What is mold inspection?

Mold inspection is a thorough assessment of a property to identify the presence of mold growth, its extent, and potential sources. In Marlboro, NJ, mold inspection involves a comprehensive examination of your home or business to detect any hidden mold infestations. Professional inspectors use specialized equipment and techniques to collect samples, analyze air quality, and evaluate moisture levels. By conducting a mold inspection, you can proactively address mold-related issues and ensure a safe and healthy indoor environment.

Why is mold inspection important?

Mold inspection is important in Marlboro, New Jersey, as it helps identify potential health hazards, prevent property damage, and ensure a safe living or working environment. Mold growth can be hidden and often goes unnoticed, leading to respiratory issues, allergies, and other health problems. By conducting a mold inspection, you can detect mold growth early, determine the type of mold present, and take appropriate remediation measures. Timely mold inspection helps maintain the structural integrity of your property and promotes the well-being of its occupants.

How does mold inspection work?

During a mold inspection in Marlboro, NJ, a trained professional will visit your property and conduct a visual assessment to identify any visible mold growth. They may also use specialized equipment, such as moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras, to detect hidden mold behind walls or in other concealed areas. Additionally, they may collect air and surface samples for laboratory analysis to determine the presence of mold spores. Based on the findings, the inspector will provide a detailed report and recommend appropriate mold remediation steps if necessary.

Can mold inspection determine the type of mold present?

Yes, mold inspection in Marlboro, New Jersey, can help determine the type of mold present. Professional inspectors may collect air or surface samples during the inspection and send them to a certified laboratory for analysis. The lab will identify the specific species of mold and provide a detailed report indicating the types and quantities of mold spores found. Knowing the type of mold is crucial for implementing appropriate remediation strategies and addressing any potential health risks associated with specific mold species.

When should I consider a mold inspection?

Consider a mold inspection in Marlboro, NJ, if you notice any signs of mold growth, such as a musty odor, visible mold patches, or if you have experienced water damage or excessive moisture issues in your property. It is also advisable to conduct a mold inspection before buying or selling a property to ensure its mold-free condition. Additionally, if you or your family members are experiencing unexplained allergies or respiratory symptoms that improve when you leave the premises, a mold inspection can help identify if mold is the underlying cause.

Nash Everett

1. Mold Inspection

RESIDENTIAL MOLD INSPECTION

Nash Everett are the experts in mold inspection in the Marlboro N.J. area. Mold is a fungus and it reproduces and spreads by making spores. Mold can easily infest a home if there is a plumbing or roof leak or if you had a flood. If you suspect that your home in Marlboro New Jersey has a mold problem, Nash Everett can inspect and assess your property. If mold is found, we have the training, equipment, and expertise to handle the situation.

Signs that you may have mold in the house

Dark spots on the ceiling, floors or walls, musty odor, mildew, and allergy symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, trouble breathing and wheezing are all signs that you may have mold in the house. If you see or experience any of these problems, call Nash Everett. We will come and inspect your home to determine if you have mold.

Mold inspection by Nash Everett

Do you suspect that you have mold in your house? You may want to know exactly what kind of mold you have in your place of residence and whether or not your health is in danger. You may also want to know if there is a reliable way to identify mold based on its color and appearance alone.

It is not advisable try and identify mold by simply looking at it. Mold color and structure can vary considerably depending on environmental conditions. Conditions such as the nature of the organic material it grows on, moisture levels, temperature, and presence of direct light, can all affect the way your mold contamination looks. Therefore, you need the help of experts to come and inspect your house for molds and mold damage.

If you suspect that you have mold, do not attempt to remove it yourself. Call the experts to inspect your house. Nash Everett has a team of inspectors who look after the Marlboro NJ area. We use special technology as part of the mold detection process. Our experts are trained in how to detect molds with the eyes and using our special technology.

Once we find out that you have molds, we use a remediation process to remove the mold and protect your home and family. Our experts have completed intensive mold remediation training as well as detailed instruction in the proper procedures for handling mold damage.

