Naples
consumersshould understand thatMold Assessors have a different license
than Naples Home Inspectors. Home inspectors have different insurance requirements and experience requirements. In Florida
Home Inspectors do not need experience to be licensed. Mold Inspectors that are Certified Indoor Environmentalists
have proven experience and passed an exam required by the Florida DBPR. Most licensed Mold Assessors / Inspectors
are not CIE's and were "grandfathered" into the license and did not pass the required CIE or CIEC or CMC exam. (
http://acac.org/certify/FL.aspx ) Less than a dozen CIE's in this area and over a hundred mold inspectors licensed.
Mold Inspector identifing the source of
a mold problem and the extent of the problem during their inspections sounds simple but requires experience and effort.
Visible mold can be under furniture, behind bifold doors, etc; if the inspector
does not look at ALL accessible areas, he isn't doing his job. Mold inspectors collecting ONLY mold air samples
(tests)- should recommend further investigation if air sampling is elevated. "You cannot label a home
as having a mold problem based soley on air sampling" (EPA).
Humidity Bloom can occur when home has elevated humidity
In Florida. Mold inspectors cannot
do remediation work & inspection on same job within 12 months.
All mustmaintain
$1 million in liability insurance with E&O coverage. Smart Consumers always hire mold inspectors that are Certified
Indoor Environmentalists (CIE). A CIE has proven experience and can write recommendations for corrections if you have
a mold problem in your naples home or business.
Our Naples mold assessment (inspection) reports are always being
improved but even our older reports are better than our competition. Look at our sample inspection mold report to see
what should be included as a minimum.
This CIE certification,
from The American Council for Accredited Certifications (ACAC), we believe, provides our Collier county clients an additional
level of confidence in our understanding of indoor environments and the mechanical systems in place to control them. We know
that our clients, as well as the educated consumer, will always appreciate hiring a Florida mold assessor that is also an
ACAC Council- certified Indoor Environmentalist. Please note that all "certifications" are not the same and as a
consumer, you would be wise to educate yourself on the differences. The American Council for Accredited Certification is
one of the few ANSI (American National Standards Institute) approved certification bodies in the country.
The ACAC's website:acac.org is a great resource for those interested.
Many Naples mold inspectors operate like they are in the "wild west" / anything goes. Consumers
should understand what their mold assessor MUST do. A mold assessment /inspection (visual) report (MAR) needs to
identify where the mold is, what caused the mold problemAND how to clean up the mold problem.
It also must have requirements (criteria) to establish that the mold contamination has been remediated properly.
Professional, licensed Naples mold inspectors should used Infrared cameras to help find water intrusions,
then verify the area is "wet" using a moisture meter. Mold growth occurs when moisture is present (food & water).
Florida will soon begin to enforce rules for mold assessors (inspectors) in Naples, Bonita
Springs, Estero, Marco Island, Ft Myers and all of Florida. It has taken several years of meetings and public comments
to have the “rules” approved.
61-31.701 Minimum Standards and Practices for Mold Assessors.
(1)The purpose
of a mold assessment is to determine the sources, locations, and extent of mold growth in a building and to determine
the condition(s) that caused the mold growth.
(2) disposable respirators (e.g. N-95) are considered the minimum level of protection
for mold assessment activities
(3)A visual inspection to identify the presence of visible
mold and/or excessive, unplanned moisture intrusion (past and present).
(a) A visual inspection should include all surfaces inside the building, hidden areas where moisture sources may
be present, such as but not limited to, crawl spaces, attics, and behind vinyl wallpaper, baseboards, carpets, and wallboard
wherever possible.
(b) Specific indicators:
1. Suspect mold growth;
2. Musty
odor;
3. Moisture damage; and
4. Damp building materials and/or conditions.
(4)
Sampling and Data Collection.
Your
Naples mold assessor will include protocols in their report based on nationally accepted industry standards such as the S-520
and S-500.The days of the mold inspector telling you “you have a mold problem, call the remediator
to find and clean it up” should be over soon.
It is against Florida law
for mold remediators to inspect (find the mold) and clean it up on the same job within 12 months.Too many
Naples mold inspectors are in a hurry and don’t want to take the time to do their job right or they just don’t
know how. Remember most obtained their mold license by being ‘grandfathered”. Home inspectors and others hired
lobbyists to get “grandfathered” into a mold license.
(5) An assessor shall prepare a Mold Assessment Report (MAR), to
include a Mold Remediation Protocol (MRP), that is specific to each remediation project and provide the MRP to the client
before the remediation begins. The MRP must specify:
(a)
The rooms or areas where the work will be performed;
(b)
The estimated quantities of materials to be cleaned or removed;
(c)
The methods to be used for each type of remediation in each type of area;
(d)
The PPE to be used by remediators.
(e) The suggested types of containment to
be used
(f) The proposed post-verification procedures
and criteria for each type of remediation in each area.
(6) Containment
must be specified in a mold remediation protocol when the mold contamination affects a total surface area of
10 contiguous square feet or more for the project.
(7)
An assessor who suggests in a MRP the use of a disinfectant, biocide, or antimicrobial coating for
a mold remediation project shall indicate a specific product or brand only if it is registered by the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)
Your Naples or Ft Myers mold assessment/inspection
report will include what is to be inspected to determine that the mold contamination was done properly.
(8) Post-Verification Procedures and Criteria. In the
MRP for the project, the assessor shall specify:
(a)
The method by which the remediation is deemed complete and adequate;
(b)
The criteria to be used for evaluating analytical results to determine whether the remediation project passes post-remediation
verification;
(c) The post-verification shall be conducted
while walk-in containment is in place, if walk-in containment is specified for the project.
