MOLD INSPECTIONS

WHY IS MOLD

A PROBLEM TODAY?

WHAT IS MOLD?

Molds are forms of fungi found all year round both indoors and outdoors. Outdoors, molds live in the soil, on plants, and on dead or decaying matter. Another common term for mold is mildew. Mold growth is encouraged by warm and humid conditions, although it can grow during cold weather. There are thousands of species of mold and they can be any color. Many times, mold can be detected by a musty odor. Most fungi, including molds, produce microscopica cells called "spores" that spread easily through the air. Live spores act like seeds, forming new mold growths (colonies) with the right conditions. All of us are exposed to fungal spores daily in the air we breathe.

Molds can be found almost everywhere. They can grow on just about any organic substance, as long as moisture and oxygen are present. Mold can grow on wood, paper, carpet, foods and insulation to just name a few. When excessive moisture accumulates in buildings or on materials, mold growth can certainly occur, especially if the moisture problem remains undetected and/or unaddressed. It's impossible to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; however, the key to controlling mold is by controlling the moisture levels. Since mold requires water to grow, preventing moisture problems in buildings and homes will help limit the growth of mold.

Mold reproduces by making spores, which are too small for the human eye to see in most cases (microscopic). Mold spores can float through the air, and when tehy land on something damp, they most likely will begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive thus, gradually destroying the things they grow on.

Mold growth can starts as soon as 24 hours after a water event has occurred. Mold can often be seen in the form of a discoloration or a stain. When molds are present in large quantities, called colonies, they become a health concern. Molds are divided into 3 basic groups based on health effects: Allergenic, Pathogenic, and Toxic. Allergenic molds can cause allergic symptoms such as wheezing or a runny nose. Pathogenic molds can cause suppressed immune systems, or serious health effects in a person who already has a decreased immune system. Toxic molds can cause serious health effects in almost everyone. These effects may be short-term irritations to even cancer.

WHAT DO I DO NOW?

Medallion Healthy Homes realize the problems that are faced by realtors, home owners, and home buyers, and have set standards and protocols for mold inspections. There are 5 levels of inspection services that are offered by our Certified Mold Inspector. These services range from an inspection that is requested in a a specific client defined area, to an inspection that can produce mold remediation specifications. All of the services have a clear understanding and written explanation, within the inspection agreement, of what will be inspected.

1. Limited Sampling: The purpose of Limited Mold Sampling is to detect the presence of mold contamination in client defined areas of the home or building. This service provides a fast economoical method to determine if and what type of molds are in that defined area. The limitation of this service are that other sources of mold may be present in the home or building.

2. Mold Screen: This level of inspection utilizes a visual assessment of the entire home or building, identifies "red flags" for mold, and a limited sampling for mold. If "red flags" are found, the client will be advised and offered the chance for additional sampling. The Mold Screen Inspection is the most popular inspection servie for home sale transactions.

3. Mold Survey: The value of this service is that it identifies, determines cause and provides corrective measures for all mold sources discovered in the entire home. This service is mainly used once a problem has been identified and remediation specifications are needed to be produced.

4. Clearance Testing: Clearance Testing is designed to determine the success of remediation efforts. A containment area has been established and remediation was done within that contained area.

5. Post-Cleaning Testing: Post-Cleaning Testing is also designed to determine the success of remediation efforts. The difference between Clearance and Post-Cleaning Testing is no containment will be in place.

Contact Scott Alberson, our Certified Mold Inspector, at 847-697-5780 to find out more about these services.

Superior Surface Solutions & Medallion Healthy Homes P.O. Box 242 Elk Grove, IL 60009-0242

847-697-5780

This site The Web

Website hosting by Web.com