Brad Deal

There are guidelines for mold evaluations. The IESO has a very specific sampling guidle for residences. The AmIAQA has varied certifications culminating in the "CMC" Council certified Microbial Consultant and the "CIEC" Council certified Indoor Environmental Consultant. These certifications require 8 years of experience before they will let you take the exam. The exam is administered by the Scientific and Engineering Specialty Boards, the same board who certifies Industrial Hygenists. The IAQA provides continuing education for the AmIAQA and IESO. Check out IAQA.org What is commonly mis-interpreted from the EPA or the CDC is that mold sampling is not recommended for home OWNERS. But what they leave out is the importance of mold evaluation for home BUYERS. Only a fool would want to buy a home with a mold problem, regardless of whether it being real or precieved. In either case it could signifcantly decrease the value of the home. Consider the politics involved should the government actually say our homes are designed to promote the growth of mold and that mold is a health safety issue. A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. Home Inspectors who perform mold sampling are probably doing a disservice for their clients. Home Inspectos who make blanket statements regarding the mold industry should be more circumspect. As for internet training from a "certified" trainer I would like to see some more significant credentials. This sounds like somemore "3 day wonders" Brad Deal 20/20 Home Inspections CMC, CIEC

Every home inspection is a preliminary mold evaluation. A proper mold evaluation is a forensic water intrusion inspection. Most of the inspection is visual, the same as a home inspection. The difference is in understanding the likely sources of both liquid and air borne water that could sustain microbial growth. Sampling the growths is the least important aspect of the investigation. A typical investigation takes 5 to 6 hours on the typical home and includes a detailed interrogation of the home's occupants and follows very specific guidelines for investigation and sampling. Home Inspectors who just sample growths and then recommend actions based on those limited samples are doing a dis-service to their clients, and both the home inspection and the legitimate mold investigation industries. As for qualifications, The Indoor Air Quality Association IAQA.org offers the following certifications: Council-certified Indoor Environmentalist "CIEC" and the Council-certified Microbial Consultant "CMC." Both certifications require 8 years of experience before they will let you take the exam. The exam is proctored by the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards. This is same board who qualifies Certified Industrial Hygienists. The exam is a bitch. In effect the IAQA is producing “Residential Hygienists.â€

I have read with interest about the pros and cons of duct cleaning. The standard ASRHE and EPA position is that duct cleaning is not necessary. That the duct system is itself is a filtering system will reduce the amount of air borne particulants in the air. This is correct within a very narrow view. It presupposes that the system is a lifetime system that requires no maintenance, ever. When a home inspector sees a duct system it is usually poorly designed with loose connections, missing filters, water stains, and all mannor of nasty creepy crawlys (real or imagined) inside the ducts and air handler. At this point any reasonable person intutitively knows the duct system needs something. The usual response is that the duct needs to be cleaned but the real issue is that the duct system was never designed to be cleaned or to maintain any specific level of air quality, only to transport air from one area to another. Cleaning an air duct is an inexact science to say the least. "Cleaning something that was never designed to be cleaned" is difficult at best. The real problem lies with the lack of understanding of air quality issues and the need to keep all the transport systems clean. Everyone knows that even a sewer pipe needs to have a cleanout when it clogs up, and everyone understands the importance of chlorine in our domestic water pipes. But there is no provisions to maintain the duct system in our homes. No way to clean the air, no cleanouts in the ductwork, no access to the ductwork, particularly when it is enclosed between floors, and no way to even determine if the ducts are dirty. The duct system is presumed to last the life of the home which simply is not true. I suspect the rise in the rate of childhood asthema is directly related to the lack of understanding of residential indoor air quality. Every house wife has been taught that clean is good and dirt is bad, but when engineers start stating dirt is good then there is a condumrum that needs to be resolved in the best interests of the children that occupy the homes. Another important issue is the politics. Imagine the EPA coming out and stating there are inherant design flaws in the duct systems of our homes and it is the cause of childhood respritory problems. Imagine what would happen if they actually addressed the issue. This is my first post on this forum. Be gentle. Brad Deal 20/20 Home Inspections CIECid="size6">id="black">