Jon Tremper

Tepee Inspection, Inc.
 

Tel: 321-777-1538 FAX:  321-259-4477     6396 S. US Hwy 1 Suntree, FL, 32955

Serving all of:

Brevard, Indian River and Orange counties as well as Orlando and the Space Coast with Certified, Professional Home Inspection Services

Jon Tremper is a native Floridian with a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and a master’s degree from Florida Tech. He retired from the U. S. Army as a Major after serving 20 years as an Airborne Ranger.

He founded Tepee Inspections Inc. in 1989, has been a Florida Association of Building Inspectors (FABI) member since 1990, served on the Board of Directors, and has performed over 10,000 inspections of residential and commercial properties. He is a Registered Professional Inspector (RPI), a state certified Windstorm Mitigation Inspector, and a FEMA Disaster Housing Inspector.

He currently oversees the operation of Tepee Inspections Inc, which provides inspection services ranging from new construction consulting to air sampling for mold and Infrared leak detection.

 He founded “The Home Inspection Academy” in 2000 and conducts classes on home inspection topics, including a 36 hour “Basic training For Home Inspectors”. He is a state certified educational provider, offering continuing education credit courses for the real estate, insurance and construction industries. Jon has testified in Florida courts as an expert witness in cases involving construction defects.

Mold and the Florida Homeowner

Brevard County’s sub-tropical climate makes for higher mold levels than other regions with lower temperatures, humidity, and rainfall. So how much mold is too much and how would a homeowner know when they have a “mold problem”? This answer is not simple and is related to a number of factors including an individual’s immune system, sensitivities, and overall health. The key point for homes is that mold levels inside should not be higher than mold levels outside. If elevated mold levels exist inside the home then it can be concluded that a problem exists that requires correction. Most mold problems occur as a result of roof or plumbing leaks or water intrusion from walls, windows, or foundations. Sometimes mold occurs in homes that lack adequate ventilation or air exchanges and cooking, showering, and other normal activities create high moisture levels that foster mold growth. The news media has sensationalized “toxic mold” and “black mold” as significant health issues and while some varieties of mold do produce toxins, it is important to remember that any “elevated level” of mold increases health concerns.

One simple guideline is that if you see mold, you probably have a mold problem. The solution is to identify the origin of the visible mold, make repairs that eliminate the moisture problem and perform the appropriate level of mold remediation (mold removal and sanitizing of materials). Mold remediation is a specialized process and should be trusted only to trained professionals.

Air sampling is an accepted method of determining levels of mold present and is also used to see if mold remediation successfully corrected the problem. Air sampling requires specialized equipment and a certified laboratory analysis. Lab reports will indicate whether the inside air samples contain “elevated levels” of mold spores as compared to air samples taken outside. A minimum of two air samples are necessary, more if a house has more than one story or is large. Air sampling cartridges or spore traps and laboratory analysis cost $100 each and results are typically available the next business day. Tepee Inspections Inc. has been performing mold testing for over 5 years and our relationship with Pro-Lab, a Florida certified laboratory, allows us to provide quality results with fast turn-around times. Home do-it-yourself mold testing kits available at retail outlets are of little value and will almost certainly result in mold cultures that do little to confirm or deny the existence of a problem.

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