As a professional mold inspection company, we know first-hand that all too often a disaster can affect you, your employees and your business when you least expect it.

Water damage caused by a burst pipe, fire or severe storm can lead to building environment-related concerns like mold, which can spread swiftly throughout your commercial or industrial property when the conditions are right.

The reality is that if the original moisture source is left unattended or unaddressed, even a minor water infiltration problem can snowball into a massive mold remediation project!

When it comes to commercial mold remediation, you’re always better off hiring professionals you can trust and count on to properly remediate all mold-related damage following a disaster or emergency situation. Taking quick action is critical and this will certainly help minimize current and future damage to your commercial or industrial building to the extent possible.

Our commercial mold remediation strategy is customized to each property or client, but it generally includes many or all of the following steps:

We act quickly to evaluate your industrial or commercial site and systematically inspect the property (including the entire building envelop).

We assess all current and potential damage, including identifying and prioritizing all minor and major sources of moisture infiltration, as well as assessing exposure to any HVAC, mechanical and other costly building systems.

We develop a comprehensive mold remediation plan to address all of your commercial or industrial mold concerns.

Using our expertise, skilled training and professional equipment, we execute the commercial or industrial mold remediation services set out in your custom mold remediation plan. Our services can include mold cleaning, mold treatment or mold containment, as well as building materials demolition, removal and restoration.

We perform final inspections of all affected areas, and we may recommend applicable indoor air quality (IAQ) or third-party testing once all mold remediation services have been completed to confirm your commercial or industrial building is once again safe for all.

If your industrial or commercial property has experienced a disaster, contact us to find out how our professional mold remediation services can help your business get back on its feet before it suffers further losses in productivity and revenue.

Call us for your free phone consult in the Toronto and Greater Toronto Area (GTA) at 416-575-6111.

The bathroom is a natural place for mold to flourish. Most bathrooms, in fact, contain all the right conditions for mold growth to begin:

Moisture that lingers
Inadequate ventilation

On top of those basic conditions, there’s plenty for it to eat in terms of soap residue and other leftovers from showers and baths. It’s not nice to think about, but any homeowner knows that keeping the bathroom clean is one of the great challenges.

Keep it clean – it sounds obvious, but regular cleaning will help to reduce the potential for mold.
Mold resistant grout and sealant – mold can grow right into untreated sealant and grout and once these are full of mold, they have to be replaced entirely – cleaning won’t work anymore. Begin by using products designed for kitchens and bathrooms which are mold resistant.
Mold resistant paint – as with grout and sealant, mold can permeate the paint itself. Specially treated kitchen and bathroom paints have built in mold and microbial protection. Tip: a high-gloss paint repels moisture the best and a semi-gloss is your next best choice. Flat or matte finishes actually absorb (and thus retain) moisture.
Ventilation is key. Recommended: exhaust fans vented to the outside. Keep the fan on up to an hour after everyone’s done showering in the morning to remove all excess moisture from the air. Consider a fan with an automatic timer that will run on its own.
If you have no window or way to the outside, an extractor uses a heat exchange process to extract moisture from the air.

You may have mold in your bathroom and not even know it! Sure, your ceramic tile is clean but what about these other areas of your bathroom?

Under the sink
Around or behind the toilet
The walls behind the plumbing
Under flooring where there have been leaks

Mold Detection
We can help pinpoint areas of your home that require better ventilation or other measures to deter or remediate mold growth. In our mold detection inspections we conduct temperature and humidity checks through your home or business. During removal and remediation we recommend the use of negative air pressure machines and HEPA filters – which safely permanently capture the microscopic mold spores.

Get Expert Help
Mold growth can begin to take hold within a short 48 hours of the moment when water enters into an area, so it can affect homes both new and older. A mold inspection is your way of protecting yourself against nasty surprises.

If you notice a persistent, musty odour in your home, then you need help right away.

Get help from the experts at MoldInspections.ca. Please call us for a hassle-free quote today.

MoldInspections.ca is the trusted leader for mold-free homes and breathable indoor air spaces in Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and beyond. Providing certified mold inspection, detection and testing since 2005, we service home owners, real-estate agents, landlords, property managers, insurance companies and businesses. Featured on CTV and recommended by contractors, we regularly serve as expert witnesses in court proceeding relating to Mold and Indoor Air Quality issues. Do you have mold? Call us today for a free quote at (416) 575-6111.

Simple changes can often make a big difference and that’s what the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR), an insurance industry thinktank based at Western University in London, Ontario, had in mind when they proposed changes to the Ontario Building Code.

The proposed changes came about as a result of research into the kind of property damages incurred after tornadoes hit the province in recent years, particularly on August 20, 2009, when 19 tornadoes hit land and caused great damage in Southwestern Ontario.

The one proposal which was accepted involves increasing the number of nails used in plywood roof sheathing on new homes. It involves using nails every six inches, instead of every six inches in some areas and every twelve inches in others. It’s a change that adds minimal cost to a new home construction but results in much more stability in extreme wind conditions.

Simply put, if the roof stays on, it results in fewer injuries and also much less moisture getting into a structure. Less moisture means less opportunity for mold growth.

