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Mould Inspection Questions
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Do
residents or occupants suffer from one or more of the common health
symptoms?
(Click here for a list of common mould symptoms.) The
home and building inspection for mould contamination will need to be
very thorough. Mould testing may be necessary in order to identify
possible fungal causes of the health problems.
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Are shrubs, trees, and other
plants growing too close to the home or building? Too many trees too close
to the building protect mould growth from the killing effect of ultraviolet
rays of sunlight. The dead leaves and plant debris provide the food to enable mould
to grow. Growing mould produce mould spores
which become airbourne and enter the home or building
through open windows and doors.
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Is the land around the
home or building sloping away from the building? This will carry rainfall and
snow melt away from the building. Otherwise, excess water will flow toward
the building and cause water intrusion in the
building foundation, concrete slabs, and basement walls.
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Is the roof
in good repair? Good shingles, no cracks or holes in flashings
around plumbing, vent pipes, air conditioning units, etc.
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Are there water stains in the attic? Check for water
stains or mould growth on the under side of the roof decking, the
roof joists, the attic floor, and on and beneath insulation. Mould cannot
eat fiberglass insulation, but it can eat the paper backing of the
insulation, and can also eat and grow on organic dirt deposited onto
the fiberglass strands.
Learn more about attic moulds here.
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Are there physical signs
or evidence of water intrusion or mould growth? Check for
physical signs or evidence of water intrusion or mould growth anywhere in water-oriented
rooms such as bathrooms, the kitchen, and the
laundry room. Be
very thorough in inspecting and testing for bathroom mould, kitchen mould,
utility room mould, and laundry room mould.
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Are there water stains,
suspicious discolorations or signs of water damage? Lookout for
suspicious discolorations in ceilings, walls, floors, furniture,
closet, living room, dining room, bedroom, attic, crawlspace,
basement, storage room or garage.
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Is there hidden moisture?
Hidden moisture problems may exist inside wall cavities, beneath floors, above ceilings, or behind ceramic tiles of bathroom walls, tubs and showers.
A certified
mould inspector will use instruments that can check for these types
of moisture without drilling holes on the surface or finish.
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Does the property
have a history of moisture or water-related problems? Roof
leaks, water leaks, floods, or other water problems and water
intrusions in the past should invite particular attention to inspecting and
testing for mould growth and water problems
inside walls, above ceilings, and beneath floors.
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Is the humidity level
higher than fifty percent? Humidity levels above 50% in the crawl space, basement, attic,
or any
room of the building or home can provide sufficient moisture to enable
mould to grow!!! A certified
mould inspector will use a digital hygrometer to test each area of
the
home or building.
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Are the levels of mould
spores indoors higher than the levels outdoors? Elevated levels of
mould spores in the air in the attic, crawl space, basement,
and the various rooms of the home or other building is unhealthy. A certified
mould inspector
will use a variety of testing techniques in collecting air
samples indoors. Samples concurrently collected outdoors will serve as the
test control. Some of the mould sampling techniques and technologies are:
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uncovered
mould culture plates on which airborne mould settles onto after
stirring up the air in the room with a disinfected fan for 15 minutes to
30 minutes;
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controlled air testing impactor that use an air pump to draw in and
impact airborne mould spores onto the sticky surface of a mould culture
plate;
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direct sampling of visually-noticeable mould growth through scraping of
the suspect mould substance into a mould culture plate, or lift
tape sampling using Scotch tape or any transparent tape; or
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actually cutting and saving a piece of what the suspect
mould is growing on or in, such as drywall, wood, carpeting, etc.
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Is there mould
contamination inside the
building's heating, ventilating, and air
conditioning system?
A certified
mould inspector will use culture plates [sticky surface facing
inward] onto at least one air supply register grill of each zone of your
HVAC system, and then run the HVAC system for 15 minutes to impact
possible mould infestation spores onto the sticky surface of the mould
culture plates.
Collected mould
samples can be grown for 5 to 7 days. Mould species can then be identified accurately and
the mould colony counts can be performed by a qualified mould
laboratory. Ensure that each sample has an identification label
containing your name, the property address at which the mould sample
was collected, the precise testing location within that property,
and the testing date.
Some specific details are available from the Professional
Mould Lab Identification page at www.moldmart.net .
Other related topics:
[Home][Up] [Attic Mould][Home Purchase Mould] [Mobile Home Mould]
[Mould Inspection Questions][Mould Lord] [New Home Mould]
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