Finding A Mold Assessor or Remediator: What To Look For
Finding a licensed and certified mold assessor or remediator can be extremely challenging. In fact, most states have no regulations or guidelines when it comes to mold-related issues. Florida, Louisiana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington, D.C. are the only areas in the United States that require a mold assessor to have a license. Even fewer require mold remediators to have any type of license to perform services. With so little regulation, it can be hard to figure out who really understands what is needed to perform an assessment or remediation properly. Luckily, there are nationwide programs that are designed to educate those who choose this field of work.
A great place to start when trying to find someone who is qualified to perform what service you need, whether it’s an assessment or remediation, is the American Council for Accredited Certification (ACAC.org). This organization is a national accreditation service and has a large database with those who have passed their rigorous standards. Mold assessors and remediators can both be certified by the ACAC, and several states look to the ACAC on whom has the standard for state licensing.
When you are looking for a mold assessor, you want them to be certified as either a CIE (Counsel-Certified Indoor Environmentalist-2+ years of experience) or a CIEC (Council-Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant-8+ years of experience). To have this accreditation, you must have a minimum of 2 years of experience in the field and pass in-depth testing to show your knowledge of indoor environments. In some cases, you may find that a CIE or CIEC has a CRIE (Counsel-Certified Residential Indoor Environmentalist) working with them. This certification is the first step to becoming a CIE or CIEC and one should be working with one of the two with experience.
In addition to the right certification, if your state requires it, you want your mold assessor to be licensed by your state. They should also be insured if required by state law. Finally, if you find a properly certified, licensed, and insured assessor, you want to make sure that they do not perform remediation as well as assessments. This is a conflict of interest and can lead to people being taken advantage of.
If you need a mold remediator, you want to check the ACAC website for either a CIER (Council-Certified Indoor Environmental Remediator-2+ years’ experience), a CIES (Council-Certified Indoor Environmental Supervisor-8+ years’ experience), or a CRER (Council-Certified Residential Environmental Remediator-required to be employed in the remediation field). In addition, those who hold a CMR (Council-Certified Microbial Remediator-2+ years’ experience), a CMRS (Council-Certified Microbial Remediation Supervisor-8+ years’ experience) or a CRMR (Council-Certified Residential Microbial Remediator-required to be employed in the field) are just as qualified.
In addition, if your state requires it, make sure your remediator is licensed and insured. One very important aspect is that your remediator is familiar with and abides by the IICRC S500 and S520 standards for water damage and mold remediation. These guidelines are the gold standard for mold remediation and cover everything from proper containment to personal protection equipment.
Another excellent and respected organization for mold assessor and remediator certifications is NORMI (National Organization of Remediators & Microbial Inspectors). NORMI offers certifications such as CMA (Certified Mold Assessor), MRSA (Mold Related Services Assessor), CMR (Certified Mold Remediator), and MRSR (Mold Related Services Remediator). You can search for a NORMI-certified individual at NORMI.org.
The important message here is to make sure that if your state requires licensing that whoever you hire is licensed by your state. If your state does not have laws around mold-related services, you want to make sure you find someone with the proper qualifications to perform the services you need to make sure you get exactly what you need to fix your home.
For more information on services provided by Rezilir Health, please visit https://rezilirhealth.com/oursolutions/environmental/ or email us at iep@rezilirhealth.com.
