Mold Inspection: Test the air…

Mold in the home can not only be damaging to the structure, but also to your health, particularly if a toxic mold has developed.  Mold are tiny fungi that grow quickly and although some molds are useful, i.e. penicillin, a lot of the varieties of mold are harmful.  If you can detect a musty smell in the air, or you start sneezing a lot, then you may have mold spores in the air and a mold inspection is recommended.

Mold Busters’ experienced inspectors will be able to determine whether mold is invading your home.  Starting with a history of your home, i.e. is there a history of flooding, was it previously a ‘grow op’ house, has there been any leaks to the roof or plumbing?  The level of mold will then be determined with the use of mold detecting equipment including infrared cameras and thermal imaging if necessary.  Once the mold has been detected, and the source, recommendations will then be made as to remedial work.

Mold Busters also recommends having the air in your home tested for mold spores.  Samples taken at different times of the day, i.e. morning and evening, will be taken, together with samples from the outside air for comparison purposes, and sent to an accredited laboratory for testing.  Spore counts or ‘colony forming units’ on their own are of little use, but laboratory testing can determine and identify the type of mold.

Apartments are different from houses in that they usually have a complicated mechanical ventilation system that serves more than one apartment in the block.  Mold Busters have specially trained inspectors who are specialists in small buildings.  It may even be the case that the source of the mold is not actually within a specific apartment, but within a communal area of the building or due to leakage in pipes between the apartments.  This can result in more extensive remedial work required on the whole building, and could involve municipal or regional health departments.

The results from the air samples together with other inspections carried out at the property will be able to help decide what action needs to be taken in fixing the source of the mold, mold removal and ongoing prevention of the mold returning.

If you need mold (mould) remediation and removal services in Ottawa, Contact experts at Mold Busters for mold (mould) remediation and removal services.   

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Attic mold: causes and its removal

Often attic mold can go undetected for a long time, principally because it is not an area in our homes that we frequently visit and unless you’ve had a leak in the roof, you wouldn’t think about mold growing in that area.  However, it does grow in the attic and it can cause quite a problem.

Wherever the mold is growing, if left over a period of time it will accumulate in sufficient quantities to start to have an effect on your health and that of your family.  Mold spores from the attic can and will circulate through the air in your home and also build up without you being particularly aware of the extent of infestation.  Any members of the family suffering from conditions such as asthma or a respiratory infection will be seriously affected by mold growth.

The mold growth in the attic will also cause damage to the roof trusses and any insulation material you may have in the attic.  During the winter months, hot air inside the attic rises and as it reaches the under-surface of the roof which is cold, condensation forms and creates the ideal climate for mold growth.  As winter turns to spring and summer, the warmer weather dries out the plywood, until you reach the next winter and the cycle starts again.  Each winter, black residue is left on the underside of the plywood and eventually, if left untreated, it will rot.  Other causes of moisture in the attic can be bathroom vents exhausted into the attic instead of the roof or through a wall, plumbing vent stacks in an opening that is too big, leaks in the roof or attic windows, and inadequate insulation which allows the heat from inside the house to rise up through the ceilings and into the roof space.

Attic mold removal in Markham is a job for professionals that are used to working in enclosed small environments such as this, and they have the right equipment to do the job.  Initially, a free inspection will be carried out to ascertain the reason for the moisture build up and mold growth.  If it is due to a leak, lack of ventilation or air vents, then repairs and corrections will have to be made to prevent mold growth returning. 

At Mold Markham, we use a range of equipment including thermal imaging and infrared cameras to detect the mold, including the unseen growth.  Once any damaged and contaminated materials and porous items, like insulation, have been removed and discarded, hard surfaces will be scrubbed with a biocide and wooden stud walls and other wood items will be sanded to remove all traces of mold – wood is also a little porous.   As with any clean-up process, as you disturb the mold, spores will permeate the atmosphere.  To prevent it spreading into the rest of the house, plastic sheeting will be placed over vents and doorways, and taped securely in place.  You may also find that any duct work in the attic will need to be replaced.

At Mold Markham we would recommend using a negative air machine during the remediation process in order to remove any mold spores that are airborne.  We will also provide you with tips and advice on how to keep the attic mold at bay.

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Now I can breathe easy, thanks to Mold Busters!

