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If you are currently involved in a real estate transaction and you have any suspicions about mold, read on. The advice you are getting from your real estate professional may not be the best advice. Real estate professionals are in the business of selling real estate, they are not trained and experienced in microbiological contamination, it is important for consumers to remember this.

If you are a real estate professional, it is suggested that you refrain from referring companies to clients that have suspected microbial contamination in a home they are considering buying or selling. It may be a little inconvenient, but it could prevent you from being named in a negligent referral suit. If you are referring clients to inspectors to test for mold or remediation companies that offer low cost solution, you may wish to reconsider your position. Home inspectors performing mold tests may not carry insurance for any such testing or assessments. This could leave you vulnerable.

Recently, we have received calls from several persons that were getting second opinions concerning advice they received from their real estate sales person. The agent had recommended specific companies to perform sampling, remediation, etc. It is our opinion that this is not only unethical, it may also be dangerous to the home buyer. The reasons we do not recommend relying on such advice?

	Real estate agents are not Indoor Air Quality Professionals
	Many referrals consider cost and little more
	Many remediation firms using fogging, etc. as a means of remediation are referred due to lower initial price
	Many referrals go to unqualified home inspectors to perform sample (usually one or two swab or tape lift samples). This type of sampling tells little and is extremely limited in its usefulness.
	Most inspector insurance DOES NOT cover mold testing or assessments. Ask your inspector to show their policy.
	The above types of services do not deal with the real issues. What caused the contamination? How do I successfully remediate the microbial contamination? Is the use of biocides recommended by the EPA, ACGIH, AIHA?

Lets take a look at what these internationally accepted organizations say about fogging, biocides, etc.

EPA - Mold Remediation/Cleanup and Biocides

The purpose of mold remediation is to remove the mold to prevent human exposure and damage to building materials and furnishings. It is necessary to clean up mold contamination, not just to kill the mold. Dead mold is still allergenic, and some dead molds are potentially toxic. The use of a biocide, such as chlorine bleach, is not recommended as a routine practice during mold remediation, although there may be instances where professional judgment may indicate its use (for example, when immune-compromised individuals are present). In most cases, it is not possible or desirable to sterilize an area; a background level of mold spores will remain in the air (roughly equivalent to or lower than the level in outside air). These spores will not grow if the moisture problem in the building has been resolved.

If you choose to use disinfectants or biocides, always ventilate the area. Outdoor air may need to be brought in with fans. When using fans, take care not to distribute mold spores throughout an unaffected area. Biocides are toxic to humans, as well as to mold. You should also use appropriate PPE and read and follow label precautions. Never mix chlorine bleach solution with cleaning solutions or detergents that contain ammonia; toxic fumes could be produced.

Some biocides are considered pesticides, and some States require that only registered pesticide applicators apply these products in schools. Make sure anyone applying a biocide is properly licensed, if necessary. Fungicides are commonly applied to outdoor plants, soil, and grains as a dust or spray—examples include hexachlorobenzene, organomercurials, pentachlorophenol, phthalimides, and dithiocarbamates. Do not use fungicides developed for use outdoors for mold remediation or for any other indoor situation.

American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)

Are biocides required or useful in remediation projects?
Biocides are disinfectant chemicals used to kill germs in order to prevent infections resulting from contact with these materials. In most mold remediations, biocides are not a substitute for thorough cleaning. Biocides are of limited use in remediation of indoor mold contamination for two main reasons:

1) The adverse effects caused by mold (other than infection) are due to metabolites present in their spores and secreted into the materials upon which molds have grown. The application of biocides may kill mold spores but it does not necessarily eliminate these metabolites. The only sure way to do this requires the physical elimination of mold and moldy materials by thorough cleaning or removal of the affected materials.

2) Most commonly used biocides do not kill molds effectively. Active fungal growth on a surface may produce a spore density of one million spores per square inch. Treating an active mold growth site with a spore density of one million spores per square inch with a biocide with an effectiveness of 99.999% would then leave an estimated 10 viable spores per square inch. As such, if the underlying moisture problem is not resolved, mold growth may re-occur.

The only situation where biocidal treatments are indicated is where the contaminant is one of the few fungi that are known to cause human infection. This is particularly important in health care facilities or other places with occupants who have impaired immune systems or who may be more susceptible than the general population to infection.

