InterNACHI - Mold Inspection
Mold growth can be limited if the MC of wood can be kept below ____. Below a ____ MC of wood, virtually no microbial growth will occur on even the most susceptible materials.
20%...17%
In general, all wet areas should be completely dried within _____ hours to prevent mold from growing.
48
"Stains and odors are caused by the presence of mold" is an example of a/n __________ hypothesis.
Aesthetic
Current evidence indicates that ________ are the types of disease most often associated with molds.
Allergies
____________ is visible growth with characteristics of mold, which cannot be confirmed by the inspector without the benefit of sampling.
Apparent mold
Two common types of indoor mold are Penicillium and ______________.
Aspergillus
The main role of fungi in the ecosystem is to ____________________.
Break down dead materials
A(n) _________ is comprised of an abundant supply of nutrients for mold growth.
Building
_____________, in relation to mold, is the study of the building's dynamics as affected by moisture intrusion.
Building science
There are two types of mold inspections taught in this course. One is a Limited Mold Inspection. The other is a _______ Mold Inspection
Complete
___________ should be designed to prevent the movement of mold spores from one area of the building to another.
Containment
/F: The report should include the property's address, size and age of the building, the color of the entry door, number of occupants, and the date of the inspection.
False
T/F: A dryer vent that exhausts into the interior of the building is not within the scope of concern for a mold inspector.
False
T/F: All fungi is mold, but not all mold is fungi.
False
T/F: At least one air sample for mold growth is required in a Complete Mold Inspection.
False
T/F: Children are usually not affected by mold exposure more severely or sooner than other types of people.
False
T/F: In general, the levels and types of fungi found should be significantly different indoors as compared to outdoors
False
T/F: Inspecting for wood-destroying insects is within the scope of a Complete Mold Inspection.
False
T/F: Inspecting toilets is beyond the scope of a mold inspection.
False
T/F: It is possible to perform a professional and thorough mold inspection without a moisture meter.
False
T/F: It is the mold inspector's responsibility to establish that the client has been exposed to mold spores or that the client's exposure is a health hazard.
False
T/F: Mold needs some light to grow; it cannot grow in areas of complete darkness.
False
T/F: The inspector shall carefully inspect the electrical panelboard.
False
T/F: The inspector shall identify mold growth that is not readily visible.
False
T/F: The inspector shall report the life expectancy of the roof covering
False
T/F: The mold inspection is a home (property) inspection.
False
T/F: The use of a biocide or a chemical that kills organisms such as mold (chlorine bleach, for example) is recommended as a routine practice during mold cleanup.
False
T/F: The weather conditions should not be included in the report.
False
T/F: There is no reason to suspect mold if a building has a "moldy smell" but you don't see any mold.
False
The parking structure is not within the scope of a complete mold inspection.
False
A furnace's _________ must be cleaned regularly to prevent mold and bacterial growth.
Humidifiers
A mold has long, thread-like strings of cells called _________.
Hyphae
Before taking any samples, an inspector should develop a set of ___________ that address the concerns of the client.
Hypotheses
Mold can grow _________ if adequate temperature, moisture and nutrients are provided
Instantly
Once a building is affected by _________________, mold can start growing in very little time
Moisture intrusion
Any areas that smell ____________ should also be investigated to ensure that water has not entered and that mold is growing.
Moldy or musty
As some molds grow under certain conditions, some of them may produce potentially toxic byproducts called ________ .
Mycotoxins
Vent moisture-generating appliances, such as dryers, to the __________, where possible.
Outdoors
Because exposures may be greatly increased in a confined space, workers must use a higher level of ______ than they would when working in a more accessible area.
PPE
People who have concerns about the health effects of mold exposure should __________.
Seek the advice of a healthcare professional
Remediation generally can be divided into ________ (less than 10 square feet of mold), __________ (10 to 100 square feet of mold), and ________ jobs (more than 100 square feet of mold).
Small...medium...large
T/F: A lawn sprinkler could create a condition conducive to mold growth.
True
T/F: A remediation clearance inspection is simply a Compete Mold Inspection performed in accordance with the IAC2 Mold Inspection Standards of Practice following remediation.
True
T/F: All sampling shall be performed according to the IAC2 Mold Sampling Procedures available at http://www.IAC2.org.
True
T/F: An increase (up to 90%) in the relative humidity of air downstream of cooling coils is a natural result of the energy transfer between the air and the coils.
True
T/F: Dead or alive, mold can cause allergic reactions in some people.
True
T/F: Excessive watering of house plants may create a condition conducive to mold growth.
True
T/F: Humidifiers should be considered potential sources of mold growth
True
T/F: Information on cause-and-effect relationships between biological materials and illness is not currently available.
True
T/F: Interpretation of the results and recommendations should be confined to those that are supported directly by data obtained during the visual examination.
True
T/F: Micro-organisms can grow on the damp filter of an HVAC system, and even on the collected dust of its filter.
True
T/F: Mold can cause asthma attacks.
True
T/F: Molds are part of the kingdom Fungi.
True
T/F: Not everything that looks like mold is mold.
True
T/F: Poor or delayed maintenance of the HVAC system is a condition conducive to mold growth.
True
T/F: RH is a factor in determining how much moisture is present in a room, but it is the available moisture in a substrate (not the RH of the room's air) that determines if mold can grow or not.
True
T/F: Samples should be analyzed according to the methods recommended by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), or other professional guidelines.
True
T/F: Steam radiators are components whose operation is conducive to mold growth.
True
T/F: The Scope of Work should list all of the hypotheses (concerns), along with a description of the sampling that was performed in order to test them.
True
T/F: The information expected from contact surface samples is often just simple confirmation that the collected material is biological in nature, or that biological growth can be ruled out.
True
T/F: The inspector shall report moisture intrusion, water damage, musty odors, apparent mold growth, or conditions conducive to mold growth.
True
T/F: The inspector shall report musty odors.
True
T/F: The key to mold prevention is moisture control.
True
T/F: The mold inspector is not required to lift carpeting to detect apparent mold growth.
True
T/F: The mold sampling should be in alignment with the client's concerns about mold.
True
T/F: The sampling devices and sampling locations should be recorded in the report.
True
T/F: The visual examination of a building is non-invasive.
True
T/F: There are four important indoor allergenic molds. They are Penicillium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Alternaria
True
T/F: There have been studies of mold in homes that have provided new information about what is "normal" or "unusual" in a healthy home.
True
T/F: To control condensation in a building's exterior wall in cold climates, install air or vapor barriers on the warm side of the building's envelope.
True
T/F: To prevent mold growth, air filters of an HVAC system should be kept dry and changed frequently.
True
T/F: To prevent mold growth, do not let foundations stay wet.
True
T/F: Visible, apparent mold, mold-damaged materials, and moldy odors should not be present in a healthy building.
True
Exposed dirt floors in ________________ should be sealed with a vapor barrier.
Under-floor crawlspaces
A(n)________ inspection is the most important first step in identifying possible mold contamination.
Visual
Mold can generally be removed from hard surfaces by wiping or scrubbing with ________________.
Water and detergent
