NABOR / Naples MOLD TESTING

WallRadon Testing, Inc.

Radon & Mold Professionals

AmIAQC Board Certified Indoor Environmentalists (CIE)

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

Serving Florida since 1999

Is The NABOR Contract Wrong?

Homes should not be labeled as having a "mold problem"
based on air samples only.

Doug Wall, CIE, CRMI         John Cosgrove, CIE, CRMI

Radon & Mold Professionals

February 2008 Newsletter

www.naplesmoldinspection.com               www.radonmoldhelp.com

Is the NABOR contract "Defective Inspection Items", Standard D.2.b promoting an outdated if not misleading method for determining if a home has a mold problem?

""the presence of toxic or pathogenic molds is actionable under the contract if such molds test at levels within the interior of the dwelling exceeding the levels of the same molds existing on the exterior of the dwelling." page 10, NABOR News Magazine

Governor Crist sign a new mold law for Florida in 2007 regulating mold inspectors; one of reasons for this law is that homes are being mislabeled as having or not having a mold problem by unqualified inspectors.

Effective 2010



Mold Assessment Professionals nation wide believe:

Mold testing alone should not be used to determine if a home has a mold problem. (see just some of data supporting this below)

The New Florida mold law defines mold assessment: "inspection to formulate an initial hypothesis about the origin, identity, location, and extent of amplification of mold."

Mold inspection reports should identify sources and extent of mold problem and recommendations for corrections based on nationally accepted industry standards.

Only Home Inspectors promote the idea you can decide if a home has a mold problem based on air samples only.

The new Florida law will license Mold Inspectors separately from Home Inspectors in 2010.

New Florida law:

3 to 4 years to be a Mold Inspector,

3 to 4 weeks to be a Home Inspector.

A qualified Mold Inspector, not a lab, should decide if a home has a mold problem, based on visual inspection and lab analysis.

A qualified Mold inspector will include source identification and recommendations for corrections based on nationally accepted industry standards in a mold inspection report.

Mold air samples can easily be false positive or false negitive for many reasons.

Professional mold inspectors should already carry the $1million insurance required by new Florida law in 2010.

All Professional Mold Inspectors should have an inspection agreement, a requirement of the new Florida Law in 2010.

Moisture investigation is a vital part of any mold inspection. Mold needs moisture to grow. (source identification)

Infrared Thermal Imager Cameras are invaluable tool for all moisture and mold inspections; yet few home inspectors have them.

NABOR should not wait until the new law is enforced to require mold inspectors to have the $1million in insurance, a signed agreement for mold assessment, and a report that identifies the mold sources, extent and recommendations for corrections based on nationally accepted industry standards.

Realty Times:

Should Unlicensed Inspectors Be Allowed To Do Mold Inspections?

by Blanche Evans

http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20030924_inspectors.htm

"The buyer requested a mold test of the home inspector, which he performed by sampling the air. The test showed mold, and the buyer walked."

"As the homeowners of this house, we were shocked," says Fossler. "We have never had any intrusion of water or flood. I wanted to know where this mold was and how to eradicate it. I began by hiring a certified environmentalist. Over a two-day period and two inspectors inspecting the wall cavities, the attic, roof, bathrooms, HVAC (air-conditioning) system and collecting pertinent data samples including air samples, relative humidity readings, and CO2 levels, the results showed no evidence of mold in this house."

"Fossler continues, "The home inspector did not collect any of this data -- only a minuscule amount of air sampling inside and outside the home."

Hiring a qualified mold inspector may be more important than you think.

http://www.ieconnections.com/archive/apr_05/apr_05.htm#article2
" The survey of 1,040 adults nationwide was conducted by telephone over four days in February by Opinion Research Corporation, and results were released last month by CertainTeed Corporation, manufacturer of vinyl and fiber products.

Among other findings of the survey was that 84 percent of respondents said they would not buy an existing home that had a mold problem or buy from a builder who had a mold problem in the past.

New Florida Inspection / Mold Law:

effective: 2010

http://election.dos.state.fl.us/laws/07laws/ch_2007-235.pdf

Ch. 2007-235 LAWS OF FLORIDA Ch. 2007-235

10

468.8411 Definitions

(3) "Mold assessment" means a process performed by a mold assessor

that includes the physical sampling and detailed evaluation of data obtained

from a building history and inspection to formulate an initial hypothesis

about the origin, identity, location, and extent of amplification of mold

468.8421 Insurance.-

(1) A mold assessor shall maintain general liability and errors and omissions

insurance coverage in an amount of not less than $1,000,000.

