ET&T also recommended a follow up inspection called a post remediation verification inspection (clearance testing) to make sure the work had been done correctly. This inspection is to verify that all the moldy and water damaged materials were removed properly.

This post remediation inspection includes several criteria:

• A visual inspection is done to make sure all the water damaged and moldy materials have been removed
• Moisture measurements are made to ensure the remaining materials are dry
• Spore trap air samples are collected to make sure the amount of mold (fungal) spores are low in number and of normal types

If everything looks good, we write a clearance report saying they are ready to remove the containment and rebuilding can start.

A few months later, the ET&T team was at a different job for a mold remediation company and they asked about the moldy bathroom job because they remembered we had done the initial inspection. They had set up the containment and had been put on hold by the condominium association to do any further work.

A few more months went by and the condominium association called us to inspect the unit below the first unit. They thought it now showed signs of mold.  We performed another inspection and found mold growing and wet ceiling materials in the downstairs unit.  We determined the problem came from the upstairs unit.

We learned the upstairs unit had not been repaired yet because they were waiting for matching shower tiles to arrive!

The unit owner wanted both of their bathrooms to have the same tile type and the condominium association didn’t want to replace the tile in the bathroom that didn’t need repairs. The repairs were put on hold while they were waiting for the correct tiles to arrive.

Tiled Bath From Upstairs Unit

Now the condominium association had 2 units with mold and water damage to repair!  They had 2 unit owners inconvenienced, the upper unit’s owner for months without one of their bathrooms! All this for matching tile?

Well, after more than 7 months from our original inspection, both units have had the mold remediation work finished and passed the post remediation verification inspection and can now rebuild the bathrooms. We don’t know about the status of the matching tile.

There are at least 2 “better” options the condominium association could have taken instead of delaying the repair:

1. They could have chosen to have the mold removed and plumbing repaired while waiting for the matching tile to arrive. If they had at least removed the mold and water damaged materials from the upper unit and repaired the water leak they would have prevented most if not all of the damage to the lower unit.
2. Another option would have been to simply replace the tile in the bathroom that didn’t need repairs and saved over 7 months of frustration and inconvenience for the upstairs unit owner.  It would have been much cheaper and taken less time to change to different tile than to hold off on repairs while waiting for matching tiles to be found!

The lesson here is that you should never delay the remediation of wet and moldy building materials after you’ve found out that there is in fact a problem. You’re not only costing yourself in terms of more money due to additional damage, but you’re also neglecting the indoor environmental hazard that mold brings into your home, condo or office building. You always want to take care of mold problems as soon as possible. If you have areas in your home that you’re unsure about, or have questions about mold testing for your San Diego home call the experts at ET&T 760-424-2259. Our friendly staff is waiting for your call.

Mold and Water Stains on the Ceiling

What in the world would rain gutters have to do with mold inside my home!  Mold needs water to grow. When the rain gutters and downspouts get blocked, the water can’t flow away from the roof line and your building. Water flows along the path of least resistance and you don’t want that path to be under your roofing materials or inside your walls.

Bubbled Paint and Water Stains on Ceiling

If your rain gutters are clogged or draining slowly the water can overflow the gutters leading to water running down the sides of your building. This can lead to puddles forming up against the outside walls of your property.  If the rain gutters are clogged, water can pool up at the roof line. Areas of your roof that are not sealed well enough may allow the water to seep through the roofing material and into your attic and walls. Once the attic and interior walls get wet, the opportunity for mold to grow is present. Even though we think of our walls as being a barrier to the outside environment, water can soak through and get into the wall cavity space and then to the inside of the building. If this is already your situation, we can help!

Maintenance is key in helping to prevent mold growth inside our buildings and homes!

Just a couple of weekends ago, I was doing some yard work and decided I should check out the rain gutters since rain was in the forecast. I live in southern California and we haven’t had much rain so I hadn’t given the rain gutters any thought since last winter. Our neighbors pine tree had been shedding pine needles like crazy and our liquid amber trees leaves were turning the beautiful colors of fall. Well, my rain gutters near the pine tree were so stuffed with pine needles the gutters were over flowing with needles and the downspouts were completely covered up.  If that wasn’t bad enough, when I went to the other side of the house, the downspout had come off of the gutter completely and was just hanging there.  Even though I am on that side of the house frequently, I guess I never looked up!

Once again, I need to follow my own advice. My rain gutters are not very accessible to clean out so I will need to hire someone to take care of that.  It looks like a tree trimming is in order as well, sounds like 2 jobs to be hired out to prevent a mold problem inside.  The cost of this maintenance will be much less than a costly mold remediation project.

For a free phone consultation concerning a mold or water damage issue in your home or commercial building, call Environmental Testing & Technology (ET&T) at 760-424-2259 or email us at info@etandt.com to see if you need a mold inspection.

Do your drains look like these?  

If you had to answer yes, they need some serious maintenance! You may already have a mold problem brewing!

If this is already your situation, we can help! Give Environmental Testing & Technology (ET&T) a call at 760-424-2259 or email us at info@etandt.com for a free phone consultation.

A key part of our mold and moisture inspection is the visual inspection outdoors to check on the exterior walls.  In addition to plugged and damaged drains like the ones in the photos above we also look for:

• Planters or planter boxes right up against the side of the building.
• Puddles from watering for too long or too quickly. The ground or drainage system just can’t handle that much water at one time.
• The ground slopes towards the building instead away from the building and creates puddles of standing water.
• Moss or algae growth near the exterior walls.
• Worst of all, No drainage system at all!

These photos show a wet patio can lead to a wet wall inside the home.

Even though we think of the walls as being a barrier from the outside, they can still absorb water. Once the outside walls get wet and stay wet for some time, the indoor walls get wet also. Sometimes there is a damp musty smell inside but you can’t figure out why it would smell damp in that area. We usually expect the dampness to be from plumbing, but the dampness might be from outside!  This may lead to mold growing inside the walls affecting your indoor air quality.

One of the many services ET&T offers is a mold prevention plan specific to your property’s needs where we address preventing water damage from sprinkler and drainage issues.

For a free phone consultation call Environmental Testing & Technology (ET&T) at 760-424-2259 or email us at info@etandt.com to see if you need a mold inspection or a mold prevention plan prepared.

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Thanks for reading and I hope you found this information useful!