Construction, insurance, banking industries to develop moisture management standards

The PIA Western Alliance will be holding its second Moisture Management Summit in Irvine, Calif. with the goal of writing a public policy based on moisture management standards that have already been developed. The PIA’s goal is to take that policy to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and to state legislators around the country, according to PIA Western Alliance executive vice president Clark Sitzes. The summit also hopes to finalize a national moisture management task force that was established at the first summit in Seattle earlier in the year.

Sitzes said the Western Alliance represents the insurance industry but the participants in this project should come from several different areas. “We not only seek to have decision-makers in the insurance industry involved, but strongly encourage leaders in the banking, contracting, building and real estate industries to actively participate. The time has come to address moisture management as a business issue,” he said.

The PIA Western Alliance and Mold Technologies are contacting representatives from those groups to be a part of the task force. Sitzes hopes to have the task force finalized by the April 27 meeting.

The proposed standards are based on a system developed by Mold Technologies. Moisture management assessments of properties prior to underwriting will assist in reducing insurance risk, provide an opportunity to reduce premiums and enable offerings of extended lines of insurance. When builders implement the moisture management system, liability claims and health issues should decline, Sitzes said.

The summit will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 27 at Sherlock Healthy Homes Inc., McCabe Plaza, 2575 McCabe Way, Irvine, Calif.