Category: Home Inspectors

Mold Testing Services

A typical Mold inspection service will consist of the following elements:

A thorough Inspection of areas of concern, emphasizing areas of water intrusion, if any.

If required, moisture levels in the building materials in the areas of concern will be tested.

Collection and Analysis of required Air-O-Cell samples or other air sampling methods inside and outside the building to measure the mold spores in the air.

Final Report consisting of all findings and recommendations

Bulk Sampling: Mold Swabs and Bio Tape

The sampling process using either Swabs or Bio Tape is primarily to confirm and identify mold or any other indoor air condition that may cause discomfort for the occupants in a building. Generally, when excessive moisture accumulates in certain parts of a building, mold growth will occur. It is impossible to eliminate all molds and mold spores in the indoor environment; however, mold growth can be controlled indoors by controlling indoor moisture.

Air Sampling: Air-O-Cell and Agar Plate

Using Air-O-Cell cassettes or Agar Plates, air samples can be collected and analyzed by an accredited and licensed laboratory, to confirm the presence and identification of mold spores. Generally, the presence of mold spores in the air in a building, at levels greater than the outside, indicates a mold source inside the building

Mold Abatement Monitoring and Testing

Although no regulations exist at present for the Remediation of Mold in Buildings, Environmental LLC will use, at a minimum, recommendations based on the following documents, to establish remediation procedures and re-occupancy criteria:

EPA Document EPA 402-K-01-001”Mold Remediation in Schools & Commercial Buildings”

US Department of Labor / OSHA “A brief Guide to Mold in the Workplace” and

NYC Department of Health – Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Disease Epidemiology –“Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of Fungi in Indoor Environments”

HOW MUCH DOES MOLD INSPECTION COST?

Smell a musky odor when you walk into your basement or attic? Is there odd looking black spots appearing on your ceilings and walls? Are your allergies mysteriously acting up? If you’ve answered “yes” to any of the above questions, you could be looking at mold infestation within your home which leads you to the same question as MANY other people; how much does mold inspection cost?

Being that mold is not only destructive to a home, but potentially also destructive to occupant health (health issues can range all the way from runny noses to respiratory illnesses), it’s important to take a suspected mold situation seriously.

Generally speaking, a situation such as this will begin with a mold inspection and, if mold is indeed found, proceed with a mold remediation. In this post, we’ll take a look at what you can expect to pay for each of these services – as well as the factors that go into the cost.

HOW MUCH DOES MOLD INSPECTION COST?

A mold inspection consists of a qualified inspector coming to your residence and analyzing it for traces of mold growth. Often times, mold is easily spotted, like if it’s growing in the attic or permeating drywall.

Other times, however, mold-like substances may need to be tested to determine whether or not they are, in fact, mold. In the case where there’s no visible mold growth, inspectors may have to use specialty devices like IR cameras to help them detect where there’s the moisture that could lead to mold growth.

What Effects the Cost of a Mold Inspection?

Cost is largely dependent on the size of the area being tested, how many samples need to be tested and what type of equipment needs to be used to locate and test the mold. The key is finding a reasonable mold inspection company with high credibility and simply asking them how much mold inspection costs.

Do You Need A Mold Inspection?

Places for Mold Inspections

Ceilings and Walls

Hardwood Floors

Vinyl Flooring

Doors and Windows

Hot Water Heaters

Sinks

Shower and Tub Surrounds

Toilets

Bathroom Rooms

Laundry Rooms

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems

Basements

Crawlspaces

Attics

HVAC

What Takes Place During a Mold Inspection?

mold inspections include a thorough examination of the property grounds, building exterior, crawl space, attic and interiors. We assess the property to determine indicators of excess moisture and water damage, identify active growth and take samples.

Mold is microscopic.  By the time you see mold a 1” square contains 65 million spores according to the American Industrial Hygiene Association.  So what about the  “invisible” or microscopic mold you cannot see?  Our inspections are designed to look for indicators of these microscopic spores.  If you have mold in one room how do you know the spores have not traveled throughout your HVAC system into other areas of the structure?  These are all important considerations in a proper, complete mold inspection

Mold needs a combination of oxygen, food and moisture to grow, and since it can eat almost any porous surface, moisture and high humidity levels are usually what triggers the growth. During the inspection, the inspectors seek out the cause of this excessive moisture and identify any active growth and sample potential infected areas

Inspections, testing and remediation are all completely confidential. Our inspectors will arrive in unmarked cars, as we do realize that having mold in your home is not something that you would like for your neighbors to know.

Common Causes of Attic Mold

Bathroom mold, kitchen mold, basement mold, these areas tend to get all the hype, but there is another area that property owners need to be aware of, too, the attic. Mold found in attic areas can be challenging at times when trying to pinpoint the exact cause and source of mold growth. However, there are some common conditions that we routinely find during our mold investigations that are leading contributors to mold growth in attics.

