Mold clearance test & inspection timing questons & answers.

This article series detils when to schedule an inspection and testing after a mold cleanup project.

We also describe common mold clearance inspection and testing mistakes.

Page top photo: the fact that Pen/Asp spores and spore chains are the dominant particles in this post mold remediation job settled dust sample tell us that the cleanup job may have been incomplete. That's particularly so if this dust is present on significant amounts of surface area in the building.

Mold Cleanup Project Clearance Inspection Timing FAQs

These questions and answers about when is the right time to perform post mold cleanuip job inspection and testing were posted originally

at MOLD CLEARANCE TIMING - be sure to check out the timing and procedural suggestions for mold clearance inspections found on that page.

Photo just above: if this air scrubber is running during mold testing the mold test results will be very confounded and are in our opinion worthless.

 

Who should perform clearance inspections after mold cleanup work?

Who is the right person for post mold clearance inspection work? - Charles Shark

Reply by (mod) - avoid mold inspector conflicts of interest

Best, when choosing an expert for post mold remediation inspection is an inspector who has no business nor financial nor other relationship with the company who performed the actual mold remediation work.

 

Was my landlords DIY cleaning crew's mold cleanup job adequate?

Object: post remediation clearance test. First of, great website. Very informative.

However, I am going through so much confusion I thought asking an expert in order to have some understanding. I had a bad mold situation in my bedroom. Air sample test revealed Aspergillum, Penicilium in elevated quantity.

Cavity sample revealed also Stachybotrys.

Landlord has been really sketchy about the whole thing.

The so called "remediation" was done by the repair crew that he uses for regular repairs. The containment was poorly done and they never used an air scrubber after removing part of the wall and ceiling.

After removing debris, instead they placed an industrial dehumidifier (contair ct125) with a tube that goes in to my bathtub, an area outside containment.

After 2 days (with dehumidifier on) today they came to perform the post remediation clearance test and the dehumidifier was on while performing air test. Is this a regular way to perform a post remediation clearance test? by Elena

Reply by (mod) - watch out for signs of a very incomplete mold cleanup job

Elena:

If the largest total area of contiguous moldy materials was less than 30 sqft. expert sources agree that normal building cleaning crews and cleaning methods should suffice. If larger areas were involved then professional remediation, dust containment, etc. are justified.

If the remediation did not include finding and correcting the cause of mold growth in the first place then the job will not be successful and mold contamination will recur.

Air tests alone, without an expert inspection for the scope of original contamination, scope of cleaning work, completeness of cleaning and of removal of non-cleanable materials (like insulation and drywall), will not be reliable, particularly when results are "negative" since what's in the air can vary by orders of magnitude depending on just how and when a test is conducted.

There is argument about leaving machines running before and during post remediation inspection and testing - often the remediator thinks that leaving a negative air machine running or an air filter running will lower airborne counts and increase the chance of "passing" such a "test".

A more reliable approach is to turn off all air moving equipment for 24 hours, then besides inspection, sample settled dust; I don't mind air sampling done at that same time but air alone: unreliable.

If the dehumidifier was not running near the remediation area then it probably wasn't disturbing air, but it suggests to me a worry that no one has found and fixed the leaks or trapped moisture that caused the mold problem.

Watch out: I'm concerned about finding Stachybotrys mold in a wall cavity "test" - that's a water-loving mold that wouldn't be expected to show up in a building wall or ceiling cavity unless there had been a leak; and if that mold is present in a building wall or ceiling that hasn't been opened, inspected, and cleaned as needed, there is risk of a significant hidden mold reservoir that could well contain other more dangerous mold genera/species as well.

Take a look at our advice at MOLD CLEARANCE: FOLLOWUP STEPS

by Elena - history of apartment leaks, don't trust landlord's cleanup

Dear Dan. I deeply thank you for your prompt reply. The mold area of interest, at this point, has been only my bedroom, but this apartment suffered major leaks since I moved in (over a decade ago) and nothing has done in the past if painting over the water damaged area.

The dehumidifier has been running (3rd day now) INSIDE the contaminated/remediation area and it was on when Landlord's air test company took the test for clearance. I am not sure if this is the right procedure.

