Mold Assessment / Remediation Study
Guide Test.
Mold Assessment (FL) - CORRECT ANSWER A process performed by a mold assessor that includes the
physical sampling and detailed evaluation of data obtained from a building history and inspection to
formulate an initial hypothesis about the origin, identity, location and extent of amplification of mold
growth greater than 10 square feet.
Mold Remediation (FL) - CORRECT ANSWER The removal, cleaning, sanitizing, demolition or other
treatment, including preventative activities, of mold or mold-contaminated matter greater than 10
square feet that was not purposely grown at that location.
Mold Assessment (NY) - CORRECT ANSWER An inspection or assessment of real property that is
designed to discover mold, conditions that facilitate mold, indicia of conditions that are likely to
facilitate mold or any combination thereof.
Mold Remediation (NY) - CORRECT ANSWER Conducting the business of removal, cleaning, sanitizing, or
surface disinfection of mold, mold containment, and waste handling of mold and materials used to
remove mold from surfaces by a business enterprise, including but not limited to, sole proprietorships.
Mold remediation for the purposes of this article shall not include remediation of the underlying sources
of moisture that may be the cause of mold that requires expertise not specific to acts authorized under
this article.
Project (NY) - CORRECT ANSWER Means mold remediation, mold assessment or mold abatement of
areas greater than ten square feet, but does not include (a) routine cleaning or (b) construction,
maintenance, repairs or demolition of buildings, structures or fixtures undertaken for purposes other
than mold remediation or abatement.
Sanitization - CORRECT ANSWER Reduction of the microbial population on an inanimate object to levels
judged safe by public health standards; usually, the object is cleaned with an antimicrobial.
Remediation - CORRECT ANSWER The act of removing damaged construction materials when said
materials are irretrievable or nonsalvageable. Such remediation should be done with precaution due to
health concerns for the occupants and the contractor who is doing the work.
,What is Mold? - CORRECT ANSWER Molds are fungi which may grow on environmental surfaces, in
porous materials, on/or within living organisms and in decaying organic matter.
The Kingdoms - CORRECT ANSWER 1. Animals
2. Plants
3. Protozoa
4. Fungi
5. Bacteria
6. Viruses
Fungi - CORRECT ANSWER Mold is a particular type of fungus.
Fungi are a distinct and unique group of organisms that are classified into an individual kingdom.
Most Common Indoor Fungi - CORRECT ANSWER • Aspergillus
• Cladosporium
• Penicillium
• Asper/Pen
When Molds Grow - CORRECT ANSWER Most fungi are composed of microscopic filaments called
HYPHAE , which branch to eventually form a network of hyphae, called a MYCELIUM (colony). The
mycelium extends over or through whatever substrate the fungus is using as a source of food.
Digestive Systems of Molds - CORRECT ANSWER Fungi secrete digestive fluids that decompose the
substrate, making nutrients available.
When the environmental conditions are right, molds/fungi have all the food they need to grow and
colonize.
Toxic By-Products (Mycotoxins) - CORRECT ANSWER • Large group of toxins produced by some fungi,
located on or in the spores.
• Toxins can be cancer causing and suppress the immune system.
,• "Secondary Metabolites" of mold growth are, essentially, the by-products of mold growth.
Toxic Molds - CORRECT ANSWER Stachybotrys Chartarum primary.
Just because it's black doesn't mean it's Stachybotrys
Isolated primarily from water damaged building materials and cellulose contents (discard)
Mycotoxin producer, toxic to many
Requires an ongoing water source.
Secondary metabolite of this is Trichothecene, a mycotoxin. (Some other obscure molds produce this
same bi-product.) Other water damage-related molds may be toxic including Fusarium, Chaetomium,
Trichoderma and Memnoniella.
Additional molds found to have toxins include Aspergillus and Penicillium, Cladosporium and more.
Mycotoxins are not always produced.
What are VOCs? - CORRECT ANSWER VOCs are invisible gases that are emitted from solids and liquids
found in the home, such as building materials, cooking sources, gasoline and fuel, air fresheners,
paints/varnishes, drycleaning, laser printers, carpeting, adhesives, cleaning solutions, and many other
sources. These chemicals can build up in houses, especially in the winter and summer months when
homes are generally closed up. Repeated exposure to VOCs can cause blurred vision, headaches,
nausea, dizziness, coughing, lethargy, burning eyes, respiratory irritation, skin rashes, reduced lung
function, respiratory illness, concentration difficulties, depression, and, in extreme cases, loss of
consciousness and suffocation. Higher exposure can lead to liver damage, kidney and central nervous
system irregularities. Some VOCs can cause cancer.