Nash Everett mold inspectors

Nash Everett has professional mold inspectors who can quickly inspect your home and find out the extent of the spread of molds. Each professional took mold inspection courses and holds a current mold inspection certificate that qualifies him/her to be a Certified Mold Inspector (CMI).

The Mold Inspection Procedure

When our professional mold inspector arrives at your property to inspect it for mold, he will use a variety of methods, including visual inspection, surface sampling, and air sampling. This way he can determine the source and the type of mold that is present in the building.

He will begin the process with a visual inspection. This includes checking the property to look for any signs of water damage, water intrusion, possible faucet or pipe leaks, and any other signs of moisture. He will also test the temperature and the humidity on the property.

The next step is for the professional mold inspector to perform the surface sampling process to determine what kind of mold exists at a particular location within your property. He may use a swab or a piece of tape to obtain the sample. As soon as he properly packages the sample to avoid contamination, he sends it to a professional laboratory for analysis.

The next step is air sampling. The air sampling procedure is possibly the best process of determining whether or not airborne mold spores exist within your premises. Generally, air is drawn and then impacted over a glass substrate in order to create the sample. The sample is also sent to the laboratory for analysis.

How do you know if remediation is necessary?

If you have mold in your home or property, mold remediation may be necessary. Mold remediation within your property will be unique to your circumstances, and will mostly be determined by the results of the sample tests completed by our inspector. The factors that must be considered when determining your next steps with remediation include the toxicity of the tested mold, and the size of the affected area.

Call Nash Everett today!

If you have had a flood or if you have had water seepage or leakage for some time, do not allow mold to cause costly damage to your property or to affect the health of your family. If you live in Marlboro NJ, take action at the first sign of mold by calling Nash Everett.

2. Dangers of Mold

Mold is a fungus and it reproduces and spreads by making spores. Spores can survive conditions that are sunny, hot, cold, dry or wet enough for mold to grow. When spores are released, they can be carried by air or water to new locations within your home. Molds thrive in moist environments created by floods, slow leaks, broken pipes or just high humidity. Without water, mold cannot grow. Mold also needs a food source such as cellulose in wood and food stains, oxygen and a temperature between 40 degrees and 100 degrees F.

Don’t allow mold to ruin your home and health!

Mold is naturally present everywhere, but when it finds its way into your home, it can be a major problem. It will grow anywhere where there is moisture. It gradually destroys your home’s foundation, roofing, drywalls, gutters, furnishings and the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. It can also cause headaches, breathing difficulties, skin irritation, allergic reactions, and even aggravate asthma. That is why you must quickly call Nash Everett in NJ at the first sign of mold.

The special challenges of mold

Despite what people think they know about molds, it remains a subject that causes a lot of confusion. Mold spores are microscopic and they exist naturally indoors and outdoors.

Mold spores float through the air into your home through windows, doors, or the AC/heating systems. They even stick to clothing and pets and enter your home. They are always there in the house.
Mold is a problem that can affect the health of your family, causing many health problems as stated above.
Mold can compromise the physical structure of your home and if it is not remedied, it will cause serious damage that is costly in the long-term.
Mold and mildew grow best in warm, damp and humid conditions and it is mostly hidden, which makes it difficult to detect.
Mold spores thrive in moist conditions so the spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water.
Sometimes you may never see the mold since it can grow in the walls and under the floor.
If more than two days have passed, any wet materials will be affected by mold, even if it’s not yet visible.
Mold often produces a strong, musty odor that indicates possible mold problem areas.
Whether you can see a problem or merely suspect its presence, only a professional can help identify the source and extent of the challenge.
Home remedies like bleach can cause more problems by removing mold on the surface while leaving most of it hidden below the surface.

It is never possible to eliminate it because it the spores are there in the air and they enter the house through windows and doors as part of dust. Therefore “mold removal” is a fallacy. The best thing and the most possible is to remediation to control the growth of mold in the house. Before remediation can begin, we point out the sources of water or moisture that are causing mold to grow. They must be addressed to make sure that there is no future problem. Otherwise, the mold may return.