I only know I have been feeling the same reactions I had during last leak: shortness of breath, nasal and facial burning feeling, lungs tightness. By all mean, I am not searching for medical help by submitting this inquiry. I am just concerned that the remediation method used is not the proper one. I thank you again. Sincerely, Elena

by (mod) - test representative sample of settled dust to test mold cleanup job quality

Note again my comment about the size of the mold contamination.

You can form an opinion about the quality of cleanup by testing representative ssample of ettled dust. Use the on-page search box at the top or bottom of this page to search a website for mold test kit to see an easy and inexpensive way to do that.

Don't send mold samples to us; send them to any mold testing lab.

In my experience exposure to high levels of harmful molds, or protracted exposure even to lower levels, will in some people and do some old sensitivity and can explain various illnesses including respiratory distress. These are questions to discuss with your doctor, as you've indicated you will most likely be doing.

Advantages vs disadvantages of operating a "negative air machine" during post-remediation mold clearance inspecting and testing

re: Mold Clearance Timing. Your article implies that shutting down AFDs for 24+ hours prior to sampling allows the dust to settle and yields a more accurate sampling result which is similar to what the occupants experience when moving in (eg;, no operating AFD during sampling).

It is my opinion that one should NOT operate NAMs or AFDs during sampling, BUT I feel disturbed air sampling will better reflect what is really in the air and on surfaces.

Additionally, there is a White Paper at IAQA regarding this NAM ON / NAM OFF debate.

I presented it at an IAQA Conference a couple of years ago. There is much to consider here and it's an area that is not yet settled. - by Jim Pearson

Reply by (mod) - settled dust vs airborne dust sampling reliability, where the dangers lie

Thank you so much for the discussion, Jim. It's both clear and gratifying that we both seek an accurate post remediation mold inspection and test procedure.

Of course one would not operate negative air machines (NAMS) during sampling - not only does that stir the air far more than usual, the remediator is hoping that that will hide a remaining cleanup problem by reducing the level of indoor airborne particles.

Dust sampling of a surface after giving time for airborne particles to settle out will a give a better indication of what's on surfaces than air sampling, with the reclama that very small airborne particles such as down near the 1u range can remain airborne for very long intervals simply due to normal building air convection currents.

Watch out: as I've demonstrated by field and lab research, any measurement of the leel of small airborne particles varies by 4 orders of magnitude depending on how a sample is collected, so numbers from air sampling are totally method and environment dependent and are very inconsistent.

At most, I might use a mix of sampling methods, but I'd never ever rely on air sampling alone. The problem is the risk of finding a false negative.

Details are in my explanation of the accuracy concerns in AIR SAMPLES or TESTS for MOLD

Watch out: You're spot on in suggesting another more fundamental problem: field investigators do not use consistent methods when examining air or the environment in buildings, so without reporting more detail than they typically do, field investigators are doing important health and safety work that cannot be compared with any objective standard of performance or reliability.

Thanks for the comment.

Question: Insurance company won't insure our property after a mold cleanup and post remediation clearance testing

We are considering purchasing a home which was used as a grow op for 6 weeks only a year and a half ago.

All remediation work has been completed and two separate air tests have shown no significant amounts of mold spores in the air.

Insurance companies are reluctant to ensure the property in case there are mould issues down the road.

How long is a suitable time to reasonably assume that any mould issues from the grow op have disappeared? (Dec 27, 2012) Paula Otani said:

Reply:

If the cleaning and inspection and testing were done properly then the report of those results should be documentation that would should convince the insurer that if there is a mold problem in the building in the future it will be due to a new event.

That woudl be true and reasonable provided that the clearance inspection was actually a thorough visual inspection of building conditions. A report of a mold "test" alone is in my opinion completely unreliable for post remediation mold clearance inspections and reports.

I explain at MOLD TESTING METHOD VALIDITY  that mold tests alone as a building screen for mold can not be trusted.

And vice versa. I'd start by reviewing the documentation and by making sure that the inspection and clearance professionals had absolutely no relationship with the cleaning company nor seller nor realtor.

I also recommend reading MOLD CLEARANCE TEST, SUCCESSFUL

...

Continue reading at MOLD CLEARANCE TIMING - topic home, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

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  • MOLD LEVELS IN BUILDINGS
  • MOLD CLEARANCE: FOLLOWUP STEPS
  • MOLD CLEARANCE TEST, SUCCESSFUL
• MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD
• MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE
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