Mold Course Essay 1
Stucco
I happened across this home after a rain storm. This is a west facing wall and the rain was wind driven. The stucco has apparently taken up a lot of the water. It also appears to be wicking upward. The home is in a cold climate so the vapour barrier is to the inside. The stucco will dry to the outside. There does not appear to be a weep screed or drainage at the bottom of the stucco. It has a metal frame.
The penetration of the vent has the stucco tight to it with no apparent sealing with caulk. Evident is the moisture draining to the right. Below the vent there is a poor seal and tape can be seen. This is also exposing the substrate or sheathing and allowing moisture in.
The stucco is tight to the window sides and bottom. There does not appear to be any sealant. There is a J-flashing above the window. Weep holes in the window sill are not evident.
The stucco is incomplete and failing at the deck joists. The exposure will allow rain to get behind. There does not appear to be a weep edge to allow water to drain. The ledger board also does not appear to have a flashing above.
These areas would need to be checked on the interior. Iceberg effect. In this case, I would comment on the items and recommend that it be further investigated by a licensed stucco professional.
The importance of air sampling during an inspection is to accumulate pertinent data to back up and verify the presence of mold, and to have evidence of the severity of a mold problem. It is necessary to establish a base line prior any remediation of mold.
The type of sampling device should be based on the size of the problem, whether it is a small, medium or large area that needs addressing.
Conditions that lend to possible mold, as in moisture intrusion, high humidity or musty odours, should be witnessed prior any samples taken.
If no mold or signs of are apparent, a sample can still be taken at the request of the home owner or client. Two outdoor samples would also be necessary, to establish a comparison, between inside and outside spore counts. Outdoor samples taken should be one each on the upwind and downwind sides of the home.
After remediation, new samples can help ensure that the mold problem has been successfully removed.
You should routinely inspect your HVAC systems, not just for mold, but for moisture. The below photo is an HVAC system that has moisture. If the drain and condensate pans are plugged, the moisture that accumulates will become a mold factory. You must also check the drain and condensate pans to make sure they are draining properly. All components must be free of moisture.
Inspected a drain and sink in an unfinished basement. There appears to be water damage. No smell of mold was found and no visible mold growth around the pipes or area was present. I did not find any leaking either.
I learned there are many different ways you can save on home energy. Such as purchasing ceiling fan in replace of an AC unit or buying special shower heads for water conservation.There are many things you can buy or do to save on home energy.
How to Perform Mold Inspections course essay:
The attached photo shows a drain to a humidifier. This photo was taken during summer months when the drain tube has been dry for some time. The black substance may be dead mold and could still cause an allergic reaction. Routine maintenance and cleaning should be done on this system to prevent the growth of mold in the future.
How to Perform Mold Inspections course Research Exercise:
I choose the Bug Zapper article because I was surprised to find an article with this title and I wondered what it was about. The first thing I found interesting was they do not accomplish the main purpose for having them. That is to kill biting (female) mosquitoes. The second item I found was how far they spread zapped bug parts. Keep them away from food! This article was interesting.
This is an image of a small section of the ceiling in my own garage. This shows obvious signs of water damage. Upon further inspection in the attic, there were no signs of any water intrusion through the roof sheathing, or any water stains anywhere including the drywall directly above this damage. I am not sure how this damage occurred.
I found this course to be very helpful in teaching me how to inspect for moisture intrusion and how to take mold samples. I did not really give much thought into how important measuring for air quality is so this was very beneficial. I read the article on moisture meters. Again, very helpful.
This picture is of the wood floor system under the hall bathroom in a 70 year old home. The floor joist and sub-floor is soft and decayed and was easily pierced with a probe. The level of decay indicates a prolonged exposure to moisture. Visual, apparent mold was noted.
Visible, apparent mold on the doorframe of hall bathroom. This bathroom had no window or operable ventilation fan at time of inspection. Recommend repair of ventilation fan to reduce humidity levels in the bathroom. Recommend consultation with a licensed mold remediation professional.
