Avoiding the Mold Monsters…

Harmful mold hidden behind wallpaper in a Los Angeles, California home. A good example that there is more than meets the eye, but only if you hire a inspector from Common Sense Inspections at CSImold.com

All inspections are performed by a MICRO Certified Mold Inspector. Our inspection reports are easy to read and understand. Most of your inspection reports can be emailed to you within 24-48 hours from inspection.

We always recommend that clients be present during inspection so that we can answer any of their questions or concerns. We perform inspections in Los Angeles county. Inspections are available Monday thru Sunday.

Mold inspections are primarily visual in nature. They may involve some basic testing such as humidity and moisture testing. While the most valuable and informative, they are not in depth and most often no destructive or detailed testing is involved. Mold testing on the other hand is more involved and may include one or more testing methods. The most common testing methods are surface sampling and air sampling. Surface sampling is primarily used to verify if a suspicious substance is mold, or to identify the species of mold. It is the least expensive methods of testing. The information provided is somewhat limited compared to air sampling, but surface samples are mainly useful for symptom diagnosis and confirmation of suspicious areas. In real estate transactions, surfaces sampling is often helpful in proving to a seller that the stain in question is in fact mold.

Mold Problem Identification, as we are speaking here, is an important part of a building investigation for mold (or other allergen) problems. By this we mean, an investigator should be charged to identify the presence of problematic mold, including no less than the following: first, the evidence that problematic levels of mold are present and that the predominant genera/species are ones which can be expected to be toxic or highly allergenic; second, the evidence that a large problem reservoir exists; third, the location(s) of the problem reservoir; fourth, the underlying causes for the presence of the problem reservoir. This information permits preparation of a remediation plan to specify the cleanup needed and the building repairs needed to avoid simply producing more mold.

Key in a Mold Problem Identification investigation is the actual visual examination of the building, its history, its leaks, and other physical evidence. As a part of such an investigation, samples are collected of visible mold to distinguish cosmetic from problematic material, and other samples might be collected to examine the level of moldy dust settled in building areas where mold is not present. Additional samples may be collected for comparison baselines such from outdoor areas or from non-complaint areas in the problem building.

A thorough building investigation will include sampling or “tests” to identify the presence of mold and to identify the dominant problem molds by genera and often species. By contrast, a quick and simple “mold test,” particularly a random spot check, is of little value by itself: grabbing a 90 liter air sample or putting a settlement plate in a closet for an hour is not a reliable building characterization for mold, and a tape sample of the single square foot of mold in a building is unnecessary.

Call CSI MOLD Los Angeles today…for results tomorrow!

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