insurance company immediately if you have a bulk water intrusion event. Bulk water events are generally covered under your home insurance, however, time if of the essence in notifying your agent. 5. Contact a water extraction company. If you have experienced a bulk water intrusion event, time is of the essence in removing moisture. Mold can begin amplifying within 24 hours after a water event. Taking too much time to perform proper dryout will lead to additional damage and costs. 6. Contact a Mold Inspector immediately. If you have experienced a bulk water intrusion event and have dryout work underway, it is always a good idea to have a mold inspector evaluate the dryout process to ensure that 1. The dryout process has been effective to stop or limit fungal growth. 2. No fungal contamination is present after the dryout process has ended. Do not rely on the dryout process to stop fungal growth. 7. Do Not Delay. A simple water extraction and dryout process can quickly turn into an expensive mold remediation problem in 24 to 48 hours. Many home insurance companies cap the limits on mold damage coverage. If mold damage is allowed to go unchecked, the additional cleanup costs may not be covered by your home policy. Common Questions: What should a mold inspection cost? The average cost for an inspection depends upon your geographic location, however, you should expect to pay in the range of $199 to $250 for the average residential inspection. If the property is larger than 4,000 sq ft, the costs may increase based upon the total inspection time. The inspection cost, as well as ALL additional inspection, testing, demolition costs should be clearly identified BEFORE the inspector arrives at your property. I am in the market for a new home, should I hire a mold inspector? With the large number of shuttered homes on the market today, it is a very good idea to have a mold inspection performed along with the home inspection. Remember, home inspectors are generally NOT certified mold inspectors. If you do find a qualified mold/home inspector, have them generate a separate report on the mold contamination with a detailed Scope of Work. If you see or sense other tell-tell signs of mold contamination (water stains, newly painted ceilings, musty smells, fuzzy growth) during your initial walk through, seek the advice of a mold inspector. Take pictures of areas that you suspect could be a problem and forward them to an inspector. Many will provide you free advice over the phone. Remember, if you have little recourse if mold is discovered after closing. Is mold remediation a DIY project? Typically speaking, no, mold is not a do-it-yourself type of project. Tearing into mold damaged drywall or removing carpets can spread contamination throughout the structure in addition to creating a potential exposure hazard to unprotected building occupants. Excessively high levels of aerosolized spores, bacterium and other biologic contaminants can create a lingering exposure hazard. Water damaged buildings can contain a host of biologic contaminants in addition to fungi including bacteria, actinomyces, biotoxins, mvocs, and beta-glucans. These contaminants can pose a significant health risk over and above mold exposure. When in doubt, seek professional guidance before doing any remediation or demolition work.

5 Is one type of mold contamination more dangerous than another? No. The days of black toxic mold are over. Mold is mold and is an unwelcome houseguest. Most of the common indoor molds found in water damaged buildings are potentially allergenic as well as toxigenic. So don t waste time and money on needless air and surface sampling to identify the type or level of fungal species present. Species identification does not alter the Scope of Work nor does species identification alter the costs necessary to remove it. Is common bathroom mold a problem? Generally No. Common bathroom mold that is typically found around bathtubs and showers is in a word, common. However, if there is extensive water damage around the bathtub or shower or you see spots on ceilings or walls, then a mold inspector should investigate. If mold is discovered, should I move out? We know a lot more about the potential dangers associated with mold exposure today than we did ten years ago. While you should not ignore a mold problem, it is not time to panic either. HOWEVER, if there are any individuals who are immunocompromised, asthmatic, suffering from any breathing disorder, or who are hyper sensitive to mold they should either limit their exposure to water damaged buildings or avoid exposure all together. (If there are any individuals in this category, then an extensive post dryout/post remediation environmental assessment should be performed by a competent third party mold inspector or hygienist prior to entering the remediated structure.) Unfortunately, there is no safe or dangerous threshold for indoor mold exposure. Some building occupants will not react at all to moderate to heavy contamination, while others will react to very small elevations of aerosolized spores and/or mvocs; the musty odors associated with mold growth. If anyone is reacting negatively to the indoor environment, they should avoid exposure. If anyone is experiencing lingering health issues that persist after avoiding exposure, they should seek immediate medical attention. Are DIY mold test kits accurate? Unfortunately, yes they are accurate about 100% of the time. Because we live in a world surrounded by natural fungal flora, petri dish type mold kits generally indicate positive growth; a false positive. We expect to find some level of aerosolized mold spores in both the outdoor as well as the indoor environment. So the question is not, Is mold present in my environment, but rather, Is mold actively amplifying on organic surfaces within my home?. DIY testing kits cannot address this important question. I had a leak and the water dryout specialists performed their work. Should I also hire a mold inspector? Generally speaking, it is a good idea to secure the services of a mold inspector after any major water event. Most major water events are covered under your home insurance policy. In many areas of the country, mold damage is either capped or excluded in your policy. Therefore, if mold growth should occur after water extraction, you may have little or no recourse. Best to hire an inspector to verify the dryout process. Should I perform a post remediation mold inspection? A third party mold inspector can act as your project supervisor during the remediation project and to ensure the cleanup process was effective. An onsite inspector can ensure that the Scope of Work was followed and that all areas were properly decontaminated. In a competitive world, sometimes projects are underbid and corners cut. It is to your benefit to hire a third party mold inspector to ensure that your remediation dollars are maximized and that your home has been properly cleaned.