You don’t ask your auto mechanic if your car will make it from Naples to California and not
allow him to check / look under the hood.
Why expect your Naples mold inspector to know if a home has a mold problem when he is hired to collect air samples and
not hired to perform a visual inspection to identify mold location, source of contamination and extent.
Mold air samples
are used to help "clear" a mold remediation and help determine the extent of a mold problem.
Some
mold spores are not airborne unless someone disturbs them or there is a drastic humidity change.
Some mold spores
become airborne when barometric pressure changes.
Mold Air sampling (mold testing) is helpful during a mold inspection
but cannot replace the need for a visual mold inspection.
Minnesota Department of Health
"Testing
may be useful as part of an investigation, but it is never a substitute for a thorough visual inspection."
Poor
reason for testing #1 "To find out if there is mold"
Poor reason for testing #2 "To
identify what type of mold is present"
North Dakota Department of Health
Testing
is not recommended as the first step to determine if you have a mold problem.
Visible
mold should never be disturbed to have mold spores show up in an air sample; this action could contaminate other areas of
the structure, increasing the area needed to be remediated.
Naples Beach
Collecting mold air samples should be performed following accepted industry standards which include having a controlled
environment; this does NOT mean having the doors and windows open. Unfortunately for consumers many local mold “inspectors”
fail to follow simple protocols and create false alarms over mold problems that may or may not exist. Hiring a mold
assessor that has proven his experience and knowledge is always in your best interest. ACAC
certified individuals MUST prove their experience and knowledge, no other certification requires this.
Client # 964 (2012)Naples Mold Inspection
10-11-2012
First name: Darleen Residential: YES CIE on time: YES Report on time: Yes Website visited: YES Comments:Very prompt and courteous service. Thorough report
)
Indoor Mold and Health
A Fungus Among Us
PAGE 4
How can I prevent mold growth in your Naples home or business?Water (moisture) is the key. Without it, mold growth cannot start,
much less multiply and spread. The easiest way to prevent the mold from gaining a foothold is to control dampness. Keep your
home or business clean and dry. If water stands for even 24 hours, common molds can take hold.Keeping humidity levels below 60% and venting moisture from showering and cooking to the
outside are several ways to prevent the conditions that can lead to mold growth. Other ways include:§ Clean
and dry up spills within 24 hours§ Dry out wet building materials and carpets within 24 hours§ Use an air conditioner
or a dehumidifier to reduce the indoor humidity levelsbelow
60%. If you have a central air conditioning system and need adehumidifier to reduce relative humidity below 60%, you should have the airconditioning system examined for problems§ Do not carpet bathrooms
or basementsWe recommend Naples homeowners keep their humidity levels
below 55% if possible.Note: While most
experts suggest a relative humidity of less than 60%, below 50% is best for controlling both mold growth and dust mites. Dust mites are microscopic animals related to spiders, ticks and other
mites. Dust mites eat mold and dead human or animal skin scales (flakes) and leave allergenic proteins. Dust mites reduce
allergen production at these lowerhumidity
levels.
Date: October 31, 2012, 2:30:33 PM EDT
Hello. This is for John Cosgrove... In 2007,
my husband and I did a complete roof tear off, including replacing the sheathing on our home. Unfortunately the roofer we
hired was negligent in protecting us from water intrusion during the reroof process. We discovered after the permit was finaled
that we had mold in our attic where the roofer had flooded it, but was supposed to have been taken care of it, but wasn't.
John was one of the many Mold Assesors I called to give me an estimate for remedying the problem.. John was very
friendly, professional and compassionate from the get go. He impressed me with his detailed knowledge of what to do and explained
it step by step to me as I like to understand the entire process and what to expect. At the time Mold Assessors and Remediators
could do both, but John educated me that it was a conflict of interest and that the law was changing in 2010. No other mold
assessor informed me of this information. I appreciated his honesty.. John is top notch and I'd recommend him highly
to anyone in need of mold assessment. There are few professionals like John who truly care about fixing your problem, but
also shows compassion for the stress you're under -- I know as I've remodeled our entire home inside and out and have dealt
with many contractors. John is tops in his field! Long after I have paid his company, I've called to ask for his advice on
other issues and he always returns my phone calls, cheerfully and in a timely manner. I consider John a friend! April
H
"There
are serious infections that people can acquire by breathing certain airborne fungal spores."
Naples Mold Inspectors have fun at local car shows.
Our Experienced professionals have served Naples, Bonita
Springs, Ft Myers, Cape Coral and all of Southwest Florida since 1999. ALL of our Mold Assessors are Certified
Indoor Environmentalists (CIE).
State of Florida Licensed Mold Assessor MRS #5
John
Cosgrove, CIE has proven his ability to solve Naples homeowners and businesses mold concerns by identifying the problem
and then the source of the mold contamination. His detailed reports with recommendations for corrections not only benefit
the homeowner but the remediation company. Remediators know what to cleanup with his mold reports.
Florida DOH Certified Radon Measurement
FL DOH Certified R1867
Greg Gomez, CIE
Greg’s knowledge of the national standards for mold cleanup
“S520” and his 9 years of experience as a Naples indoor air quality professional allow him to write detailed recommendations
for any mold cleanup. Any mold remediation should follow accepted industry standards to protect the consumer.
In no event shall WallRadon Testing, Inc. dba Radon & Mold Professionals be liable for any special, indirect
or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of any kind including profits, in any action arising
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