Mould Inspection by Certified Industrial Hygiene Technicians

There are things to be aware of before deciding that you might need a mould inspection. Have you been feeling sick, coming down with colds, or having other sinus symptoms more often than usual?

Mould allergies can sometimes even include rashes, itchy eyes, nose bleeds, headaches, and breathing difficulties. People with weak immune systems are more susceptible to household mould growth. Toxic mould can sometimes affect an elder or child first before affecting someone who has a strong immune system.

Mould Surveys

Risks of DIY Mould Removal

Sometimes people take it upon themselves to clean up the black mould that they’ve found. However, sometimes after doing this clean-up, people notice they are much sicker than they were before trying to remove the mould.

It is risky to attempt mould removal without following mould remediation guidelines, which can include containment setup with negative air pressure to avoid contaminating the rest of the building.
Without containment, the mould spores easily become airborne.
After breaking walls, the black mould becomes airborne, which can cause major issues and sickness.

Household mould, for the most part, is not visible except in high concentrations. Therefore, it is very important to hire a professional mould inspector to assess the situation and to provide a full report. The plan of action will not only eliminate the mould growth, but also provide advice that can help you ensure that the mould growth does not recur.

Mould Testing

Our technicians have performed hundreds of mould inspections. Often, occupants of homes are suffering from numerous symptoms commonly associated with or caused by indoor mould growth. They try to overcome the issue by focusing on lifestyle or medication, but do not realize that the issue is the indoor air they are breathing. People may suffer from allergies, asthma, colds and sinus infections, lack of air, sneezing, flu symptoms, disorders, rashes, and memory loss, to name a few.

Mould Damage

Mould growth can be found under floors, under windows, in basements, on drywall, carpets, laminate flooring in attics, and behind the walls.

GTA Environmental has technicians who are Certified Industrial Hygienists. We offer several services, which aid in determining the extent of mould growth.

A Visual Inspection

Inspection includes asking the client questions regarding the history of the home, searching the home for any possible breaches where moisture issues could occur, observing air flow patterns, inspecting windows and HVAC system, inspecting materials used in the building, such as under sinks, attics, walls, carpets, flooring, outdoor siding, flashing, and eavestrough systems.

Relative humidity testing can detect and determine several issues from one room to the next. A moisture meter will detect moisture within the drywall or deeper into the wall, as well as the extent of any moisture issues.

By using these methods, our professionals can determine the problem, provide the solution, and prevent future mould growth issues.

Air Testing for Mould

If mould has not been found upon the visual inspection process, then the client and inspector may decide to do indoor air mould testing. This will determine the level of indoor mould spore concentrations, provide a list of spore types, and individual levels of mould spore concentrations of mould types such as Stachybotrys, Chaetomium, Penicillium and Aspergillus.

Two or more air samples must be taken. One sample is collected outside of the building, which is a control sample to determine the mould types and concentrations in the outdoor air. The other samples are indoors in the suspect areas of the building. The outdoor control sample is compared with the indoor samples to determine if there is an indoor mould growth source.

The Air-O-Cell™ Air Sampling cassette is a sampling device designed for the rapid collection and analysis of a wide range of airborne aerosols. These include fungal spores, pollen, insect parts, skin cell fragments, fibres, and inorganic particulates. Air enters the cassette, the particles become impacted on the sampling substrate, and the air leaves through the exit orifice. The airflow and patented cassette housing are designed in such a way that the particles are distributed and deposited equally on a special glass slide contained in the cassette housing, called the “trace.”

These samples are sent to a laboratory for a complete analysis. Normally, the turnaround time is 3-4 business days; however, in a dire situation, we can produce results within one day. However, laboratory fees are much more expensive in these situations.

Tape Testing for Mould

Mould growth may occur on the surface of materials, where a swab test would be impractical, i.e., ceiling tiles, concrete block, etc. A tape lift is often used for surface sampling by stripping the suspect area surface with specially designed clear tape. The sample is then transferred to a microscope slide, placed in a sealed container, and transported to a laboratory for complete analysis.

Swab Testing for Mould

This type of testing is normally done where visible mould is found to determine the type of fungi. The results of this testing will determine if the mould present in this area is toxic or non-toxic. If visible mould is found in more than one location on the property, a swab test must be done at each location.