What does a mold inspector do?
Dealing with mold in you home or business can be a scary situation.
Mold can be a serious health hazard and is especially concerning for those with compromised immune systems, chronic health conditions, the elderly and children.
A mold inspector should be called when you have a know what leak or other water incident that can lead to water damage to floors, walls, ceilings, and the content inside a room.
A mold inspection involves more than just taking air tests.
A good inspector should ask questions about what happened to cause water intrusion in the first place.
Was there a flood, a broken pipe, a roof leak, a toilet that over-flowed, a malfunctioning washing machine or dishwasher? Finding out what the immediate concerns are is the first step to inspecting the property for water damage, but it does not stop there.
Water will always seek the path of least resistance, so inspections must include checking other area to determine if the water moved into other areas of the structure. As an example, a broken pipe attached to a upper level toilet, can lead to water damage of that room, and rooms underneath, as well as affecting walls, ceilings and floors. It is important to determine how far the water travelled and what surfaces were impacted so that all contaminated surfaces can be removed/treated to ensure that water and humidity in those spaces will not become a breeding ground for mold.
A thorough inspection will include:
Visual inspection
Moisture readings of substrates
Temperature and humidity readings
Infrared camera detection
Sampling to determine if mold is present in the air and/or on substrates.
A standard in the mold inspection field is spore trap testing. This is a method of sampling the air for mold spores.
An air sample is taken outdoors to provide a control sample, which indoor samples will be compared to.
Indoor air sampling is normally done in the "affected area" where the suspected mold is visible or can be smelled.
Other areas of the structure should also be tested if the moisture travelled to those areas, there are unusually high humidity levels, odors are present, or the areas are frequently occupied by those who are experiencing symptoms. My rule of thumb is to test the areas most used by members of the family, and the bedroom of the person experiencing the most prominent symptoms. The reasoning is that we want to capture the air that the sensitive person is breathing. At night, breathing changes and the human body is going through restorative functions as we sleep, so if the air is contaminated, it has a deeper affect on the body during sleep.
Dealing with mold in you home or business can be a scary situation.
Mold can be a serious health hazard and is especially concerning for those with compromised immune systems, chronic health conditions, the elderly and children.
A mold inspector should be called when you have a know what leak or other water incident that can lead to water damage to floors, walls, ceilings, and the content inside a room.
A mold inspection involves more than just taking air tests.
A good inspector should ask questions about what happened to cause water intrusion in the first place.
Was there a flood, a broken pipe, a roof leak, a toilet that over-flowed, a malfunctioning washing machine or dishwasher? Finding out what the immediate concerns are is the first step to inspecting the property for water damage, but it does not stop there.
Water will always seek the path of least resistance, so inspections must include checking other area to determine if the water moved into other areas of the structure. As an example, a broken pipe attached to a upper level toilet, can lead to water damage of that room, and rooms underneath, as well as affecting walls, ceilings and floors. It is important to determine how far the water travelled and what surfaces were impacted so that all contaminated surfaces can be removed/treated to ensure that water and humidity in those spaces will not become a breeding ground for mold.
A thorough inspection will include:
Visual inspection
Moisture readings of substrates
Temperature and humidity readings
Infrared camera detection
Sampling to determine if mold is present in the air and/or on substrates.
A standard in the mold inspection field is spore trap testing. This is a method of sampling the air for mold spores.
An air sample is taken outdoors to provide a control sample, which indoor samples will be compared to.
Indoor air sampling is normally done in the "affected area" where the suspected mold is visible or can be smelled.
Other areas of the structure should also be tested if the moisture travelled to those areas, there are unusually high humidity levels, odors are present, or the areas are frequently occupied by those who are experiencing symptoms. My rule of thumb is to test the areas most used by members of the family, and the bedroom of the person experiencing the most prominent symptoms. The reasoning is that we want to capture the air that the sensitive person is breathing. At night, breathing changes and the human body is going through restorative functions as we sleep, so if the air is contaminated, it has a deeper affect on the body during sleep.
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