Q. | What exactly is mold? |
A. | The kingdom of fungi (mold) is a very special assemblage of organisms. The fungi belong to neither the plant nor the animal kingdom. Many fungi reproduce by releasing spores much like plants release seeds. Fungal spores are everywhere and constantly elevated humidity, such as is found on Long Island, will inevitably lead to microbial growth.
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Q. | What are the health effects of exposure to mold? |
A. | The presence and proliferation of mold spores indoors may lead to health problems of differing severity. Symptoms and severity will depend largely upon the sensitivity of the individuals involved. People with asthma and other environmental allergies may be especially susceptible.
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Q. | Can mold be completely eliminated? |
A. | When you open a door or a window, you invite in all the indigenous mold spores that flow continually throughout your neighborhood. These are all naturally occurring and nothing can be done to prevent this happening. These spores are drifting and will settle in areas conducive for growth.
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Q. | How does mold grow? |
A. | Mold requires two key ingredients for growth: a nutrient source and a moisture source. Nutrients include but are not limited to paint, wallpaper, adhesives, sheet rock, paneling, insulation, cloth, cardboard etc. Obviously many if not all of these items are in most residential and commercial buildings and are not an option to eliminate. Long Island has a humid climate. As a result our homes and, in particular our basements, have a tendency to become very damp. Add the effects of groundwater, storm water damage and water penetration through either damage or normal wear, and you have an excellent water source to spur mold growth.
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Q. | What if mold is suspected —what’s next? |
A. | If mold is not readily visible and questions arise as to whether there is an existing problem, airborne testing will be necessary.
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Q. | When do you actually need to inspect for mold? |
A. | For the most part, an inspection will result if there are concerns, but no clearly identifiable growth pattern, or if preventative measures need to be identified to minimize the potential for mold for future events.
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Q. | What if mold is suspected, but nothing is readily visible? |
A. | If mold is not readily visible and questions arise as to whether there is an existing problem, airborne testing will be necessary.
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Q. | What is the procedure for inspecting for mold? |
A. | An exterior inspection is required if there is an indeterminate means of water penetration. If water penetration is allowed to continue, any remedial action will fail because conditions still exist to promote accelerated mold growth. Areas to be explored include:
Loose, damaged or debris clogged gutters and downspouts;
Improper land grading;
An aged and weather damaged roof;
Separated flashing around chimneys, vents, skylights and edges of roofs;
Water penetration or water stains on interior walls, wood paneling or particleboard;
High humidity levels in basement areas;
Adequate ventilation in attic areas.
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Q. | When do you need to test for mold? |
A. | After a physical inspection, air testing may become an option. Elevated mold levels in the air in a building may be an indicator of over insulation or a lack of air movement, even if all other facets of the inspection are satisfactory. This has become more of an issue in newer buildings because of advanced insulation properties in windows, doors, siding and insulation intended to keep the HVAC system running at optimum efficiency.
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Q. | How do you test for mold? |
A. | ENVIROspect scientifically tests to determine the type and quantities of mold present. Air samples are gathered using an Anderson Microbial Impactor and incubated to provide quantitative analysis of the amount and species of mold present. This is the only recognized testing method that has been proven to hold up under litigation.
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Q. | Are air tests the only type of tests that need to be done? |
A. | Swab samples, or wipe samples may need to be employed if you have a specific need to identify species and quantities of a visible mold growth.
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Q. | What’s a swab test? |
A. | A sterile swab is rubbed across the suspected mold surface, then immediately sealed in a swab container. The sample is then sent to the lab to be cultured for analysis.
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Q. | What’s a bulk sample? |
A. | A bulk sample is acquired by gathering a segment of the item containing visible or suspected mold growth. The bulk sample is cultured for both fungal and bacterial content.
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Q. | How long will it take to get my lab results? |
A. | Air and swab samples must be cultured. Results are available in 14 days.
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Q. | What are end point samples and why are they important? |
A. | Once the site work has been completed, end point samples are taken to bring closure to the project and define a clear ending to what might sometimes be a rather unclear process. Samples are taken within the contaminated zone using the microbial impactor. A second set of samples is taken outside the affected building as a control sample. The point of this is to develop a baseline of a realistic set of goals to attain. Essentially, the affected site cannot be expected to be any cleaner than what the ambient air will bear. The analytical data is provided to all parties with an explanation of what are normally indigenous species and a breakdown of exactly what the numbers of the colony forming units mean. A clear comparison is drafted between the end point sample and the control sample.
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Q. | How do I prevent future mold growth? |
A. | The final step in the process is to provide the affected party with instructions on how to maintain the present levels of spores through normal basic common sense practices. The point of this is to reinforce the fact that mold spores will continue to exist in the ambient air. Every time a door or window is opened, these spores are invited inside. Spores drift and will settle in areas conducive for growth. As stated previously, mold requires two key ingredients for growth: a nutrient source and a moisture source. Nutrient sources are virtually impossible to eliminate, therefore the remedial action in the property will have lost its effect if water is permitted to re-enter the area. To prevent a re-occurrence of this condition the following basic maintenance steps must be followed. |
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| • Keep the basement or the area of previous mold growth as dry as possible. Most basements will require a dehumidifier to prevent future growth.
• Address any water releases immediately. If there is a release for any reason; rain water, washing machine overrun, burst pipe, etc., clean and dry the area immediately. Do not allow the water to stand.
• Periodically check walls, joints and roof areas for water penetration. If such penetration exists, address the situation immediately and provide repairs.
• Make sure gutters, downspouts; dry wells and window wells are clear and functioning normally.
• Check for foundation cracks. Provide fillers and repairs to prevent groundwater penetration.
• Check grading of the grounds. Insure that all grading immediately surrounding the residence pitches away from the home.
Following these few routine steps will ensure that the property remains relatively mold free. Remember, molds are naturally occurring phenomena that can be dealt with if we take a pro-active approach when problems occur. |
