Envirotex Blog

Whenever you notice some mold growing on stale bread, that should not be a reason to worry.  It only shows that you should have taken better care with the packaging. 

However, a trip down to your basement could show you huge areas with dark spots. You might also notice a damp, musty smell. Now, that should be reason enough to worry.  It is indicative of high moisture levels in the basement.

What you are seeing is mold infestation. Your little knowledge tells you it could be dangerous, but you may not be quite sure how. If this describes you, or your home in any way, please read on.

At Envirotex, we have been in the mold testing and remediation business for a long time. During this time, many people keep asking us; ‘do I need professional mold testing in Washington DC?’ At the end of the article, you will know whether you need to call us in for professional mold testing in your Washington, DC home. 

 

Basically, mold occurs naturally. It is present everywhere, both inside the home, and outside. If you look in damp places or decomposing vegetation, you will notice some.

What you may not know is that; it has a critical role to play in the ecosystem. You see, it helps in the breakdown of plant matter.

But you don’t want mold indoors. Unfortunately, any damp areas present excellent breeding grounds for it. Moisture levels above 60 are suitable for mold.

Now, here is where it gets tricky. There are various mold types, both toxic and non-toxic. Experts estimate that the number runs into thousands. 

You cannot see spores, without special equipment. You could, at this very moment, be breathing them in, and that is where the complications begin.

What are the Health Consequences of Mold?

Long-term mold exposure can cause serious health impacts.  You may experience throat irritation, eye irritation, nasal stuffiness, and wheezing. Other people experience skin irritation and heightened sensitivity. 

Moreover, it can get worse. Those with chronic illnesses or allergies are more at risk. Their weak immune system cannot handle the impact of the mold. 

Mold Implications on the Structural Integrity of the House

In as much as you can see the mold infestation on the surfaces, the impact runs deeper. It can penetrate the interior of columns, beams, slabs, and walls.

Contractors are especially watchful for the mold species Serpula lacrymans. It causes wood to decay, resulting in significant damage to the structure. 

Yet, that is not the only damage you have to deal with. Mold growth on carpets may necessitate an entire change. The same applies to any personal property, for instance, clothes.

Cleaning out the mold may be pointless. That means throwing away items that may otherwise be in good condition.

Checking for Signs of Mold Infestations

As we have hinted above, there are specific conditions that will cause mold to thrive.  It needs sufficient moisture, the right temperature, and a food source.

For the latter, we are talking about things like carpet, sheathing, wood molding, and insulation. Ceiling tiles are also prone to the growing of mold. 

If you notice signs of infestation, it’s crucial to carry out appropriate investigation. In that case, it is a good idea to call in the experts. 

Remember, seeing mold on the walls is not indicative of the extent of growth. It may have penetrated the interiors as well. Often, without the relevant knowledge, you may not know how far to conduct the investigation. 

Take the example of mold in the ventilation or heating systems. The experts may have to carry out sampling to determine the extent of the infestation. 

We advise our clients to take action immediately if they notice signs of mold.  Waiting too long could have costly implications for you. With that said, it helps to know how to identify mold infestation. Look out for the following signs. 

• Visible mold infestation
• Surface discoloration. There is no standard color because it depends on the type of mold. You may see black, green, white, purple, brown, or tan. 
• Signs of water or moisture levels. You notice water stains or some type of discoloration
• Pooling of water or condensation on surfaces. These may typically be on window sills, walls, or the floor
• A musty smell is also indicative of mold. 

Do not touch the growth with plain hands. You could end up transferring it to your face or nose. Further, disturbing the mass could result in mold spores finding their way into the air. 

Do I Need Professional Mold Testing in Washington, DC?

According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), you need the testing but it is not always necessary. As long as it is evident that there is mold infestation, you can move on to let professionals take care of it. Mold removal is necessary, no matter the type. 

However, there are different situations when professional mold testing in your property is necessary. Let’s say you are buying the home and notice an infestation. Testing tells you the type of mold present in your property. Sellers may also request testing to determine air quality. It is a significant selling point and area of concern for many buyers. 

The same applies when you are facing health problems due to mold. Knowing the type and level of infestation can offer valuable information to medics.

Another scenario that will necessitate testing is if you can smell it but not see it. Mold testing will let you know where the growth is, allowing for corrective action. 

Do note, some former clients return asking for retesting after some time. It is a common request among those who live in damp, humid areas. We may have undertaken removal and remediation.

However, to confirm that there’s no resurgence, we can do another professional mold testing. It helps to enjoy a peaceful mind state with the assurance that the air you breathe is free from contaminants.

So, if you’re still confused with the question: ‘do I need professional mold testing in Washington, DC, consider it an investment on your health and that of your family, and you could save your house from the harmful effects of mold.

