 Tampa, FL -- When mold grows in your home or building, it can become a health hazard for you, your family members and/or business associates. Mold is ubiquitous (common) in all continents across the globe. When exposed to mold the majority of the population can handle low-level exposure, but the problem with mold is that it multiplies exponentially when it has access to moisture and organic substrates like building materials, food, soil, wood, paper, leaves and fabric.
The following steps may help to identify molds:
1. Check for patches that appear fuzzy, or cotton-like. Many household mold looks like this. If mold-like conditions appear on walls or hard surface, place a flashlight against the surface. If filamentous (long visible chains, threads or filaments) structures appear in the shadow of the light, most likely mold is present.
2. Identify mold by the discolorations. Mold comes in almost all colors of the rainbow, including brown, gray, black, green, yellow, white and orange.
3. Use your nose to find mold. Household mold by its musty or earthy smell.
4. Look for mold in places where you've had any water damage. Leaking roofs, leaky windows, plumbing leaks and flooding leave household areas ripe for mold growth. Check ceilings and carpets.
5. Know that the humidifiers and vaporizers you use for your health are prime places for mold growth due to the high level of humidity. Poorly vented bathrooms may contain mold fed from the steam from showers. Plumbing leaks in interstitial walls can also be problematic.
6. Understand that mold loves damp basements and garages. And if you store books, clothing, drywall, cardboard or wood in these locations (and who doesn't?), then mold has a ready food source to grow on.
7. Inspect you air handling system for visual mold like conditions. Check the evaporator coil, blower assembly, drain pan, wetted insulation liner, etc… Look for primary or secondary drain pan leaks.
8. Play detective and identify mold in these hiding places: under the kitchen sink, air ducts, entryways and refrigerator seals.
9. The best way to identify mold is with the Mold Screen Check (MSC), a product of the do-it-yourself IAQ Screen Check. The Mold Screen Check (MSC), is as easy to use as 1-2-3, is inexpensive and quantitative. (EDLab, an AIHA accredited laboratory analyzes all of the samples. For as little as $52.50 a complete mold report is made available).
About Building Health Check, LLC & Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory (EDLab):
Building Health Check, LLC sets the industry standard for IAQ DIY kits, testing equipment, and laboratory analysis. Building Health Check has affiliations with EDLab and Accustar Labs.
Building Health Check, LLC’s expanding client roster includes: Progressive Insurance, USACE, Southern California Schools JPA, VA Medical Center, Broward General Healthcare, General Services Administration (GSA); Allstate Insurance; Carrier Air Conditioning; and, CB Richard Ellis and many other Fortune 500 companies, school boards, and city, state, and county governments, making Building Health Check, LLC the reliable industry leader in IAQ. |
