Black Mold Portland Region
Commonly Asked Mold Questions:
I have an odor in one room of my home that I can not identify or eliminate
- This is not an uncommon question, There are several factors that can create this scenario. What we find is that there may have been a past water leak, that was not site specific to the area of the odor. Or the odor may be emanating from an Attic Crawlspace or a Ground Crawl Space. It is not uncommon to wind windows that emit just enough moisture to allow black mold to grow where the floor / carpet meets the wall. We have seen where exterior siding has failed with Black mold growing within a wall cavity. Note: even though a wall cavity in a perfect world is supposed to be air tight, odors can come from within a wall. Or the odor may be something as simple as (Especially in Bathrooms) VOC's from chemicals / hygiene supplies / cleaning supplies with the caps not closed.
- My husband complains that his allergy conditions become worse when he is in the home for any length of time, but I keep my home very clean?
- Several fundamental issues come into play, How often are the windows opened in the home and for how long to allow for cross ventilation. Is is thought that a furnace system should keep the indoor air quality in good condition, this is not necessarily true. How often is the furnace system professionally cleaned?. How often are the furnace filters changed?, Based on a home with common humidity ratios, if the furnace ducts are not kept clean, Mold can grow. In conjunction with the stated concerns, Indoor Air Quality should be checked annually in a home. This will help identify what may be in your indoor air. It is very common in an immaculately kept home that there is a Heavy Debris in the indoor air. This could be fiberglass - insect parts - cellulose - dust. The next question is why is there fiberglass - cellulose in my indoor air ? Although attic / ground crawl spaces are theoretically independent from the homes living area, commonly open faced fiberglass batting for ground crawl spaces and blow in cellulose for attic crawl spaces is used. This can and will work itself into the living area of the home. And during inspection of the Attic and ground crawl spaces, suspect black mold staining or growth is found. This can happen to a Brand New Home, It happens every day.
- My home is less than a year old, and my children seen to have more than their fair share of common childhood illnesses, could this be related to mold?
- Yes it could. Many people think that by having a new home built, they will have less problems that with an older home. Not Necessarily True. Recently we were involved with a home that sold new for 770K that windows were nor weathered in correctly, resulting in black mold growth in wall that spread through the North and West side of the home. The areas contaminated had to have the interior walls of the first and second floor removed to perform mold remediation activities. Mold May not always be the cause of aggravated health problems, however Mold needs to be ruled out, or the species identified. It is amazing how an unexpected area like a attic or ground space can cause elevated health problems.
- We had a water leak in our home that left approximately 10 gallons of water on the floor, and now we have odors, and my allergies seem to be getting worse, could this be related?
- Yes it Can. Most insurance companies recommend that the home owner use the insurance company's contractors for clean-up and repairs. For insurance companies, it is all about the bottom dollar. Often areas do not get dried out properly, the area gets repaired and the claim is closed. If water intrusion is not dried out properly, especially with flooring, sub-flooring and where wall meet the floor, Mold has everything it needs to grow. It may take up to 7-10 days to dry out an area that has had water intrusion. Not to exclude what may be transforming in a round crawl space or the ceiling below the water intrusion.
What regulator agency regulates mold inspection testing and remediation activities?
- A Very Good Question. There are no state or federal regulatory agencies that have any control over Mold Inspection, Testing or Consulting. In fact anyone can go on line and for a fee take a test that will produce a certificate that states they are A Mold Inspection, Testing and Remediation Company. And this is where many problems start for the home owner is placing their health in unqualified hands. New inspection testing and remediation companies come and go overnight. In this industry, the theory that you get what you pay for does not seen to apply.
Members of Thomas J. Consulting, LLC has been involved as an Environmental Contractor / Consultant since 1992.
Previous Occupations
- Owner of Asbestos Abatement Company
- Mold Remediation Contractor
- Lead Based Paint Abatement Contractor
- Hazardous Material Handling Company
- Mold Inspection and Testing - Consulting
- Radon Measurement
- lead Based Paint Verification
- Soil Testing
- VOC Testing
- Asbestos AHERA / Good faith Inspections Including Bulk Sampling