Roof Leaks

Yes, you guessed it, at the top of our list is roof leaks. Several issues can occur around the flashing or the area where the roof plane meets a vertical surface like a vent or a chimney. Missing, deteriorated, or improperly install flashing among other penetration points and inadequate roof repairs are the most common causes of roof leaks. Water seepage also occurs when the roof is beyond the end of its life span. An annual inspection of your roof by a roofing specialist and routine maintenance can prevent leaks in a roof system, effectively reducing the likelihood of mold growth in your attic

Inadequate Roof Ventilation

Without adequate ventilation, moisture-laden air can remain in attic areas. Often, this will cause elevated moisture conditions around the roof framing and roof sheathing. During cold winter months, for example, condensation can occur on the cold roof sheathing creating this damp environment. You may think otherwise, but it is important to keep your attic cool during colder months.

Another common cause of inadequate ventilation is when your soffit vents are blocked by debris. This could be debris from trees, roofing materials, birds’ nest, or insulation – when it is blown into the attic. If proper care is not taken during this time, the insulation can end up blocking the soffit vents. Soffit vents are critical in a passive ventilation system to circulate air from the lower portion of the attic (intake vents) to the upper roof vents (exhaust vents).

It is possible to help improve and correct inadequate roof ventilation conditions by adding more ventilation ports or a powered roof vent. If it is safe to do so, you should also inspect your soffit vents as part of routine maintenance, or hire someone to inspect your attic.

Bath or Kitchen Exhaust Fans Vented into the Attic

Exhaust fans should be vented directly to the exterior of the home, and surprisingly we often find this is not the case. When an exhaust fan is missing its exhaust duct, or if the duct has become separated, the exhaust is then vented directly into the attic space, similar to the situation above meaning the warm damp air is trapped creating the ideal atmosphere for microbial growth. In this case, it’s important to correct the issue an re-route the vents to the outside.

How do you test for mold in your house?

If you see mold in your home, testing is not required, but may be necessary in certain situations.  For example, you see mold in your basement, but is it affecting your child’s bedroom on the second floor?  Is it in my HVAC system moving throughout my house?  Is it under my wood floors, carpets, or behind my walls?  These are all pertinent questions and should be addressed and the only way to find out is by conducting a mold test.  The question is which mold test should be used?

Mold Tests

A brief description of the available tests will help you decide which you should choose… Home Testing/DIY home mold testing kits are readily available at the local hardware store. Homeowners collect samples of mold according to the kit’s directions, and then send the samples to a laboratory for testing. The problem with home mold testing kits are that they are extremely unreliable.  It’s hit or miss that some mold might land on your test kit and as a result, may indicate that you have a problem which you really don’t, or worse that you don’t have a problem and you do! Very unreliable

Surface tests use samples collected from swabs, tape, and other methods from household surfaces. The samples are tested to determine the amount and type of mold growth in the area. The results can vary because the spores aren’t evenly distributed across the area and the testing procedure is not standardized.

Bulk tests require collecting samples of materials from the affected area, sending them to a lab and examining them under a microscope. Observing the mold particles helps determine their concentration, but that is about all.  The surface concentration is only one of several elements to consider and is usually not relevant to what you are breathing.

Air tests take samples of air from the suspected areas via an air pump. The samples are sent to a lab, examined under a microscope and a report is created that names the genus and a suspected count.  Works relatively well, but does not help with the source of the mold and the margin of error is extremely high.

Culture tests take longer than the others do because they involve allowing the mold spores to mature long enough to be identified.  These tests do not count or give any indication of mold source.

Drinking Water Report

Making safe drinking water

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets safe drinking water standards. These standards limit the amounts of specific contaminants allowed in drinking water. This ensures that tap water is safe to drink for most people. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates the amount of certain contaminants in bottled water. Bottled water must provide the same public health protection as public tap water.

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk.

How to read the water quality data tables

The tables below show the contaminants we found last year or the most recent time we sampled for that contaminant. They also show the levels of those contaminants and the Environmental Protection Agency’s limits. Substances that we tested for but did not find are not included in the tables.

sample for some contaminants less than once a year because their levels in water are not expected to change from year to year. If we found any of these contaminants the last time we sampled for them, we included them in the tables below with the detection date

Definitions

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

MCL (Maximum contaminant level): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

MCLG (Maximum contaminant level goal): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.

Level 1 Assessment: A Level 1 assessment is a study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system.

Level 2 Assessment: A Level 2 assessment is a very detailed study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why an E. coli MCL violation has occurred and/or why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system on multiple occasions.

MRDL (Maximum residual disinfectant level): The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.

MRDLG (Maximum residual disinfectant level goal): The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.

NA (Not applicable): Does not apply.

NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units): A measure of the cloudiness of the water (turbidity).

pCi/l (picocuries per liter): A measure of radioactivity.

ppb (parts per billion): One part per billion in water is like one drop in one billion drops of water, or about one drop in a swimming pool. ppb is the same as micrograms per liter (μg/l).

ppm (parts per million): One part per million is like one drop in one million drops of water, or about one cup in a swimming pool. ppm is the same as milligrams per liter (mg/l).

PWSID: Public water system identification.

TT (Treatment Technique): A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

Variances and Exemptions: State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain conditions.

Water Quality Update

The water is now testing at 6 parts per billion (ppb) which is much lower than the federal requirement of 15 ppb. Flint’s water is one of the most monitored and testing the same as similar cities across the state and country.

Why did the PODs close?

the water distribution locations over the past seven months and partnered with the City, local churches and other non-profit partners, the Food Bank, and the United Way to keep bottled water available until even greater amounts of water quality testing throughout the community could occur.

Will filters and water test kits continue to be available?

Yes. The state will continue to provide free water filters, replacement cartridges, and water testing kits until service line replacement is completed. Filters will continue to be available for residents who feel more comfortable using a filter until their confidence in the water quality can be re-established. Filters and residential sampling kits are available at City Hall.

How do I know filters work?

Water filters are effective at removing lead and other contaminants by 99.9 percent when properly installed and adequately maintained. The U.S. EPA and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) tested water filters and found that NSF-certified filters distributed by the state make water safe from lead for everyone.

Water Resources

Critical clean water resources like bottled water, water filters, and water testing kits are available for free

Water quality

Water quality describes the condition of the water, including chemical, physical, and biological characteristics, usually with respect to its suitability for a particular purpose such as drinking or swimming

Water quality is measured by several factors, such as the concentration of dissolved oxygen, bacteria levels, the amount of salt (or salinity), or the amount of material suspended in the water (turbidity). In some bodies of water, the concentration of microscopic algae and quantities of pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, and other contaminants may also be measured to determine water quality.

Although scientific measurements are used to define water quality, it is not a simple thing to say “that water is good” or “that water is bad.” So, the determination is typically made relative to the purpose of the water – is it for drinking or to wash a car with or for some other purpose?

Poor water quality can pose a health risk for people. Poor water quality can also pose a health risk for ecosystems.

good water quality is essential to a healthy marine ecosystem. Seagrass and coral reef communities thrive in clean water that is relatively low in nutrients. Too many nutrients in the water can cause excess growth of algae, which can smother corals and seagrass. Pollutants such as metals, oils, pesticides, and fertilizers run off from land into the waters, causing excess algae growth and other harmful impacts.

Things You Should Know About Water

water is taken for granted because it’s readily available, of good quality, and very cheap. We turn on the tap and it’s always there. The thought of water rationing might as well be ancient history to those that were born after the 1970s

uses more water per capita than most first world cities.

According to the Water Supplies Department (WSD), total water use in 2009 (both fresh water and salt water) was 3,350 million litres a day1. unlike most other major cities, uses salt water for flushing, so from that total fresh water accounted for 2,608 million litres and salt water 742 million litres. This amounts to an annual per capita consumption of 172.1 m3, making one of the highest water consumers per capita when compared to other advanced cities.

water tariffs are one of the lowest in the world.

water is cheap compared to other major cities in the world. In fact, the first 12m3 of water used every four months is free for all domestic users

With a relatively high GDP per capita, water could be priced higher, however as figure 3 illustrates, drinking water price is actually very low relative to its GDP when compared to other countries.

If we take a look at the absolute price from around the world (figure 4), again we can see that water tariffs are relatively low.

The Best Aquarium Water Test Kits

For all aquarium hobbyists, it is crucial to be able to sustain and keep track of the levels of distinct elements inside the tank and this can only be done if you invest in the best aquarium water test kits available on the market today.

The water in the tank needs to remain clean and safe since we have various fish species and other aquatic creatures dwelling in it. And, as their owner, it is our responsibility to provide them the best possible hub where they can safely and healthily thrive.

Test kits that are particularly designed for aquariums help aquarium keepers to control magnesium, ammonia, iodine, nitrates, carbon, nitrites and pH levels in the tank. It is worth noting that these elements are hazardous and could even be fatal to your aquarium pets.

And, because tap water is used when we fill the tank, thus, these test kits do a great job in measuring the levels of these dangerous elements. Indeed, these readings are quite useful when it comes to making guesstimate while introducing vital minerals.

API Freshwater Master Test Kit

If you are presently searching for the best aquarium test kit, then API Freshwater Master is the ultimate kit that can satisfy your expectations. You can finally examine your tank and tap water and measure the levels of nitrates, nitrites, pH, ammonia and high range pH present in your aquarium.