Does anyone out there have specifics on radon measurement certification? What organizations offer it. What kind of training and/or testing they require, etc.? Additionally, are any of you inspectors involved in mold sampling-testing-mitigation? I'm not really interested in mitigation, but I'm looking for a little more knowledge than simply writing "mold like substance found in crawl space". I know it goes beyond most of our standards of practice, but I'm looking to expand the services I offer. Any help would be appreciated!

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John Thompson
Shelter Works Home Inspections
Missoula, MT

John, go to CERTI - Home Their phone number is 800-513-8333. They can get you going.

I agree. CERTI offers very good courses to get your certification as well as Continuing Ed.

The two organizations that EPA has authorized to certify radon professionals are NEHA (National Environmental Health Association) and NRSB (National Radon Safety Board).

If you plan to only use devices that you place and retrieve and someone else processes (e.g., charcoal canisters or Radalink) then all you will need to do is take a measurement course, pass an exam and apply (and pay) for your certification. Then every two years you will need to take a few hours of CE. Your initial certification will cost you around $150 (good for two years).

If you plan to use devices that you will process yourself (e.g., a CRM (Continuous Radon Monitor) or E-PERMS) you will also need to pass a performance test. (You submit your devices to a certified lab where they are placed in a radon chamber with a known level of radon and exposed like a normal radon test. After the devices are returned to you you process them and report the radon level to the lab. If your reported radon concentration is within +/-25% of the known level you pass.) You must pass a performance test every two years. The performance test will cost you about $125 (plus shipping each way). And each device group you add to your certification will cost you about $75. You will have to pass the performance test and pay for the device group to be added to your certification every two years (when you renew your certification).

Don't forget that if you use devices that you process yourself you will have to get them calibrated every year. For E-PERMs you only have to calibrate your voltage reader no matter how many electrets or chambers you own. That will cost you $125 (plus shipping each way). If you use CRMs every CRM will have to be calibrated once a year. The cost for that varies with manufacturer but figure on $125 or more per CRM (plus shipping each way).

I don't do mold. Many home inspectors would advise you not to do mold. I would investigate it thoroughly before jumping in. (In other words, I would not take the word of the people trying to sell you mold training or mold testing equipment.)

Hope this helps you.

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"Baseball is like church. Many attend but few understand." Leo Durocher
Bruce Breedlove
www.avaloninspection.com

Go to the ESA (Environmental Solutions Association) website at esaenviro.com

I am taking the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) course with them today and tomorrow. I joined the organization and you can get a lot of various environmental education and certifications with them to add ancillary services and enhance your business.

The one and only National Radon Proficiency Program
National Environmental Health Association National Radon Proficiency Program

Go to eradalink.com or contact Radalink, they offer classes throughout the country. Radalink is a very reputable organization, who provides good equipment and excellent service.

Thanks for all the replies folks! All this information will certainly help!

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John Thompson
Shelter Works Home Inspections
Missoula, MT

ESA conducts the NEHA Radon measurement course with the exam.

Hi guys
Along that same line does anyone know of a good on line mold class ?
thanks for the info
Pat Pisani

I think the same people who do the radon also offer mold classes.

Enter Lisa Endz from stage left!

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Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com

It might be free but it will not satisfy any requirement to be listed or certified with NRHA, NRSB or NRPP, many states require this if you are testing for radon.

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Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com

Hey Guys, just wondering what your thoughts are on a certified radon mitigator giving out free tests at the realtor of course only to get the work if the reading is high? Doesn't this sound like a conflict of interest? Plus we don't get the work with our monitors!

Now how did I know Lisa would make an apperance!

Gotta get support for that certification diploma mill some how some way. I guess since IN has more visitors than her site this is the only way.

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Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com

Lisa,

As I recall Brian asked you NOT to post links back to the other site, per your very own admission.

Yet you did it anyway?

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Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )
www.AskCodeMan.com

Yes, I believe we are permitted to post a link when answering a question from one of Brian's visitors. That would be helpful to his sponsors, not harmful.

As for Scott's childish stuff like I could quickly prove him wrong with a link to alexa.com, but I shant.

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Lisa Endza
Director of Communication
InterNACHI

Lisa, I'm not talking about hits! Talking about folks who are on the message board. Look at the number on the hit counter on your site and then look at the number on this site! Real simple. Alexa counts total hits to the site including robots, etc. it does not record active users.

Brian's site started to surpass your site last year. With all of the new inspectors dropping out of the business it has hurt your numbers. IN has continued to increase in active users, and your site has continued to decline.

As for my childish stuff! Just giving it back, Nick dishes out his moronic rhetoric all of the time but he and his folks can't take it in return.

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Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com

Scott, since the launch of our new message board which already has over 500,000 new posts, 41,000 new threads, and 21,000 new registered users, we have not counted or displayed "unregistered" visitors. Only registered users and registered visitors are counted.

I hope that explains how we have so much more message board activity compared to all other inspection-related message boards combined. But who really cares other than you? The more inspection message boards the better.

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Lisa Endza
Director of Communication
InterNACHI

Gotcha! I understand now.

Anyway I just took a look at your site and this is what was listed:
And this was from Inspection News:

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Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com

Scott says

No problem.

It appears both message boards use the same software which counts number of threads and number of posts.

We are having a huge online event as we round the 1 millionth post mark.

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Lisa Endza
Director of Communication
InterNACHI

Wow i made both and with a quick scan, I was the only one. Really cool! Honestly, I think both have served me well and enjoy learning from everyone, reguardless if the org starts with an A or iN.

Thanks,
Dan