Toxic Mold Solutions

Qualifications

SELECTION CRITERIA

Most of the criteria used in selecting a professional to provide indoor air quality services are similar to those used for other professionals:

■company experience in solving similar problems, including training and experience of the individuals who would be responsible for the work

■quality of interview and proposal

■company reputation

■knowledge of local codes and regional climate conditions

■cost

Diagnostic outcomes to avoid include an evaluation that over- emphasizes measuring concentrations of pollutants and a report that links all the deficiencies in the building to the problem without considering their actual association with the complaints.

Experience

An EPA survey of firms providing IAQ services found that almost half had been providing IAQ diagnostic or mitigation services in non-industrial settings for ten or fewer years.

■Ask how much IAQ work and what type of IAQ work the firm has done.

■Have the firm identify the personnel who would be responsible for your case, their specific experience, and related qualifications. Contract only for the services of those individuals, or require approval for substitutions.

Quality of Interview and Proposal

Several guidelines may be of assistance in hiring IAQ professionals.

1. Competent professionals will ask questions about your situation to see whether they feel they can offer services that will assist you.

The causes and potential remedies for indoor air quality problems vary greatly. A firm needs at least a preliminary understanding of the facts about what is goingon in your building to evaluate if it has access to the professional skills necessary to address your concerns and to make effective use of its personnel from the outset. Often a multi-disciplinary team of professionals is needed.

2. The proposal for the investigation should emphasize observations rather than measurements.

Section 6 describes the four types of information that may need to be gathered in an investigation in order to resolve an indoor air quality problem: the occupant complaints, the HVAC system, pollutant pathways, and pollutant sources. There is also a discussion of the role of monitoring.

Non-routine measurements (such as relatively expensive sampling for VOCs) should not be provided without site-specific justification.

3. The staff responsible for building in- vestigation should have a good under- standing of the relationship between IAQ and the building structure, mechanical systems, and human activities.

For example, lack of adequate ventilation is at least a contributing factor in many indoor air quality problem situations.

Evaluating the performance of the ventila- tion system depends on understanding the interaction between the mechanical system and the human activity within the building. In some cases building investigators may have accumulated a breadth of knowledge. For example, a mechanical engineer and an industrial hygienist see buildings differently. However, a me- chanical engineer with several years of experience in IAQ problem investigations may have seen enough health-related problems to cross the gap; likewise, an industrial hygienist with years of experience studying problems in an office setting may have considerable expertise in HVAC and other building mechanical systems. Either in the proposal or in discussion, the consultant should:

■Describe the goal(s), methodology, and sequence of the investigation, the information to be obtained, and the process of hypothesis development and testing, including criteria for decision- making about further data-gathering. The proposal should include an explanation of the need for any proposed measurements. The goal is to reach a successful resolution of the complaints, not simply to generate data.

■Identify any elements of the work that will require a time commitment from the client’s own staff, including information to be collected by the client.

■Identify additional tasks (and costs) which are part of solving the IAQ problem but are outside the scope of the contract. Examples might include medical examination of complainants, laboratory fees, and contractor’s fees for mitigation work.

■Describe the schedule, cost, and work product(s), such as a written report, specifications, and plans for mitigation work; supervision of mitigation work; and training program for building staff.

■Discuss communication between the IAQ professional and the client: How often will the contractor discuss the progress of the work with the client? Who will be notified of test results and other data? Will communications be in writing, by telephone, or face-to-face? Will the consultant meet with building occupants to collect information? Will the consultant meet with occupants to discuss findings if requested to do so?

Reputation
There are no Federal regulations covering professional services in the general field of indoor air quality, although some disciplines (e.g., engineers, industrial hygienists) whose practitioners work with IAQ problems have licensing and certification requirements.

Building owners and managers who suspect that they may have a problem with a specific pollutant (such as radon, asbestos, or lead) may be able to obtain assis- tance from local and State Health Depart- ments. Government agencies and affected industries have developed training programs for contractors who diagnose or mitigate problems with these particular contaminants.

Firms should be asked to provide references from clients who have received comparable services.

The goal of the investigative process is to reach a successful resolution of the complaints, not simply to generate data.

After the contract was completed, did the contractor remain in contact with the client to ensure that problems did not recur?

Knowledge of Local Codes and Regional Climate Conditions

Familiarity with State and local regulations and codes helps to avoid problems during mitigation. For example, in making changes to the HVAC system, it is important to conform to local building codes. Heating, cooling, and humidity control needs are different in different geographic regions, and can affect the selection of an appropriate mitigation approach. Getting assurances that all firms under consideration have this knowledge becomes particularly important if it becomes necessary to seek expertise from outside the local area.

Cost

It is impossible for this document to give specific guidance on the cost of profes-sional services. If projected costs jump suddenly during the investigation process, the consultants should be able to justify that added cost.

The budget will be influenced by a number of factors, including:
■complexity of the problem ■size and complexity of the building and its HVAC system(s)

■quality and extent of recordkeeping by building staff and management

■type of report or other product required

■number of meetings required (formal presentations can be quite expensive)

■air sampling (e.g., use of instruments, laboratory analysis) if required