AUSTIN, TX — Mold remediators in Texas may soon be required to be trained and licensed through the Texas Board of Health, if legislation tentatively passed by the state House of Representatives is enacted as law.
Click2Houston reported that the bill tentatively approved Tuesday, was authored by Representative Elliott Naishtat of Austin in response to complaints about companies Naishtat called "unscrupulous," with little or no training in mold remediation.
Such regulation would affect anyone in Texas working in the mold industry — either in assessment or remediation.
"Everyone needs to be trained and licensed properly," Allen said. "Insurance is a big issue. In the past it was too easy to get certified."
He mentioned the problem insurance companies are having with growing mold claims and how this legislation may be the cure for the problem.
Allen says he has been working with Texas representatives and senators to get this legislation approved.
In an address to members of the Texas State Senate, he outlined reasons the government needed to get involved.
(Click here for text of Bob Allen's speech to the Texas State Senate.)
In his speech, Allen mentioned the need for lawmakers to recognize contractor practices that lead to financial losses for not only homeowners, but also the insurance companies that write their policies.
He said untrained remediators are costing the industry millions of dollars.
"When mold removal is conducted without proper controls, airborne mold spores can spread throughout the home making the mold problem worse than before the remediation," he said.
"The practice of hiring a licensed or qualified remediator following prudent practices may seem high at first, but will ultimately cost less," Allen said.
Allen said he saw the writing on the wall when it comes to mold remediation.
"It's been a hard road. It's not about the money but an entire industry," he said. "We have companies ripping people off on mold jobs and it's getting way out of control. We started this education process years ago, and IAMRS is putting the reins on this problem."
Certification is important
Allen outlined the importance of certification and proper training, and said he hopes the legislation will help address one of the biggest problems facing the young mold remediation industry.
"Certification should mean something. Today I see too many large classes with no hands-on training," he said. "Now, certified mold remediators will have to follow proper guidelines. This is a good industry but we need some standards."
He mentioned there are similar efforts being made by IAMRS in other states, including Florida, California and New York.
The Texas legislation would also require statewide education to be provided to inform citizens about mold problems and what they can do to get proper results in mold remediation.
