Questions & Answers About
Mold Certification and Accreditation
Q.
How is the Professional Certification Institute able to certify mold inspectors and mold
contractors?
A.
Almost every industry, trade,
and profession in the U.S.A. and Canada has its own, private, non-governmental
educational and certification program to train and to certify or qualify professionals in
their respective industry or trade. For example, the National Association of Realtors has
a number of different certification programs for various real estate specialties.
Governmental agencies do not establish industry certification programs---that's the job
of each respective industry, trade, or profession. Professional
Certification Institute is the leading certification program for the mold testing and mold
remediation industries. If you enter the terms "mold inspector" or "certified mold
inspector" into most internet search engines, you will discover that most search engines
already recognize those search terms as being associated with the websites:
http://www.certifiedmoldinspectors.com, or
http://www.moldinspector.com,
or with one of our large number of other sister indoor air quality websites. You will be
a board-certified Certified Mold Inspector and Certified Mold Contractor by the training
board and faculty of the Professional Certification Institute [P.C.I.].
has established [and maintains] the highest and most effective national standards for
both mold testing and mold remediation.
Q.
Can I earn a high income in
mold inspection and mold remediation?
A.
A recent Wall Street Journal
[Aug., 2002] article described the mold inspector and mold remediator profession as one
of the hot job opportunities in today's business world. The Journal noted: "Paul Brennan,
an instructor (former) at the Professional Certification Institute, says that opportunities for 'certified mold inspectors' and 'certified mold remediators' are 'steadily growing' across the country. Mold inspectors can earn as much
as $100,000 annually while remediators -- who rip out mold-infested areas --can take home
much more, Mr. Brennan reports."
Q.
What about the retreat of
insurance companies from covering mold problems?
A.
The fast-growing mold
remediation industry will survive the insurance company retreat from covering mold
problems, and continue to flourish, for a number of reasons:
-
Even though insurance companies may state that a policy has no mold coverage or only a
limited amount of mold coverage, if the policy provides for coverage in the event of
roof leaks, water line breaks, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc. that can directly cause mold
infestation, plaintiffs attorneys will often be very successful in making insurance
companies pay for mold that directly results from specifically insured water intrusion
sources. To protect themselves against water and mold claims, many insurance companies'
homeowner's insurance policies now exclude even water damage!!!
-
The liability of mortgage lenders for mold coverage when they finance properties
containing existing mold infestation is a rapidly-growing source of mold remediation
funds. Again, you can thank the legal profession for this because mold litigation is
the hottest, fastest-growing lawsuit field today with thousands of attorneys pursuing
mold cases actively as plaintiff's counsel.
-
When home residents get real sick from mold infestation, many will find a way to pay
for their mold remediation, including such financial strategies as: (a) getting a
second mortgage against their home equity; (b) borrowing from their local credit union
or other loan sources; (c) borrowing funds from friends and relatives; and (d) selling
their investment assets, second car, boat, RV, other personal property, etc.
-
Mold remediation of office buildings, commercial buildings, schools and other
government buildings, retail stores, warehouses, and industrial buildings is very
financially feasible for business and governmental owners of such non-residential
buildings. Commercial mold remediation will be a multi-billion dollar market yearly
just by itself.
-
There exist several effective, low-cost, secondary mold remediation procedures that can
be used when there is no insurance coverage, or otherwise when money is a problem in
mold remediation. Visit: Kill
Mold For Less System.
Q.
Will my P.C.I. mold
training and certification program enable me to work in my own state as a Certified Mold
Inspector and Certified Mold Remediator, etc.?
A.
Your P.C.I. training and
certification enable you to do mold inspection, mold testing, and mold remediation in all
50 states, the District of Columbia, and all U.S. territories. Your prospective clients
will appreciate your training and certification and hire you because of it. At the
present time, NO state licenses mold inspectors and mold remediators. You need to
establish yourself as a mold inspector and mold remediator right now so that you will be
"grandfathered in" [protected as an existing mold professional if your state ever does
license mold inspectors and mold contractors].
Q.
Do I need to certify each
employee in my mold testing
or mold contracting company?
A.
No, just one person [you]
would be wonderful. Whoever is going to publicly deal with prospective customers from a
sales and public relations perspective should be a Certified Mold Inspector and/or
Certified Mold Contractor. The employees who carry out your orders [in doing the correct
mold removal procedures and steps] are working directly under your authority and
responsibility as a certified mold professional. This is similar to a licensed medical
doctor who is helped by his non-licensed nurses, medical assistants, and office personnel
in providing services to the patients under the direct authority and supervision of
himself, the licensed physician. Of course, it is very much to your company's advantage
to have P.C.I. train and certify several of your company personnel.
Q.
How will I keep my mold
training current and updated in the future?
A.
