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Mold Inspections

Sporting arenas, factories can have hidden mold problems

August 25th, 2010

American cable sports network ESPN recently released a report of safety issues found in sporting arenas across North America, including mold. 

Rexall Place in Edmonton had the worst food safety record in Canada, including mold in several food preparation machines and areas. Mold in these food preparation areas can trigger asthma or allergies in both workers and customers, and can lead to indoor air quality issues at the same time. 

Mold isn’t limited to machines or food preparation areas, either: earlier this year, mold testing revealed that a major batch of Tylenol and other drugs were recalled because of mold contamination at the factory where they were produced, leaving the pills themselves with a moldy odour. The pills were stored on mold-infested, wet and rotting wooden pallets. The pills made a large number of consumers ill, with complaints of nausea, vomiting and stomach pains. 

When health inspectors visit various food preparation outlets, like grocery stores and factories, they might show up only once per year and rarely is it ever a surprise. Often, managers are warned ahead of time or can catch a glimpse of the shower-cap and white coat-clad inspectors checking out the building section by section, giving staff hours to clean house and hide anything the inspectors may frown upon so production isn’t interrupted. In some cases, the inspectors do little more than ensure staff knows how to wash their hands according to the little notice posted by the hand sink, or take temperatures of food items to ensure they’re being stored properly. They don’t open, move or look under anything, and they certainly don’t test for mold.  

Mold can be common in these commercial buildings, in improperly set-up refrigerators, on food, in machines and even in walls or under counters.   Indoor air quality and mold testing isn’t something that should be limited to residential properties, because the effects of mold in commercial food or consumable product preparation areas can have a chain-reaction effect, affecting thousands of people.  

Should you feel you or your employees are at risk of mold contamination, Contact Moldinspections.ca for Professional Mold Testing services in Toronto.

Mold Testing services are also carried out in the following areas: Ajax, Barrie, Beaverton, Bowmanville, Bracebridge, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Cobourg, Collingwood, Georgetown Guelph, Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton, Keswick, Kitchener, Lindsay, London , Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Muskoka, Newmarket, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Orangeville, Oshawa, Owen Sound, Peterborough, Pickering, Port Carling, Port Hope, Richmond Hill, Severn Bridge, Sarnia , Simcoe, Southwest Ontario , St Catharines, Thornhill, Waterdown, Waterloo, Whitby, Windsor Ontario.

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Buyer Beware: Price vs. Service

July 24th, 2010

 As with many service industries, the mold inspection and remediation field is unfortunately plagued by fly-by-night companies. These companies use various tactics to take home and building owners’ money without actually solving their problems. 

One such popular tactic is offering free inspections with the hope that you’ll hire them to do the mold removal. The old adage “you get what you pay for” is applicable to any service, including mold inspection and mold removal services.

The scam works likes this: During your free mold inspection, the company will tell you that you’ve got an extreme mold problem when in fact you have none, charging you thousands of dollars for a fake mold removal when no action is necessary. 

Choosing a professional mold removal company

Something as serious as mold should not be taken lightly, which is why home and building owners should carefully weigh their options when choosing a mold inspection company:  A trustworthy company will always show proof of insurance and industry-recognized certifications, and will be more than happy to explain the measures they have in place to protect their customers.  

Mold cannot be identified based on colour or texture, and a mold removal company should never make determinations on these variables. To determine if the mold is dangerous or harmless, it must be looked at under a microscope and properly tested in a third-part laboratory to prevent any conflict of interest.   A professional mold inspection company will never tell you that you have toxic black mold without testing it.

Differing species of mold comes in various colors and back mold could be merely allergy-aggravating Alternaria mold, somewhat harmless Ulocladium mold or deadly Stachybotrys, sometimes referred to as “grow-op” mold.  

A fly-by-night company will also likely have a fly-by-night website. Their website content, including their company information and even their guarantees may be stolen from other companies’ websites instead of taking the time to develop original content based on their own expertise. To find if this is the case, simply copy and paste a portion of their website into the text box at www.plagiarismchecker.com and see what pops up.  

Never hesitate to ask for and follow up on references from the company.   A good mold removal company will also be the first to tell you that mold is all around us in the environment, in the air and sometimes in the home, making it easy to show positive testing results for the presence of mold.  A professional mold inspsection company should always explain this fact to their customers as well as explaining what they’re doing during an inspection to ensure the customer is informed. 

Know what you’re getting into. For professional Mold Inspsections in Toronto and Ontario, Contact us today.  We can help.