Why Home Testing Kits May Not Work

You may fall into the temptation of testing for mold using the home testing kits. You can purchase them easily, and they’re low-cost. However, the challenge is that; many have a huge sample error.

The false negatives/positives will not give you a true reflection of the mold situation. There’s also the challenge of result interpretation. Unless it is something you have done before, it can be quite difficult. 

The third challenge is collecting samples. There is a technique behind the process. That is why Envirotex technicians must undergo proper training. We also wear the right safety gear to avoid exposure to mold spores. 

And, we can’t ignore the other obvious fact. What happens when you can’t see actual signs of infestation? Home testing kits only work with samples. They don’t have technologies that can detect invisible, airborne spores.

We use special tools like thermal imaging for such jobs. The diagnostic technology identifies moisture sources without costly demolitions. It allows the team to take remedial action safely and efficiently. 

Remember, the experts conduct a thorough inspection and testing. They will identify what could be causing the fungus growth. Tackling the root cause is the most efficient way to deal with mold in your Washington, DC home. 

Call Envirotex Today for Professional Mold Testing in Washington, DC

By now, you could tell how harmful mold can be. The best solution is to get rid of it once and for all. The implications of ignoring mold growth are numerous. We have looked at the health implications.

There is also structural damage to the house and destruction of property. While not putting down home testing kits, they do have their challenges, as we have shared. Let the experts do the mold managment work for you.

Envirotex technicians have relevant training to handle the tasks. Further, we have invested in some of the latest technologies as well. Mold inspection, testing, and removal should be seamless. That means we strive to ensure minimal to zero destruction to your property.

We leave a safe, healthy, mold-free environment when we finish the work. If you have noticed mold growth, talk to us.

Start the discussion by filling in the form on our site. We will avail personnel at your convenience for further talks. 

Mold is everywhere, which is a fact we must live with. A cold, damp day or a warm, humid one-can lead to the formation of mold. It grows on food, clothes, walls, and toys.

Mold infestation comes with its complications. It can pose a serious health hazard. And, the infestation can threaten the structural integrity of the house.

You might have now spotted some mold, within your home. Understandably, your primary course of action would be to ring the experts. You perhaps want them to carry out an inspection of your home.

However, before you do this, read on. There’s some crucial information you must acquaint yourself with. At Envirotex, we have, over the years, handled many such situations.

At the end of the article, you should have found the answer to the crucial question: ‘do I need professional mold testing in Northern, VA?’

Things to Note about Mold

To kick this off, let us begin by learning a few things about mold. It is a type of fungus consisting of tiny organisms that you can find just about everywhere. Mold comes in different types and can occur both indoors and outdoors. 

Mold spores thrive in moist and damp environments. Hence, they begin to grow when they land on moist surfaces.

Speaking of surfaces, mold can grow in a variety of places. These include; paper, plastic, glass, wood, and fabric. As they grow, they digest the material they grow on, leading to decay.

In addition, mold can either be toxic or non-toxic. The different types of toxic mold fall into three distinct groups;

• Pathogenic mold cause illness in humans and other living organisms. In small concentrations, they are easily controllable with simple disinfectants. However, large colonies require professional removal.
• Allergenic mold causes allergies and respirational issues such as asthma. Examples of allergenic mold include Aspergillus and Cladosporium. They may require removal by an expert. However, disinfectants can also keep them under control.
• Toxigenic mold can lead to serious health issues when you come into contact with them. Some can cause bone marrow disease. Others, through their carcinogenic properties, may impair brain functionality. Toxigenic mold requires specialized help for removal and proper discarding of any materials containing mold.

On top of the categories above, there are other types. They include Cladosporium and Penicillium. While some may only cause mild allergic reactions, others are very harmful and may cause deadly illnesses.

How Does Mold Enter Your House?

As we stated, mold spores are everywhere. The presence of mold is indicative of moisture in the house. They can enter homes through one of these two ways:

• Mold spores enter homes through doorways, ventilation shafts, and open windows through the air.
• By attaching themselves to objects or people, clothing items can be a vessel for transporting mold spores. In addition, shoes, as well as house pets, are capable of disseminating mold spores.

Mold requires an ideal environment to flourish. They grow on moist surfaces. In addition, they need sufficient nutrients to thrive. Mold growth is often visible and emits a stale kind of smell.

Why Do I Need Professional Mold Testing in Northern, VA?

Before we go ahead, it’s necessary to restate that mold occurs everywhere. It is impossible to completely remove mold as it plays a vital role in the ecological system.

However, when dealing with mold in the home setting, you need to understand a few things. It’s crucial to know the kind you are dealing with. This determines the necessity of professional assistance. In addition, the location of the mold is also key.

Needless to say, you need to understand that mold inspection is all about. It entails the process of checking for the presence of mold. Sometimes a simple look around may suffice.

