I found this growing from the under side of the subflooring. Should I take a sampling and send it for testing? And should I do air sampling inside the house?
I have no idea what you training and qualifications are but unless you have much knowledge in this field please be carefull.
In my case I would just write it up as suspicious growth and recommend they get further evaluation by a qualified mold specialist.
CYA do not go where you should not go
.
Cookie
Kenneth,
I would have written it up as possible microbial growth and since I do Mold Inspections I would have given them the choice to have it sampled. I don't give MOLD INSPECTIONS away mind you........but as part of my inspection if I find any signs of microbial growth I report it as such and let the client decide the direction they would like me to go.
If you do not offer such a service I strongly agree with Roy....defer it to a person who does this......but in a liable concern...always better to report it was present and show that you suggested it be evaluated....
P.S…I don’t always do air samples…one because in my training it was expressed as the least accurate for determining actual content…unless I am doing it in the fact I have noticed microbial growth lets say in the HVAC ducts…then I might as we are sure that will speed up the spread.
But my method of choice is the TAPE…everyone has their own way…but again heed Roys advice…but remember to document it also…as you clearly have done.
I would explain they have a moisture issue under the subfloor which is necessary for mold growth. I would find what is causing the moisture issue, explain what needs to be done to stop the moisture intrusion. I would also explain if they want the mold removed, get at least three bids from licensed contractors before the close of escrow.
Personally I don’t rip anyone off testing what I can see.
The picture looks like termite tubes are also present, but not being there, could be wrong.
lol…Dale…can you not see Microbial Growth on that wall and ceiling…lol…has the Florida SUN made you BLIND fella…thehehe
Oh I agree…I dont test anything unless I see it…thats why I am not much on the air sampling…and in the end…thats the clients choice to have it sampled…not mine or the inspectors in this case.
You better get reading Caoimhin Connell’s posts…
lol…why…I kinda like my training from PMII…lol…but I always love to read…LINK me baby…
Dale
If what I think you may be seeing as termite tubes is actually a hanger for a water supply piping.
Dale,
I am MORE worried about the statement about your friend that the other statements…sorry to hear that about him and the $ 400,000.00 loss.
I do have to remember that their is disclaimer on the other statements…lol
(The opinions expressed here are exclusively my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect my professional opinion, opinion of my employer, agency, peers, or professional affiliates. The above post is for information only and does not reflect professional advice and is not intended to supercede the professional advice of others.)
I do have a mold cert through pro-lab. But I do not yet have Mold E&O. Should I refer this to someone else or possibly sub it out to someone? My mold cert is fairly new(October).
10-4 Ken.
If you want to learn a lot about mold, go to the top of this page, click the search option, and type in Caoimhin P. Connell.
He is an Industrial Hygienist, who sets the record straight about mold testing.
I agree a great eye opener to me …
Cookie
hmmm…ok I will make this statement…lol…and then CREEP back to the electrical area…
1.) I will only TEST for mold when it is obvious…and my testing is to determine the TYPE of mold it is…IF it is excessive.
I would venture to say the client would want the piece of mind because lets say it is “Stackee” my short name for Black Mold…and it is excessive…I would want my client to know about it…but thats it…
I would never make claims to it’s effects, what it can do…and so on…I am only making them aware of the presence…and if THEY choose to have it tested…they have to tell me…they want it tested…and that is ONLY to determine the type of mold it is.
Now…once the results come back with the same…I may provide some research on the type of mold it is…and give them paperwork on it but I also in no way express to them the outcome of this mold…except if in the case of excessive mold that it be removed because it in itself can damage the surface and structure…depending on the mold or fungus…
Again…not my determination…excellent article…but still I worry more about your friend Dale than I do my worry about legal issues over a report like mine that gives to STANCE…just reports what is found…
My attorneys have no problem with the way I present it…again I am only giving them what they want…not making any claims or FEAR tactics…
I have a stupid question, do you know where the water came from?
What’s it going to take to fix it? Are you going to have to rip out all this damage and infected wood in the repair? That’s part of mold mediation.
Is mold the issue here or a water leak and structural defect resulting from it?
Paul,
Why is it important to know the TYPE of mold present, if there is mold it needs to be remediated and the cause…moisture…eliminated and the damage repaired, why not just refer the identification to those who do the repairs/remediation?
