Moisture and Mold Detection, Inc.

Sellers Should... and Buyers Should... Sellers Should..disclose if the home had any leaks or water intrusion issues in the last 10 years per California law. However, this does not always happen for a number of reasons. It sometimes may be forgotten, temporarily! There may not be any records kept of the incident that can be accessed. And sometimes it is deliberate deception on the part of the current owners not to disclose water related events. It is best to be open so that ...Continue reading

What is Toxic Mold? What is black toxic mold? There seems to be a few different answers for this depending on who you talk to. Let's review a few things and clarify what toxic mold actually is. To some extent this can be considered a misnomer. Meaning it is not labeled correctly. It is more accurate to say 'toxigenic mold'. This is said since many molds produce what are called 'mycotoxins' which are generally produced by a mold to fight other molds that are in the area. ...These mycotoxins are many times on the outside of the mold spores produced by the various molds. The spores, of course, are the 'seeds', if you will, that mold grows from once it gets a water source. Mycotoxins can affect people's health. Much of it depends on how much of this is inhaled and the immune system of the person. People can develop sensitivities to various molds and mycotoxins over a period of time. Some people are immediately affected by these. Black toxic mold that many people have heard of has come from one type of mold called Stachybotrys which has several species in it. This type of mold has gotten the reputation of not being very friendly to people. And the color is generally black. But you need to know that there are many other mold types that are black, not just Stachybotrys. And not all of species of the Stachybotrys type are 'unfriendly' to people. But since on initial examination the lab cannot identify the species we generally have to consider 'Stachybotrys' types as a whole as potentially dangerous. Keep in mind that we breath in mold spores all the time from the outside and some of these are invariably Stachybotrys and we are not necessarily affected by them usually because it is not a large number we inhale. There are some 5.1 million species of mold and about 100,000 types of mold. The most important aspect of most any mold is that we don't want to breath in too much as that can overwhelm our lung alveoli and with any mycotoxins present can potentially adversely affect our health. That is why it is important to address any possible leaks in our homes quickly so mold and bacteria do not have a chance to grow and potentially affect our health. If you are unsure if you have a mold problem then have the home inspected by a professional with the proper credentials. And see your Doctor to address your health concerns.

Lies and Intimidation.......? I was called to inspect a property by a tenant, a single female. She lives in a large complex in RSM which had a water heater leak that affected a wall in her laundry. These types of leaks are not usually noticed right away and as such this grew mold inside the wall on the insulation and wall studs as well as behind the removed baseboard. To make a long story short the management sent a company' to deal with the situation. Drywall was removed ...Continue reading

A New Process on the Block; What are it's Limitations? I came across a new process in the 'Mold Community' when servicing a new client. I will not mention a company name at this point but when you hear the process explained to you by this company you will be able to recognize it. But first let me tell you the experience of my client before she called me for assistance. She responded to an ad promising 7 air samples to test for mold for a nice low price. She recieved 2 air...Continue reading

SBS (Sick Building Syndrome) Many people have heard of this or something like it. What about BRS (Building related symptoms)? And there are a couple more anacronyms out there like these. What can this mean for you, the Resident or owner? As BRS indicates above has to do with people experiencing Adverse Health Symptoms from being in certain buildings due to some type of 'microbial growth' (this can be mold, mycotoxins and/or bacteria) that may be hard to detect or find the ca...use of. SBS has to do with the building that has conditions that can cause BRS. BRS can also apply to VOC's (volatile organic compounds) as well as even chemicals. People who experience adverse health symptoms (such as difficulty breathing usually with asthma, brain fog, not feeling well and much more) while being in these buildings start feeling better once they leave that particular building. Then when they come back the symptoms start over again. This can also apply to a person's home. How do you find out if you live in a home that causes BRS (building related symptoms)? The first obvious item is to notice if you 'feel less well' every time you go into your home, especially with all the windows closed. This should contrast with every time you leave your home you 'feel better'. If you feel this may be the case then consider hiring a professional IEP (indoor environmental professional) such as a CMC or Certified Microbial Consultant to design and perform an inspection that would include appropriate 'mold testing or sampling' and even bacteria testing if deemed necessary. This Inspection would basically include looking for active or potential moisture issues in and around the home that would or are creating conditions that lead to bacteria and mold growth. If moisture is found by the Consultant there will be mold and bacteria growth even if you don't see it. This is a scientific biological fact. These conditions can cause a host of Adverse Health Symptoms. Once any of these conditions is found then corrections can be made to bring your home back to a 'Healthy Environment' by following the recommendations given by the CMC. Call to find out more for your situation. See more

Mold Scams....? This is an interesting problem. Some companies offer very low cost 'mold testing' with air samples for your home. If the mold report comes back with a higher score for the inside of your home a mold remediation is then recommended for your home that can cost several thousand dollars or more that they are more than happy to do for you. It is also worth noting that a company can sometimes manipulate the samples taken, depending on the circumstances, in order to... show your home is in need of an expensive remediation. This is one reason why my Company does not do Mold Remediation due to a conflict of interest. Though there is no 'law' about doing this it is a good practice to keep the inspection company and remediation company separate. When I do an inspection I stay objective and am not looking for ways to 'create' work for myself or my company. The recommendations that are made in my reports are based on evidence of potential or current issues to help safeguard my client. One thing to know is that mold testing or sampling should always be done in conjunction with a Mold Inspection, that is an inspection for potential moisture or mold issues. The reason is that the inspection will normally help explain why there is a higher count if there is one. There are certain recommendations to follow depending on what is found during this inspection which should be specific not general. There should always be photo documentation of the possible issue. Example: a picture of the moisture reading of '35%' noting where this was found and following up with a specific recommendation. It is important to understand that air samples can be higher inside a home than outside for a number of reasons and one should not be hasty about employing a company to 'remediate you home' just because a lab report says it is higher than the outside. A case in point: If I do a Mold Inspection and do not find anything significant from that but find that the Mold Samples taken show a higher count inside than outside I have basic recommendations that cost very little overall to do in this situation. 1. Do a good cleaning of the home or affected areas. 2. Use a vacuum with a hepa filter which captures mold spores and other contaminants in the air and use on carpet, drapes and fabric furniture. 3. Use an anti-microbial (disinfectant) to wipe down all applicable surfaces to kill possible mold and bacteria growth. 4. Get one or more air cleaning machines with hepa filters for all rooms in you home that need one. Some models cost less than $100 and can be rotated throughout your home though more than one may be needed from a practical standpoint. 5. Maintain regular house hygiene so mold does not build up even if you don't see it. These are things that can be done that does not cost an arm and a leg, assuming there is nothing else going on like an unseen leak.

Covid 19: Below is information that may be of help. CORONA Common Sense Since they are calling on Respiratory therapist to help fight the Corona virus, and I am a retired one, too old to work in a hospital setting. I'm gonna share some common sense wisdom with those that have the virus and trying to stay home. If my advice is followed as given you will improve your chances of not ending up in the hospital on a ventilator. This applies to the otherwise generally healthy popul...Continue reading