468.8422 Contracts.-A contract to perform mold assessment or mold

remediation shall be in a document or electronic record, signed or otherwise authenticated by the parties. A mold assessment contract is not required to provide estimates related to the cost of repair of an assessed property.

Why You should NOT use just Air Samples

to determine if a home has a mold problem.

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."

MoldReport™

http://www.moldreport.com/mold_faq.html

"A professional mold inspector does not rely only on air sampling results to decide whether or not a home has a mold problem. Carefully conducted sampling is combined with visual inspections and discussions with the homeowner. In addition, many different factors affect the reliability of an air sampler. The professional mold inspector understands these variables and accounts for them in the sampling plan."

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"

H A R V A R D U N I V E R S I T Y

Environmental Health & Safety

Indoor Environmental Quality

http://www.uos.harvard.edu/ehs/ih/mold_tips.pdf

"Sampling results are of limited value because mold concentrations inside and outside vary considerably, methods of collection and analysis are not standardized and no widely accepted exposure guidelines exist."

The book "Fungal Contamination" is considered one of the best mold inspection resources documents in the country by professional mold assessors.

Fungal Contamination:

"A Manual For Investigation, Remediation And Control"

By: Hollace S. Bailey, PE, CIAQP, CIE, CMR

www.becifl.com

"Anything can be toxic in high enough concentrations, even water! If you drink too much water to quickly, your body fluids will become dilute. The result is tissue damage and death."

"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."

"Testing is just another tool that provides us with information. By itself, testing does not do anything, accomplish anything, or fix anything."

"Indoor levels of fungal spores may also be elevated as a result of poor interior hygiene and housekeeping.   This by itself, or in conjunction with inadequate air movement and filtration, can easily result in elevated levels of spores both in the dust on surfaces (transitory) and in the air."

"No single type of testing or piece of information should be used to determine the condition of the building; findings made as a result of observations should never be discounted in favor of measurements."

http://www.inspect-ny.com/sickhouse/OutdoorMoldCounts.htm

"warm weather spore counts vary during the day as weather conditions (humidity, temperature, period after rainfall) affect sporulation and spore movement.

Section 2.4.2.2 of The ACGIH Bioaerosols: Assessment and Remediation offers:
Investigators should bear in mind that samples provide information about a site as it existed at the time tested. However, the findings may not represent conditions at a time in the past or future, even the relatively recent past or near future. Changes in the kinds, concentrations, and proportions of biological agents in the air can be rapid and substantial. -- thanks to S. Flappan for suggesting this citation.

"OPINION: There are severe problems in the standard practice comparing indoor and outdoor spore counts to decide if a building has a mold problem."

Concentration Bursts of Mold Spores Cause Variation in Indoor or Outdoor Mold Level Counts

ACGIH Bioaerosols: Assessment and Remediation states [section 1.2.3]:
Some organisms and sources release aerosols as 'concentration bursts' which may only rarely be detected by limited grab sampling and may be masked in measurements of long-term average concentrations. Nevertheless, such episodic bioaerosol releases may produce significant health effects. -- thanks to S. Flappan for suggesting this citation.

"Spores are not always airborne during sampling: Mold spores may not be in interior air at the time of the sample but may be present in high levels at other times."

Martin Yerfino, CIE

http://www.moldtestingflorida.com/

Many Mold inspection companies only perform "Mold Testing". Mold testing should not be confused with a Mold Inspection. Mold testing refers to collecting air or surface samples which are analyzed by a laboratory, this procedure will only determine the mold spore count and spore identification. This process will not help determine what caused the problem, the source or the solution to it; but is very helpful when performed in conjunction with a full inspection.

A mold inspection report should at least include:

·   Air and or surface sampling
·   Findings of visual assessment
·   Boroscope inspection
·   Air Conditioning test and inspection
·   Identification of water intrusion sources
·   Relative Humidity and condensation readings
·   infrared thermal imaging inspection
·   Particle counts
·   Building pressure test
· Moisture detection
·   Prevention and correction Recommendations

University of Minnesota fungal experts

http://www.inspect-ny.com/sickhouse/OutdoorMoldCounts.htm

"The University of Minnesota fungal experts observe that an outdoor-baseline comparison to indoor air is not valid when the outdoor sample was taken during or immediately after precipitation (spore counts plummet outdoors in the rain and might soar right after it),"

http://www.inspect-ny.com/sickhouse/MoldTestNegatives.htm

Individual samples of particles in air show tremendous variation from minute to minute, making "ok" airborne mold spore test results a thing to view with skepticism. Examples of factors which can cause an exponential difference in particle levels in indoor residential air over short time intervals include: mechanical disturbance (walking across a carpet or moving a moldy cardboard box), operation of hot air heating system or central air conditioning system, operation of other building fans, particularly ceiling fans and vacuum cleaners, turning lights on and off, and opening or closing windows and doors

"Risk of false negative mold tests: Experienced mold contamination investigators should have little confidence that a one-time low or "ok" "toxic mold test spore count" is an assurance that problematic particles are not present."

