Northeast Property Restoration
May 21, 2021
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Mold Assessor vs. Mold Remediator

Mold Assessor vs. Mold Remediator | The New York State Department of Labor does not require you to clean up mold on your property. However, if you decide to have someone assess and remediate an area of mold that is larger than 10 square feet of mold, you must use licensed mold professionals to do the work.

A Mold Assessor is needed to perform an inspection and complete a Mold Remediation Plan. Next the Mold Remediation Contractor is hired to do the work outlined in the plan.

NYSDOL Mold Guidelines

The NYSDOL makes sure that professionals who do mold assessments and remediation work have proper training, licenses, and perform minimum work standards.

Every mold cleanup project performed by professionals (over 10sq ft of mold) must follow these steps: assessment, remediation, and clearance.

The law protects property owners by not allowing licensed mold companies from doing both the assessment and remediation.

Mold Assessor

A mold assessor should have a valid Mold Assessor License from the NYSDOL for the company and employees. Their duty is to:

Perform the initial visual inspection of the property
Conduct air testing and/or surface testing (if needed)
Identify the source of moisture
Educate the property owner on their findings
Create a mold remediation plan/assessment

What is a Mold Assessment?

A mold remediation plan or a mold assessment is a document prepared by the mold assessor. The plan will include:

Testing results
Area of mold growth/concerns
Procedures on how to remediate the mold
Specific requirements are listed in Section 945 of the Labor Law

Mold Remediation Contractor

A Mold Remediation Contractor must have a valid NYS Mold Remediator License and all technicians must have valid NYS Mold Abatement worker licenses. Their duty is to:

Create their own Mold Work Plan that fulfills all of the requirements within the Mold Assessors plan
Perform the cleanup based on the assessment provided by the Mold Assessor
Meet the clearance criteria listed in the Plan

For verification you can ask the contractor for copies of their mold license or you can verify the license on the Department of Labor’s website.

When is a Mold Remediation Project Complete?

Once your Mold Remediation Contractor has done the work, the Mold Assessor must do a post-remediation assessment.

The project is complete when the Mold Assessor issues a final clearance that states:

- The work area is free from all visible mold
- All work has been done according to the Mold Remediation Plan
- Clearance criteria listed in the Mold Remediation Plan was met

FAQS

Does NYS Require a Property Owner to Clean up Mold When Found?

No, there is no cleanup requirement for the property owners. However, rental property owners must still provide clean & sanitary living conditions to their tenants.

Does the Property Owner Need to Hire a Mold Professional?

No, mold issues can be fixed by the property owner.

How Much Does a Mold Assessment Cost?

The law does not say how much an assessment should cost. It is recommended to get multiple estimates.