Mold Testing

Without question, moisture intrusion is the number one problem we see everyday here in Indianapolis homes. Along with moisture intrusion there is, or inevitably will be, mold. Moisture is a homes number one enemy and molds best friend. The climate here in the Midwest is extremely conducive to mold growth. Heavy rains, flooding and high humidity are just some of the many factors we deal with almost on a daily basis here in Indiana. Couple those factors with an older home that was not built with moisture prevention in mind at the time and you are bound to have problems. Even todays newer homes can have moisture problems. While construction techniques today are far better than they ever used to be, they are only as good and efficient as the laborers who practice them.

There is a lot of mis-information concerning mold floating around the home inspection industry today. This is, in part, due to the fact that there is a large transition currently taking place in our industry. Here are some documented FACTS about the most common misconseptions concerning mold.

FACT: You cannot always see mold.
FACT: You cannot always smell mold.
FACT: Approximately 50% of all mold found in homes today is hidden.
FACT: You cannot remove or kill mold with bleach or vinegar and water.
FACT: KILZ primer does not kill mold nor will it encapsulate mold.

Keep in mind that mold spores ARE everywhere, including inside your home. However, properly sealed building envelopes as well as properly working and maintained HVAC systems are supposed to work in conjunction to help keep those spores to a minimum. Moisture and air leaks, if not properly addressed, will result in elevated levels of mold spores in your home, and elevated levels of mold spores in your home can cause significant health risks. Specific species of mold produce mycotoxins (toxic mold) under certain environmental conditions. Some of the potential health effects from mycotoxins are listed below.

Allergic Illness

When mold cells are inhaled and land in the respiratory tract, the body's immune system's response to those invading cells can cause allergic illness. The immune system tries to destroy the mold as it would an agent, like a flu virus, that might cause infection. In about 10 percent of people in the U.S., the immune system overreacts and causes the allergic response that results in symptoms such as runny nose, scratchy throat and sneezing. Most of us know this allergic illness as "hay fever" or "allergic rhinitis."

Asthma

Asthma is a lung disease in which the airways that carry oxygen to the lungs can partially close, causing breathing difficulties ranging from mild (such as a dry cough) to life-threatening (inability to breathe). The US is in the midst of what is being called a world-wide asthma epidemic. A recent survey of North Carolina middle school children revealed that 10 percent had been diagnosed with asthma and another 17 percent had asthma symptoms that had never been diagnosed. More than half of asthmatics have respiratory allergies, often to mold. Molds can trigger asthma episodes in sensitive asthmatics.

Infection

Some mold species can cause respiratory infection when the live mold invades the tissues of the lungs or respiratory tract. This is not a significant risk for healthy people, but can be dangerous for individuals with compromised or severely weakened immune systems.

Toxic Effects

Large doses of certain molds, whether inhaled or ingested, can result in poisoning caused by toxins, called mycotoxins, in the mold cells. One particular type of mold that has been highlighted in the media is Stachybotrys chartarum (also known as Stachybotrys atra). Stachybotrys is a greenish slimy black mold that grows on materials with high cellulose content (drywall, wood, paper, ceiling tiles etc.) that are chronically wet or moist. It is one of several molds that can produce mycotoxins under certain environmental conditions.

Most Common Health Symptoms from Mold Exposure

Chronic fatigue, difficulty breathing, headaches, hives, memory loss, coughing, sore chest, loss of concentration, eye redness, difficulties in learning, skin rashes, watery mucus drips from nose, skin redness, thick slime coming from nose, sneezing, itchy nose, mouth, eyes, throat, skin.

Toxic molds have been causing serious health conditions in humans for hundreds of years. These dangerous types of mold can exist in damp environments in homes or workplaces without us ever knowing it. In the last ten years, there have been many reports of toxic molds causing serious and even fatal consequences for infants and sensitized individuals.

The number of toxic mold cases is rising dramatically every year, mostly due to the growing knowledge of the dangers of toxic mold. Still, toxic mold is still vastly unknown about by the medical community and the general population. According to the Environmental Assessment Association, toxic mold concern is mounting as the medical field is better understanding the effects and ailments that toxic mold can cause. The dangers of toxic mold are that they can cause serious health ailments and are sometimes hard to detect.