My house had been rented to various tenants over a period of several years, but when I wanted to move back to the property, I was shocked at the way the tenants had allowed mold to grow, not just in the obvious places like the bathroom and basement, but in other rooms, too.  I could smell the mustiness in the air and knew that it would not be healthy for me to move back in until the mold had been removed and dealt with.

I knew it was too much of a job for me, so I called Mold Busters to ask their advice.  Within days, one of the professional inspectors visited the house to make an assessment.  They took samples of the air to send off to an accredited laboratory, thereby determining not only a spore count but also the type of mold that they were dealing with.  Using highly sensitive detection equipment, including infrared cameras and thermal imaging equipment, they were able to find any mold that wasn’t visible to the eye, and also find the source of any excess moisture.  Sure enough, I had a leaking roof, seepage in the basement, and virtually no ventilation in the bathroom!

On the advice of Mold Busters, I arranged to have the repairs done and then called Mold Busters back to the property to start the mold remediation process.  All the contaminated porous materials were removed and disposed of, and the mold was removed from the house.  Each contaminated room was thoroughly cleaned and disinfected and then, using drying equipment such as HEPA vacuums, it was dried out completely. 

Mold Busters were very helpful and gave me invaluable advice on ways to keep moisture levels down and thereby keeping mold at bay.  They visited the house regularly to monitor each stage of the mold remediation process, and kept me informed of progress.  It was an immense day when they handed the keys back to me, and I now have my home back, completely restored and habitable again including reclaiming the basement!

I couldn’t have asked for more from Mold Busters and without their help, advice and superb work, I wouldn’t have my home today.  They’re regular visitors here, too, as they come every year to monitor the mold ‘hot spots’ and test the air quality.  In looking after my home and my health, that’s money well spent!

Mold Busters, the experienced Mould Professional (Inspector) In Toronto are offering the best mold removal services in Toronto for years. Contact us Today!!! 

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I’ve bought a grow op house…

A constant problem in Canada is the ‘grow op’ property, dwellings that housed marijuana grow operations, and despite enforcement and legislative tools, it continues to be a concern.  Grow ops usually start in vacant houses, often for some time and contrary to belief, are principally found in better neighbourhoods where the houses and neighbours are further apart.  However, the cultivation of marijuana indoors provides the perfect levels of heat and humidity for the growth of another harmful substance, mold.  If you are considering purchasing an ex ‘grow op’ house, it is essential that you get a grow op test carried out from an expert.

Mold that has grown in a grow op house is often toxic black mold, also known as Stachybotrys, and can seriously affect your health, and has to be removed before the property is deemed liveable.  Often the best way of detecting mold and toxins is an air test, and at Mold Busters, inspectors use sensitive equipment that can see beyond the visible eye.  Air testing can also help in detecting the source, identifying the mold species and how many spores are in the air.  Mold Busters will also use thermal imaging and infrared cameras that are able to find black mold in hidden areas of the house.

grow op mold removal in Mississauga needs to be carried out by professionals that have the right equipment, and includes the removal and disposal of infected materials.  The size of the operation to remove the mold depends on the size of the grow op.  In some cases, the mold could have potentially spread throughout the whole house.  The clean-up and disinfection of a property is a multi-step process; it can be costly and time consuming as it can also include the restoration of any structural damage, such as re-wiring, replacing of floorboards or the filling in of holes, but it is an absolute necessity before you can live healthily within it.

The clean-up involves the removal of all infected materials, structurally as well, and then the thorough cleaning, i.e. manual handwashing, and disinfecting of all surfaces.  Mold Busters will also use HEPA filters, which are high efficiency particulate air filters.  HEPA filters clean the particulates in the air before releasing them back into the atmosphere.   The area will then have to be left to be allowed to dry and the use of heaters can help this process.  Part of the inspection and remediation process is to find the source of the mold and once found, there may be repairs that are necessary in order to prevent any mold from returning.  Mold Busters will return at regular intervals to monitor the process and once it is deemed completely dry, equipment will be removed.  It is at this point, the restoration process can begin in making the house a home.

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Damp or wet basements are a magnet for mold

Most basements in Toronto are prone to dampness and are wet, or even flood on occasion, principally because they are built under ground level.  As the earth surrounding the basement puts continual pressure on the basement walls, hairline cracks may start to appear and any underlying water, such as heavy rainfalls, melting snow and ice and sprinklers to close to the house will find its way into a basement.  Mold Busters have found that the

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