Mold is a multi-cellular fungus, similar to mushrooms and yeast. Mold can be different colors, and look fuzzy, slimy, or powdery. It often has a musty odor when present in large amounts. Mold requires three things to grow: water/moisture, organic food source (paper, fabric, sheetrock, etc.), proper temperature. The presence of mold means there is too much moisture. Moisture problems can be caused by: plumbing leaks leaking roofs or windows high humidity flooding condensation due to poor ventilation or insulation It is impossible to ‘mold proof’ your house. However, you can manage mold growth by controlling indoor humidity levels and fixing water leakage problems. To prevent mold from coming back in the future, you must fix the underlying source of moisture.

Mold issues can sometimes be fixed by the property owner. However, if you are sensitive to mold, not interested in cleaning up the mold, or are not capable of cleaning the mold, you should hire mold professionals.

No, there is no cleanup requirement for property owners. However, if a property owner chooses to hire a mold professional, those professionals must follow the requirements of the law. Note: Rental property owners must still provide clean and sanitary living conditions to their tenants.

The Department of Labor makes sure that professionals who do mold assessments and remediation work have proper training, licenses and minimum work standards. Every mold cleanup project performed by professionals must follow these steps: assessment, remediation (clean up), clearance. The law protects consumers by barring licensed mold companies and their employees from doing both the assessment and remediation on the same property. One mold company and their employees may do the initial and post-cleanup clearance assessments, but a different company and their employees must do the actual cleanup work.

An assessment, or a mold remediation plan, is a document prepared by a mold professional. It identifies mold and serves as a guide for the cleanup project. It says what must be done, how it is to be done, and how you will be able to tell if all the mold has been removed. The specific requirements are listed in Section 945 of the Labor Law.

Yes. If you hire a mold professional to do an assessment, you must be given a copy. The professional you hire to do the remediation work must also get a copy.

No. In most cases, air sampling and mold testing are not necessary. There are no national or state standards for “safe” levels of mold. Mold spores are a natural part of the environment and are always in the air and on surfaces. A thorough visual inspection is the most important step to identify mold problems and determine cleanup strategies. Before contractors perform any sampling or testing, ask what type of sampling or testing they wish to perform, why it is necessary, and what it will show that is not already known

The remediation contractor does the actual cleanup work. They must give you a mold remediation work plan. The work plan must fulfill all the requirements of the mold remediation plan developed through the assessment.

As is true with all construction projects, the most important step is choosing your contractor. Contact more than one contractor for all work to be performed. For Mold Assessment: Before any work starts, you should have a clear understanding of the scope of work and the services the contractor will provide. You should understand and agree with the mold assessor’s remediation plan for acceptable work scope and job clearance. This may include sampling, recommended use of biocides or other chemicals, replacement of materials, and criteria to demonstrate clearance after the cleanup. For Mold Remediation: The work plan must fulfill all the requirements of the mold remediation plan developed through the assessment. The work plan should also have specific instructions and/or standard operating procedures for how the contractor will perform the cleanup work.

Visit the Department of Labor’ s website and use the “Licensed Mold Contractors Search Tool” at: https://www.labor.ny.gov/workerprotection/safetyhealth/mold/licensing.shtm

Submit the “Mold Contractor Complaint Form” at: https://www.labor.ny.gov/workerprotection/safetyhealth/mold/compliance.shtm

New York State Department of Labor: http://labor.ny.gov/mold New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: http://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/ health-topics/mold.page U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: https://www.epa.gov/mold