Clear the attic!

If you’ve found mould, particularly black mould, growing in the attic, it has probably been caused by excessive moisture rising up through the property and depositing condensation on the attic sheathing during the winter months.  Large fish tanks and indoor swimming pools, as well as bathrooms vent fans exhausting into the attic, provide the ideal conditions for mould growth.

Mould will grow and destroy any porous materials – wood, carpets, curtains, clothes.  In an attic, it will attack the wooden beams that are part of the roof’s rafters, eventually weakening the whole structure of the building.  The mould will also release bacterially-infected spores into the air space around you which will, if left for a period of time, cause respiratory harm to those living within that environment.

Mold Busters are professional and experienced mould inspectors able to do a comprehensive mould inspection , basements into attics and crawl spaces.  They are also able to check your ventilation within the home to ensure that it is working properly and effectively, and not creating the conditions in which mould will grow. 

Any mould that is found needs to be removed by professionals, such as Mold Busters.  We are experienced in removing mould from attics, particularly black toxic mould which needs to be handled with care.  We can replace any damaged parts of any wooden joists.  To remove 100% of mould, every bit of mould has to be removed together with any mould damaged materials.  The smallest bit that’s left behind will, in all likelihood, re-grow.

Mold busters are the famous name in Canada for their quality work. Contact them for mould inspection in Ottawa and attic mould in ottawa!!

Read more...

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.   

Read more...

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.

Read more...

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!!! 

Read more...