Here’s what I tell em about mold:
========================
What appears to be mold or mildew is present. The identification of the organism(s) is beyond the scope of this home inspection. That means I think its mold but the only way to tell for sure is to test it. Testing is generally considered a waste of money by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), unless the mold is causing health problems.
See attachment " A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture & Your Home" from the EPA.
My basic recommendation is: The moisture source needs to be fixed and the mold needs to be cleaned up. Who does that is your decision. I, along with the EPA and the CDC, do not recommend any testing. Review the below information and recommendations before deciding on how to deal with this issue.
If, after reviewing the below information, you have additional questions or want further investigation, I recommend that you contact a Certified Industrial Hygienist, usually listed in the yellow pages under “Industrial Hygiene Consultants” to determine if there exists an ongoing climate for incubation or microbial contamination and to obtain their recommendations for dealing with the issue.
There is a lot of controversy over the issue of mold and mold testing.
The EPA does not recommend measuring airborne fungal levels. The EPA publication “A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home” states “Is sampling for mold needed? In most cases, if visible mold growth is present, sampling is unnecessary.”
The EPA also says “You should be aware that although a substance may look like mold, a positive determination of whether it is mold or not can be made only by an expert and may require laboratory analysis for final confirmation. For about $50, some microbiology laboratories can tell you whether a sample sent to them on a clear strip of sticky household tape is mold or simply a substance that resembles it.”
(http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldresources.html )
The CDC says “You do not need to know the type of mold growing in your home, and CDC does not recommend or perform routine sampling for molds. No matter what type of mold is present, you should remove it. Since the effect of mold on people can vary greatly, either because of the amount or type of mold, you can not rely on sampling and culturing to know your health risk. Also, good sampling for mold can be expensive, and standards for judging what is and what is not an acceptable quantity of mold have not been set. The best practice is to remove the mold and work to prevent future growth.”
( http://www.cdc.gov/mold/dampness_facts.htm](http://www.cdc.gov/mold/dampness_facts.htm) )
Money spent on testing is not available for cleanup.
Mold, mildew, fungus and other toxic organisms commonly occur in areas that show evidence of, or have the potential for, leaking, moisture intrusion and/or inadequate ventilation. Any area or item exhibiting such conditions can be a health hazard to some people.
I recommend that information from the following sources be reviewed prior to spending any money on mold testing. You may want to identify and review other sources of information.
The EPA web site at
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldguide.html
provides a document titled "“A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home”
The CDC website at:
http://www.cdc.gov/mold/dampness_facts.htm
Various articles on the Building Science Corporation web site at:
http://www.buildingscience.com
Click on the link “Learn More about Mold”.
The New York City Department of Health Web Site at:
http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/doh/home.html
Use the search function for mold.
Who says I don’t…?..I can tell someone that mold needs to be removed until I am blue in the face, but many times they want to know what type of mold it is…can we agree that if the mold was “stackee” or Black Mold that a client might want to know that…what they do with it is their choice after that.
It is my understanding that not all molds will cause physical effects or certain conditions…while some simply cause effects to the structure…either way they are as I stated refered to in the report…and again testing is the clients choice…if I see microbial growth i explain what it possibly could be coming from and the importance of that being resolved…and most obvioulsly that the microbial growth should be removed…provided it is microbial growth…since I am not a LAB…I will not make that final call except to state it appears to be Microbial Growth…the only way to 100% be determined in MY mind is sampling…but AGAIN…thats the clients choice.
Paul I have considered offering tests on the electricity supplied to the house, you know, hydro, coal, nuclear (Nukulaar) gas, etc. It is my understanding that while not all EMF’s effects everyone, some EMF’s , (depending on the generating source mind you), effect some people.
I believe I will offer an EMI accreditation, which in the near future will change $$$, but for you my friend, a couple of Krugerrands to my PO BOX and your in.
Wait till you see the EMI 8-Balls and Dowsers used in testing.
Mold can aggravate pre existing health problems, such as asthma, in humans. They would probably like to know if their future home has a “mold problem” which could make their lives miserable. There are individuals in the field of Home Inspection who offer mold sampling when they come across “suspicious microbial organic growth”. The lab makes the confirmation if it is mold and they are insured for $ 1,000,000 per sample. So I would gladly offer mold sampling services if it would benefit my client. (and me)
lol…man you kill me…I do have EMF concerns…lol…but I wont go into that…I can only talk about them on the 4th tuesday of the 3rd month of the year of the DOG.