General FAQs

What qualifications are needed to inspect for mold in my state?

Our courses will help you become a professional mold inspector or remediator in most states except New York, Texas and Florida, which have special training or experience requirements. Many states are considering regulations or have legislation pending for mold inspectors. For this reason it is important to start now and get "grandfathered in" before new laws are passed. Contact your state government for information on pending legislation.

What are the career opportunities for mold inspectors?

Mold inspections, which typically start at around $350, have become the fastest growing niche market in the real estate industry. Mold has been called the "new asbestos" of this decade. A mold inspector service can become a highly-profitable new business, or can make an existing business ultra successful. With many states drafting mold legislation, the mold inspection industry will only continue to expand.

How do mold inspection and mold remediation differ?

Mold inspection, both residential and commercial, is the visual identification and sampling of suspected mold. The results of a mold inspection which may lead to mold remediation, which is the physical removal of the mold, which can cost thousands of dollars. Mold remediation falls outside the scope of a mold inspection. Mold remediation is a process that involves cleaning an area affected by mold, repairing it and if needed, correcting building deficiencies So that mold damage does not recur.

Why should I join a non-profit mold association?

There are several mold organizations to choose from, but many are operated by mold labs or for-profit training companies, which creates a conflict of interest when the purpose of the association is to protect and educate rather than generate revenue. BoiE graduates receive a $149 one-year paid membership in the National Association of Mold Remediators and Inspectors (NAMRI), which is a non-profit mold organization that does not sell mold training.

How do I take the mold course and how long does it take?

You can take the course 100 % online from any computer or mobile device. Quiz results save automatically to the cloud, so you can check your progress from any computer. The 90-hour mold inspection course is self-paced and can be completed in as little as 1-2 weeks or you can take as long as you would like. The 24-hour remediation certification course can be completed in a few days. Upon passing the final exams, you will receive a signed certificate you can print out.

Can I use your logos to promote my business?
Yes, we provide a range of certification logos in various sizes that graduates can use to promote their business.

What kind of equipment do I need to purchase for mold sampling?
Other than a respirator and protective clothing for hazardous locations, additional equipment depends on the level of suspected mold contamination in the building. Surface sampling is done using low-cost plastic tape or swab, while air and vacuum sampling require pumps and collection cartridges. You can expand your equipment based on the level of service you want to provide. The most popular equipment includes air sampling pumps, moisture meters, humidity meters, and infrared thermometers. We offer our popular complete air/surface sampler kit at a discount for students.

How do I select a laboratory for mold sample analysis?
There are many choices in laboratories, but you should use an accredited lab that is recognized by the American Industrial Hygiene Association. You should also look at cost, convenience, and turn-around time. Most Mold Inspectors pass all lab costs on to the customer, so you should make an effort to give your client the best value. As a Certified Mold Inspector it would be a conflict of interest to perform an analysis yourself, or to have any influence on the results of your professionally collected samples.

How do you compare to other mold training courses?
Mold seminars typically start at around $1,000 for a 2-day seminar, not counting travel expenses which can double the price. Online mold courses cost less than mold seminars due to lower overhead but watch out for additional hidden costs such as franchise and annual fees. We offer one of the best enrollment prices for an accredited school and provides everything you need to learn from home. There are no recurring or hidden fees.

Many mold courses and seminars are offered by mold labs or venders, not actual schools and are trying to promote their sampling products. Here, you will learn practical information, not theory. Our course material is aligned with accepted standards of practice for the mold industry and is updated regularly. Every lesson is concise and written in clear language that is easy to understand. Our course design allows you to interact with the material. Interactive features include flash cards that ask you questions and test what you have learned. The online exams provide feedback so you can identify what you still need to learn.


What are the career opportunities for infrared thermographers?
Infrared thermographers have important careers in predictive maintenance, research and development, power and utility companies, commercial roof inspections, building diagnostics, commercial electrical inspections, weatherization, energy audits, insurance investigations, indoor air quality surveys and many more specialized areas. Many home inspectors, mold professional, and restoration contractors offer supplemental infrared property surveys, which provides valuable information to clients. The opportunities for trained thermographers grow every year.

