MELBOURNE MOLD INSPECTION & TESTING

MOLD TESTING, MOLD INSPECTIONS & MOLD REMEDIATION IN MELBOURNE, FLORIDA

Problem with mold? Call us at (321) 574-5503, the leading residential and commercial mold testing, mold inspection, and mold remediation company in Melbourne, FL and along the Space Coast. We work for you to provide the highest quality mold services at the lowest prices. If you have a problem or concern with mold, call us before the problem affects your health.

Health Issues Caused By Mold

Mold causes allergenic reactions and illness in humans and has the worst effects on very young and older persons. Mold can cause illnesses and in extreme cases, death. Children exposed to mold have a high likelihood of developing asthma as adults. Persons exposed to mold over long periods may develop hypersensitivity to mold. Mold devalues property, is expensive to eliminate, and can cause structural damage leading to building failures.

If you suspect mold problems, call us as soon as possible to inspect and test your property for mold or other allergens. Using advanced instruments such as bio-pumps, spore traps, infrared/IR thermal imaging cameras, laser particle counters, and moisture meters, we will provide reliable and accurate results that are legally defensible.

In Florida Special Licenses Are Required For Mold Assessments And For Mold Or Remediation

For decades consumers were ripped off by mold service companies hired to test or screen for mold, then regardless of true conditions, these companies would tell property owners they had a problem and needed to have mold remediation costing many thousands of dollars more. (typically $8,000 to $12,000) The lack of regulation in the mold industry allowed unscrupulous profiteers to deceive and rob thousands and thousands of Floridians in this manner.

In 2011 new licensing requirements were established in Florida creating two types of mold service licenses; one for Mold Related Services – “Assessor” (MRSA license) who provides initial assessments and testing where mold concerns are suspected, and another license for Mold Related Services – “Remediator” (MRSR license) who performs mold remediation services after an Assessor makes the required determinations. The law goes on to prohibit any one company or individual from providing both services at the same location or for the same client, even if the person holds both licenses. This is a really positive change for consumers in Florida. The key point is that if you suspect you have a mold problem, only call a licensed Mold Assessor. Do not call a mold clean up or remediation firm as they pose a significant conflict of interest because they only make money by selling remediation services and may be biased in any analysis they might provide.

Key steps to resolve mold problems:

1. Hire a licensed Mold Assessor (NOT a mold remediator) to provide mold assessment and testing
2. Based on the findings, minor actions may be recommended
3. With serious situations you need to hire the Assessor to create a specialized Mold Remediation Protocol to define what needs to be done and how it shall be done for your specific property.
4. Use the remediation protocol document to solicit competitive bids from mold remediation contractors
5. Hire the most experienced and best qualified mold Remediator and insist they be on-site during all work activity to:
A. Fix all the conditions causing mold to grow and spread
B. Remove all mold and mold damaged materials
C. Restore the space to its original condition
6. Do not make final payment for mold remediation work until you have the Mold Assessor return to make a final inspection and perform testing to confirm the mold is gone. This is called Post Remediation Verification, PRV, or clearance testing.

Physical Aspects Of Mold

All molds are microscopic. No mold spores or individual mold structures are visible by the human eye. Where mold may be visible, you do not actually see spores and hyphae, but rather you see hundreds and thousands of mold colonies grouped together, like how the Andromeda Galaxy appears as a single spot in the night sky, it is just actually many billions of stars clustered together. Only when mold concentrations reach or exceed 700,000 spores per square inch might it be seen by the human eye. Generally, mold is a significant problem long before it has any visibly manifestations.

Evolution And Nature Of Mold

Mold and mildew are the same thing. All molds are types of Fungi, and Fungi is one of the five kingdoms of life on earth. The other kingdoms of life are Plants, Animals, Protista, and Monera. Mold succeeded in evolution by feeding on organic matter with the presence of moisture and oxygen. Organic matter can be clothing, paper on the surface of drywall, books, any wooden materials, carpet and padding, dust and dirt accumulated on other surfaces, and even human tissues such as the lungs that are always moist. With just those three components, mold became an integral and sometimes dominant force in all environments on earth. Today there more than 100,000 species of mold known to science, and it is estimated that there are more than one million species on earth.

Fungi evolved on earth by taking advantage of a niche in the chain of life; dead matter. All living things die and when living things die they leave organic matter behind. For example, a tree that has fallen in the forest, fish that washed ashore, an apple fallen from a tree, or a stack of hay or wheat in a barn. When a mold spore is blown or settles onto these organic matters with the presence of humidity or moisture the spore will become active, grow branching structures (hyphae forming mycelium) that are able to produce many more new mold spores. The rate of mold growth can be exponential; one spore forms a colony, one colony produces hundreds of new spores, the hundred new spores form a hundred new colonies – each producing another hundred spores. In a matter of days or weeks, several viable spores can become millions of colonies producing billions of spores.