However, simply looking and detecting the presence of mold may not be enough. This is because it does not tell you the extent of the spread of mold. You may have detected the presence of mold on your kitchen counter; but, have you checked inside the cupboards or maybe even your sink?

Oftentimes, mold goes undetected by sight. However, a flaring up of allergies or sudden difficulty in breathing may suggest the presence of mold in your home. It is in such cases where professional assistance comes in handy.

Professionals can carry out an extensive inspection to establish the existence of mold. In addition, they can remove and control its spread.

Furthermore, it helps to familiarize yourself with the concept of mold testing. Through this process, you can determine the kind of infestation in your home using home testing kits.

Understandably, you may be tempted to opt for DIY home testing. This is because it is a more cost-effective method of mold testing. However, it may not give you the most accurate results.

Before you commit to undertaking DIY mold testing, consider its unreliability. Think of professional assistance as an investment that retrospectively pays off well.

Mold testing requires expertise services to carry out and give accurate results. There are protocols to follow. Moreover, professional mold inspectors have tools and effective methods of sampling.

They can carry out this activity in compliance with the regulations and guidelines from relevant authorities. They include the American Industrial Hygiene Association. They can go ahead to interpret the results and suggest practical courses of action.

You should be aware that professionals still need to conduct further testing after mold removal. That is the best way to ascertain that they have dealt with the infestation properly.

The Process of Mold Testing     

When you contact professional mold testing experts in Northern, VA, the first course of action is to do a visual examination. The team of experts then collect samples of the mold from the surfaces to determine the kind of mold infesting your home.

There are several ways through which samples are collected. One of these is by removing parts that have the mold. Alternatively, swabbing is another method they can use.

Once the experts collect samples, they send them off to specialized laboratories for further analysis.

The results or feedback determines the way forward. Whatever action we take ensures proper removal. At Envirotex, we aim to give you back a habitable home, free of infestation.

Is Professional Mold Testing Necessary?    

The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that mold testing is not always necessary. In the event of clear evidence of mold, you can always call in experts for removal or deal with it yourself.

The agency, however, suggests that you ensure proper surface sampling after dealing with the mold. You must also be keen about the cleaning.

Above all, the best thing you can do is to reach out to professionals to help contain the problem. They have the tools and wherewithal to handle mold removal. Also, dealing with professionals is fundamental; it helps avoid collateral damage, such as the discharge of toxins into the surroundings.

If you bought a home recently and you might still be wondering, ‘do I need professional mold testing in Northern VA?’ please note this: Mold testing is important when moving into or buying a new home. It helps identify mold growth which you may not detect in hindsight during a regular home inspection.

Contact Envirotex for Professional Mold Testing

We have touched on the significance of professional mold testing in your property. We recognize the vital role mold plays in the ecosystem; but, it needs to remain outside where it is most beneficial.

Infestation within the home brings tons of complications. The major consideration is that it poses serious threats to your health. Eliminating mold is also significant for the protection of your home’s structural integrity.

At Envirotex, we employ the use of new technology. This includes diagnostic thermal imaging to identify moisture sources that provide breeding grounds for mold. The most ideal way to eliminate the mold is to get to the root cause. Otherwise, you will spend tons of cash always taking care of infestations.

Moreover, our team of experts carries out inspections in compliance with the set health guidelines to determine whether or not testing is necessary.

We maintain high transparency levels with our clients when suggesting solutions. Fill the form on our website, or instead, call Envirotex today. We can help get rid of the mold infestation.

You might have noticed mold in your basement. Probably it doesn’t catch you by surprise because it recently flooded. As per your cursory inspection, the infestation seems to have spread quite a bit. A small niggle of anxiety runs through you.

What you may know about mold is that it can be dangerous. Dangerous to your health and the structural integrity of the home. Perhaps your first thought is to pick up the phone and call the mold inspectors.

But, before you pick up the phone, you should read on. There is some pertinent information you need to have. It is the only way you can make an informed decision on whether you need professional mold testing in your Warrenton, VA home.

What You Need to Know About Professional Mold Testing in Warrenton, VA

Let’s start the conversation with an understanding of some basic things. First, you should know that mold is present everywhere. It plays a vital role in the ecological system. You can, therefore, not do away with it altogether.

But, as it pertains to the home or living environment, it is critical to know some things. What kind of mold are you dealing with? You’ll understand the different types a little later in the article. The location of the mold is also essential. Usually, it’s indicative of moisture, which you need to take care of.

The second part is understanding the process of mold inspection and testing. Mold inspection is the process of checking for the presence of mold. A simple look, as you did, is good enough. 

But, what you may not tell with that simple look is the extent of the infestation. You need to know where to look. Yes, you can see it is visible on the walls, but have you checked under the couch, HVAC system, or even behind the pipes? 

