Calvin Bolt Inspections & Testing

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Mold Inspections

Calvin has been awarded the Council-Certified designation of Certified Microbial Investigator by the American Council for Accredited Certification (what is a CMI?). This prominent certification is awarded based upon years of documented education and field experience and also a knowledge test in the indoor air quality industry. Areas include building science, building related symptoms, building related illness, HVAC systems, assessments for moisture intrusion, microbial investigations and testing for fungi, mold, bacteria, viruses and their health effects, risk assessments, and mold remediation and verification.

The American Council for Accredited Certification offers nine board-awarded certifications to experienced indoor air quality professionals. Council certificate holders have demonstrated their knowledge and experience in such fields as building sciences, industrial hygiene, indoor environmental risk assessment and microbial investigations, remediation and consulting. Council certification programs are the most rigorous in the field of indoor air quality and maintain the highest professional standards. This CMI certification awarded to Calvin requires 40 hours of continuing education over the 2 year certification period, before the next renewal can be issued.

Calvin is the only Certified Microbial Investigator in Indiana north of the Carmel/Indianapolis area. Consumers can now easily locate certified IAQ professionals across the country and in their area. The American Council for Accredited Certification website (www.acac.org) now features a Certification Locator Map, which allows the user to search for IAQ professionals by zip code, region or Council certification.

What is mold? Is it the bad kind? What can I do? What should I do? Are my health symptoms from mold? Should I have it tested? How do I get rid of it? Will it come back? These are questions that most people ask of me. Mold isn’t really the problem. Let me say that again. Mold isn’t REALLY the problem. MOISTURE is. Either too much, or in the wrong place. Mold is a symptom, moisture is the disease. Treat the disease, and the symptom is held in check. Then the symptom can be treated.

I typically (but not always), sample and test the air first, to see what you are breathing (especially if you are experiencing health symptoms).

Sometimes some visible mold may not be getting airborne; other times the air may be overridden with mold spores yet nothing is visible. If the air is overloaded with mold spores, then I would come back and do a “hands and knees” inspection of your whole house for both mold and water intrusion issues. If the air is not overridden, then you have saved the cost of the inspection part.

While I am there doing the air testing, I can also do a settled dust collection sample. This way you have 2 different tests for mold—a “belt and suspenders” approach.

With the lab results, I will give you a full 6-8 page detailed report on what is going on and with an interpretation of the lab results. I will also write the mold remediation protocol (if that is needed). I do not do the remediation, and mold remediators should not be doing the testing.

Note: Many “mold companies” and home inspectors who are “self-proclaimed” mold inspectors, do not and cannot, offer you an interpretation of the lab results or write up mold remediation protocol. Their insurance companies will not allow them to, and they are not certified to do so.

So if you do not employ my services, make sure the other guys are going to give you a report, and not just hand you the lab results and tell you to figure it out. This really happens!

For peace of mind about your health and home, let’s utilize a process of sampling/testing, and inspection, to come up with information to benefit you. Calvin

(Remember that environmental inspections of any kind, including mold, are not part of a State Licensed Home Inspection.)

Indiana State Licensed Home Inspector:

Experienced...Knowledgeable...Professional...Full Time Inspector