IAC2 vs. American Indoor Air Quality Council

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

I know very little about mold training and certification. I'm wondering about the perceived value of IAC2 vs. that provided by the American Indoor Air Quality Council.

Comments are appreciated.

[Nick Gromicko]

My understanding (and I might be incorrect) is that AIAQC is mostly about mold, but oddly doesn't have a mold inspection SOP (like IAC2 does).

IAC2 is involved heavily in Radon as well as Mold. www.iac2.org

The Master Inspector Certification Board (MICB) has been preparing multi-million dollar lawsuits against several individual AIAQC inspectors for infringing on their CMI Trademark. MICB's goal is to set an example with a few of these intellectual property thieves: http://www.certifiedmasterinspector.org/cmi/aiaqc.html

IAC2 is in 50,000 retail outlets including ACE Hardware, Avon, Canadian Tire, Chase-Pitkin, CVS/Pharmacy, Distribution America, Do It Best, Fred Meyer, Giant, H-E-B, The Home Depot, Home Hardware, Kroger, Lowes, Menards, True Value, WAL-MART, Zellers, etc.

All the state approved and accredited mold courses are based on IAC2 standards:

• Alaska Department of Commerce Community and Economic
• Arkansas Home Inspector Registration Board
• Development, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, Home Inspector Program
• Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Home Inspector Licensing Board
• IAC2
• Indiana Real Estate Commission, Home Inspector Licensing Board
• InterNACHI
• Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation*
• Master Inspector Certification Board
• Mississippi Home Inspector Board
• Oregon Construction Contractors Board
• South Dakota Real Estate Commission
• Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Division of Regulatory Boards, Home Inspector Licensing Division
• West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, State Fire Marshal's Office
• Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC)
• Wisconsin Department of Regulation

Here is the online video course: http://www.nachi.org/videomoldcourse.htm

I won't sugar-coat this. If you are going to offer mold inspection services, make sure you are doing them right (IAC2 Standards) and have IAC2, InterNACHI (the world's largest inspection association), PRO-LAB (the world's largest mold and radon laboratory), and Dr. Shane (the world's leading mycologist) on your side. IAC2 is the definitive standard for mold inspections. My position is that anyone out there caught doing mold inspections that fail to meet or exceed IAC2 Standards is acting recklessly.

[Nick Gromicko]

Oh, I almost forgot. Membership in www.IAC2.org is free.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Originally Posted by jfunderburk

I know very little about mold training and certification. I'm wondering about the perceived value of IAC2 vs. that provided by the American Indoor Air Quality Council.

Comments are appreciated.

The perceived value is right when it comes to AMIAQC. I use to be a member, did not renew with them because I felt they offered very little for the dues they charged. They did a merger with IAQA and IESO. IESO is a good organization and has good training, probably would of stayed with IESO if they did not merge. A lot of crap went on inside IAQA I heard about after the merger that really turned me off to them. At one time IAQA was not even responding to two of my ethics complaints filed with them, according to IAQA this never happened but have been told that if a complaint is filed now it will be followed up on.
IESO has a great mold testing protocol. AMIAQC is in charge of the education. IAQA is in charge of sending out the hype, and they spread it way thicker then Nick does.

I have not looked about joining this organization again in years, it will be a few more years until I do. I am waiting for them to realize some changes need to be done. I am not holding my breath. Sad but true.

[Nick Gromicko]

Are you IAC2?

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Originally Posted by gromicko

Are you IAC2?

I will be this week. I'm watching your brother's video right now!

[Nick Gromicko]

That must suck.

[Nick Gromicko]

BTW: Do you have the IESO mold testing protocol? I'd like to see if it is correct.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

Originally Posted by gromicko

BTW: Do you have the IESO mold testing protocol? I'd like to see if it is correct.

No. Sorry.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Here it is http://www.indoorstandards.org/shop/form.asp . I keep a copy in my mold pump box. Really shuts people up when they bad mouth my testing procedure onsite. The training cost me about $500.00 though. This is also the testing the protocol the top mold expert in Missouri uses. I believe it is the only testing protocol ever made so far. I am afraid IAC2 will have their work cut out for them if they want to top it.
Yes, I am IAC2. IAC2 is better than most I have found so far.

[Nick Gromicko]

Do IESO mold inspection standards require you to take one or two outdoor control (background) samples?

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Only one. You are suppose know the proper way to take an outside sample, so two samples are not needed. If you are doubting your outside sample by taking two than the attorney for the other side will be putting doubt on your single inside samples.
I did learn a good tip from the ESA Mold Assessor course, the instructor said if you are using a big lab always send in a blank air trap to prove that your low paid lab technician is staying on his toes. He says every once in awhile the blank will have an actual mold spore count. Scary when you think about it. Sad but true.

[Nick Gromicko]

Only one.