Mold Inspections in Ajax, Barrie, Beaverton, Bowmanville, Bracebridge, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Cobourg, Collingwood, Georgetown Guelph, Hamilton, Keswick, Kitchener, Lindsay, London , Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Muskoka, Newmarket, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Orangeville, Oshawa, Owen Sound, Peterborough, Pickering, Port Carling, Port Hope, Richmond Hill, Severn Bridge, Sarnia , Simcoe, Southwest Ontario , St Catharines, Thornhill, Toronto, Waterdown, Waterloo, Whitby, Windsor Ontario.

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Mold inspections prevent the onset of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)

June 17th, 2010

It’s not unheard of to share an office or classroom with someone who politely requests you change your fabric softener or maybe not splash on your cologne or perfume quite so heavily each morning - or at all, if you please.   These people may have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, brought on by exposure to mold.  

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is an allergy-like problem that has been steadily gaining awareness over the past few years. It’s not new, and it’s not overly rare.   Approximately 5 to 25 percent of Canadians are affected to one degree or another, but the government and medical science only recognized it as an actual illness in the early 2000s.  

Mold and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity is thought to be caused by significant exposure to mold as well as other chemical pollutants or allergens. In the past, toxic mold exposure in the home or workplace has lead to the development of MCS in healthy adults - something a mold inspection would catch before it resulted in this serious illness.  

While mold allergies can be severe and exposure to toxic mold can lead to serious illnesses and respiratory issues, the repercussions of MCS are much more significant - many have to quit their jobs, stop going out in public and wear full-face air purification masks on airplanes.  

The Symptoms of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)

MCS is sometimes thought of as an allergy - the immune system overreacting to a foreign pollutant - but they’re not the same. The symptoms are very different and more extreme than most seasonal or environmental-related allergies, and include gastrointestinal issues, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, fatigue and muscle pain.  Even worse, areas that are thought of as clean or sterile are often teaming with indoor air quality issues that will affect those with MCS, like hospitals for example, which use alcohol, disinfectants and various cleaners religiously. These cleaners, such as hand sanitizer, hurt indoor air quality just as much as fabric softeners, scented candles, perfumes, smoke, aerosols and other scented products. If even a small amount of any of these products are present in an enclosed space, it may render a person affected by MCS unable to even step foot inside.  

Know what you’re getting into. For professional Mold Inspsections in Toronto and Ontario, Contact Moldinspections.ca today.  We can help.

Mold Inspections in Ajax, Barrie, Beaverton, Bowmanville, Bracebridge, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Cobourg, Collingwood, Georgetown Guelph, Hamilton, Keswick, Kitchener, Lindsay, London , Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Muskoka, Newmarket, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Orangeville, Oshawa, Owen Sound, Peterborough, Pickering, Port Carling, Port Hope, Richmond Hill, Severn Bridge, Sarnia , Simcoe, Southwest Ontario , St Catharines, Thornhill, Toronto, Waterdown, Waterloo, Whitby, Windsor Ontario.

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Global Hygiene Study: Bathrooms are a haven for mold

May 22nd, 2010

The Global Hygiene Council - the same folks who taught us that the kitchen cloth is the dirtiest thing in a North American home - recently conducted a study in eight different countries to find what the dirtiest item was in homes across the globe. 

As it turns out, it’s that grungy seal around the bathtub. A total of 39 per cent tested positive for various molds. As for bacterial contamination, they also rated higher than the inside of refrigerators and computer keyboards. 

Bathrooms can be an attractive home for mold, which needs three things to establish itself - warmth, humidity and organic material to feed on. This criterion is easy to find in a bathroom, especially after a long hot shower.

Mold in the bathroom is also difficult to fully remove, because cleaners like bleach only kill the mold on the surface - not the roots.  A professional mold inspection can help you determine if the mold in your home is dangerous or run-of-the-mill mildew. Meanwhile, there are a few other places that mold are likely to hide:  

Inside of your air conditioner - Because of their moisture levels, most window-unit air conditioners are havens for mold - which then infiltrates the air in your home. When purchasing an air conditioner, ensure it’s a variety that can be effectively cleaned. If you have a central air conditioner mold can enter the duct joints if they’re not sealed properly and the same problem can arise, but this is far more difficult to detect on your own and requires a professional mold inspection.  

In carpets and upholstery - Mold can settle in softer surfaces and be difficult to remove. The vacuuming or disturbing of these surfaces can release the mold, aggravating asthma and allergies.  

Around or inside of appliances that use water -  This can mean your refrigerator drip tray, under and around a leaky washing machine or inside of humidifiers that aren’t running properly.  

