Ron Rittiner's (darnifino) Blog

ANSWER:  No.  People can react differently to mold.  Within the same family some people can react very negatively to mold while others do not react at all.  Mold can be allergenic, pathogenic or toxic.  If exposed to toxic mold, the reaction can be fatal.  People can be exposed to mold thru inhal...

ANSWER:  Symptoms of mold exposure may include respiratory problems such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, sore throat, shortness of breath, blurred vision, headaches, memory loss, aches and fever.  Mold itself may appear in many different colors or shapes. 

ANSWER:  A mold inspection/survey is not a home inspection, but a mold inspection/survey can be done in conjunction with a home inspection.  This will, of course, add time to the overall length of the combined inspection/survey.  A mold inspection is conducted in a manner that is similar to a hom...

Answer:  Costs vary depending on the services requested by the Client.  The services available for a Commercial Building Inspection are offered on an ala carte basis.  Costs are then computed based on either a square foot basis or an hourly basis.

ANSWER:  A reputable Commercial Building Inspector will offer the following services:  a visual walk-through survey, a document review, key personnel interviews, an opinion of probable costs (estimate) to repair or upgrade, an abbreviated Tier II ADA survey, and environmental services.

Answer:  Again the 1 hour per thousand square foot rule is a reasonable estimate.  Like Home Inspections, the time to complete a Commercial Building Inspection will vary depending on the services requested, the age of the structure, occupancy, etc.

Answer:  Hopefully they follow the ASTM International Standard E 2018-01.  This is an industry standard that is well developed and offers sound guidance for Commercial Building Inspections.  If your Commercial Building Inspector does not follow this standard, ask them what they are using. 

Answer:  Maybe.  In some states Home Inspectors and/or Commercial Building Inspectors are licensed by the State.  If licensed, Inspectors will be required to follow the standards set by the State.  It is frequently the case that these standards will be different for a Home Inspection versus a Com...

Answer:  Home Inspection rules apply to structures that have (or are intended to have) people living in them but have no more than 4 family dwelling units.  For instance, a 4 unit quad-home is a "home" that should be Inspected, individually or as a group, using the rules of a Home Inspection.  On...

Answer:  Yes!  According to MoldREPORT, one mold type, cladosporium, is a genus that contains some species that can grow at temperatures near or below freezing.  "These species can be found on refrigerated foodstuffs and even frozen meat."  This information can be important if you suspect mold pr...