Didn’t receive a response in the Legislation section so thought I would try it here:
Are home inspectors allowed by law (in Florida) to conduct mold testing (under an HI license only) if we are doing so during a routing home inspection. Thanks
Can’t wait to see the responses.
Hey Russell, I as well, I’m surprised that no one has jumped in yet.
The only one who will jump in is probably Nick. Are you very knowledgeable about mold, it’s affects on people, how it grows, the conditions needed for each spore type and what it means? Can you write a clearance report? Can you 100% answer ever question that could come up on the mold report, such as what is the difference between spore count and raw count. Why are they not the same? Why are some times 7 and some a times 21. What is the difference between air samples, non viable swab samples and viable swab samples. If there was a flood from a toilet do you do a mold sample and a bacteria sample or just an air quality sample.
Just some of the basic questions I get asked every day.
Not an expert on mold but do know it’s a whole different animal and falls out of the scope of basic HI. More certification,insurance, etc. If you have a great need for it might be worth it. I know some guys here are mold guru’s.
Yes. A licensed home inspector in Florida can do a mold test.
Licensed home inspectors are exempt. Read lines 36-40 and the last line in: http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2011/0849/BillText/er/HTML
Signed into law by the Governor, BTW.
Ok we may…and I say may…be allowed to do mold test, but to me the question is more, should you? If you cannot answer basic questions about mold and the test you performed are you providing the correct service to the client?
It would be like saying…Someone who never saw the roof, look at google earth and said it was bad, call a roofer.
That is a link to the proposed changes. I could not find the actual HB 849 (2011 session) narrative that specifically states HI can do mold. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, I just can’t find it. I have e-mail Rick Morrison, the Director of the HI and Mold profession to get direct info and have not heard a peep yet!
Governor signed it into law last year.
Anyway, the elected legislators of the state of Florida disagreed with the silly assertion that a home inspector is unqualified to take a mold sample and mail it to the lab… so much so, that they changed an existing law so as to permit us to do it.
Excellent, I thought we could take a sample (if found in a course of a Home Inspection) but wasn’t positive and couldn’t find the passed written law. We still can not advertise as Mold Inspectors though, correct?
Thanks, Nick.
Seriously, I think this great if true. However I can’t find a source document that validates that. Does anyone else know where to look?
See the links:
http://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2011/Chapter468/Part_XV
Even if it’s a go you still have to know what you are doing. My dentist does not do oral surgery.
Lol and well said…
He does recommend surgery after his examination is complete.
But he tells you why and typically has justification for it. Not, hey there is plaque on your left rear molar. Have a profession Oral Surgeon evalaute the tooth, determine the cause of the plaque and give an analysis on why it happened and repair as needed.
Just so they can “disclaim” it, so they are not responsible for it and pass it off.
I submitted this question to the DBPR for a declaratory statement almost a year ago. Still waiting for a response.
We are all waiting for one. The llaw requires a mold assesors license on one hand and on the other says an HI can test up to 10 square feet as part of a home inspection. The law itself has conflicting language. The dpbr can’t clarify the descreptancy.
My question is, how many mold assessor licenses have been issued since grandfathering ended?
My believe is that the current requirements for the mold assessors license is to strict. That the majority of license holders only qualified due to the grandfathering process.
They have already removed licensed contractors from requiring a mold remediation licenses. If HI’s had any real power, this issue would already have been decided, and we would have no questions about performing a mold sample as part of a home inspection.
It’s time for our leadership to decide if they will campagn for home inspectors or be the advocate of mold assessors.
Aren’t you one of those leaders?
What say you?
I think we will go down the same road we went done with the contractors for home inspectors licensing.
Looks like too many people on this board have convinced themselves that they are mold inspectors. It was a good law until the grandfathering, and people wonder why HI’s get the same respect as real estate agents.
My experience is that EPA, Social Security offices, FBI offices, DNR, Fish and Wildlife housing managers and other government agencies don’t want a “home inspector” for mold assessment.
Everyone have a safe and happy 4th of July.
Us Government mold specifications: http://homeinspectionmold.com/id93.html](http://homeinspectionmold.com/id93.html)