The MOLD Act mandates third-party IICRC certifications and S520 standards to eliminate conflicts of interest in privatized military housing remediation.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, January 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — A new bill with support from both parties is now in Congress. It could soon change the way the military checks for mold in people’s housing. While the bill applies only to military housing, some housing experts say federal standards often influence state and local housing practices over time. The Military Occupancy Living Defense (MOLD) Act has been put forward by Senators Richard Blumenthal (CT-D), Joni Ernst (IA-R), Tim Sheehy (MT-R), Mazie Hirono (HI-D), and Congressman Jimmy Panetta. This bill, if passed, would make it so that contractors who work on military bases must have IICRC certification and must follow the ANSI/IICRC S520 rules for cleaning up mold.
For military families who have spent years sharing mold complaints that went nowhere, the bill helps hold people in charge to account.
What the Bill Actually Requires
The MOLD Act says the Secretary of Defense will need to make sure every mold assessor, indoor environmental professional, and specialist who works on base housing has a third-party certificate. This means they must get IICRC’s Applied Microbial Remediation Technician (AMRT) and Mold Remediation Specialist (MRS) papers. The work for mold will also have to follow the S520 standard.
Jordan Gruber started Fast Mold Testing in 2025. He did this after going to UC Berkeley’s SkyDeck accelerator. He looks at the bill as more than just something to fix military housing.
“Look, this is something that people who serve and their families have needed for a long time,” Gruber said. “But what stands out to me is that everyone need someone independent for this. The bill pretty much says the person who checks to see if you have a mold problem should not be the one who gets money to fix it. That is not a big argument. It’s just clear and simple, and it should be the rule everywhere, not only on the base.”
The Conflict Nobody Talks About
The mold testing and cleanup business makes about $5 billion each year. A big part of this money comes from companies that do both checking and cleaning the mold. Consumer groups say there is a clear problem. When one company tests for mold and then does the cleanup, they get more money if they find things wrong.
Gruber said, “We are seeing more property managers come to us and ask about IICRC standards. Some of this is because of legal pressure by the tenants. Some of this is now because tenants know more and want to find out who is checking their apartment and for what reason.”
Where Technology Fits In
The push for better certification is happening as there are changes in how inspections work. Fast Mold Testing sends lab-certified samples through AI tools. This cuts wait time from the usual week to about 24 to 48 hours. The company works in more than 15+ markets and does not do remediation. That is a choice they made on purpose.
“We set things up like that right from the start,” Gruber said. “Our inspectors do not have a reason to stretch the truth about what they find because we do not sell clean-up services. The certified mold inspection & testing results we give are just the results but we provide tenants & landlords clear next steps before they blow the budget on wasteful remediation services.
What Happens Next
The MOLD Act still has a long way to go in Congress. The IICRC has said it will help give technical advice as the bill moves through committee.
Alexander Law Smith
Fast Mold Testing Inc
+1 347-905-5441
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