What are MVOCs? - CORRECT ANSWER MVOCs are gases (chemicals) produced by actively growing
mold. Just as humans expire gases, so do molds. These chemicals can be monitored to determine the
level of actively growing mold in the house. A Home Air Check measurement is an excellent way to
determine the level of mold growing in a house - even behind walls. This is possible because Home Air
Check is a chemical analysis of the air, and chemicals move more freely through a house than mold
spores (particulates) which can be trapped by walls and thereby go undetected. When mold levels are
elevated and there is chronic exposure in the home, some individuals can experience negative health
effects, or worsening of existing illnesses, that could run the gamut from mild to serious. These health
effects could include allergies, skin irritations, asthma, respiratory infection, and toxic poisoning. In
addition, individuals with suppressed immune systems may be particularly vulnerable to illnesses caused
by mold contamination.
Volatile Organic Compounds - VOC - CORRECT ANSWER Chemicals that easily evaporate into the air
, Some VOC's have industrial origins, e.g. housekeeping products but sourcing is often difficult because
these come from most building components and many contents in a home or building.
Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds - mVOC - CORRECT ANSWER Produced during fungal growth as a
waste by-product so they elevate primarily when a mold is in an active state.
Their production is dependent on the substrate and environmental conditions and are easily detected
even when no visible mold is present.
Conditions Needed for Mold Growth - CORRECT ANSWER Temperature (ideal - 40°F to 100°F)
Moisture (ideal - H2O or RH <%40-60%>)
Nutrient base (ideal - less organics)
How Do Molds "travel" ? - CORRECT ANSWER Like other IAQ contaminants, mold spores and
mycotoxins travel in the air with:
Moisture (H2O or RH)
Convection (dryer heat rising)
Air Movement (pressure)
Air Infiltration (inside or outside)
From Outdoors (drifting in behind us)
What Changed? - CORRECT ANSWER Energy crisis of 1970's
600% rise in energy costs
"Building Energy Thermostat Settings" (BETS) -"Thermostat police"
High cost of air conditioning outside air reduces outside air requirements and therefore produces a
"toxic soup"
Energy efficient practices created early shut-downs and late start-ups ('coasting')
Variable Air Volume (VAV) systems became a common modification to recycle air more "Value
engineering" emerges which lead to devalued projects and buildings
We begin "sealing our homes with deadly precision" says one Doctor.
New building materials use polymers, resins, formaldehyde and other emitted chemicals, off-gassing
Guide Test.
Mold Assessment (FL) - CORRECT ANSWER A process performed by a mold assessor that includes the
physical sampling and detailed evaluation of data obtained from a building history and inspection to
formulate an initial hypothesis about the origin, identity, location and extent of amplification of mold
growth greater than 10 square feet.
Mold Remediation (FL) - CORRECT ANSWER The removal, cleaning, sanitizing, demolition or other
treatment, including preventative activities, of mold or mold-contaminated matter greater than 10
square feet that was not purposely grown at that location.
Mold Assessment (NY) - CORRECT ANSWER An inspection or assessment of real property that is
designed to discover mold, conditions that facilitate mold, indicia of conditions that are likely to
facilitate mold or any combination thereof.
Mold Remediation (NY) - CORRECT ANSWER Conducting the business of removal, cleaning, sanitizing, or
surface disinfection of mold, mold containment, and waste handling of mold and materials used to
remove mold from surfaces by a business enterprise, including but not limited to, sole proprietorships.
Mold remediation for the purposes of this article shall not include remediation of the underlying sources
of moisture that may be the cause of mold that requires expertise not specific to acts authorized under
this article.
Project (NY) - CORRECT ANSWER Means mold remediation, mold assessment or mold abatement of
areas greater than ten square feet, but does not include (a) routine cleaning or (b) construction,
maintenance, repairs or demolition of buildings, structures or fixtures undertaken for purposes other
than mold remediation or abatement.
Sanitization - CORRECT ANSWER Reduction of the microbial population on an inanimate object to levels
judged safe by public health standards; usually, the object is cleaned with an antimicrobial.
Remediation - CORRECT ANSWER The act of removing damaged construction materials when said
materials are irretrievable or nonsalvageable. Such remediation should be done with precaution due to
health concerns for the occupants and the contractor who is doing the work.
,What is Mold? - CORRECT ANSWER Molds are fungi which may grow on environmental surfaces, in
porous materials, on/or within living organisms and in decaying organic matter.
The Kingdoms - CORRECT ANSWER 1. Animals
2. Plants
3. Protozoa
4. Fungi
5. Bacteria
6. Viruses
Fungi - CORRECT ANSWER Mold is a particular type of fungus.
Fungi are a distinct and unique group of organisms that are classified into an individual kingdom.