Preventing Growth And Spread Of Mold

It is essential to address mold issues immediately to keep mold growth from becoming a run-away chain reaction as described above. To prevent mold from developing indoors, temperatures must be kept below 78 deg F., and more importantly, humidity should be kept below 55% all year long. Any and all water and humidity problems like plumbing leaks or failing air conditioning systems need to be resolved within 48 hours to prevent mold growth from occurring. Where mold has become a problem, mold remediation services are necessary.

Experienced Professionals Are Required For Proper Mold Assessment, Inspection, Or Testing

Quickly determining if mold is a problem in your home, office, school, workplace, or yacht is essential. To do so, air quality testing using bio-air samples is needed along with analysis by a licensed mold assessor with support from a professional laboratory. The most important factor is the person who performs the on site assessment. Only with skill, experience, and technical knowledge can the job be done properly and accurately. Our employees have the best training, use state-of-the art equipment, and are required to attend annual continuing education classes.

Black Mold Is A Myth

Molds come literally in a rainbow of colors and many molds can appear blackish in color. Unscrupulous mold companies want to scare you with the term “black mold” then push you into buying all their services and equipment proclaiming they will fix everything and make you and your family healthy and safe. The concept of “Black Mold” developed in the mid-1990’s in Cleveland, Ohio when many young children from across a large area became ill with 10 suspected deaths. The investigation found they were likely exposed to molds, which were reported as being black in color. The news media reported the story and declared black mold dangerous and a potential deadly issue. However, it is clear with much supporting scientific evidence that all molds are potentially dangerous. The best way to think about mold is in terms of total exposure, or medically speaking; a dose response. A small exposure to a fairly innocuous mold is usually not a problem for any healthy adult. However, either a large exposure to an innocuous mold, or a small exposure to a toxigenic mold can result in flu like symptoms, rashes, headaches, and in worse cases respiratory infections and death. The concern with mold is not about the color of the mold, but the dosage and type of mold a person is exposed to, AND their personal immune system’s sensitivity to mold. And remember, mold is microscopic and can become a significant issue before it is ever visible, regardless of its color.

Mold And Ultraviolet Light

The use of ultraviolet / UV lights as typically installed in air conditioning systems to fix or eliminate mold issues is false and misleading. Heating and cooling companies love to sell UV lights because they generate large profits. Many mold service companies will extoll the installation of UV lights to “rid” your house of mold issues and odors but simply for the reasons of profit and greed.

Ultraviolet lights have a very limited effect. To kill microbial organisms and mold, a strong UV light that produces UV-C wavelengths of light (280-100 nanometers) must be used. Such light will only affect the surfaces upon which it shines. These lights are always installed in air handler units that are located in your garage, attic, or interior utility closet. To have effect, such a light must be installed where it shines on the entire drip pan and the cooling coils where moisture is always present and mold grows. However, these lights are often incorrectly installed above the cooling coiling and only shine on the fan motor or blades – that is not where mold is present and is a total waste. But, your a/c service tech has no clue about this. He only knows to install a UV light listed on his work order and he will do so in the location most convenient to him and in the fastest manner possible.

Ultraviolet lights can cause permanent damage to your eyes. Your retina can be irreversibly damaged if UV-C light is allowed to shine into them. Any such lights must be turned off prior to possible exposure, and/or you must wear UV rated safety glasses, and even then exposure must be kept to a minimum. Changing an air filter in an air handler with UV-C light can cause damage to your eyes because you will open the filter panel and be exposed to the blue-ish color light.

Ultraviolet light has no effect on the air rushing past it within an air handling unit. However, either based on ignorance or deception, sellers of UV lights often lie and say their UV light will “kill” all the mold in your house, or will “disinfect” and “clean” all the air inside your house. To kill any microorganism, UV light must shine directly upon it and continuously for several (3-10) minutes. The air rushing past a UV light is only exposed for about 0.1 seconds (2 feet of travel with UV light section with air traveling at a typical rate of 20 feet/second inside an air handler) to a UV light source. In no way will such an extremely low level of UV exposure effect the particulate matter, mold, or microorganisms carried in the air stream. It is bunk.

