Mold Assessments

The numerous health hazards posed by a mold infestation have forced people to be much more careful about the presence of mold in their homes or workplaces.  The average person is hardly an expert on mold, however, so in spite of our best efforts to scope out and eradicate mold growth, we may end up overlooking certain critical elements that would easily have been spotted by an expert.  As such, an industry has developed around the task of identifying mold and its risk level in a particular environment, followed by its systematic cleaning and prevention.  The first stage of a professional cleanup job is the mold assessment, which confirms the presence of mold and the structure of the infestation.

Mold assessment always begins as a visual inspection of the premises, which is normally sufficient to determine what steps to take to resolve the growth.  The assessor will make a rough estimate of the overall surface area occupied by any visible mold, and the thickness of the growth, from light to heavy.  The investigation will also involve finding any sources of moisture, which are essential for mold to grow to possibly hazardous levels.  The findings of these two processes will give the expert a fair idea of what remedial measures to take.  When performing the inspection, the expert should take care to check the backside of wallpaper and panelling, the tops of ceiling tiles, and beneath pads or carpeting.  Furniture will most probably have to be moved around so that the expert can inspect walls behind them.  Rafters should also be checked for leaks or inadequate insulation. 

If there are occupants of the premises that have shown signs of getting sick from mold infection, a sampling of the air will be taken, so that it can be identified and tested.  Air samples from outside the location will also be obtained for comparison to detect the presence of mold that cannot be seen.  Mold samples will also be taken from contaminated surfaces, and portions of contaminated material will likewise be acquired so that the level of mold concentration can be measured.  The results from testing of all of these samples will help experts figure out what sort of threat they’re dealing with, what method of mold purging to use, and what changes or repairs may need to be made to the structure of the place to avoid future mold infestation.

Professional mold destroyers are typically armed with a wide array of equipment that they use during mold assessment.  Temperature and humidity levels are important environmental factors for mold growth, so experts pair a thermometer with a humidity gauge to record this relevant data.  Moisture is also a big issue with mold contamination, so they also bring moisture meters along, that are sensitive enough to measure moisture levels in building materials, such as wood or brick.  A borescope, which is essentially a long, flexible tube with a camera at the end of it, allows experts to look into tight spaces or areas that are hard to see.  Thermographic cameras are also often utilized to see points where moisture is entering the house.  Lastly, protective equipment, such as gloves and protective googles, is worn by the expert to avoid suffering from adverse mold contaminant effects, especially if the infestation is rather advanced.

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