Standards reference

The standards a defensible mold inspection report leans on, each cited at the level its publicly accessible source supports — IICRC S520 and S500, the AIHA Green Book, ACGIH Bioaerosols, ASHRAE 160, and ASTM D7391.

What Are ERMI and HERTSMI-2, and Are They Reliable?

ERMI and HERTSMI-2 are DNA-based mold scoring indices from EPA research — what they measure, where they are used, and why the EPA says they are not validated.

What Are IICRC S500 Category 1, 2, and 3 Water?

IICRC S500 water categories explained: clean, gray, and black water, the 72-hour degradation mechanism, and why the category drives mold scope.

What Are IICRC S500 Class 1, 2, 3, and 4 Water?

IICRC S500 water classes explained: how evaporation load and the amount of wet material drive drying scope, distinct from the contamination category.

What Are the Pass/Fail Criteria for Post-Remediation Mold Clearance?

Post-remediation verification and clearance criteria for mold: visual, moisture, and air-sampling checks, why clearance is independent, and what passing means.

What Does IICRC S520 Require in a Mold Inspection Report?

What IICRC S520 expects a mold assessment to document, why the standard separates assessment from remediation, and what makes a report defensible.

What Is ACGIH Bioaerosols: Assessment and Control?

ACGIH Bioaerosols: Assessment and Control is the reference for fungal bioaerosol assessment — relative interpretation, indicator species, and no fixed mold OEL.

What Is ASTM D7391 Spore Trap Analysis?

ASTM D7391 is the standard test method for direct-microscopy counting of fungal spores from air-o-cell-type spore traps — what it covers and how to cite it.

What Is the AIHA Green Book for Mold Assessment?

The AIHA Green Book — Recognition, Evaluation, and Control of Indoor Mold — is the industrial-hygiene reference for mold sampling strategy and interpretation.

When Does ASHRAE 160 Apply to a Mold Inspection Report?

ASHRAE Standard 160 governs moisture-control design and mold-risk criteria for building envelopes — when it belongs in a report and how to cite it.

Which Mold Standard Applies to Your Inspection? A Decision Guide

A decision guide to which mold standard governs a given task — IICRC S520, S500, AIHA, ACGIH, ASHRAE 160, or ASTM D7391 — and how they fit together.