Mold can be found in many more places than one might realize, and there are plenty of areas within a home that are hospitable to mold growth. This mold can be harmless and unsightly, or toxic and cause illness. However, the various species can’t be identified as either without professional mold testing, which is the first step to ensuring a mold-free home.

 

Know what you’re getting into. For professional Mold Inspsection Services in Toronto and Ontario, Contact Moldinspections.ca today.  We can help.

Mold Inspection Services in Ajax, Barrie, Beaverton, Bowmanville, Bracebridge, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Cobourg, Collingwood, Georgetown Guelph, Hamilton, Keswick, Kitchener, Lindsay, London , Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Muskoka, Newmarket, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Orangeville, Oshawa, Owen Sound, Peterborough, Pickering, Port Carling, Port Hope, Richmond Hill, Severn Bridge, Sarnia , Simcoe, Southwest Ontario , St Catharines, Thornhill, Toronto, Waterdown, Waterloo, Whitby, Windsor Ontario.

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Toronto grow-ops don’t discriminate

April 17th, 2010

It could be the cheapest house on the street, an expensive house in a suburban housing development or a regular home in a lower-end neighbourhood. The reality is that grow-ops can be found anywhere, and they hide in plain sight.  

In 2005, there were an estimated 10,000 grow-ops in Toronto alone and approximately 50,000 in Canada, 20,000 of which were in Ontario. These numbers are only growing, and the York Region police believe that if all of the resources were available, they could spend every hour of each day busting grow-ops. 

Shutting down grow-ops leads to headlines that are disproportionately large when compared to the penalties for growers. Few of which see any jail time at all and are back at it in another location sooner than one might think. And for those houses left behind, no one’s in charge of conducting mold inspections and testing before they go back on the market. 

Signs of a grow-op can be obvious and a little discouraging - like dents on the front door from police bashing them in - or hidden and deadly, like the toxic black mold that results from the high humidity needed for growing marijuana plants. Changes in the home’s ventilation and structural integrity aid in the spread of this mold, which is rarely covered up with anything more than a hasty paint job. A home inspection won’t usually find this mold, and a mold inspection must be done to ensure the safety of the future residents.  

And, for those expecting their real estate agent to keep them informed, the Canadian Real Estate Association’s ethics guide regarding grow-ops is full of loopholes. The seller (and listing agent) is only obligated to let a buyer know if the home was a grow-op if there is a latent (hidden) defect the seller knows about, if the buyer asks or if the purchase agreement states the property must not have been used as a grow-op.  

In 2007, the government of Ontario began toying with the idea of implementing a grow-op registry to alert potential homeowners and real estate agents about former grow-op houses, but even today such a concept has not yet become a reality - making it that much more important to obtain a mold inspection if you suspect your home may have been used as a grow-op.

Know what you’re getting into. For professional Mold Inspsection Services in Toronto and Ontario, Contact Moldinspections.ca today.  We can help.

Mold Inspection Services in Ajax, Barrie, Beaverton, Bowmanville, Bracebridge, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Cobourg, Collingwood, Georgetown Guelph, Hamilton, Keswick, Kitchener, Lindsay, London , Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Muskoka, Newmarket, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Orangeville, Oshawa, Owen Sound, Peterborough, Pickering, Port Carling, Port Hope, Richmond Hill, Severn Bridge, Sarnia , Simcoe, Southwest Ontario , St Catharines, Thornhill, Toronto, Waterdown, Waterloo, Whitby, Windsor Ontario.

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Make a mold inspection part of your spring cleaning

March 25th, 2010

The weather is finally tolerable, the birds are chirping away outside and you might notice tiny little buds on nearly every tree branch if you squint hard enough. That means spring has finally come back to Toronto, and homeowners are beginning their spring cleaning rituals - but it’s not a complete spring cleaning without a mold inspection.  

When spring rolls around, we tend to go through all of our closets and storage, ensure every surface sparkles and attempt to completely refresh our living spaces. The best way to top this off is to undergo a professional mold inspection. It’s vital for the health of your home, the indoor air you breathe and the heath of your family, much more so than a bit of Pledge here and there.   

While some species of mold may only irritate preexisting allergies or asthma, other varieties can be deadly. Those who have never experienced allergies before might develop a mold allergy from continuous exposure to indoor mold spores, and a mold infestation can cause serious damage to the structural integrity of a home by feasting away on drywall and wood.  Spring brings warmer temperatures and with that comes higher humidity, more rain and some serious thawing, which could result in water entering your home.