Seek professional help

When mold is visible in your home or building, or if you have seen or experienced the signs that mold might be growing in parts of your property, then it is time to seek the help of a professional mold remediation inspector. Not all molds that exist in homes are toxic, but it is always better to hire a professional mold inspector who can help you determine exactly what kind of mold you are dealing with and how to remedy the moisture and/or mold problem.

3. Household Mold Prevention

Molds can be black, white, green, orange or purple. They reproduce through spores that move through the air. We are exposed to them everyday and we breathe them in and carry them on our clothes.

In the home, molds appear as slimy black spots on shower curtains, tiles, or fuzzy white patches on the basement floor or slick orange film on the kitchen drain. Walls, floors, carpets, furniture and appliances provide food that the molds need in order to grow. As long as there is continuous moisture, the molds will grow especially in laundry rooms, crawl areas, basements, bathrooms and kitchens.

Effects of molds on health

Molds are not usually harmful in small amounts. However, if they land on a damp place they can grow and release spores into the air. If there is too much mold in the house, they can cause health problems and is particularly problematic to people with asthma and allergies. People who are sensitive to mold will experience sneezing, runny nose, skin rash and red eyes. Those with serious allergies can experience severe reactions including breathing difficulties. Asthmatics can suffer from asthma attacks. Even people without allergies will have irritation on the skin, eyes, throat, nose and lungs, especially infants, children, elderly people, people with a compromised immune system, and those with chronic lung conditions.

Below we share ways to prevent mold in the house.

Tips for Controlling Molds

Spores are always there in nature. The trick is to reduce moisture in the home in order to prevent growth of molds.

In the house

Use air conditioners and dehumidifiers especially during hot and humid seasons to reduce moisture in the air. Try to keep humidity below 60%. You can buy a hygrometer from any hardware store to measure indoor humidity.
Keep drip pans for your air conditioners clean.
Remove obstructions from drain lines.
In cool weather, keep the house warm. Lower temperature cannot hold too much moisture and it will condense on cold surfaces and encourage mold growth.
Add insulation to cold interior surfaces to reduce condensation of moisture.
If there is any flooding, leakage or spillage of water, dry the wet areas within 24 to 48 hours to prevent growth of molds.
Fix all leaks and seepage fast. If water enters the house from outside, landscaping, extensive excavation or waterproofing will prevent further seepage.
Bring a heating and cooling contractor to check your heating and cooling system to make sure it is a good size and that it is operating properly to remove humidity. Ask him also to check the duct system for air leaks and correct air proper flow to each room. The air conditioner is supposed to remove humidity but, if it is too big or if the airflow is incorrect, it will not remove humidity properly.
Open inside doors to encourage air circulation which will carry heat to cold surfaces.
Move furniture from the walls and use fans to increase air circulation in every room.

In the kitchen

Use exhaust fans to move moisture outside whenever you are cooking, washing dishes with a dish-washing machine, or cleaning. Do not extract moisture to the attic.
Turn off certain appliances if you notice moisture on surfaces, including windows.
Check and repair leaks around the kitchen sink, refrigerator ice maker, and other sources of water.
Empty and clean refrigerator drip pans regularly.

In bathrooms

Use exhaust fans that will suck moisture to the outside. Do not allow the moisture to be sucked into the attic.
Use loose rugs and wash them regularly.
Check for leaks around the tubs and basins and repair them if you find any.
Open windows when taking a shower to allow steam to escape.
Do not leave damp towels on the floor or in the laundry basket.

In basements and crawl spaces

Install vents in outside walls and use fans to make sure crawl spaces are well ventilated.
Dry out any water in crawl spaces with fans, then put plastic covers over the soil to prevent moisture seeping from the ground.
Use loose rugs instead of wall-to-wall carpeting in basements. If you want wall-to-wall carpeting then put plastic sheeting and sub-flooring on the concrete floor before installing the carpet.
Paint the concrete floor if you are not planning to install carpets in the basement.
If there is moisture in the basement floor, ask experts to check for leaks and if they find any, repair them quickly This will prevent water from leaking or seeping into your home.
Make sure the gutters are working properly and clean them regularly.
Make sure that your landscaping makes water run away from your house, not towards the house.
Make sure your basement is dry before finishing the walls with insulation and wall boards.

