Your first step is a shift in mindset: you're not just collecting samples, you're building a case. This chapter sets the CIEIT foundation—evidence over assumption, hypothesis over guesswork.

People are your best sensors. Learn how to run intake that captures the real story, cluster symptoms, and speak to clients in a way that builds trust and clarity.

Buildings breathe, leak, and respond to weather and use. This chapter ties construction type, envelope, and history to airflow and IAQ so you see the building as one system.

Pressure is invisible but drives where air and contaminants go. Master the physics, then measure it—stack effect, zone pressure, and pressure-driven transport.

HVAC can fix or worsen IAQ. Learn static pressure (TESP), oversizing, short-cycling, and ventilation effectiveness so you diagnose system-driven problems with confidence.

Moisture drives mold, odor, and decay. Follow moisture in all its forms—liquid, vapor, and capillary—and connect vapor drive and thermal bridging to real-world damage.

Chemical complaints need a clear approach: intake, measurement tools (including PIDs where appropriate), and source tracing—plus how to explain findings to clients.

Particulate type and size drive health and comfort. Learn what to sample, how to interpret data, and how it fits into the larger investigation and report.

Pathogen investigations tie biology to building conditions. Focus on moisture linkage, sampling protocols, chain of custody, and guiding clients toward remediation.

Wildfire events demand clear assessment and messaging. Learn infiltration pathways, filtration and pressurization, and how to talk to building owners during and after events.

Your work lives in the report. This chapter is about evidence chain, documentation standards, and writing reports that are clear, defensible, and useful to clients and other professionals.

Close the loop: ethics, authority positioning, and the business of being a CIEIT specialist. Communicate like an expert, set boundaries, and position yourself for high-fee, high-trust work.