Weird Mold Myths in the Home Inspection Industry! It's a good thing I'm here...

I did a swab test because my client was renting and he wanted out of his lease. It came back positive for 3 types of mold and the landlord let him out of the lease 4 months early.

I didn't know this is what he was using it for, but it worked apparently.

Cameron Anderson wrote:They don't require an outside control because they're not an air test. The home test kits are usually a swab and petri dish test which would confirm whether mold was present and give you the types found.

SheehanThomson wrote:Mold is everywhere and you need an outside control sample correct? Even if there was mold on her $10 kit doesn't mean it's a problem?

Correct. Your visual inspection will more likely determine that.

There was no visible mold. She noticed the baseboard by the back door was swelled and had staining.

She said she opened it and set it on the kitchen counter and then little green circle showed up on it.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that test. Utter waste of money. You might as well set out bread with jelly and claim the mold that grows says something significant about the indoor air quality.

Cameron Anderson wrote:Oh yeah, I forgot about that test. Utter waste of money. You might as well set out bread with jelly and claim the mold that grows says something significant about the indoor air quality.

You should call our lab, talk to Dr. Shane for like 10 minutes.

Nathan wrote:

Cameron Anderson wrote:Oh yeah, I forgot about that test. Utter waste of money. You might as well set out bread with jelly and claim the mold that grows says something significant about the indoor air quality.

You should call our lab, talk to Dr. Shane for like 10 minutes.

Why? Does IL promote the use of Pro-lab's passive "petri-dish-on-a-register-air-sample" test?

Cameron Anderson wrote:

Nathan wrote:

Cameron Anderson wrote:Oh yeah, I forgot about that test. Utter waste of money. You might as well set out bread with jelly and claim the mold that grows says something significant about the indoor air quality.

You should call our lab, talk to Dr. Shane for like 10 minutes.

Why? Does IL promote the use of Pro-lab's passive "petri-dish-on-a-register-air-sample" test?

Oh, that test. I have 5,000 of them sitting in my office ready for testing- we will see.

Interestingly though Jamie McDonnell of Pro Lab told me himself on a phone call that it wasn't a good test. I thought that was an incredible admission.

If any consumer is reading this, call a professional please. The cost is ridiculously low.

New New your law as of January 2015
Home Inspectors and Mold Assessment Licensing
Persons who conduct home inspections as part of potential real estate transactions must also be licensed as a “Mold Assessor” if their inspections/reports include an assessment of mold conditions in the home or property in question.

Excerpts From Labor Law Article 32:

Definition of “mold assessment”:

“§ 930. Definitions. As used in this article:

4. "Mold assessment" means an inspection or assessment of real property that is designed to discover mold, conditions that facilitate mold, indication of conditions that are likely to facilitate mold, or any combination thereof.”

Therefore, Home Inspectors need to be licensed as per:

“§ 931. Licensing requirements. 1. It shall be unlawful for any contractor to engage in mold assessment on a project, or to advertise or hold themselves out as a mold assessment contractor unless such contractor has a valid mold assessment license issued by the commissioner.”

Steps to obtain a “Mold Assessor” license:

Attend a DOL approved Mold Assessor course. Approved training providers can be found on the DOL website.
Pass the course. Full attendance is required.
The Training Provider for the course will issue a “certificate of completion” to the Licensee.
Licensee will then submit the application form, appropriate fee and a copy of the “certificate of completion” to DOL.
DOL will issue the Mold Assessor license, which is valid for two years.
Rick Kie AccHomeInsp.com
CB#:6073411194

New New York Law as of January 2015
Home Inspectors and Mold Assessment Licensing
Persons who conduct home inspections as part of potential real estate transactions must also be licensed as a “Mold Assessor” if their inspections/reports include an assessment of mold conditions in the home or property in question.

Excerpts From Labor Law Article 32:

Definition of “mold assessment”:

“§ 930. Definitions. As used in this article:

4. "Mold assessment" means an inspection or assessment of real property that is designed to discover mold, conditions that facilitate mold, indication of conditions that are likely to facilitate mold, or any combination thereof.”

Therefore, Home Inspectors need to be licensed as per:

“§ 931. Licensing requirements. 1. It shall be unlawful for any contractor to engage in mold assessment on a project, or to advertise or hold themselves out as a mold assessment contractor unless such contractor has a valid mold assessment license issued by the commissioner.”

Steps to obtain a “Mold Assessor” license:

Attend a DOL approved Mold Assessor course. Approved training providers can be found on the DOL website.
Pass the course. Full attendance is required.
The Training Provider for the course will issue a “certificate of completion” to the Licensee.
Licensee will then submit the application form, appropriate fee and a copy of the “certificate of completion” to DOL.
DOL will issue the Mold Assessor license, which is valid for two years.
Rick Kie AccHomeInsp.com
CB#:6073411194