Then AIAQC and IESO's Standards are wrong. Stop using them. You have to perform 2 outside and taking 2 has nothing to do with "doubting" the first. The two results will often be different without either being wrong. I think I recall Gerry Beaumont explaining why on this message board once before. Or better yet, just take the mold course. www.nachi.org/videomoldcourse.htm

Anyway, I am afraid AIAQC and IESO will have their work cut out for them if they want to top IAC2's Standards.

Here is the only Standards of Practice for Inspecting Mold that you should use: http://www.iac2.org/sop.php

[Douglas Wall]

outdoor samples are interesting, sometimes
1 in front and 1 in back
then other times 1 in front and 1 in back before and after the visual inspection.
2 in front and 2 in back is not that unusual
of course upwind and downwind can also be a factor.

ANSI approved IESO standard is fine, so is the ESA standard and I like IAC2 standard also; everyone should be aware of all three. Watched three home inspectors take their outside sample on the porch under a overhang roof last week alone. (I was performing their radon test for them) No it was not raining.
Standards are a good place to start, KNOW what you are doing.

I like the EPA statements:
"Sampling for mold should be conducted by professionals who have specific experience in designing mold sampling protocols, sampling methods, and interpreting the results." EPA

"Experience in interpretation of results is essential.” EPA
"remember that a negative sampling report must not be used in place of a visual survey. Factors such as barometric pressure, inside and outside temperatures, activity levels, and humidity may dramatically reduce or increase the spore levels within a building. Air sampling for mold provides information on what was in the air only for the moment when the sampling occurred. It is important, therefore, that sampling not replace visual inspection."

[Douglas Wall]

I don’t see IAC2 listed as a mold trainer for Texas.
Does IAC2 expect to be a mold trainer for Florida when the new Florida mold law becomes effective?
I did see ESA on the list for Texas.
(We work with a couple of Texas mold companies, cheaper for them to hire us than come from Texas to Florida for Mold assessment jobs; suprising how many people hire Texas companies after bad experiences with "certified mold inspectors" in Florida.)

http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/mold/pdf/mtrnr.pdf
Texas Mold Training Program Providers
Accredited Mold Training Providers Approved Courses
AEHS, Inc.
4402 Centergate
San Antonio, TX 78217
(210) 656-9300
Assessment Consultant (Initial & Refresher)
Assessment Technician (Initial & Refresher)
Remediation Contractor (Initial & Refresher)

All Points Environmental, LLC
1245 West Cardinal Drive
Beaumont, TX 77705
(409) 842-4094
Assessment Technician (Initial Only)

Certified Mold Free
7518 Twin Oaks Court
Dallas, TX 75044
(954) 614-7100
Assessment Consultant (Initial Only)
Remediation Contractor (Initial Only)

Clear Ventures Inc. dba
CAM Environmental Services
312 S Richey Street
Pasadena, TX 77506
(713) 475-9003
Remediation Contractor (Initial & Refresher)

Enviro/Con Services Inc
4916 Hwy 6 North
Houston, TX 77084
(281) 855-9677
Assessment Consultant (Initial & Refresher)
Assessment Technician (Initial & Refresher)
Remediation Contractor (Initial & Refresher)

Environmental Education Associates, Inc.
346 Austin Street
Buffalo, NY 14207
(716) 833-2929
Assessment Technician (Initial Only)
Assessment Consultant (Initial Only)
Remediation Contractor (Initial Only)

Environmental Solution Association
416 Pine Street, Suite #201
Williamsport, PA 17701
(570) 326-3700
Assessment Technician (Initial Only)

Envirotest, Ltd.
3902 Braxton Drive
Houston, TX 77063
(713) 782-4411
Assessment Consultant (Initial Only)

GEBCO Associates, LP
4690 Diplomacy rd Ste #120
Fort Worth, TX 76155
(817) 268-4006
Assessment Technician (Initial & Refresher)
Assessment Consultant (Initial & Refresher)
Remediation Contractor (Initial & Refresher)

Mayhew Environmental Training Associates
900 Yarbrough
Lawrence, KS 66044
(785) 842-6382
Assessment Consultant (Initial Only)

NATEC of Texas, Inc.
9802 Lawndale Ave.
Houston, TX 77017
(713) 472-4022
Assessment Technician (Initial & Refresher)
Assessment Consultant (Initial & Refresher)
Remediation Contractor (Initial & Refresher)

Occupational Health & Training Institute
4580 Washington Boulevard
Beaumont, TX 77707
(409) 842-6760
Assessment Consultant (Initial Only)

Sun City Analytical Inc.
1409 Montana Avenue
El Paso, TX 79902-5617
(915) 533-8840
Assessment Technician (Initial & Refresher)
Assessment Consultant (Initial & Refresher)
Remediation Contractor (Initial & Refresher)

Texas Engineering Extension Service
Texas A&M University System
3100 State Hwy 47
College Station, TX 77807
(800) 824-7303
Remediation Contractor (Initial Only)
*Accredited Training Providers May Offer, Without Department Approval, Mold Remediation Worker

Training Courses And Other Courses Relevant To Mold-Related Activities, Including But Not Limited
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For additional information, please contact the mold licensing program at (512) 834-6600