Home inspector makes more than mold a problem

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Inman News Features

Home inspector makes more than mold a problem

Unethical conduct raises eyebrows and questions

http://www.mortgage101.com/partner-scripts/inman.asp?ID=49503

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Dear Barry,

A home inspector recently went through my attic. He found mold on

the wood framing and gave me an outrageous estimate to fix the

problem. The estimate mentioned something about a foaming borade

[sic] solution that would be put on the wood to kill and prevent

future mold growth. I'm just wondering where I could get this stuff--

if I can--or what other options I have. Any information on this

would be greatly appreciated. - Donna

Dear Donna,

Your situation raises more issues than those involving mold. To

begin, home inspectors who perform corrective work pursuant to their

inspections are highly suspect and are operating in direct

opposition to established industry standards governing the ethical

conduct of home inspectors. The inherent conflict of interest is

obvious to most people and should be equally clear to those who

practice it.

It should also be noted that mold evaluations are not within the

defined scope of a home inspection. Furthermore, the practice of

mold abatement, when approached in a responsible manner, is highly

specialized, requiring considerable knowledge of mold species, their

respective health-related effects, familiarity with specific

conditions that engender mold growth, and a practical understanding

of the safest and most effective means of eradication. As such, this

is not a practice to be undertaken as a sideline by home inspectors.

As to the proposed use of " foaming borate, " no one I've consulted

seems to know what this mysterious substance is. The phrase does not

exist on the Internet, as evidenced by a lack of results when a

Google.com search was conducted. However, there are some cleaning

products that contain borate compounds (i.e. Borax laundry

detergent), and such products are sometimes employed in routine

surface mold cleanup. But borate-containing cleaners are by no means

a cure-all approach to mold abatement.

It should also be mentioned that innocuous forms of mold are often

found on construction lumber, and this may be all that was observed

by the home inspector who was in your attic.

For further information regarding mold issues, there is a highly

informative Web site at

http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/IAQ/Got_Mold.html.