Many wonder why should you get mold testing done by a third party after a water damage loss or if a mold remediation was performed. We are going to answer this question in our blog post.

The trouble with water damage is that it can be hard to detect. Water can be secretly damaging the walls, floors, and ceilings in a home long before it is discovered. When the problem is eventually found, the process of fixing it can be extensive, expensive, and time-consuming. Water damage won’t only affect your home’s structure and personal belongings inside, but after clearing the water, the damaged areas could harbor mold.

Living in a mold-infested home carries significant health risks. Some groups of people are at higher risk of health ailments. This includes pregnant women and immunocompromised patients. Doing a mold inspection after water damage is the smartest decision.

Here are the main reasons for calling an expert:
*DIY steps are important after flooding or leaks, but it isn’t enough to ensure a mold-free home.
*Mold is a significant health hazard.
*Even your HVAC system could harbor mold colonies.
*The associated sights and smells are unpleasant.

At remediation jobs for which we have been the clearance inspector, we require no less than 24 hours of still air time. The containment is left in place, and the air scrubbers are simply turned off.  That allows the clearance inspector to evaluate the quality of dust containment that was set up, and if, as sometimes happens, more cleaning is needed, the containment does not have to be put up a second time, thus saving money.  Allowing settlement time means that if there was poor cleaning and the air is still contaminated, we can often find that evidence in settled dust – more reliably than may be found by dashing in and simply grabbing a quick “air sample”.

Don’t Perform Clearance Testing Too Late
*The post remediation clearance inspection and test be  performed before mold containment barriers have been removed.
*It should be performed in not more than five days after the completion of the cleanup project. 24-48 hours is the recommended time frame.
*The post remediation inspection should include a report of visible or known conditions at the building that present a risk of future leaks, moisture problems, and mold contamination.

Give Mold Testing Services a call if you need a mold inspection, testing, or clearance done.