Your mold training does NOT
end when the seminar ends because the Mold Institute keeps teaching you continuously
through: (a) mold seminar graduates who wish to do so will complete an optional 90
day apprenticeship program under the watchful and helpful eyes of
P.C.I.
staffers; (b) you will receive prompt and complete answers to your phone and email
questions and your requests for technical and marketing help; (c) you will receive
technical and marketing suggestions provided to you in our frequent special UPDATE
reports mailed to you; and (d) participate online in our
annual internet convention----the 2005 PCI
free annual convention will be via online internet conferencing, with all seminar
attendees being online simultaneously and interactive via a special internet conference
service. The date for this first electronic annual
PCI convention is Friday, April 29, 2005, 10 a.m. to 12 noon eastern time, and 1
p.m. to 5 p.m. eastern time [new materials presented in each of the two time
sessions].
Q. Where and when is the next
mold certification training seminars?
A.
The March Utah mold training course is March 13-14-15. Our SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, mold
training course is Fri-Sat-Sun, March 14-15-16. Our AKRON, OHIO, mold instruction and
certification program is March 21 [7 p.m. onward], March 22 [morning and afternoon], and
March 23 [mold remediation class in the morning, plus hands-on mold remediation training
at a local mold contaminated house in the afternoon]. Location: Crown Plaza Quaker
Square, 135 South Broadway, Akron OH 44308 Phone (330) 253 5970.
In addition
to really great training, the seminar includes (a) a final written exam for
certification; and (b) an OPTIONAL post-certification three-month apprenticeship
training program. At the end of the third day, you will need to answer
correctly at least 90% of the multiple choice answers to important mold questions in a
written exam to earn a certified designation. You can begin earning money immediately
upon certification but you will be [only if you choose to participate] under the
optional, helpful apprenticeship assistance of our Institute for your first 90 days as a
certified mold professional, and you will pay an apprenticeship training fee of ten
percent [10%] of your total mold testing and mold remediation revenue earned during the
apprenticeship to P.C.I. to reimburse the Institute for the substantial staff time
that will be expended by staffers to help you during your apprenticeship training. The
next hygienist training seminar will be via online instruction, with your required
attendance at one of our 3 day mold training seminars.
Q. Who would be my business
competitors in mold testing and mold remediation, and is there any government work to do?
A. Your main competition would
be ill-trained, ill-informed individuals and companies who do an inadequate and inferior
job of both mold testing and mold removal. Because you will be both a Certified Mold
Inspector and Certified Mold Contractor from a strong certification agency, you and your
words and actions will make you stand out as being an excellent mold inspector and mold
contractor in the eyes of your prospective clients. Government work would not be as
important as private property work, but there are many governmental buildings overwhelmed
with mold contamination.
Q. What equipment and supplies
are needed to operate my mold inspection and mold remediation business?
A. Recommended mold testing and
mold remediation equipment are available and used at each seminar location for your
hands-on training. Equipment and supplies you need include [partial list] hidden moisture
detector [$450], controlled air testing equipment [$233], fiber-optics inspection
equipment [$400], digital hygrometer [$29], Air-O-Cell cassettes, carpet samplers
[Air-O-Cell brand], mold culture plates, mold swabs, hand tools, power tools such as
drills and saws ladders of various sizes, flash lights, industrial hepa filters, fans,
negative air equipment, power planer, power sander, abrasive blasting, equipment, Mold
Killer [benzalkonium chloride], Tim-Bor antimicrobial coating, hand pump sprayer, small
electric sprayer, business cards, and magnetic signs for sides and back of your truck or
car. For mold remediation, a high quality industrial hepa filtration system to
remove airborne mold spores during mold remediation is about $800.00. Easy to erect and
use containment wall systems are about $400. Sprayers cost about $40 for applying mold
killing disinfectants and antimicrobial protective coatings.
Q. I own a water and fire
damage restoration company. How reliable are your test results? And if a professional
uses your products and testing how reliable are they to hold up in a court of law. I have
read a lot about litigation between Homeowners and Insurance companies. Or Employees and
Employers. There was a case here in Ohio where the maintenance man and his crew removed
mold in a hotel. Now, the maintenance guy has less than 57% of his lung capacity left.
Not to mention the danger involved for the guests that were staying in the hotel.
A. Accurate mold testing
depends on two factors. First, is to take the test samples in a comprehensive and
thorough way to locate mold hidden inside walls, ceilings, floors, hvac equipment and
ducts, crawl spaces, attics, and basements. That is why we thoroughly teach testing
techniques and technology to professionals trained by the
Professional Certification Institute. Second, is to have the test samples analyzed by a microbiologist
and mold laboratory with proven, long-time mold identification experience. That is
why David Zwahlen is the lab director and microbiologist for the Mold Inspector
Laboratory. David has over 27 years of hospital-based mold identification experience. He
is registered with the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, and he has both a
bachelor's and master's degree in microbiology. With your accurate and professional
testing techniques, plus the experienced and expert mold identification of the Mold
Inspector Laboratory, the Certified Mold Inspector test results will stand up in court as
strong evidence.
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