Mould thrives in moist areas and this usually includes basements with a tendency to leak, but moisture intrusion in a home might occur in hidden areas such as behind walls without you even knowing.   We spend much more of our time inside our homes than we realize. Because it’s impossible to discern between harmless, inconvenient mold and the mold that is harmful to your health without laboratory testing, a mould inspection is the best way to top off your spring cleaning for optimal indoor air quality and family health.

Know what you’re getting into. For professional Mold Inspsection Services in Toronto and Ontario, Contact Moldinspections.ca today.  We can help.

Mold Inspection Services in Ajax, Barrie, Beaverton, Bowmanville, Bracebridge, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Cobourg, Collingwood, Georgetown Guelph, Hamilton, Keswick, Kitchener, Lindsay, London , Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Muskoka, Newmarket, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Orangeville, Oshawa, Owen Sound, Peterborough, Pickering, Port Carling, Port Hope, Richmond Hill, Severn Bridge, Sarnia , Simcoe, Southwest Ontario , St Catharines, Thornhill, Toronto, Waterdown, Waterloo, Whitby, Windsor Ontario.

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Buying a home: what you should know

February 11th, 2010

Buying a home is one of the largest investments you’ll make in your lifetime. But buyers beware: your investment may be at serious risk due to information that was not disclosed prior to purchase.  For example, previous flood-damage resulting in toxic mold infestations.

Rumours abound as to what a home seller has to disclose to future buyers. Some buyers may think the law is on their side when it comes to serious property issues or traumatic events like deaths that may have taken place within the home. Others may believe that they will simply be able to sue upon the discovery of mold or after a flood that could have been prevented.

The unfortunate truth may very well be that the laws in Canada regarding real estate disclosure are quite lax and are considered a very “grey” area. The worst part is that there is little recourse for homeowners if they find themselves in a situation where they’ve purchased a home with serious flooding and mold problems. Even if a costly legal battle were to ensue, the seller may have only told a tiny lie or not have known about the issues present when they sold it, as mold and flooding aren’t issues that are easily detectable.

Because of the lack of protection available for new homeowners, it’s a wise choice to have a mold inspection done; preferably before buying the home.

Mold is difficult to see and detect and may be hidden within walls. If there was flood damage within the home there is an extremely high possibility that toxic mold may also be present.  Invisible and odourless, toxic mold can be identified by the use of specialized equipment and, to prevent further infestation, should only be removed by certified mold removal professionals. 

Know what you’re getting into. For professional Mold Inspsection Services in Toronto and Ontario, Contact Moldinspections.ca today.  We can help.

Mold Inspection Services in Ajax, Barrie, Beaverton, Bowmanville, Bracebridge, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Cobourg, Collingwood, Georgetown Guelph, Hamilton, Keswick, Kitchener, Lindsay, London , Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Muskoka, Newmarket, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Orangeville, Oshawa, Owen Sound, Peterborough, Pickering, Port Carling, Port Hope, Richmond Hill, Severn Bridge, Sarnia , Simcoe, Southwest Ontario , St Catharines, Thornhill, Toronto, Waterdown, Waterloo, Whitby, Windsor Ontario.

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Can home inspectors detect a grow op? It doesn’t look good.

January 16th, 2010

On a recent episode of CBC Marketplace, the crew teamed up with Canadian construction icon Mike Holmes in a hidden camera investigation to see if home inspectors would notice the obvious signs that a home had been previously used in a massive marijuana grow operation.

When a home is used as a grow-op, there are serious consequences like toxic black mould, breaking of the foundation, holes cut just about anywhere and rewiring that poses a significant fire hazard, all of which are structurally devastating. In fact, grow-ops are almost 40 times more likely to catch fire than a regular home.

The largest problem with these modifications is that they’re easy to cover up and sell off to unsuspecting buyers.   Because Canada’s real estate disclosure laws are relatively undeveloped, sellers do not necessarily have to disclose certain problems to potential buyers, which is why home inspectors are summoned to make sure the house is suitable for living in and that the buyers won’t have to deal with additional problems down the road.

Even when paying money for a professional home inspection, if these factors are overlooked, it may cost the homeowner thousands of dollars to make the necessary repairs.  In the CBC investigation, not one of four home inspectors brought in to conduct full inspections of the former grow-op home caught the signs: patches in the ceiling covering extra ventilation, mould in the attic caused by extreme humidity and gaping holes in the floors fixed up with nothing but flimsy plywood.

Home inspections are an unregulated industry in most of Canada, and only British Columbia requires that home inspectors are licensed. Home inspections provide some protection, but not many home inspectors are trained in recognizing the signs that a home was used in a grow-op.

Know what you are getting into. For professional Grow-Op Assessments & Testing Services in Toronto and Ontario, Contact Moldinspections.ca today.  We can help.