NYC Department of Health

The use of gaseous, vapor-phase, or aerosolized biocides for remedial purposes is not recommended. The use of biocides in this manner can pose health concerns for people in occupied spaces of the building and for people returning to the treated space if used improperly. Furthermore, the effectiveness of these treatments is unproven and does not address the possible health concerns from the presence of the remaining non-viable mold. For additional information on the use of biocides for remedial purposes, refer to the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' document, "Bioaerosols: Assessment and Control."

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)

Bioaerosols: Assessment and Control, 15.4 Biocide Use

Remediators must carefully consider the necessity and advisability of applying biocides when cleaning microbially contaminated surfaces. The goal of remediation programs should be removal of all microbial growth. This generally can be accomplished by physical removal of materials supporting active growth and thorough cleaning of non-porous materials. Therefore, application of a biocide would serve no purpose that could not be accomplished with a detergent or cleaning agent.

U.S. Army

WASHINGTON — The US Army is weighing in on the war on mold, outlining for its facility managers, custodians and others how to prevent and remediate mold contamination.

In a 20-page guide issued earlier this year, the Army, among other things, recommended against the use of bleach and biocides, as well as against the use of gaseous ozone or chlorine dioxide for remediation.

"The use of bleach or other biocides is questionable in most cases," the Army manual states. "Removal of all mold growth can generally be accomplished by physical removal of materials supporting active growth and thorough cleaning of non-porous materials. Therefore application of a biocides serves no purpose."

As to the use of Ozone and Chlorine dioxide, the Army stated: "Both compounds are highly toxic and contamination of occupied space may pose a health threat. Furthermore the effectiveness of these treatments is unproven."

Army researchers developed their guidelines partly by using research and data from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, the New York City Department of Health and the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

IICRC S520 Statements on Encapsulants –

“Using encapsulants and sealants is discouraged. Remediators need to consider that the application of certain encapsulants or sealant products may change the permeability of materials, cause condensation problems in the building assembly (trap moisture), and result in future deterioration and potential liability issues. Use of encapsulants may impede, mask, or invalidate an inspection for dust and debris. Encapsulants and sealants that have been applied without a complete clean up of mold growth may result in the necessity of sanding off or removing the encapsulants or sealant in order to properly remediate the mold growth. These compounds may contain nitrogen that helps support future mold growth. Encapsulants may also alter the surface flammability characteristics of certain materials.” Encapsulation is not a cleaning method and should be avoided as a standard practice, however, it can be useful in the following special circumstances:

	Application of a coating over porous or semi-porous surfaces from which mold cannot be fully removed (e.g. shellac, varnish, or lacquer over unfinished wood).
	Lamination of irreplaceable or valuable documents.
	It is recommended that remediators work closely with an Indoor Environmental Professional in making decisions about the advisability of encapsulation.”

“There is a recognition that unique circumstances will arise and that biocides and encapsulants may be considered under specific conditions….When Condition 3 contamination (physical mold growth) cannot be physically removed using reasonable measures, or when ongoing moisture intrusion cannot be resolved, it may be necessary to manage the condition 3 area for extended periods of time using long-term engineering controls, encapsulants, sealants, or other methods.”

Final Note

If you have recently purchased a home and the home was tested by your home inspector or remediated using biocides, it is suggested that you contact a qualified Indoor Air Quality Professional immediately to determine if the sampling and remediation were successful or simply a temporary concealment of the problem to expedite the sale of the home. The few dollars that you saved may be putting the health of your family and your home in jeopardy. In addition, the damage to your home could be continuing. It is also important to note that the companies that perform remediation using biocide, fogging and other such methods usually also sell additional products such as UV lights, special filtration systems, etc. None of the items take the place of a properly performed remediation, period.

It is also very important to read and understand any warranties or guarantees issued by companies performing remediation. Does the warranty cover any health effects of non-viable spores? Does it cover toxins? Does it cover metabolic byproducts? Does it cover further structural deterioration? Take the time to answer these questions. Remember, not only may health issues be involved, but also your investment in your home.

The key to any successful indoor air quality problem is starting with a qualified company to assess the problem...

If you have been the victim of such a referral or remediation project, you should do what you can to assure that the same thing does not happen to the next consumer. How? Here are some helpful sites...

Media

	Have a mold story, contact the media here (television)
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Leviticus 14:45 A house desecrated by mildew, mold, or fungus would be a defiled place to live in, so drastic measures had to be taken.

Do you suspect a mold problem in your building? If you answered yes, you will want to read through the information here before deciding what to do next. It could save you thousands of dollars.

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