Sometimes, the mold may not be visible, yet, your nose tells you otherwise. There could also be a flare-up of allergies or breathing problems from people living in the home. In such a case, you must let an expert identify the location of the mold.

Industrial hygienists have the certification to identify the extent of mold infections. Consider it an investment to let one carry out a proper inspection for you. 

The second term you need to be familiar with is mold testing. The process will tell you what type of mold is currently inhabiting your house. There are home testing kits available.

It would be tempting to try and save costs by undertaking the process yourself. But, wait just one minute before you subscribe to DIY mold testing. You should know that such kits are not reliable. They can give false negatives or positives. 

Mold testing is a process that requires some level of expertise or knowledge. The professionals have protocols, tools, and sampling methods. They will then interpret the results and recommend a way forward. Everything they do complies with guidelines from relevant authorities. Such include the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA).  

Do note, after mold removal; the experts will carry out testing again. The aim is to ensure complete resolution of the mold issue.

Essential Things to Know About Mold

There are many types of mold strains. Some are toxic, while others, not so much. For the former, we can classify them into three groups.

• Allergenic mold will cause allergic reactions such as asthma and respiratory issues. An example is Alternaria that favors damp areas like bathtubs, under leaking sinks, and showers. It is also quite common after water damage.
• Pathogenic mold will exacerbate existing illness. Ulocladium mold can cause severe reactions to people with immune disorders or those prone to allergies. 
• Toxigenic or toxic mold, as the name suggests, is toxic. They can cause serious health issues if you come into contact with them. An example would be Acremonium that can cause organ and bone marrow diseases. It can also impair brain functions due to its carcinogenic properties. 

Other common types of harmful mold within the home include Penicillin, Trichoderma, Stachybotrys, and Mucor.

Unless you are a mold expert, it will not be possible to know the type in your house. That’s why you need professional mold testing in Warrenton, VA. 

What Does Mold Testing Entail?

When you call for professional mold testing, you can expect a series of processes. The first thing the mold experts will do is conduct a visual examination. Remember our earlier point of the visible and invisible mold. The teams know the spots they are likely to find an infestation. 

The second step is sampling. The team will collect them from the air and surfaces. The experts use several methods to collect samples. They can do bulk sampling that involves removing parts that have mold.

Another option is swabbing, much like you would for the cotton swab. The third method is using clear tape pressed against the area with mold.

The samples then go to independent labs for further analysis. At Envirotex, we only use laboratories that have accreditation from the relevant authorities.

Once we get back the analysis, we recommend the next steps. These include remediation or removal. As we have stated above, we will do another round of testing afterwards. We never leave a client’s house without ensuring the mold is gone, or at least back to acceptable levels.

 

Is Mold Testing Always Necessary?

As per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), mold testing is not always necessary. If there is clear evidence of the presence of mold, you can call in the experts to remove it.

The agency goes on to say that surface sampling is critical to ensure that the area has undergone proper cleaning and remediation.

They are, however, specific that professionals, who have relevant expertise and tools, should handle the process. The EPA recommends careful handling of infested areas. Removing wallpaper, for example, may lead to the release of mold spores into the atmosphere. That could end up causing a bigger problem for you.

If you’re buying a new home, mold testing is essential, especially if there has been water damage. It’s better to have information on the type of mold to know what to do. The presence of toxic mold requires immediate removal. 

At Envirotex, we maintain total transparency when advising our clients. There are situations when we feel that testing is not necessary. However, we will still insist on a thorough visual inspection before recommending the next course of action.

Most likely, the action would be to remove or remediate once we identify where the mold is. We will, for instance, remove wet material and improve circulation to avoid moisture build-up. The teams also carry out analytics surveys to find the best solution in case of water damage.

We use technologies like diagnostic thermal imaging. Such helps us to identify moisture sources that provide a breeding ground for mold. Such technologies enhance efficiency and provide more thorough inspections.

We also undertake the relevant containment measures to get rid of any material we might remove from the site. 

Call Envirotex Today for Mold Testing

Are you still asking yourself the question, ‘do I need professional mold testing in Warrenton, VA? Please note that testing has so many benefits. We have looked at salient points you need to have in mind above.

Mold is indeed a critical component in the ecosystem. However, high levels can be dangerous to your health. Mold infections can also affect the structural integrity of the home. As we have stated, mold testing is something that requires professional handling.

There are indeed home testing kits, but the results will not tell you the type of mold. They’ll also not tell you where or how far the infestation has gone. 

Our trained technicians have the expertise to carry out visual inspections. They then determine whether to proceed to testing. 

Once we get feedback from the labs, we recommend what you need to do. If you’ve noticed any signs of infestation in your house, call Envirotex today for mold testing.

To get a consultation, all you need to do is fill in the form on our website. We are ready at your convenience for further discussions.