Mold Inspection

Testing is the only way to know for sure.

Mold is everywhere typically most high concentrations of mold are outdoors, however, mold enters the home through various avenues. It can come into the home as were enter and leave the home, on your clothing, on your pets, and numerous other ways.

Some mold may not be visible to the naked eye, however, if you see a growth that means there is a lot. Some people are very sensitive to mold and can tell there is mold just by entering the home or other locations.

Molds need three things to grow the proper temperature, food source, and moisture. If you can take one of those away, you can prevent mold from growing.

There are many ways to test for mold however the most common is by doing an air sampling, tape, or swab test. Air sampling will let us know how many mold spores there are per cubic meter. Tape and swabs let us know what types of mold were dealing with as some are much more toxic than others. It is always a good idea to do a swab or tape sample if visual growth is found to make sure of the type of mold found. Mold may not always be releasing spores into the air and may not be capture in the air sample.

Depending on the material there are multiple ways to clean up the mold. Porous materials may not be cost-efficient to try to save however there are ways to clean important documents if needed. Hard surfaces may be cleaned with anti-bacterial soap and water. Vinegar or mordaciids are some of the best things to clean mold. There are also other processes as fogging with enzymes. Depending on the extent and the types of molds found. It is also important to hepavac and scrubs the air for larger jobs.

First of all, you need to fix the problem that caused it in the first place. For instance, most of us have had issues over the years with the caulking around the tub or shower turning black we spray bleach on it, and it appears to go away not only to return in the near future. Why? Because you're not solving the problem that caused it in the first place. Many people think it is just coming back because you did not kill it, while actually, the reason you’re not solving the problem is that you’re not getting rid of the moisture. If you would like to fix this problem, follow these tips. First of all, most of you have a switch on the wall that controls the bath fan, have an electrician change out the switch with a timer or a humidity switch (Approx. $20-$25). Then make sure you are running the fan long enough to get the humidity out. For teenagers’ bathrooms, I always recommend a humidity switch because most of them will not turn the fan on. If you use a timer recommend running the fan for a half-hour to an hour depending on the size of the bathroom location of the bath fan and strength of the fan. In older homes, if there is no fan located in the bath there is usually a window, which in Texas gets used very little due to the hot summer days. One way to get rid of the humidity to solve the problem is to install dehumidification in the bathroom. This may be done by using a plug-in model that you have to empty every day or two or having a unit installed in the attic at the AC evaporator unit and making sure there is plenty of circulation in the bathroom.

The risk can vary for each individual. It may be allergenic (minor to major allergy issues), Pathogenic (cancer-causing), Toxigenic (neurological issues memory loss can be temporary or permanent), and many other medical conditions.

Color doesn’t tell you what kind of mold it is the only way to tell is by testing.

If there is a person in the home with a health history or immune compromised individuals that will be occupying the home. To determine the scope of potential contamination, which may help cut the cost of remediation. To verify if there are any elevated mold spores in the home.

Make sure there is proper ventilation. Make sure you don’t shut off the AC in the summer when leaving for a period of time as the AC is designed to remove humidity from the home which can cause mold growth.

$1-$2 per/sqft. For whole home remediation not including tear-out and build back. These prices can vary widely by remediation companies, so do your research.

Decays dead plant material and what are homes made of? Wood or “dead plant material”. This is why it is so important that we attempt to prevent any moisture penetrations in the home.