Most of the time, indoor mold growth is obvious and visible. However, sometimes it is not, especially if the mold is growing behind walls and hidden cavities. It is hard for the untrained eye to determine whether hidden mold growth is extensive, which is why a mold inspection is necessary. Signs of mold include:
- You notice a strange musty or damp smell
- There is a history of flooding in your home
- There has been a recent flood in your home
- There are places in the house where water or moisture tends to collect
- There are water leaks in your home
- You notice you or your family are experiencing health complications such as headaches, skin irritation, breathing difficulties, or persistent coughing and wheezing
Mold Damage Assessment
It’s the Law in New York State
In January of 2016, the New York State Department of Labor began enforcing Article 32 of the New York State Labor Law which establishes licensing requirement and minimum work standards for professionals engaging in Mold Remediation and/or Mold Damage Assessment. The new law consists of three major components:
1. Training: The Mold Program will protect consumers by requiring contractors to obtain appropriate training prior to being licensed to perform mold assessment, remediation or abatement services.
2. Licensing: Contractors will not be allowed to advertise or perform covered work without the required license, with limited exceptions such as home or business owners performing work on their own properties.
3. Minimum Work Standards: The Mold Program also establishes new minimum work standards for mold assessments and remediation activities by licensed professionals, including:
- Protection against fraud by prohibiting the performance of both the assessment and remediation on the same property by the same individual;
- Protection against fraud by requiring an independent mold assessment to define the scope of the remediation work;
- Identification of disinfectant products, consistent with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards;
- Provision of personal protection equipment to employees, as necessary;
- Posted notice of the project and the contractor’s licenses; and
- Completion of a post-remediation assessment.
If you believe your home or business may have mold growth or damage, we welcome you to contact our team today! At Rockwell Indoor Environmental, our professional contractors are highly-trained and licensed to perform the necessary work for your property. We are proud to perform mold detection, damage assessments, and mold damage remediation for clients across Syracuse, NY, including the states of New York and Pennsylvania.
A professional mold damage assessment is the key to a successful remediation project, and most mold detection professionals are Industrial Hygienists or Board-Certified Indoor Environmental Consultants.
These licensed and board-certified professionals will be trained in building science – the knowledge that focuses on the analysis of the physical phenomena affecting buildings, including but not limited to:
- Thermal environment
- Indoor light environment
- Indoor air quality
- Building resource use – including energy and building material use
These areas are studied in terms of physical principles, relationship to building occupant health, comfort, and productivity, and how they can be controlled by the building envelope and electrical and mechanical systems. Contact our team today to schedule a mold damage assessment or discuss your remediation needs! We are proud to serve homes and businesses throughout the Syracuse, NY community.