What is ASNT-compliant Level 1 Infrared thermographer training?
The past thermographer training programs varied, so there was a need to standardize the training in order to validate the capabilities of infrared thermographers. The American Society for Non-Destructive Testing (ASNT) took the lead, establishing Levels and guidelines such as SNT-TC-1A: Personnel Qualification and Certification in Nondestructive Testing, that established certification guidelines for private companies who train infrared thermographers. Today, ASNT-compliant infrared certified training is the industry standard.

Why do I need infrared survey courses in addition to Level 1?
Level 1 thermography teaches the fundamentals of infrared testing, many practical applications for thermography, and important uses for infrared cameras. However, Level 1 thermography does not focus on one particular field of Study. Each type of infrared survey requires a separate knowledge of components and conditions that are unique to a particular field such as building science, electrical, mechanical, etc. However, performing infrared surveys without Level 1 knowledge is the equivalent of doing algebra problems without knowing basic math, meaning you'll make a lot more mistakes.

What are the prerequisites for infrared survey courses?
Infrared survey courses have the following prerequisite:
1. Level I Thermographer Certification, or
2. 24 course hours in thermography basics, or
3. Equivalent infrared work experience.

Who should take the Infrared Moisture Survey Course?
Infrared Moisture Survey is a building science course designed for professionals who document damages caused by water intrusion, including:

• home inspectors
• mold assessors and remediators
• building maintenance personnel
• restoration contractors
• insurance adjusters, and more

An infrared moisture survey can be performed independently, or integrated into other reports or services. The course teaches methods to locate and confirm the origins and extent of hidden moisture, to recommend a course of action, and to produce a professional infrared moisture survey report.

Who should take the Infrared Energy Loss Survey Course?
Infrared Energy Loss Survey is a building science course designed for for professionals who document or verify the energy efficiency of building envelopes, including:

• energy auditors
• weatherization contractors
• home inspectors
• mold assessors and remediators
• building contractors
• insurance adjusters, and more

An infrared energy loss survey can be performed independently, or integrated into other reports or services Such as energy audits and home inspections. The course teaches the major building components where energy loss occurs, how to properly identify problems and recommend a course of action, and how to to produce a professional infrared moisture survey report.

Do I need an infrared camera to take an infrared course?
No, and it is not recommended that you purchase a camera until you understand what you need. While students may own an infrared camera and practice with it during training, the actual coursework is mental, not physical. Any person can point an infrared camera and capture a thermal image, but it takes a trained thermographer to evaluate a thermogram, determine what is causing it, and provide a recommendation for dealing with it. Only after knowing the minimum infrared camera you need, and the maximum you can afford, is it time to consider buying, leasing, or renting a camera. Our training includes a camera buying guide, along with a list of camera vendors who offer PITI Students significant discounts on camera purchases and leasing programs.

What does the infrared course course cost and are you the lowest price?
You can view tuition costs by going to the enrollment page. At times we offer promotions, so the pricing may change. We do not guarantee the cheapest price, but we do offer an excellent value and stand behind our training unconditionally. Compare what we offer to anyone else who offers ASNT-compliant infrared certification training, and we think you will agree. We offer the only 30-day money-back guarantee in the industry because we care about your success.

Why should I join an infrared survey association?
Not-for-profit organizations help elevate the profession, educate the public, and help eliminate conflicts of interest. There are numerous organizations to choose from, however, many organizations exist for specialized fields rather than for general infrared survey. PITI graduates receive a $149 paid membership in the non-profit National Association of Infrared Surveyors (NAIS), where they can advertise services and enjoy the benefits of professional membership.

