Easy to understand as well as detailed mold assessment (inspection) report provides the remediation company the information needed to give the Marco island client a proposal for cleanup.

Infrared image showns moisture on drywall

Moisture is always confirmed with moisture meter

Infrared themal imaging cameras are used by all Professional Marco Island Mold Assessors (inspectors).

Large areas can be checked quickly and hard to access areas such as ceilings can easily be checked.

digital photo of area in photo on the left

Mold need moisture to grow (food & water)

Mold Assessment

Mold assessment report is a document prepared by a Florida DBPR licensed

mold assessor for a client. The mold report describes any observations made,

measurements taken (samples), and locations and analytical results of samples

taken by the assessor during a mold inspection. An assessment report can

be either a stand‐alone document or a part of a mold management plan

or mold remediation protocol or mold remediation recommendations prepared by the mold assessor.

Air Sampling only: 'Mold Air Sampling only' is often used to help determine the extent of a mold problem and/or to help "clear" a Marco Island mold remediation project.

Air sampling protocols (minimum)recommend an air sample be collected by the main return area of each HVAC system. If home is a 2 story structure, an air sample is recommended on each floor.

·An outdoor sample (baseline sample) is also required.

·Minimum air sampling (mold testing) is one sample outdoors and one sample indoors.

·For insurance claims a surface sample of any visible mold is generally required (tape lift or swab).

Mold Assessment (Inspection / Air Samples/ Recommendations):

We use Infrared cameras, moisture meters, etc. We provide source identification, documentation of extent and amplification of mold, photo documentation with recommendations for corrections based on national guides such as S500 & S520 for the accessible indoor living space.

(Assessment = visual inspection & air sampling for accessible indoor space)

What You Need to Know About a Marco Island Mold Assessment

The purpose of a visual assessment for mold is to identify and document the following criteria:

1) the location(s) of interior substrates and/or contents displaying visible mold growth;

2) conditions actively conducive to mold growth (i.e. wet building materials, high humidity, HVAC problems, etc.);

3) conditions previously conducive to mold growth (i.e. water damaged materials that are currently dry);

4) the potential source(s) of moisture that are deemed responsible for creating the identified problem(s); and

5) determine the indoor air quality as it specifically relates to aerosolized mold spore concentrations (i.e. consistency with normal fungal ecology).

Air sampling only for mold (which is commonly performed with a 'home inspection') should not be relied upon as a conclusive determination about a given property's mold condition. Air sample analysis is useful and valuable information however it does have significant limitations. For instance, air sampling data will not identify the 'source' location(s) and all too often can show a non-elevated airborne condition (i.e. passing air samples) even though a mold problem exists within the home.

The above criteria are not typically included with a general 'home inspection' that is primarily designed to identify 'functionality' issues (i.e. what works and what doesn't work) of a given home. All too often, we receive air sample reports showing elevated airborne concentrations yet the inspector doesn't identify the actual source of the problem and defers them to a remediator. Unfortunately with this scenario, the remediation company doesn't know the source either and there ends up being more questions than answers. Conversely, we have seen countless passing air samples yet a mold problem is found after the fact.

At the end of the day, do not rely on air samples only or air samples performed with a 'home inspection' to give you a conclusive perspective of the property's mold condition. If mold is a concern, have a mold assessment and not just air samples. It will save a lot of time and money to do it right from the start.

John prefers this camera for Mold Assessments

FLIR Infrared Thermal Imaging Camera

All of our Mold Assessors use Infrared Cameras

This "tool" is always confirmed with moisture meter

Infrared cameras allow us to scan large areas

Mold needs Moisture to Grow

Another moisture source that negatively impacts many of the homes, from a mold perspective in Florida, is the indoor humidity levels. This moisture source is less understood in respect to its impact on the indoor environment. Too often as well, it is poorly understood the critical role the HVAC system (Heating, Ventillation and Air Conditioning) has on the indoor relative humidity and indoor air quality as a whole. When a properly maintained and operating residential A/C is running, it obviously is providing cooler air to the indoor space. However, and far less understood is, it is also removing moisture from the air. Residential HVAC design cools/heats the same indoor air over and over. For air conditioning, the HVAC system pulls the air in the home into the system at the main return(s), cools it down and then supplies it back to all rooms in the home designed to be under air. In the process of cooling the air down, it drops the air temperature to below the dew point temperature. When this happens, water vapor in that air is condensed into liquid water. Those white PVC pipes we often see sticking out of the exterior base of a home that are dripping water, that's the water that was just in your home's air in the form of water vapor, commonly known as humidity. When the HVAC system is not operating properly, oversized, turned off completely or has the thermostat set too high, it loses the ability to remove that water vapor from the indoor air. As a result, indoor humidity levels increase. Generally speaking, humidity levels consistently above 55% indoors provides sufficient moisture for many molds to grow. This fact leads to the importance of the visual inspection part of our asseement. All too often, a home can look just fine as you walk around, upon closer inspection however, humidity driven mold growth can be growing on numerous surfaces throughout. Interior sides of closet doors, the undersides of shelving, cabinets, tables and chairs are typical locations. In this all too common scenario, the mold is utilizing the available moisture in the air (elevated indoor relative humidity) and settled out organic airborne particulate and/or organic building materials for food.

Particle counters are also handy tools

Tracking down the source of mold is often difficult

As Board Certified Indoor Environmentalists (CIE) by the American Council for Accredited Certification and having performed well over 8,000 mold inspections in Florida since 2002, our hands-on field experience and technologically advanced tools, helps each of our clients receive a professional, comprehensive and well documented assessment of mold and moisture inside their home or business. It is also critically important to realize that we, as a company, do not provide any remedial services. Put simply, we don't fix anything. As a result, we do not have any vested interest in the outcome of our assessment. No financial gain interests or concerns, no financial losses interest or concerns. Our # 1 job when in your home or business is to document our findings and provide you a comprehensive report.

Naples / Bonita Springs:(239) 498-4619

Cape Coral / Ft Myers: (239) 948-9717