Connecticut Mold Testing Services

Health effects can be broken down into 3 groups:

• Allergenic – allergic or asthmatic symptoms
• Pathogenic – can cause problems for people with decreased immune systems.
• Toxins – also none as mycotoxins, can cause serious health effects in almost anybody.

Everyone is affected differently by mold. The seller of a home may have lived with mold issues for years without ever feeling any effects. A new buyer can then move in and one or all of the family members are immediately affected by the mold.

Besides the health effects, mold can damage interior finishes and the structure of your home.

Mold in dwellings is caused by moisture or water penetration left untreated. Residents in cities that receive greater amounts of precipitation such as Norwich, Stamford, and Burlington should especially be aware of mold from water penetration. If there has been water damage, roof or plumbing leaks, or flooding, mold could be hiding and you could be completely unaware of it. Left undetected and/or untreated, mold can eat through building materials and cause serious structural damage.

1. Visible mold
2. Musty odor
3. Evidence of water; damage, staining, penetration
4. Poorly maintained HVAC systems
5. Construction defects or deterioration
6. Dryer vented indoors Inadequate or no bathroom/kitchen ventilation
7. Surfaces with a hairy covering
8. Soil around foundation that remains damp or wet

There is a good bet that what you are seeing is not mildew considering that mildew typically grows on living plants. You have to consider that it may be mold. If it is mold, you may be asking: what can I do about it?

Over the past few years, there has been a media uproar about mold in homes and commercial buildings. What we have come to realize is that the biggest issue with mold isn't its presence so much as people mishandling it and create a bigger problem by trying to clean it with the wrong products and inappropriate procedures. Here are a few best practices when dealing with mold so you don’t make the same costly mistakes.

1. Do not clean with bleach: Bleach is a topical agent only and it contains approximately 70% water which we now know is a fuel for the growth of mold. The word “Topical” means that the bleach cannot get down to what you might call the roots of the fungus. So even if you have wiped the surface off with bleach you haven’t killed the plant so to speak. This is why mold people continually returns.
2. Once mold has gotten into sheet rock it cannot be effectively cleaned. It must be cut out properly and discarded.
3. When working with mold it should be treated as though you have an environmental hazard that can easily become airborne such as asbestos.
4. In a real estate transaction, have the mold tested and overall conditions of your property evaluated by a qualified mold and moisture intrusion specialist. Then, have it cleaned by a qualified mold remediation contractor when needed. Then, a final test should be completed to prove that cleanup was successful. This helps assure that it was done properly and prevents liability in the future.