Marijuana Grow Op Assessment and Mold Testing Services are also carried out in Ajax, Barrie, Beaverton, Bowmanville, Bracebridge, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Cobourg, Collingwood, Georgetown Guelph, Hamilton, Keswick, Kitchener, Lindsay, London , Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Muskoka, Newmarket, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Orangeville, Oshawa, Owen Sound, Peterborough, Pickering, Port Carling, Port Hope, Richmond Hill, Severn Bridge, Sarnia , Simcoe, Southwest Ontario , St Catharines, Thornhill, Toronto, Waterdown, Waterloo, Whitby, Windsor Ontario.

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Former marijuana grow-ups can have toxic consequences

December 15th, 2009

Marijuana grow-ops are not typically associated with the hazards of meth labs and the dangers they pose to future property owners or neighbours, but make no mistake about it, marijuana grow-ops can have long-lasting and detrimental effects on homes, buildings and their future occupants.

The extremely high humidity necessary for marijuana plants to thrive can result in toxic black mould.

Det. Const. Jason Marcotte of the Bellville Police Drug Unit says that these buildings are virtually destroyed, “It’s as close as you can get to a total loss.”  He goes on to say that his unit has even found mould inside cement walls, “that’s going through vapour barrier, that’s going through insulation, and right into the cinder block.”  The mould can get in behind drywall and continue to spread long after growing operations have ceased. This mould can lead to extremely serious respiratory and other health problems.

Growers will also customize a house at their own convenience, cutting holes and creating ventilation through other methods all over the house, easing the spread of the mould.  Growers typically don’t mind the mould as they don’t spend a lot of time actually inside of the grow house, but when they’re done, “they’ll slap a coat of paint on and put the house up for sale,” says Marcotte.

Humidity can also lessen the structural integrity of wood within the house, leading to the rotting of important load-bearing components, and residues from chemicals such as pesticides and fungicides used in the grow-ops can settle into soft surfaces like carpets or other furniture. Serious electrical or wiring modifications may have been made within the house with little regard for regulations or fire-safety.

Even after the police make arrests, clear the building of any paraphernalia and unsavory characters, the house will still have issues that can affect property values.

Know what you are getting into. For Grow-Op Assessments & Testing Services in Toronto, Contact Moldinspections.ca

Marijuana Grow Op Assessment services are also carried out in Ajax, Barrie, Beaverton, Bowmanville, Bracebridge, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Cobourg, Collingwood, Georgetown Guelph, Hamilton, Keswick, Kitchener, Lindsay, London , Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Muskoka, Newmarket, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Orangeville, Oshawa, Owen Sound, Peterborough, Pickering, Port Carling, Port Hope, Richmond Hill, Severn Bridge, Sarnia , Simcoe, Southwest Ontario , St Catharines, Thornhill, Toronto, Waterdown, Waterloo, Whitby, Windsor Ontario.

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Ottawa housing has troubling amounts of mold

November 16th, 2009

An Ottawa subsidized housing development is facing accusations that mold may be affecting tenants’ health.  

Crumbling basement walls harbour the mold and a city inspector had ordered the repairs to be done by the end of October but they still have yet to be completed.

Some residents and their children living in the building at Pinecrest Terrace have preexisting conditions that are worsened by the mold and humidity, such as asthma and other respiratory ailments.

Mold growing inside an apartment or home can affect peoples’ health adversely, especially pregnant women, infants, the elderly and those with compromised or weakened immune systems.

Sometimes mold is not a concern when it is merely a bit of mildew in the shower or on a window sill.

Mildew is still mold, but it can be easily removed with store bought cleaners and elbow grease.

If the mold is causing stains, smells, discolouration or weakening the structural integrity of materials like drywall or wood, then it should be removed.

If you live in an apartment, tell your landlord, and don’t attempt to clean even smaller patches of mold without their permission.

If there are signs of prior cleaning it may be harder to get them to remove it later.

If after a brisk cleaning the mold still returns, more action must be taken to lower the inhabitability of the environment by lowering the humidity and checking for any water damage.

Cleaning large areas of mold requires certain safety precautions like using rubber gloves and a dust mask, and possibly the hiring of an indoor air specialist. If there is a lot of mold, the apartment is very damp or you or a family member are experiencing health problems, a professional should be called in.

MoldInspections.ca ~ Providing Mold Inspection Services in Toronto, the GTA and Southwest Ontario.  Contact us today in Toronto at (416) 575-6111; London: (519) 434-0796 or Toll Free: 1 (866) 310-4219.

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