Most Common Indoor Fungi - CORRECT ANSWER • Aspergillus
• Cladosporium
• Penicillium
• Asper/Pen
When Molds Grow - CORRECT ANSWER Most fungi are composed of microscopic filaments called
HYPHAE , which branch to eventually form a network of hyphae, called a MYCELIUM (colony). The
mycelium extends over or through whatever substrate the fungus is using as a source of food.
Digestive Systems of Molds - CORRECT ANSWER Fungi secrete digestive fluids that decompose the
substrate, making nutrients available.
When the environmental conditions are right, molds/fungi have all the food they need to grow and
colonize.
Toxic By-Products (Mycotoxins) - CORRECT ANSWER • Large group of toxins produced by some fungi,
located on or in the spores.
• Toxins can be cancer causing and suppress the immune system.
,• "Secondary Metabolites" of mold growth are, essentially, the by-products of mold growth.
Toxic Molds - CORRECT ANSWER Stachybotrys Chartarum primary.
Just because it's black doesn't mean it's Stachybotrys
Isolated primarily from water damaged building materials and cellulose contents (discard)
Mycotoxin producer, toxic to many
Requires an ongoing water source.
Secondary metabolite of this is Trichothecene, a mycotoxin. (Some other obscure molds produce this
same bi-product.) Other water damage-related molds may be toxic including Fusarium, Chaetomium,
Trichoderma and Memnoniella.
Additional molds found to have toxins include Aspergillus and Penicillium, Cladosporium and more.
Mycotoxins are not always produced.
What are VOCs? - CORRECT ANSWER VOCs are invisible gases that are emitted from solids and liquids
found in the home, such as building materials, cooking sources, gasoline and fuel, air fresheners,
paints/varnishes, drycleaning, laser printers, carpeting, adhesives, cleaning solutions, and many other
sources. These chemicals can build up in houses, especially in the winter and summer months when
homes are generally closed up. Repeated exposure to VOCs can cause blurred vision, headaches,
nausea, dizziness, coughing, lethargy, burning eyes, respiratory irritation, skin rashes, reduced lung
function, respiratory illness, concentration difficulties, depression, and, in extreme cases, loss of
consciousness and suffocation. Higher exposure can lead to liver damage, kidney and central nervous
system irregularities. Some VOCs can cause cancer.
What are MVOCs? - CORRECT ANSWER MVOCs are gases (chemicals) produced by actively growing
mold. Just as humans expire gases, so do molds. These chemicals can be monitored to determine the
level of actively growing mold in the house. A Home Air Check measurement is an excellent way to
determine the level of mold growing in a house - even behind walls. This is possible because Home Air
Check is a chemical analysis of the air, and chemicals move more freely through a house than mold
spores (particulates) which can be trapped by walls and thereby go undetected. When mold levels are
elevated and there is chronic exposure in the home, some individuals can experience negative health
effects, or worsening of existing illnesses, that could run the gamut from mild to serious. These health
effects could include allergies, skin irritations, asthma, respiratory infection, and toxic poisoning. In
addition, individuals with suppressed immune systems may be particularly vulnerable to illnesses caused
by mold contamination.
Volatile Organic Compounds - VOC - CORRECT ANSWER Chemicals that easily evaporate into the air
, Some VOC's have industrial origins, e.g. housekeeping products but sourcing is often difficult because
these come from most building components and many contents in a home or building.
Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds - mVOC - CORRECT ANSWER Produced during fungal growth as a
waste by-product so they elevate primarily when a mold is in an active state.
Their production is dependent on the substrate and environmental conditions and are easily detected
even when no visible mold is present.
Conditions Needed for Mold Growth - CORRECT ANSWER Temperature (ideal - 40°F to 100°F)
Moisture (ideal - H2O or RH <%40-60%>)
Nutrient base (ideal - less organics)
How Do Molds "travel" ? - CORRECT ANSWER Like other IAQ contaminants, mold spores and
mycotoxins travel in the air with:
Moisture (H2O or RH)
Convection (dryer heat rising)
Air Movement (pressure)
Air Infiltration (inside or outside)
From Outdoors (drifting in behind us)
What Changed? - CORRECT ANSWER Energy crisis of 1970's
600% rise in energy costs
"Building Energy Thermostat Settings" (BETS) -"Thermostat police"
High cost of air conditioning outside air reduces outside air requirements and therefore produces a
"toxic soup"
Energy efficient practices created early shut-downs and late start-ups ('coasting')
Variable Air Volume (VAV) systems became a common modification to recycle air more "Value
engineering" emerges which lead to devalued projects and buildings
We begin "sealing our homes with deadly precision" says one Doctor.
New building materials use polymers, resins, formaldehyde and other emitted chemicals, off-gassing
