How to Pick a Mold Inspector

Selecting a qualified Mold Inspector should be very similar to selecting a general contractor, plumber, electrical contractor, or for that matter someone in the medical field that will diagnose and treat you for an illness. Word of mouth, receiving a referral from someone that has used this persons services is one of the best ways in making the correct selection. But even a good referral needs to be questioned and checked. A good, experienced mold inspector may cost a bit more than a beginner, but then again would you want to be a brain surgeon’s first patient? Here are a few items to be aware of, questions to ask, and certification descriptions.

Questions to ask:

• Are you a certified mold inspector?
• What is the level of your certification?
• Are you certified by the American Indoor Air Quality Council? This is the most important question to ask. The Mold inspection field is not regulated by the Government. The vast majority of the organizations certifying mold inspectors would never be able to pass the high qualifications required by the American Indoor Air Quality Council. Unfortunately, most certifications are offered by "Certification Mills", organizations that do little more than present courses on line, collect fees and administer simple tests. These certifications provide little value to certificants, their clients or the public because they don't require field experience, and they can't provide the customer with assurance of the certificant's abilities and expertise. These types of "Certification Mills" are not based upon verifiable field documentation, and they can't protect the certificant or their client from legal challenges.
• How many years of experience have you had performing mold inspections? The higher the level of certification, the longer they have most likely been doing inspections. Don’t become part of an inspector’s learning curve, hire the best you can find.
• Do you supply a written report when you are done? Do you interpret the test results from the lab? It may seem like a foolish question to ask but it is more important than you could ever believe. Think about it for a moment. You have just spent several hundred dollars in having an investigation and testing done, and when you receive your report, it is nothing more than a bunch of generic mold descriptions, words you don’t understand, and a laboratory report that makes no sense to you.  Only experienced mold inspectors such as a  Council-Certified Microbial Consultant (CMC) can give you a detailed report on the findings. Most inspectors have not gained the experience to interpret what they have found. If they can not interpret the results, how can they advise you on your next steps? That mistake could cost you thousands of dollars.   
• What other qualifications do you have that help you perform this type of inspection?
• Do you have Insurance? This is the next most important question to ask. If the inspector is not insured, he or she is most likely not very experienced. A good insurance policy indicates the level of experience the inspector has. Insurance policies on inspectors with less that 5 years experience are not covering the basic needs of the consumer. Remember! Insist on seeing the insurance policy. You have the right to call the insurance company to check on the items covered and the limits of the policy.
• I need Post Remedial Testing done, are you qualified to do this? Many inspectors in the field do Post Remedial Testing and are not qualified or certified to do so.  CRMI’s, and Most CMI’s are not qualified nor are they insured to do this type of work. If the inspector is not qualified, the insurance company will not insure them; insurance is how you tell if they are qualified.

American Indoor Air Quality Council levels of Certififations.

Council-Certified Microbial Consultant    (CMC)                       8 Years Field Experience

Council-Certified Microbial Investigator   (CMI)                         2 Years Field Experience

Council-Certified Residential Mold Inspector   (CRMI)               Less than 2 Years Field Experience

What is a Microbial Consultant?
The Council-certified Microbial Consultant (CMC) is accredited by the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB) a nationally recognized accreditation body for certifications. The CESB is the same organization that certifies Industrial Hygienists and many other scientific and engineering organizations.

The Microbial Consultant is a specialist – a professional who concentrates on diagnosis and treatment in a single area of expertise: microbial contamination.  Though mold is only one of many potential causes of IAQ problems, it presents unique challenges to building owners and facilities managers, and is therefore a crucial area of concern.  The Microbial Consultant relies on detailed scientific knowledge of microbial agents to identify and account for microbial ontamination and to recommend appropriate remediation strategies.  His field experience in the design and execution of sampling regimens and his ability to interpret their results responsibly allow him to conduct meaningful microbial investigations and to verify the results of remediation projects.  As a certificant in an accredited program, the CMC commands much more respect in the industry and even more importantly, more clout in legal disputes.

Information about American Indoor Air Quality Council.

The American Indoor Air Quality Council is the most respected certification body in the IAQ industry.

The American Indoor Air Quality Council is the nation's oldest certification body comprised of indoor air quality professionals.

The American Indoor Air Quality Council is the only independent certification body for indoor air quality professionals.

The American Indoor Air Quality Council has the premier certification for indoor environmental consultants - accredited by the CESB.

The American Indoor Air Quality Council's certifications are board-awarded by an independent board of peers.

The American Indoor Air Quality Council certificants hold the first microbial consulting certifications.

The American Indoor Air Quality Council has the only IAQ certification accredited by a third-party accreditation organization that follows ASTM's certification standards.

Why choose an inspector Certified by American Indoor Air Quality Council?
The Mold inspection field is not regulated by the Government. The vast majority of the organizations certifying mold inspectors would never be able to pass the high qualifications required by the American Indoor Air Quality Council. Unfortunately, most certifications are offered by "Certification Mills", organizations that do little more than present courses on line, collect fees and administer simple tests. These certifications provide little value to certificants, their clients or the public because they don't require field experience, and they can't provide the customer with assurance of the certificant's abilities and expertise. These types of "Certification Mills" are not based upon verifiable field documentation, and they can't protect the certificant or their client from legal challenges.

Visit these web sites:   www.iaqcouncil.org       www.cesb.org  

For Customers getting information about mold inspectors? http://www.iaqcouncil.org/about/consumerintro.htm