Mold Testing

According to Health Canada, mold is one of the most common of the indoor air pollutants.  The agency also considers indoor mold growth as a potential health hazard, based on scientific evidence that links mold in the home to increased risk of various respiratory ailments.  Everyone has a different tolerance and sensitivity to mold, and not all people react in the same way when exposed.  Basic symptoms may include irritation of the eye, nose and throat, while more severe effects might include respiratory wheezing and shortness of breath.  In fact, some strains of airborne mold can cause severe symptomology, especially for those with weakened immune systems.

If you’re already reading this article, you’ve probably started to do some online research, and you probably suspect a mold issue.  At this point, the next logical step is mold testing.  With hundreds of species of mold, and with a potential for negative side effects, professional attention is highly recommended.  In Canada, both Health Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation encourage mold testing by an accredited Indoor Air Quality Investigator.

Mould Hound offers a comprehensive mold testing service, with Certified Inspectors who specialize in the inspection, detection and testing of indoor mold.  We inspect, and subsequently test, residential homes, office buildings, and factories, and when done, we recommend a course of action for resolving the issue.  We encourage our customers to be well informed about mold testing so they can make appropriate decisions, based on the objective conclusions we present.  The professionals at Mould Hound understand mold:  they recognize the distinctive characteristics; they have expertise with mold growth patterns; and they’re experienced with the dynamics of spore dispersal.  For testing, our experts use the latest technologies, with high-precision instruments and comprehensive lab testing.  Unlike other companies who focus on the most basic inspection and testing, we are looking for the big picture.

If you’ve had a plumbing leak that was not properly cleaned up, or higher-than-normal indoor humidity, or just poor air ventilation, then you’re a good candidate for mold growth.  And if you do have mold, you might actually see the growth, or smell its distinctive odour.  In a worst-case scenario, you will suspect mold, but you’ll see nothing, and smell nothing – you’ll just be experiencing the ill effects.  By that time, inspection and testing by the professionals is highly advised.

In principle, there is such a thing as a “minor” mold problem, and one that does not pose any significant health threats.  And it’s also possible to wash and clean it up, and perhaps purchase a domestic cleaning product that will resolve the problem.  But sometimes, a mold issue should not be considered a weekend project, or a do-it-yourself assignment.  The truth is, a reliable, reputable service provider like Mould Hound will tell you frankly if your problem is “minor”, and if its something that you can handle yourself.  But they will also advise you when its time to engage in a mold testing process that includes an in-depth inspection, along with the proper lab testing. 

As it turns out, Health Canada has established some well-founded and common sense guidelines when it comes to mold.  The agency maintains that ALL mold, regardless of toxicity, poses a risk to human respiratory health, and should therefore be removed.  They reason that there is no "safe" level of indoor mold, and further suggest that mold testing be conducted properly, and expedited by experienced professionals.  At Mould Hound, we have the expertswith the right tools, the most modern equipment, and with the experience and expertise to carry out inspection, detection, testing and follow-up – it’s a full service package that allows us to do the job right the first time.

Our step-by-step process is all-inclusive:  we collect air samples (specifically, mold and spore samples); we determine which laboratory tests we will undertake; and we decide where the samples will be tested.  We use only third party, independent labs in Canada and the US, and rely on the test results to be accurate and impartial.  Our test results can be used in a court of law, and presented as evidence – and that’s the efficacy we demand.  But there’s more to the process, because even test results require the proper evaluation and interpretation – and that’s why our full service approach means good value for our clients.  In the final stages, we prepare and document a case report, which includes a general overview of the case; a detailed description of the severity of the situation; the location, cause and extent of the mold; and a summary of the test results.

Mould Hound prepares reports that are easy-to-read, and easy-to-understand.  We want clients to be well informed and cognizant about their mold issue, so they can make sound decisions about next steps.  Our reports also include our recommendations for remediation – this is the process of removing, reversing and stopping the damage.  As a matter of principle, we don’t engage in the remediation process ourselves, but stay on board in a consulting capacity – this policy allows us to be independent from the contractors who provide the remediation services.  It’s actually quite unique in the industry, but it allows us to be 100% objective, and to make unbiased proposals to our clients.  And in this way, we’re able to execute the Clearance Testing procedure, where we verify for the client that remediation was effective.

The pros at Mould Hound deliver a full-service approach to mold testing.  We know that throughout the industry, there are companies who compete on the basis of PRICE, but that’s not for us.  A low price might be an attractive proposition for the average consumer, but we put our emphasis on the quality of our inspections, assessments and testing.  When health and wellbeing is concerned, it’s better not to cut corners, and not to go cheap – it’s best to do the job right, the first time.  And it’s preferable and advisable to use accredited contractors; reputable companies; and hi-tech equipment.