Mold spores may be found lying dormant on almost every surface in a building. When mold spores are on a surface with an appropriate moisture content, nutrients, and temperature, the spores will germinate and mold will grow. The key to identifying locations where mold is likely to grow is finding where these conditions exist, have occurred, or are likely to develop.

Most molds must get their food from the environment, living and feeding on dead organic matter. Outdoors, molds are very important in decomposing organic materials and recycling nutrients. Indoors, many building components and contents contain materials that are excellent food sources for mold, such as wallpaper glue, some paints, greases, paper, textiles, and wood products. Indoor dusts may contain fibers, dead skin cells, and other organic matter that can serve as a food source for mold when adequate moisture is available.

Temperature also affects mold growth. Different types of mold have minimum, optimum and maximum temperature ranges for growth. Many fungi grow well at temperatures between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, which are also ideal temperatures for human comfort. In addition, as mentioned above, temperature gradients often produce the moisture needed for mold growth.

Conditions That Promote Mold Growth - All of the conditions needed for mold growth (food sources and appropriate temperatures) are present in the indoor environment with the exception of adequate moisture. Prevention of mold growth indoors cannot be achieved without proper moisture control. The following are some of the moisture problems that cause indoor mold growth.

Water Intrusion

Rainwater can enter a building through leaks in walls, windows or the roof. Surface or ground water may enter when there is poor foundation drainage. Flooding can, of course, cause catastrophic intrusion. In buildings that have slab construction, water can seep or wick up through the cement floor causing mold to grow on carpet pads or carpet backing. The building envelope (walls, windows, floors, roof, etc.) must be well maintained to prevent water from coming in, both to prevent mold growth and to maintain the structural integrity of the building.

Water Vapor

When relative humidity becomes elevated indoors, building materials and furnishings absorb the moisture. Those damp materials can then provide a good place for mold to grow. If there are no cold condensing surfaces and the relative humidity is maintained below 60 percent indoors, there will not be enough water in those materials for mold to grow. However, if the humidity stays above 60 percent indoors for extended periods of time, mold will almost certainly grow.

HVAC systems

In the summer, air conditioning can de-humidify indoor space. But if the system is too large or too small for the space it serves, the cooling system can create high humidity by cooling without removing water vapor. A properly sized and maintained system will dehumidify and cool a building.

When there are cold surfaces in a building, water vapor can condense on those surfaces, just as water condenses on the outside of a glass of ice water. Insulation of exterior walls can prevent condensation and mold growth during the winter. You should always be mindful of indoor sources of water vapor that can be problematic. For instance; clothes dryers should always be vented to the outdoors, not into an attic or crawlspace. Bathroom exhaust fans should always be used when showering or bathing, and make sure the vent is exhausted to outdoors, not into an attic. A properly vented kitchen exhaust fan can remove steam created during cooking. These items are by far the most common sources of water vapor that can cause problems.

What we offer

Whether you have a home built in the early 1900's or just closed on your brand new home, we offer an extensive mold/moisture inspection and testing package specifically designed to help locate any problem areas within your home as well as offer solutions on how to remediate those problems.

First we will do a complete visual inspection of the accessible interior and exterior components of the property. We are specifically trained in looking for any areas that could be susceptible to moisture penetration and offering suggestions on how to remedy any problem areas found. Remember, moisture is a home’s number one enemy and molds best friend.

Second, we will take direct samples of any visual mold via tape lift. This can determine the type of mold we are dealing with and whether or not it is of the toxic variety. If there is no visible mold present, there is always a possibility of it existing somewhere hidden. Approximately 50% of all mold found in homes is hidden behind drywall, underneath carpeting or pad, in the ductwork etc. In this case we will take air samples using the Micro5 cassette to determine if higher than acceptable levels of mold spores exist in the air that you are breathing. We will drop off the samples for analysis the same day (48 hour turnaround). Based off of the lab analysis we can then narrow down the source possibility and can offer suggestions on how to remediate the problem.

If you have any concerns at all about the possiblility of mold being present in your home or the home you are about to purchase, have it tested. If not by us, by someone.