One Company Cannot Test and Remediate on the Same Job, Mold Inspectors & Contractors Must Attend Certification Classes & Be Licensed  

The recent cold temperatures caused a host of pipe breaks. For many, these unfortunate burst pipes happened when they were on vacation during the winter recess. Unsuspecting consumers returned home to mold and water damage from frozen pipes that defrosted and ruptured while they were away. When hiring contractors and contacting your insurance company, make sure you know about the new law in New York that protects homeowners from mold remediation con games. The regulations can save you thousands of dollars in unnecessary repairs, as well as protect your health.

The law, which went into effect January 1, 2016, bars the contractor who assesses the home’s mold problem from also doing the cleanup. This necessary measure was taken
to avoid a scam in which a company exaggerates or lies about a mold problem in order to make large profits on remediating a very small problem. The law also requires NYS licensure and certification in order to conduct mold testing or remediation. This will prevent unskilled workers from improper handling of mold and from possible cross contamination that can lead to health issues.

The mold remediation scams come down to contractors who both remediate and test for mold in order to inflate their profits; the more mold they can identify, the more they can profit from remediation.According to the New York State Department of Labor, the law mandates that an assessment be performed to define the scope of mold remediation before the cleanup is carried out, a practice that RTK has employed for decades. of the new law will face civil penalties of $2,000 to $10,000.

If you had a pipe break and need an independent mold test from a NYS licensed mold inspector, please call us at (800) 392-6468.