Home Inspections Part 2 - Actual Guidlines Proposed

[Moldleg333]

Below are the guideliness proposed by Teresa McCormick:

REPORTING OF VISIBLE MOLD IN HOMES



Report all possible visible mold including possible stain fungi, soft
rot fungi, rot fungi, basidiomycetes as fungal growth with a
recommendation of mold inspection by a certified mold inspector who
sends samples to a certified mold laboratory when needed. The
delineation of Chaetomium versus ascospores is important as the
finding of basidiomycetes and Chaetomium are indication of water
damage and may warrant further invasive testing. Not every lab will
do this. This of course would not be necessary in areas like showers
or refrigerators that are non-porous and can be cleaned by the client
and where professional remediation is not required.
Recommend clients always receive three bids on testing and remediation
and caution that it may be cheaper to replace porous OSB rather than
clean and treat especially for soft rot fungi such as Chaetomium. The
cost of remediation can well exceed the cost of replacement. Provide
customers with the Washington State Health Department Web site
information on remediation.
Provide customers with photographic evidence of mold in both
crawlspaces and attics. It would be wise to also provide photographs
of at least four areas of the crawlspace if there is no mold to be
reported incase it develops at a later date especially in the case of
new homes.
Report amounts of mold in the same categories as EPA guidelines (pp
14-15) Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings March
2001):
<10 square feet
10-100 square feet
>100 square feet


Delineate the distance of moldy areas from HVAC systems and water
sources such as dryer vents or shower vents.
Describe whether mold is on solid wood, OSB, drywall, non-porous
material etc.
Alert customers that the finding of small amounts of visible mold or
the development of symptoms such as rash, headaches, and frequent
respiratory infections might signal the need to search for hidden mold
and make them aware of the three methods of detection available.
Sampling the air from within wall cavities
Reviewing the water damage history of a building
Detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with chemical
techniques or a mold dog.


Measure Relative Humidity in two separate areas on each floor, the
attic and the crawlspace and alert customers for the need for
dehumidification above 55 % humidity to prevent mold growth.
Recommend they purchase an inexpensive humidity gauge at the hardware
store in order to monitor levels during the first year of
habitation.






Caution that new homes have not suffered the exposure to drainage
issues or habitation and that it would be wise to have a second
inspection before the warranty period expires.
Give prospective home purchasers the same mold information given to
tenants along with EPA guidelines for Water Damage –Cleanup and Mold
Prevention.
Make clients aware of the ERMI test available through various labs
including Mycometrics and EMlab P&K which costs 2-300 dollars and
measures the mold history of the home through dust samples. This is
mold specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (MSQPCR) analysis
of dust as a measure of mold burden in a home.