MOLD TESTING? CONDO air sampling

[John M. Acaron]

If you are performing air sampling on the 18th floor, where do you take the control sample? 18 floor balcony or on the first floor (outdoor)?

Following IAC2 protocol???

[Douglas Wall]

at least 10 feet from structure IESO standards (ANSI approved)
at least 5 feet from structure ESA standards
can't remember what IAC2 says

We have dozens of home inspectors in the Naples area that take them on the balcony but then what's a nationally accepted industry standard.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

I believe for some weird reason IAC2 makes you take two outdoor samples. I usually take samples at least 20 feet away, I cannot remember where I got that from.
Also stay away from trees and straw as much as possible.

[John M. Acaron]

That is not the question. I am talking about a 20 story condominium. Do you take the control sample outside the building 1st floor or do you take the control sample on the balcony in the 19th floor. That got to be a heck of a tree to be over 300 feet tall.

[John M. Acaron]

Still looking for a rational answer??????

[Douglas Wall]

That is not the question. I am talking about a 20 story condominium. Do you take the control sample outside the building 1st floor or do you take the control sample on the balcony in the 19th floor. That got to be a heck of a tree to be over 300 feet tall.

We have done hundreds of condos up to the 27th Floor. (over 800 inspections each year)
The balcony is NOT at least 10 feet from the structure.

HI usually take samples on the balcony because they need a plug for their pump.

Makes someone look pretty dumb when you go behind them and don't take the outdoor sample on the balcony. Someone always asks why we don't take the sample on the balcony. If you end up in litigation and are asked why you took the sample on the balcony, what do you say " I didn't want to follow nationally accepted standards". We often do design our own testing plans but then we are not home inspectors.

Hope that answers the question.

[John M. Acaron]

Thanks Doug,
When dealing with condos I normally take the control sample at least ten feet away from the building bottom floor. However, it is the consensus in our area for what I have seen that other folks take the sample on the balcony, sometimes 300+ feet up.

It is my opinion that the level of spore counts will be less due to higher wind and so far high from trees and other possible attributes to spore count. What is your take on this.

[David Moriconi]

2 outdoor samples may just help the lab make more money. My rep at Pro Lab says two outdoor samples are not needed for their lab

[Scott Gilligan, CMI]

ESA courses teach that you are not supposed to take sample under and overhanging part of the structure. I believe the IAC2 standard also states that.

I always take my control sample at ground level and by the street side of the buildinging. If the unit is tucked away in a courtyard or in an area that has less air circulation, I will take a second outdoor control sample and not charge extra for it just so that I can see the difference between that and the street level sample.

Anotehr bit of advice...If you are going to seriosly do mold sampling and environmentla testing...cut your ties with Pro-Lab and find another laboratory that all the local industrial hygienist use. I don't know about you, but I don't want some lab tech sitting behind a microscope that doesn't read any of the noted on the COC form interpretating what I found at an inspection. There are times when I used to use them that my findings conflicted with their analysis. You might want to send in the occasional field blank and see if you get a positive result back. If you do...move on to another lab who is more qualified and takes the proper precautions not to give out false results.