What should a properly performed mold assessment look like?

To answer your question: There's no one-size-fits-all approach to performing a mold assessment. That's because each environment and its occupants and systems vary, requiring the mold assessor to go about data-gathering and interpretation differently (that is, if they want to provide you with specifics about your home or office's environment). That said, there are a few things that every mold assessment should include as a foundation:

1. Determination of Causal Factors. More than knowing what type of mold is present, knowing what caused a mold problem (i.e., mold growth or elevated spores in the air) is key in remedying (i.e., remediating) a building of mold contamination; after all, if the causal factors aren't addressed during the removal of moldy building materials or the cleaning of the contaminated environment, the mold problem will return. So, a professional mold assessor should be competent in determining the causal factors for any found mold growth or contamination in your home or office and communicate those causal factors in their report.
2. Determination of Location & Extent of Mold: This requires the mold assessor be able to study the environment to determine variables related to air movement, building use, ventilation, moisture activity (i.e., where in the air or building materials is the moisture elevated and why), types and extent of building materials and contents with mold colonization/growth, areas where the air quality has been compromised by an abnormal airborne fungal population (i.e., elevated mold spores in the air), and other pertinent factors; because, during the course of a mold assessment, the mold assessor should be looking at those things necessary for him or her to write a site-specific protocol for mold remediation (i.e., corrective action plan). When the mold assessor doesn't possess such competency, they may overlook issues in your home or office, may not provide a detailed report (instead just hand you a copy of the laboratory's report), and provide a poor protocol for mold remediation, which may compromise the mold remediation process. 
3. Avoidance of Conflict of Interest Practices: This is an area that gets debated, but is quite simple if you look at the legal precedent set, the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification's (IICRC) S520, Standard for Professional Mold Remediation, and the IICRC R520, Reference Guide for Professional Mold Remediation. There are many ways "conflict of interest" may be practiced during the mold assessment, too many to get into in this blog. Suffice it to say, if the mold assessor has a potential interest (e.g., financial or relational) that could compromise the integrity of his or her mold assessment, it has, legally, been defined as a conflict of interest. (Perhaps, in a future blog, I can share some examples with you and discuss this in greater detail?)
4. Detailed Reporting Based on Science-based Evidence: While this may sound like a no-brainer, it's something I see lacking, often, in my peer-reviews of other mold assessor's work. Ask your mold assessor to provide an honest, scientific analysis of your home or office, recording and photographing their findings for detailed reporting; make sure the assessor will write the report him or her self and not provide you a copy of the laboratory's report only; make sure they are going to include a protocol for mold remediation that is specific to what needs to be done, where, by whom, and with what (e.g., do air filtration devices need to be installed, containment erected, and building materials removed?); make sure they include an answer to the question "Can I occupy the building while mold remediation is being performed?"; make sure any limitations on the assessment process be documented; and, make sure they include resources in their report that defends their conclusions. Why? It provides you value for your mold assessment investment; it provides you a clear understanding of what needs to be done where and why; it provides for your safety and health in the form of their protocol for mold remediation; it provides justification for costs associated with their protocol for mold remediation; and so much more.
5. Competent Person: What do I mean by competent person? Well, it's a person who can demonstrate, by his or her education and accreditation, that he or she can provide for those things you need them to do during the mold assessment. In Florida, many rely on the license law, for mold assessors and mold remediators, to protect them from fraud and abuse; however, the requirements to become licensed falls short the industry's base-knowledge for mold assessment and remediation. Therefore, a competent person should be able to provide you copies or other confirmation of accreditation beyond the license requirement, itself. This includes such certifications as Council-certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC), Council-certified Indoor Environmentalist (CIE), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), and Certified Safety Professional (CSP) for mold assessors and Council-certified Microbial Remediation Supervisor (CMRS) and Council-certified Microbial Remediator (CMR) for mold remediators. (Depending on the assessor or remediator's involvement in other duties, other certifications may be requested.) You can learn more a by reading this blog.

The good news is that Gulf Coast Center for Indoor Air Quality Services provides all of this and more, and at a cost-competitive rate with great turnaround times. To learn more contact us about how we may serve you.

Here are some questions you can ask of your potential mold assessor to help you with the information in this blog:

1. Are you licensed by the State of Florida?
2. Do you or anyone in your organization or family perform mold remediation?
3. Will you be conducting a visual inspection or just mold testing?
4. Will I be getting a detailed written report from you or the laboratory?
5. How do you interpret the laboratory results?
6. Will you be performing the mold assessment in accordance with the ASTM D-7338 Standard Guide for Assessment of Fungal Growth in Buildings?
7. Are you familiar with the IICRC S520?
8. What qualifications do you have to perform mold inspection?
9. What certifications do you have?
10. Do you have references from clients?