MOLD

Mold is present everywhere. Under certain conditions it can be a hidden danger to people in homes and buildings. But with modern air, carpet and surface sampling techniques, testing laboratories can reveal if the present mold condition posses a hazard to you or your family.
Most problems are caused by a direct result of moisture due to:
• Defects in original construction or remodeling
• Lack of property maintenance
• Plumbing leaks (shower pans, loose toilets, piping and faucets)
• Exterior conditions, (lawn sprinklers, improper grading, poor drainage)
• Old age, lack of cleaning
• Inadequate ventilation

Introduction to Molds:
Molds produce tiny spores to reproduce. Mold spores waft through the indoor and outdoor air continually. When mold spores land on a damp spot indoors, they may begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods. When excessive moisture or water accumulates indoors, mold growth will often occur, particularly if the moisture problem remains undiscovered or un-addressed. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.

What are some of the common indoor molds?
• Cladosporium
• Penicillium
• Alternaria
• Aspergillus
• Mucor
• Stachybotrys chartarum

How do molds affect people?
Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, Health effects include, but are not limited to: asthma, allergy symptoms, watery eyes, sneezing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, sinus congestion, blurry vision, sore throat, dry cough, aches and pains, skin irritation, bleeding of the lungs, headaches, memory loss and fever. As humans vary greatly in their chemical makeup, so does the individuals reaction to mold exposure. For some people, a small number of mold spores can cause ill effects. People with chronic illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs.
Toxic, Allergenic or Pathogenic mold cannot be visually identified, it must be sampled and sent to a laboratory for analysis and recommendations.
Not all properties will contain hazardous mold levels, but we advise for your protection and peace of mind that the property should have Mold Surface & Air Sampling performed.

What type of Mold Sampling is available?
Swab Testing for mold would be used where there are visible signs of mold noted, and we want to know what type of mold(s) are present. Once we receive the test results we are able to classify the mold(s) that were identified.
Air Sampling for mold spores is used where signs of water intrusions, or internal water problems are noted as present at the time of the inspection. An air sample is better at discerning unseen molds. Rooms with various locations of mold may benefit from air sampling in lieu of swab testing each mold location. To perform air sampling, we use a special high volume air pump that draws air into & through a cartridge that is sealed and sent to the lab for analysis. Each sample requires about fifteen minutes total to perform. A minimum of two tests is required- one is a control taken from the exterior of the building at least six hours after a precipitation event, and the other one(s) taken at the area(s) of concern.
Carpet Sampling can be used to determine a mold history in the home, and is performed using similar equipment as the above. The history developed is as old as the carpet. The results from the carpet test will again tell us the genus types of mold spores present over the history of the carpet.
Reports with results of the Mold Samples and recommendations are provided in 3-5 business days.
(analysis is done by METS laboratories, report is prepared by Patuxent Environmental Group, Inc.)

For more information on mold, go to Mold Update

 

TERMITES AND OTHER PESTS

Most homes are inspected for termites and other wood destroying pests by a State of California licensed pest control company. For more information on termites go to Do It Yourself Termite Control