New York Department of Environmental Conservation Comments on Home Inspectors and WDO

We asked NYSDEC to comment upon the situation where a licensed home inspector discovers possible infestation of wood-destroying organisms during a home inspection.

You may read the reply at www.nachi.org/new-york-approved-home-inspection.htm (and scroll down to the WDO section).

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Excellent.

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That is exactly the same in Virginia.

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That’s what they’ve always told us in the past, but I’ve never seen it in writing. Thank you for putting that out there Ben!

And the revelation is what, precisely?

It’s the same old nonsense that you’d hear from some pesticide applicators on Long Island, especially when it came to utilizing the NPMA-33.

In NY State the regulations pertain to the identification of a live insect, that can be identified as a wood destroying insect, PRIOR to the application of a PESTICIDE.

THAT is what is regulated by the DEC. Other than that, the DEC has no jurisdiction, and inspectors are NOT required to be trained as pesticide applicators or technicians to perform WDI inspections. I was formally trained and tested and certified and licensed by the Ny State DEC, because I WANTED to have this license, far before HI licensing came into effect.

Whether or not a bank will accept the InterNACHI substiture for the NPMA-33 is up to the bank. It’s the same load of BS I was fed with regard to having to use a “recognized” HUD 203K software package to perform a write up and draw inspection. All a load of crap.

If the bank accepts the form great. if not, you can also use the NPMA-33 for free (its on the HUD website dor all).

The most important part of any of these forms is the protection it provides, and the disclaimers it contains.

The DEC doesn’t really care.

One word of caution though… remember that when you CLAIM to have training and special knowledge through your advertising… you’d better have some decent training and experience behind the rhetoric.

We prefer to have it in writing should one of our members ever need it.

Correct. And InterNACHI has the best, most robust, most governmentally-approved WDO course in existence: Wood-Destroying Organism (WDO) Inspection Course - InterNACHI®

Why so angry? Just take the letter and put it in the file if you ever need it. It’s no revelation, but at least it’s in writing now

Exactly

Anger?

Let’s not turn this simple announcement, that ANYONE could have gotten if they bothered to place a call to ANY regional NY State DEC office into something it is not. If you want it for your file, you’d better be more specific with the question, though… because I could interpret the DEC finding as open-ended. They speak of the identification of an insect… which is not really regulated either but they chose to have that specific verbiage.

This announcement does NOT help InterNACHI NY inspectors, at all. What WOULD be helpful, but what has been IGNORED by NACHI Manqagement is the reality that ONLY members of NEHA ot NRSB can be listed on the NY State DOH website for approved radon testers. Since NY State has no license relative to the testing of radon, then who are they to decide to promote ONLY members of those OTHER organizations? Since Radon information and testing criteria has remained static for the past 20 years, does one REALLY need to take the same CEUs on the subject every 2 years? That is the State’s argument against approving IAC2/NACHI members with radon certs.

How about Nick and Ben target this nonsense instead of promoting a competing form to the NPMA-33.

Joe

Go do some yoga.

Juan,

Take your head out of Nathan’s a s s

Ah. I think we can deduce what is really bothering Joe :mrgreen:

Juan, you are way off base. Way off.

I disagree.

Incorrect.
NEHA is no longer a radon tester certification body.
To become a certified radon tester in NY, take InterNACHI’s radon course. For details, visit http://www.nachi.org/newyork, and scroll down that page to the “Radon Certification” section.

Incorrect.
InterNACHI’s course is accepted by NY.

Joe, you have accidentally confused “certified by” (which is the law in NY) with “member of” (your incorrect phrase used in your post #10). To be certified you have to take an approved course. InterNACHI offers the approved course.

Also, you are incorrect about NEHA (as Ben pointed out). NEHA is no longer a certifying body for radon professionals.

Both of you need to stop the rhetoric regarding training and what is required here in NY State to be listed as a certified radon professional by the NY State DOH.

We are not arguing about the training, because NACHI’s course may be the BEST, and it will not matter to the DOH, at all. You can be trained by NACHI and a member of the org and it WILL NOT MATTER to the DOH.

Sorry, it is not NEHA, it is AARST. But if you are not certified by AARST, NRSB, NJ, or PA, you are NOT a Certified Radon Professional in NY State according to its Department of Health, which oversees the radon testing program. This is what is discriminitory, IMO, yet you are apparently choosing to ignore it.

Call them. They will explain it to you. Their explanation makes no sense and is discriminitory, IMO, as the State does NOT require radon testers to have training AT ALL… but you have to meet one of the listed criteria to be listed as being certified on the State’s own website.

Yet, they have a list of recognized Certified Radon Testers. Read it HERE:
http://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/radiological/radon/certified_radon_testers/county_map.htm

I have asked for NACHI to intervene on the behalf of NY Members for quite a while. Instead, we are told how great the NACHI training is. One has nothing to do with the other, when the DOH policy hurts trained and qualified NACHI members.

What is the Association proposing to do about this?

From the State of NY Department of Health Website:

One other thing, and this is important… for the purposes of THIS discussion, having a course recognized for Hi continuing education is something overseen by the Department of State. While the DOS may accept the NACHI radon course for purposes of educational requirements for licensing renewal, that course is NOT recognized by the Department of Health, which oversees the statewide radon program. Two different departments. Two different functions. Two different mindsets.

And THIS is where I’d like to see NACHI become recognized, because THIS will help its NY members, by having us listed on that DOH website. Having our members recognized as radon measurement professionals by the department responsible for the State’s program would be beneficial to our members and to the Association, by giving it a leg-up over the others. Not having my name on the State’s list of certified radon testers hurts my business.

By the way, and this is a real kicker… I took the NRSB training and passed the NRSB radon measurement specialist certification. But, because I am not a member of NRSB, it is meaningless in the eyes of the DOH, so it is more than just the training. Again, this is just wrong.

First of all, who’s NACHI?

Secondly, Nick is correct. There seems to be some confusion between membership and certification.

Thirdly, to be listed on NY Department of Health’s website as a state-recognized “Certified Radon Tester” (https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/radiological/radon/certified_radon_testers/county_map.htm):

Fourth, this thread is about NY WDO, not NY Radon. For a conversation about NY Radon Certification, we have a thread at NY accepts InterNACHI's radon course for both required entry & continuing education. - Legislation, Licensing, Ethics & Legal Issues - InterNACHI®️ Forum

Rip Van Winkle.

What WOULD be helpful, but what has been IGNORED by NACHI Manqagement is the reality that ONLY members of NEHA ot NRSB can be listed on the NY State DOH website for approved radon testers.

Is this part accurate?