Ten Steps
To Find Hidden Mold Infestation
New Release Date:
January 11, 2007.
Often mold infestation problems are hidden inside the
building materials of a home, condominium, apartment, office, or commercial
building. To find hidden mold problems, use the following mold investigation
steps, according to international
mold expert Phillip Fry, author of
Do-It-Best-Yourself Mold
Inspection, Testing, Remediation, and Prevention.
1.
Use do it yourself mold test kits from a large hardware or home improvement
store to mold test the air of each room, attic, basement, crawl space, and
garage, and to do an outdoor mold control test. If self-observation of mold
test growth results or mold lab analysis reveals higher than outdoors mold
growth in a particular room or area, you should concentrate your in depth
mold investigation in such areas.
2. Use do it yourself mold test kits to mold test the air flow out of each
heating/cooling duct register. If self-observation of mold test growth
results or mold lab analysis reveals higher than outdoors mold growth in a
particular duct air flow test, you should inspect that duct or ducts and the
heating/cooling equipment for
likely mold infestation therein.
3. Use
Damp Protect,
Wall Protect, and
DryRot sensors to find elevated moisture and dry rot areas hidden inside
ceilings, walls, and floors because the presence of elevated internal
moisture and dry rot inside building materials makes it likely that there
are also elevated levels of hidden mold growth therein.
4. Use a hidden moisture meter to scan the entire surfaces of all walls,
ceilings, and floors for elevated levels of moisture, which would thus
facilitate internal mold growth.
5. In drywall ceilings and walls, cut out and remove numerous,
wide-spread one inch by one inch
drywall squares. Examine each ceiling or wall sample square for mold growth inside
the drywall material and on the backside (internal ceiling or wall area).
Use a flash light to look inside the holes for mold growth. Smell the
internal ceiling or wall air for the possible smell of mold. Draw air
samples out of each hole with a fan blowing internal air onto the sticky
surface of a mold test kit.
6. Take out the drawers of all kitchen and bathroom cabinets and of all
furniture with drawers to examine inside the cabinets, as well as the bottom, and backside of each
drawer, for hidden mold infestation.
7. Remove kitchen and bathroom cabinets in their entirety to examine
for possible mold growth on the bottom and backside of the cabinets, as well
as on and in the wall behind the cabinets and the floor beneath the
cabinets.
8. Use a digital hygrometer (about $30 from a large hardware or home
improvement store) to check the humidity level of each room, attic, crawl
space, basement and garage. If a room or area has indoor humidity in excess
of 60%, there is likely to be hidden mold growth somewhere in such a room or
area. Find it by careful visual inspection, and by utilizing the other top
ten mold investigation tips provided in this hidden mold list.
9. Examine all bathroom fixtures, kitchen fixtures, laundry fixtures, and
all water supply and sewer lines for signs of leaks, which, if existent,
would likely indicate the presence of mold growth inside adjacent wet
building materials. Inspect walls and ceilings for water stains, sagging
areas, and soft areas.
10. In the attic, pull up insulation to inspect for hidden mold growth.
For more advice and tips to find hidden mold growth, please visit these
mold investigation websites
Mold
Inspection.and
Mold Inspector.
|
Toxic
Mold Inspection 
