Mold Inspection & Testing Information for Naples Mold Inspections, & Florida Mold Inspections 2008

Serving Florida since 1999

WallRadon Testing, Inc. Radon & Mold Professionals Office: (239) 498-4619   -   (800) 881-3837  -  (239) 596-0774 Fax:     (239) 949-5948 Email: wallradon@comcast.net website: www.radonmoldhelp.com Mailing address: 195 5th Street Bonita Springs, FL 34134

Thermal Image (wet spot)

Fusion thermal image (same area) Combines thermal image and digital photo to aid in locating area of concern.

Never use just air samples(mold test)to determine if remediation is needed.

Fungal Contamination: "A Manual For Investigation, Remediation And Control" By: Hollace S. Bailey, PE, CIAQP, CIE, CMR www.becifl.com "The overall visual observations made of the building must be considered in combination with the results of any testing, to determine the overall condition of the building. Test results alone should never be considered to give a definitive account of the building's condition."

EPA           Considering Bioaerosol Sampling http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldcourse/chapter7/lesson2.html   "remember that a negative sampling report must not be used in place of a visual survey. Factors such as barometric pressure, inside and outside temperatures, activity levels, and humidity may dramatically reduce or increase the spore levels within a building. Air sampling for mold provides information on what was in the air only for the moment when the sampling occurred. It is important, therefore, that sampling not replace visual inspection."

Can your home inspector interpret your lab results?   http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldcourse/chapter3/lesson3.html   "Sampling for mold should be conducted by professionals who have specific experience in designing mold sampling protocols, sampling methods, and interpreting the results."   EPA   "Experience in interpretation of results is essential.”   EPA

Remediation companies clean up mold, it is not their job to find it.

Certified Doug Wall, CIE, CRMI   Council-certified Indoor Environmentalist, (CIE) Council-certified Residential Mold Inspector, (CRMI) Board-awarded by the American Indoor Air Quality Council

Certified John Cosgrove, CIE, CRMI   Council-certified Indoor Environmentalist, (CIE) Council-certified Residential Mold Inspector, (CRMI) Board-awarded by the American Indoor Air Quality Council

Are you paying for a mold inspection and just getting a mold test? Does your inspector tell you to call the lab to have your report explained?   Many Inspectors sell mold testing to consumers who think they are getting a mold inspection with report.     A Mold inspection report should include:   1. a scope of work performed. 2. an executive summary documenting any suspect  conditions. 3. Lab analysis .... (test results) 4. Source identifications & RECOMMENDATIONS for corrections. 5. Photo's documenting signs moisture intrusion, suspected mold. 6. Infrared Thermal imaging camera survey of subject property. 7. May also include a particle count survey;  to aid in finding the source of mold growth.   Your inspector should be able to explain your "mold inspection report" not tell you to call a lab that has never seen the property.    Many times a Mold Inspector’s charge for a “Mold Inspection” is about the same as a home inspector charges for a mold test.

Florida Governor Signs Mold Bill http://www.iicrc.org/newsflash.shtml                                The State of Florida has been grappling with the appropriate standards for licensing mold "assessors" and "remediators" since 2004. Senate Bill 2234, adopted by the 2007 Florida Legislature as the latest effort on that front, was signed by Governor Crist on June 27 and became the law on July 1st. The bill regulates and licenses providers of home inspection services, mold remediation services, and mold assessment services.The new Florida law will impact many IICRC registrants who perform mold related services or home and building inspection services in Florida.

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Realtors / Public July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008

Monthly Inspector List August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 February 2008

http://www.iaqcouncil.org   "Instant" certification is not available.  Each of our certifications is board-awarded, which means the IAQ Council certification board reviews each applicant’s file, including the application, examination score, documented field experience and attention to application details before awarding certification.  All experience may be verified before the applicant's file is sent to the certification board.     2 Years Minimum Experience required. IESO standards, accredited  by American National Standards Institute (ANSI) CESB .... The third-party Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards has awarded its accreditation the IAQ Council programs.   "the era of the 1, 2, 3 day wonder is coming to an end in the mold assessement certification industry"

http://www.envirosolution.com  "Environmental Solutions Association (ESA) is the nation's premier, membership-based training organization. ESA provides industry professionals with the training and education necessary to confront the environmental and safety issues faced by todays property owners. Our Training and Education courses include Mold Inspection and Assessment training "….   (no experience requirement for certification  /  respected training program)   Has published standards for testing (not ANSI approved)

Consumers should be aware:   Two Non profit environmental organizations now have published testing standards. These standards describe how to test, where to test, and when to test.   These TWO are recognized nationally:   1. IESO (Indoor Environmental Standards Organization) 2. ESA  (Environmental Solutions Association)

Preventive Medicine/Industrial Hygiene Guide   http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/mold/TG278.pdf   "In addition, air sampling methods for some mold are prone to false negative results and therefore cannot be used to definitively rule out contamination"