Mold Bill Becomes Law July 1

Fort Myers The News-Press, July 5, 2007

By Joe Adams

jadams@becker-poliakoff.com

http://www.becker-poliakoff.com/pubs/articles/adams/adams_2007_07_05.pdf

"SB 2234 provides various definitions. "Mold Assessment" is the process performed by a mold assessor that includes the physical sampling and detailed evaluation of data obtained from a building history and inspection to formulate an initial hypothesis about the origin, identity, location and extent of amplification of mold"

Mr. Adams concentrates his practice on the law of community association law, primarily representing condominium, cooperative, and homeowners' associations and country clubs. Mr. Adams has represented more than 600 community associations and serves as managing shareholder of the Firm's Naples and Ft. Myers offices.

Effects of Biological Sampling on Real Estate Value
Jeffrey Deuitch
Microbiologist & Mycologist
Int'l Microbiology & Mold Group
Palmetto, Fla.

http://www.ieconnections.com/archive/jan_06/jan_06.htm#article6

"The lack of support from the investigator resulted in a buyer with many questions and no answers. In the spirit of "playing it safe" the buyer exercised a release from contractual obligations. The deal was broken, but that was not the end of the ordeal. My friend's real estate agent, believing that the results of the mold testing constituted a defect in the property, felt ethically obligated to disclose the existence of the mold to all subsequent prospects."

"My conclusions after examining the lab results, and after the inspector was contacted to explain the protocols employed, was that the house did not have any defects and that the inspector implemented flawed protocols. Unfortunately by that time, the damage was done."

Mold testing should be done following published nationally accepted industry sampling standards.

Indoor Environmental Standards Organization (IESO) has published testing standards approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). IESO standards tell you when to test, how to test and why to test.

Environmental Solutions Association has similar sampling standards but they are not approved by ANSI, the accreditation process takes years.

We have home /mold inspectors collecting mold samples using their best guess instead of established science based protocols.

A Accredited Mold Inspection Service, Inc.

We Are A Florida Mold Testing firm providing quality inspector services for Floridians since 1993.

http://www.floridamoldinspectors.us/

"Your local inspector performs inspections and mold testing in compliance with the standards of practice set forth by the Indoor Environmental Standards Organization. Since we function as an independent south Florida mold inspection firm and not as a remediation firm, we have no conflict of interest. Protecting your health is our only concern."                   http://www.floridamoldinspectors.us/Florida_Mold_Inspector_What_We_Do.html

Line in the Sand

Megan Headley

Editor, Moldmag

http://www.randrmagonline.com/RR/Home/Files/PDF/Mold2007_04_JulAug.pdf

"Is there any way to teach home inspectors enough about mold that they don't scare homebuyers with false alarms"

"As more than one person suggested, a home inspector can be compared to

a general practitioner (GP), while calling in the mold inspector is like visiting a specialist. The GP may be able to get a sense that something is wrong with the patient, but it's up the specialist to perform tests to discover the real problem and its significance. The goal is to keep the GP from sending the

patient running away in fear before the specialist can determine that those

headaches are really a result of minor dehydration, not of a massive tumor.

It's been said that a little bit of knowledge can be dangerous."

The Home Inspector mold "problem" is expected to disappear when the Florida Mold law becomes effective. Texas passed a similar law a few years ago and eliminated the home inspector from mold assessment.

Are Real Estate Agents and Home Inspectors Labeling Homes as having Mold Problems

based just on
PRO LAB REPORTS?

(from PRO LAB website, Confidential Report page)

"PRO-LAB/SSPTM Inc. makes no express or implied warranties as to such use or interpretation. "

"PRO-LAB/SSPTM Inc. is not able to make and does not make a determination as to the environmental soundness, safety or health of a property from only the samples sent to their laboratory for analysis."

New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene
Bureau of Environmental & Occupational Disease Epidemiology

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."