Ultraviolet light is generated by the use of very special light bulbs and their reliability and true cost are exaggerated. The bulbs are expensive, about $100 – $200 and require replacement every 90-120 days even though they appear to still be on and functioning long after that period. Replacement is required in three to four months because the material inside the UV bulbs that produces the necessary C-type wavelength of UV light quickly degrades and is no longer effective after 90-120 days (2880 hours) of continual use. After that time, the bulb will still produce the blue ultraviolet light but it will not be producing the necessary C wavelength needed to kill microorganisms. Most installers will tell you the bulbs are good for one-year. That is wrong; the life of a UV light bulb is defined by OSHA and is based on a standard 8 hour work day, and the test criteria for the bulbs follows that guideline. So, yes, by legal definition, the bulbs will last for one year, but only if they are operated for 8 hours each day. (bulb life = 2,200 hours) But that is not the case for UV lights installed in your home a/c system; they are wired to be on all the time; 24 hours/day, 365 days per year. Under these conditions a new bulb is needed every 4 months. The usefulness of a UV light is very limited because the cool air blowing on it greatly inhibits the generation of UV-C type light. The cost to operate a UV-C light is very high $450/year (3 bulbs/year x $150/bulb) and if the bulb is not installed in the proper location, which is common, there will be no benefit at all. If you want a UV light installed correctly, insist on confirming the location where the UV light is installed, insist on an external power switch for the light, and insist on a timer to control when the light turns on and off as it is not necessary to have a UV light on all the time. It only needs to shine about 15 minutes per day to do its job killing microorganisms on the drip pan and cooling coil. With a timer, a UV-C light bulb operating just 15 minutes per day can last more than 20 years and you will save a great amount of money in electrical costs having the light on for just 15 minutes each day instead of 24 hours.

Ozone Gas Is A Hazard As Related To Mold And Indoor Air Quality

Any use of ozone generating equipment to cure mold problems creates unacceptable safety hazards and is misleading to consumers. The use of ozone is never appropriate inside environments occupied by people. Yet, many companies push sales of ozone equipment because it has a very high profit margin and is unregulated. Ozone is a molecule made up of three oxygen atoms. (O3) Ozone is a known carcinogen and exposure to it can cause cancer. Ozone is extremely reactive (like a very strong acid) and reacts with any organic material and many other materials. There is no argument that ozone will kill microorganisms, but at the concentration needed to do so, human tissue will also be destroyed; the first being mucus membranes such as eyes, mouth, nose, or lungs.

Killing Mold Is Never A Solution

The human immune system responds the same to mold whether it is alive or dead. It is an easy proposition to consider; think about inoculations you get to prevent the flu, or other diseases. The injection you receive is actually the exact same organism but in a killed or de-activated form. Your immune system then reacts to the presence of the dead microbes and develops anti-bodies to fight off the perceived infection. It is the same for mold. Your body reacts the same to mold, alive or dead. So, killing mold is not a cure for the problems caused by the presence of mold. The conditions that allow mold to grow and spread must be fixed then mold must be removed and eliminated from your indoor environment. It is called source removal and is fundamentally important in every mold remediation project. Do not allow yourself to be bamboozled by people selling chemicals, irradiators, fancy machines, or special aerators. Mold will only be cured if it is physically removed and the conditions causing it are permanently rectified.

The information on this website is provided for free to our potential clients and as a public service to our community.

All content in this website is Copyright protected by Gregory J. Bertaux, PE, CIEC, MRSA, MRSR

MOLD IN MELBOURNE, FLORIDA

Problem with mold? Call us at (321) 574-5503, the leading residential and commercial mold testing, mold inspection, and mold remediation company in Melbourne, FL and along the Space Coast. We work for you to provide the highest quality mold services at the lowest prices. If you have a problem or concern with mold, call us before the problem affects your health.

Health issues caused by Mold

Mold causes allergenic reactions and illness in humans and has the worst effects on very young and older persons. Mold can cause illnesses and in extreme cases, death. Children exposed to mold have a high likelihood of developing asthma as adults. Persons exposed to mold over long periods may develop hypersensitivity to mold. Mold devalues property, is expensive to eliminate, and mold can cause structural damage leading to building failures. If you suspect mold problems, call us as soon as possible to inspect and test your property for mold or other allergens. Using advanced instruments such as bio-pumps, spore traps, infrared/IR thermal imaging cameras, laser particle counters, and moisture meters, we will provide reliable and accurate results that are legally defensible.

All content in this website is Copyright protected by Gregory J. Bertaux, PE, CIEC, MRSA, MRSR

Melbourne Mold

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MELBOURNE MOLD

1900 South Harbor City Boulevard
Melbourne, FL 32901
Phone: (321) 574-5503

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