Do I Have Mold in My Home?
by John Van Vleet, Only Choice Inspections.
The presence of mold in homes, schools and business is of growing concern in California and the rest of the U.S. Mold can thrive on virtually any organic material such as wood, paper, carpet, food, insulation, etc. Just add water and in 48 hours mold can begin to grow. Any time water intrusion occurs, be it a major flood or a minor plumbing leak that was not immediately and thoroughly dried out, there is a high probability of mold growth. Mold can cause significant aesthetic and structural damage to building materials and other personal property. Indoor mold growth can also negatively impact indoor air quality and pose certain health risks to occupants.
Mold often grows behind walls and inside ceiling and floor cavities long before it is ever detected. By the time you start smelling an unpleasant odor rest assured mold has been growing somewhere for some time and every day is growing more. If you suspect you have mold growing indoors, the time to act is sooner rather than later. Mold inspections and mold testing are the means to identifying indoor mold problems. Most often infrared inspections and testing work best in conjunction with each other, however, there are instances when certain questions can be answered with one or the other. Understanding the difference between inspections and testing will help you get the answers you’re looking for. This blog page focuses on mold inspections.
What Is A Mold Inspection?
At Only Choice Home Inspections, mold inspection is a non-destructive visual inspection for mold and conditions that cause mold in buildings. The purpose of a mold inspection is to identify and document visible evidence. Thermal imaging infrared camera and an air machine is used to collect air samples in a mold inspection. Of mold growth, moisture issues, and other suspect conditions that are indicators of indoor mold growth. With state-of-the-art technology such as infrared thermal imaging cameras and electronic moisture detection equipment, no physical damage is ever done to any structure. While infrared does not specifically detect mold, it does provide Inspectors with the distinct advantage of quickly and accurately identifying conditions where mold typically grows. Thermal imaging cameras are now the standard by which true IAQ professional investigators are measured. Yet very few mold inspection companies use thermal imaging technology because of the high cost of infrared cameras.
If your mold inspection is conducted without infrared thermal imaging, your inspection may be inconclusive.
Only Choice Inspections goes the extra mile for you!
John Van Vleet
Only Choice Inspections
Phone: 760-822-0477
Email: [email protected]
Web: OnlyChoiceInspections.com