In the laundry room

Make sure the vent of the clothes dryer goes outside the room.
Remove all obstructions such as lint from the vent of the drier. If the vent is damaged, replace it with a metal duct. Clean the duct every 6 months.
Do not leave damp clothes in the laundry basket or the dryer

4. Mold remediation or mold removal?

There is a huge difference between mold removal and mold remediation.

Mold removal

Mold removal is what home owners generally do to kill and remove mold. Some of the most used products are vinegar, bleach, baking soda, borax, tea tree oil, ammonia, grapefruit seed oil, hydrogen peroxide and bleach.

Bleach will kill all types of mold and its spores, borax is a natural mold inhibitor, vinegar kills 82% of mold species, ammonia kills most molds, and hydrogen peroxide kills most molds. Detergent will clean away molds from non-porous surfaces but will not kill them. Baking soda will kill molds and deodorize the area and can be used together with vinegar since vinegar kills different species of mold. Tea tree oil or grapefruit seed extract mixed with water in a spray bottle will kill all types of mold.

These mold removal methods work well to remove occasional small molds on non-porous surfaces such as bath tubs, glass and tiles. They will not work well for removing mold on porous surfaces since they cannot penetrate into porous materials. Therefore, they will not kill molds growing under wood and drywall and they are completely ineffective if the molds are already causing damage to the building structure. That is why we do not recommend mold removal by householders. We recommend that you call experts like Nash Everett to assess the type of mold that you have and to perform mold remediation.

Mold Remediation

Mold causes significant damage to property and it produces allergens and irritants that cause health problems. If you cannot see mold, you can smell it because it produces a strong musty odor that can lead you to mold problem areas. Nash Everett has professionals who understand mold and mold growth and know how to find it. We have training and equipment that we use to remediate the mold in your home. Before we begin the remediation process, you have to address all leakage and seepage so that the mold does not return.

The mold remediation process

Mold remediation is the mold cleanup and restoration process. Each mold damage situation is different and needs a unique solution. However, the general mold remediation process is the same. Below we share the general process.

Step1: Call Nash Everett

Mold remediation begins when you call Nash Everett in Marlboro NJ. Our representative will ask a number of questions that will help us to determine what equipment, chemicals and personnel will be required for the job.

Step 2: Mold inspection and mold damage assessment

Our mold inspection professionals inspect your property for signs of mold and they will also assess the extent of mold damage to your property.

Step 3: Mold containment

Our mold remediation team will use various mold containment procedures to prevent the spread of mold. The process may include the use of advanced containment procedures such as negative air chambers to isolate the contaminated area with physical barriers. They may also use negative air pressure to prevent the spread of mold spores during the cleanup process. Generally, they will turn off all fans and heating and cooling systems to prevent the spread of spores.

Step 4: Air filtration

The mold remediation team will use specialized filtration equipment to capture microscopic mold spores out of the air. They may use powerful “air scrubbers” and HEPA vacuums to prevent the spread of the mold spores while remediation is in progress.

Step 5: Removing mold and mold-infested materials

The process that we follow will depend on the amount of mold growth in your home and the types of surfaces on which it grows. At Nash Everett we use antifungal and antimicrobial treatments to eliminate mold colonies and to prevent the formation of new colonies. In some cases, if there is heavy mold growth, we may need to remove and throw away mold-infested porous material such as drywall and carpeting.

Step 6: Cleaning household contents

If necessary, Nash Everett professionals will clean furniture, furnishings, decorative items, clothing and other restorable items affected by mold. We use a number of cleaning techniques to clean and sanitize your belongings and then remove odors and deodorize your home.

Step 7: Restoration

In may be necessary to remove and discard drywall, subfloors and other building materials depending on the level of mold damage. You will then need to restore your home by performing minor repairs such as replacing drywall, painting, and installing new carpets. Restoration may involve major repairs such as reconstruction of various areas or rooms in your home.

Marlboro Mold Removal