How do I take the infrared course course and how long does it take?
You can take the course 100 % online from any computer or mobile device. Quiz results save automatically to the cloud, so you can check your progress from any computer. The 60-hour Level 1 Thermographer course is self-paced and can be completed in as little as 1 week or you can take as long as you would like. The infrared survey certification courses can be completed in a few days. Upon passing the final exams, you can print out your individually numbered and signed certificate immediately.


About Our Policies

What is Your Warranty?
We offer a 1-year unlimited warranty and lifetime customer support. During the first year we will send replacement parts to you at no charge to repair or replace anything that goes wrong. We will also perform the labor at no charge if the customer ships the unit to us at his/her expense. After the first year the customer can extend the warranty for an annual fee, or purchase replacement parts when needed.

What is Your Return Policy?
We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee if equipment does not perform as advertised, with the following conditions:

• A return authorization is requested.
• Conditions under which the equipment did not perform as advertised.
• The product is sent back to us in its original packaging within 30 days of receipt.
• The returned item is in like-new condition with all accessories.
• You are only allowed to return a total of one item. If you are a new customer, order more units at a later date.
• Shipping expenses (both ways) are not refundable
• Refunds (less shipping expenses) are processed 10 days after receipt at our office. This gives us time to receive and test the returned item. Your bank may also have a few days of processing delay to return the funds back to your card.

What is Your Lead Time for Orders?
First, if you have a deadline, please call 800-432-4418 or message us to get a delivery estimate in advance. Our machines are hand-built in one of our two production facilities and the lead time to build a new machine depends on the number of orders ahead of yours and the complexity of the machine, and 2-4 business days for ground shipping. Unless an item is in stock, the average lead time is 3-5 days for ozone generators and 1-2 weeks for hydroxyl generators. Lead times are necessary for custom-built electronics that are not mass produced. We build unique, serviceable machines that last.

How Do You Ship Products?
We ship by Fedex, UPS or U.S. Mail shipping depending on the type of product and the shipping location. Products labeled "Free Shipping" require a street address within the contiguous U.S. to ship by Fedex Ground. Orders shipped to a P.O. Box or Alaska/Hawaii may incur an additional shipping fee depending on the product weight. We will notify you when your item is complete and provide a tracking number when it ships. If the lead time to build your equipment order is excessive, we will contact you and confirm that you want us to proceed. For orders outside the United States, contact us first for a shipping quote.

What is Your Privacy Policy?
The following information discloses the privacy practices for this website and applies solely to information collected by this web site:

Information Collection, Use, and Sharing
We are the sole owners of the information collected on this site. We only have access to/collect information that you voluntarily give us via email or other direct contact from you. We will not sell or rent this information to anyone. We will use your information to respond to you, regarding the reason you contacted us. We will not share your information with any third party outside of our organization, other than as necessary to fulfill your request, e.g. to ship an order.
Unless you ask us not to, we may contact you via email in the future to tell you about specials, new products or services, or changes to this privacy policy.

Your Access to and Control Over Information
You may opt out of any future contacts from us at any time. You can do the following at any time by contacting us via the email address or phone number given on our website:

• See what data we have about you, if any.
• Change/correct any data we have about you.
• Have us delete any data we have about you.
• Express any concern you have about our use of your data.

Security
We take precautions to protect your information. When you submit sensitive information via the website, your information is protected both online and offline. Wherever we collect sensitive information (such as credit card data), that information is encrypted and transmitted to us in a secure way. You can verify this by looking for a closed lock icon at the bottom of your web browser, or looking for "https" at the beginning of the address of the web page. While we use encryption to protect sensitive information transmitted online, we also protect your information offline. Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, billing or customer service) are granted access to personally identifiable information. The computers/servers in which we store personally identifiable information are kept in a secure environment.

If you feel that we are not abiding by this privacy policy, you should contact us immediately via telephone at (800) 679-4381 or via the forms on our contact page.

Office Hours 8am - 8pm CST Mon.-Fri. CST, 9am - 6pm Sat. Call 800-432-4418

© BOI Environmental (BoiE). All rights reserved.