Article Review: IR Cameras: Inspecting for Moisture Intrusion
IR cameras are helpful in that often they can help identify a small problem before it has a chance to develop into a larger problem. There are many advantages and very few disadvantages to using an IR camera during an inspection however all signs of moisture should be backed up with the use of a moisture meter for verification. The use of infrared cameras provide excellent visual documentation of moisture conditions.
The photo above shows possible mold growth from one of my home inspections. The window had many conducive problems that caused this micro-growth. The window was not weather tight and apparently was leaking water for a while. Because, I was not that knowledgeable about mold at the time, I simply wrote in the report that some type of fungi was observed and that this should be elevated to a certified mold inspector for further evaluation.
I’m writing about mold inspections. Being a home inspector I find many possible mold issues along the way and report it as a micro growth on my reports. I tell my clients that I am not an expert on mold, at the time, and that this should be evaluated by a certified mold inspector. I know now, by taking this class, that mold inspections are not home inspections and should be a complete separate service while focusing on mold and mold conducive areas.
The picture here is of a furnace and coil from inside a garage. Was impossible to check for moisture or anything else because of lack of clearance. Recommended to client that the manufacturers clearances be followed. These clearances should be adhered to for safety and functional purposes.
The article I read was about Air sampling for mold inspections. It covered some of the basics of air sampling. Take the samples when you think there could be a mold problem based on previous moisture intrusion and/or smells. Always take the indoor samples near the center of the room between 3 and 6 feet high. Run the test for about 10 minutes. The overall purpose of the air samples are to get a spore count, type of spores and to compare to the outside air samples.
This is a picture of a condensate line from a air handler in the attic and where it terminates outside. While taking the how to perform mold inspections course, I have been on the lookout for moldy areas. The pan had recently over flowed creating sheetrock damage that wasn’t replaced. I observed suspect mold on the ceiling below. I also noticed the condensate line was clogged with insulation debris. It appeared to have done this once before. Not only was there evidence of suspect mold on the ceiling, but green mildew substance in and on the drain line. This course was very helpful and I’m positive that it will allow me to be more aware of mold and the smell of mold when I inspect.
How does moisture get into a house. I am constantly looking for moisture intrusion areas. I find most problems come from the crawl space of a home and damage to floor systems. I have learned that it is mostly water vapor coming from the uncovered ground in a crawl space that is causing a-lot of damage to floor systems. Most vapor barriers that I see are not covering the whole area. This allows wicking of moisture into the floor joists, insulation and sub floor. I was amazed that air movement accounts for more that 98% of all water vapor movement in building cavities.
During a 4-point inspection my client expressed concern of a large orange/red substance on the exterior wall of the home. He exclaimed he had heard of red-mold and wanted my opinion. I examined the area and concluded it was the rust stain from the iron of his well water, water softener system that had leaked over time against the house. The old water softener system had been removed 2 years before when he had been hooked up to city water. The client stated the stain had not grown but he had been suspicious that it might have been mold. I told him the area was dry to the touch, there was no musky moldy smell; and in fact I said I could smell bleach. He said he had been bleaching the area every six months to kill the mold. Just to be cautious we closely checked the interior walls, floor trim, floor and rug; we found no signs of mold, no moldy smells nor any staining from moisture or mold.
Hi Everyone. I grew up in Florida, had moved to Chicago area, then Memphis, and now have planted my roots back in Florida. As a home inspector I try and educate my clients as much as possible about the perils of moisture intrusion. I chose the Moisture Index illustration as a discussion point for those of you in High moisture index areas. The illustration shows Low, Moderate and High areas with each area color coded to identify. Being I am in Florida, and knowing the almost daily rains and humidity levels at being unbearable at times, I always discuss the building envelope with my clients. Most of them don’t or didn’t realize how moisture, including condensation, can lead not only to mold issues, but damage structure as well.
If any of you has a tip or illustration to help educate our clients on moisture intrusion, please share.
