Residential Mold Services

Residential Mold Services

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    Residential Mold Services

    ECG conducts residential mold inspections in homes around the Chicagoland area and throughout the Midwest. All ECG inspectors have extensive experience conducting mold inspections and clearance testing in residential and commercial buildings.  

    ECG tailors all inspections to meet the needs of the project and the homeowner. The work begins with a visual inspection of the home to identify areas of mold growth and any possible moisture sources. Mold growth in an indoor environment can lead to a variety of symptoms, including respiratory ailments, when not removed. When visible mold growth is present, the goal of the inspection is to determine the type and extent of mold in the home. 
    This is done through a number of techniques:
    • ECG can use a video boroscope to inspect wall cavities that would be otherwise inaccessible. The boroscope cuts a two-inch hole in the wall so the camera can move behind the wall. Boroscopes have a unique advantage in determining the extent of mold growth because when visible mold growth is present on the outer surfaces of a wall, it is likely also growing behind the drywall. Determining the exact location of mold in inaccessible areas can save time and money when conducting remediation. Failure to remove mold growing in the wall cavities or other areas will increase the likelihood of regrowth and may allow the mold to spread to other areas of the home.
    • ECG uses a Protimeter Surveymaster to test moisture levels in building materials near mold growth. The Protimeter Surveymaster measures the Wood Moisture Equivalent, which tells the technician whether building materials contain sufficient moisture to support mold growth. 
    • ECG can also use a tape lift method to identify mold spores present on a surface. During this method, a microscope slide with an adhesive section is placed onto a suspect mold contaminated surface. Once the slide is removed, mold spores that were present on the suspect surface are transferred to the adhesive. The microscope slide is then analyzed and both viable and non-viable spores are counted.

    Airborne Mold Testing

    ECG can also use spore-trap cassettes to collect airborne mold spores. This method is especially helpful when visible mold growth is not present, but the residents are complaining of mold-related symptoms. To collect these samples, a small plastic cassette is connected to a high-volume air pump. As air is drawn through the cassette, the airborne particulate meets the sterile glass slide. The spores become impacted on the slide while the air flow continues out the cassette. The cassette and slide are then sent to a lab where the mold spores are counted. The air samples are then compared to mold levels naturally occurring in the outdoor air.

    Remediation 

    In general, indoor mold growth should be removed promptly to protect the health of the residents. While ECG does not conduct actual remediation, we have contact information for several competitively-priced and reputable mold remediation contractors in the area. Conducting mold remediation of building materials and eliminating the moisture source should aid in the prevention of future mold growth.

    Clearance Testing

    After mold remediation is conducted, ECG can perform a mold clearance inspection to verify that all areas have been sufficiently cleaned and dried and that the moisture source has been eliminated. ECG tailors each clearance test to meet the requirements of the project and the building occupants. Clearance testing includes:
    • A visual inspection for any obvious signs of mold growth. Occasionally, ECG’s technicians observe light black staining on wooden materials due to embedded mycelial fragments. Mycelial fragments are the root-like structures of mold colonies that become deeply embedded in porous building materials such as wood. When building materials are not replaced, these remnants can be expected. Anti-fungal coating is usually applied by the contractor as an encapsulant to lock down the embedded mycelial fragments.
    • ECG tests wooden materials surrounding the mold growth region with a Protimeter Surveymaster. The Protimeter Surveymaster measures the wood moisture equivalent in wooden building materials to make sure they have been sufficiently dried and the moisture has been eliminated.
    • ECG uses a tape lift method to identify any mold spores present on a surface. During this method, a microscope slide with an adhesive section is placed onto a suspect mold contaminated surface. Once the slide is removed, mold spores that were present on the suspect surface are transferred to the adhesive. The microscope slide is then analyzed and both viable and non-viable spores are counted to determine the effectiveness of the remediation.
    • ECG also conducts air sampling during the mold clearance process. The air sampling monitors the number of airborne mold spores in the home and compares the figures to naturally occurring outside levels. 
    To schedule a mold inspection in your home, contact an ECG representative at 800-282-2084.
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