RE: Interstitial Sampling, aka. The Wall Cavity Air Sample.

[Guest guest]

Chuck I do believe that we are on the same page. The issue was much more shallow that I think it appeared. I’m not really challenging anyone’s position on wall cavity sample collection just the miss use in the recent cases that I am dealing with. Always good to hear from you. P. Lapotaire, CIECBuilding Envelope & Indoor Environmental ConsultantFlorida State Licensed Mold Assessor MRS #4Microshield Environmental Services, LLCph fax www.Microshield-ES.com From: iequality [mailto:iequality ] On Behalf Of ChuckSent: Thursday, December 30, 2010 12:59 PMTo: iequality Subject: Re: Interstitial Sampling, aka. The Wall Cavity Air Sample. , Thanks for your reply. I understand your perspective and neither agree nor disagree entirely. It sounds like we're both on the same page however that each building, occupant, concern and assessment is different and that no credible " one size fits all " generalizations can be made. As Wei pointed out in his reply, along with several other good points, that assessment/investigation is a process and that few if any meaningful conclusions can be drawn from analytical data alone, or from any other single piece of information, which is why the terms " testers " and " inspectors " rub me the wrong way. The same analytical data can be meaningful or not, and to different degrees in a variety of ways when considered as a single piece or group of information along with all of the other data, observations and information gained through the investigative process, not the least of which is the history of a structure and it's utilization over the course of that history. As investigators/assessors know, not everything is about mold, and sometimes some of the problems are about mold but quite often the mold is just one of several IEQ issues of concern that can be contributing factors. I've often described performing environmental assessments (IEQ as well as other types) as playing three-dimensional chess in zero gravity. I believe that statement takes us back to the point that generalizations are useless at best, and can also be potentially harmful in many ways. Therefore, it seems to me that the most accurate answer to most questions pertaining to IEQ is, " it depends " . Cheers, Chuck Reaney A. Reaney, CIEC, CIAQPPresident/Project Manager Alpha Environmental, Inc.IAQ/IEQ & Environmental ConsultingMedia, PA 19063 P: C: Interstitial Sampling, aka. The Wall Cavity Air Sample. I have reviewed far too many reports that site an interstitial/wall cavity sample as the reason that a building or home requires extensive if not complete remediation. The cases brought to me have increase recently at an alarming rate. Some of these samples have been collected on homes and buildings on crawl spaces that were built as much as 75 years ago.All of the reports that I have reviewed included very little background information and all had no elevated spore trap levels in the living/occupied space. A few identified elevated moisture but none identified the cause and origin of the moisture. All fell to the collection of air samples within several walls for a period of 5 minutes at a rate of 15 liters to provide the clients with a smoking gun and an answer to what in their home or office was making them sick.I believe the samples are collected in an attempt to justify the cost of the assessment by providing some form of a conclusion via laboratory results.If anyone out there is collecting wall cavity air sampling please help me understand how costly remediation can be based on these samples alone. More specifically why anyone would collect a wall sample from a 75 year old building on a crawl space with openings from the crawl space to the wall cavity. A lath and plaster wall cavity at that. Then recommend remediation and further investigation.But then again I prefer to sample as little as possible during the initial investigation.Just venting a bit.P.S. My clients are the property owners and/or the property management companies. The reports were all from tenant hired inspectors. Lapotaire