Questions for Consumers:   Is your mold inspection report just the lab analysis of the samples collected?  (JUST lab analysis should not be used to determine if a property has a mold"problem")   Does your mold inspector take your outside air sample on the porch, lanai or under an overhang?  (not to standards)   With no visible mold in a home does your inspector take the inside air sample in front of the main return for each A/C unit?   (standards)   If you should end up involved in "mold litigation" can your inspector tell you what standard he followed for the mold tests (sampling) performed?   Does your Mold Inspector have "MOLD" Errors & Omissions insurance?    (Home Inspector insurance is not the same as Mold E&O insurance)

Quote concerning mold inspections: New York City Department of Health (DOH), the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA), and the Mt. Sinai Occupational Health Clinic  ….. Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of Fungi in Indoor Environments. 2.1 Visual Inspection   ****** A visual inspection is the most important initial step in identifying a possible contamination problem. The extent of any water damage and mold growth should be visually assessed. This assessment is important in determining remedial strategies. Ventilation systems should also be visually checked, particularly for damp filters but also for damp conditions elsewhere in the system and overall cleanliness. Ceiling tiles, gypsum wallboard (sheetrock), cardboard, paper, and other cellulosic surfaces should be given careful attention during a visual inspection. The use of equipment such as a boroscope, to view spaces in ductwork or behind walls, or a moisture meter, to detect moisture in building materials, may be helpful in identifying hidden sources of fungal growth and the extent of water damage.

Mold needs Moisture to grow! (food and water )

"Dead" mold spores can make people sick too." Air samples pick up "dead" mold spores as well as live spores.

Lab only report ..... A Problem:   Do not Use just your lab analysis of air samples to decide if property has a mold "problem" ..... here are a few reasons why you should not:     MOLD  AIR SAMPLES   1.  Recent rain can distort your outside count.   2.  Recent lawn mowing or weed whacking in area could possibly stir up spores that normally would not be airborne and make outside count higher.   3.  Not taking outdoor sample away from structure may cause cross contamination of inside / outside.   4. Inside samples taken soon after vacuming could possiblly raise spore count because of transitory or residual spores being blown into air.   5. Doors and windows left open during test could      cause transitory spores to skew test levels up or down. 6.  Poor Housekeeping or indoor hygiene could result in elevated spore count because of dust  (containing transitory spores) in the air.  Accumulation of spores over time in poorly cleaned home, could have elevated mold results / false  positive.   7.  Remember many activities could cause an elevate spore count because of transitory spores. Making beds, shredding paper, cooking, etc. could all raise the level of airborne contaminants.   8.  The experience of the person performing the sampling (testing) is also a factor to be considered.  Did he clean his equipment and not bring spores with him?   To base the assessment of whether a structure has a mold issue strictly on the lab analysis should be avoided.

What consumers should require of their mold inspector until the New Florida Mold Law becomes effective: Click here

DNA   ......... PCR Testing for Mold   If client needs to know the species of mold, for health issues.   Many analytical labs are now equipped and licensed by the US EPA to analyze environmental samples for mold by RT-PCR (Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction) analysis.   Accurate: Identifies mold to the species level based on its DNA. Sensitive: Detects as few as 1 spore or as many as 1 million spores. Rapid: Qualitative and quantitive results in 24 hours.     (once lab receives samples)   Note: EMSL Laboratories has PCR analysis available in 14 of their labs and 17 Ph.D. microbiologists.

EMLAP Accredited Laboratory List Accredited laboratories participating in the Environmental Microbiology Laboratory Accreditation Program (EMLAP) http://apps.aiha.org/QualityManager/scopes/ScopeReport.aspx?ProgramID=16

Naples Daily News article:  Sunday, Feburary 18, 2007   http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/feb/18/ask_dr_ed_musty_odor_penetrates_house_clothing/   Dr. Ed: Test uses DNA to analyze a home or property (4-15-2007) http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/apr/12/ask_dr_ed_test_uses_dna_analyze_home_or_property/

Mold & Radon are handled by the same Bureau in the Florida Department of Health  (800) 543-8279

Infrared Thermal Imaging cameras are very helpful in finding water intrusion in a home that often is not visible to the naked eye.  This method is non-intrusive and should be verified by a moisture meter.  Though thermal imaging cameras are very useful, most inspectors don't have them.  Camera prices start at about $7500  and are not economical for the average inspector.

Moisture meters can be intrusive (pictured) or non intrusive (not shown).  Intrusive moisture meters make holes in material being checked.  Many moisture meters have attachments such as 2 to 6 inch probes for checking hard to reach areas such as inside a wall.

Particle Counter

A particle counter is an instrument that detects and counts particles. The Indoor Environmentalist can use the particle counter to aid in finding the source of mold growth. “The main use for handheld particle counters is checking contamination levels and locating sources of particle emissions. The small size and weight of these particle counters make them ideal for point-of-use measurement of particle contamination at critical locations. Hand held particle counters have proven themselves in many settings.” “Biological contaminants include mold, fungus, bacteria, viruses, animal dander, dust mites, pollen, human skin cells, cockroach parts or anything alive or living at one time.  These are the biggest enemy of Indoor Air Quality specialists because they are the contaminants that cause health problems.  Levels of biological contamination depend on humidity and temperature that supports the livelihood of micro-organisms.  The presents of pets, plants, rodents and insects will raise the level of biological contamination.”