Roofing & Mold
Even without a tornado or other extreme weather event, your roof obviously plays a crucial role in keeping your home safe and dry. That’s not rocket science. But – are you really aware of the current state of your roofing materials? It’s something most of us tend to put off or ignore until we’re confronted with water actually dripping inside.

Be aware – check your roof seasonally to find trouble spots before they cause leaks
Even a small leak or lingering dampness is enough to cause mold growth – check your attic space for the signs and that telltale musty odour
Consider the new guidelines when it comes to making any repairs or renovations and consult the Building Code as a reference; you may also want to consider ICLR guidelines which go beyond the Code itself
Mold growth can take hold within 24-48 hours when the conditions are right, and once it’s in your HVAC system, the spores can travel throughout your home

Roof maintenance is a key component of maintaining a healthy house.

Let Us Help
Mold exposure is an acknowledged threat to your well-being and you may not know that mold even exists in your home until it affects your health. If you suspect any leaks or lingering moisture in your home, or if you’re experiencing flu-like or respiratory symptoms you can’t explain, give yourself peace of mind.

For Mold Inspection & Testing Services in Toronto, call us for a hassle-free quote today.

Environment Canada has predicted a warm and “relatively” dry summer, but with the advent of hot, humid weather already this past May, we’ve already seen nasty storms and heavy rainfall conditions of the kind that can lead to basement flooding.

High temperatures and general atmospheric humidity already create ideal conditions for mold growth. If you add flooding and increases moisture, it’s the perfect recipe for it to flourish.

What to do in case of a flood
If your basement has flooded, here are some steps you can take to mitigate the damage:

A small pump that you can purchase at most hardware stores can help to get the water out of your house and back outdoors
Turning on the heat can help – between 20-22 degrees Celsius can help dry it out
Clean and disinfect wet areas using household cleaners
A dehumidifier in your basement is a good recommendation at any time: if you’re using a dehumidifier, close your doors and windows to dry it out. If you’re not using one, then opening doors and windows will help.
Get tested! Even with the best of efforts, mold growth can still take hold inside walls and other areas where you just can’t reach.

Chronic Dampness in the Basement
If your basement is constantly damp, the problem may be the layout of the house (i.e. your property is lower than your neighbours) or water may be coming in via drainage systems like gutters, eavestroughs and drainage pipelines. You’ll typically need help from construction or landscaping contractors to fix those issues.

Even small seepage can cause big problems over time when it comes to mold and many other issues too. Here are some signs that your basement has moisture issues:

Rusting steel objects
“Efflorescence” on the walls – this is a whitish mineral deposit that occurs where water has come in through the walls
Dark or stained wood

A moist basement is a breeding ground for mold growth, and it’s particularly problematic in that mold spores can get into your ductwork and travel throughout your home, compromising indoor air quality. The EPA suggests that you keep humidity levels at less than 60% with proper ventilation of basements and crawlspaces as well as the use of dehumidifiers.

Even if you don’t notice any of the signs of dampness or moisture, you may notice the signs of mold exposure, including allergic rhinitis and other symptoms similar to a mild allergic reaction, like throat and eye irritation as well as a runny nose.

Get Professional Help
Whether your basement is damp because of a flood or chronic seepage over time, the risks are clear. Mold Inspections can help with our Mold Detection Services. We can find the mold you can’t see with our cutting edge equipment and mold testing methods, combined with seasoned professionals who know how to get the job done right.

Know what you are getting into. For Mold Testing and Detection Services in Toronto, Contact Moldinspections.ca for a hassle-free quote today.

Mold Inspectors in Mississauga, Vaughan, Ajax, Barrie, Caledon and beyond.

Reports in the national news have uncovered a pretty shocking situation with the properties owned and managed by a large corporation operating under two company names and over six provinces.

The company holds 400 buildings in B.C., Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and collected a whopping 240 charges in Ontario alone for offenses ranging from failure to complete repairs to fire code violations. Despite all the violations, the company was still doing business as usual.

Many of the complaints and unresolved issues result from flooded basements, leaking walls and ceilings – water and moisture issues that have resulted in unhealthy mold growth.

While the sheer number of units involved is staggering in this case, the hard facts are this: in Canada, we live in a fairly damp climate, with fluctuations in temperature and conditions that routinely result in things like flooding, condensation and other water issues. Once water has gotten into a building, mold can follow close behind, and that’s something we all need to deal with – owner, landlord or tenant.

It means that you should know the common signs and symptoms of mold exposure, and be on the look out for moisture and mold anywhere in your dwelling. Mold can grow virtually anywhere, and you may not know that it’s there spreading in your floors and walls.

Watch for:

A persistent musty odour
Chronic headaches
Red eyes or nose irritation, again chronic and unexplained
Skin irritation or rash
May even include more serious symptoms like fever and difficulty breathing

If you suspect the presence of mold in your home, get help from the experts at MoldInspections.ca. Please call us for a hassle-free quote today.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is – that’s the saying, and when it comes to buying a home, the majority of buyers know enough to get suspicious when the price is lower than market value and previous owners seem overly eager to close the deal. But a higher price and seemingly good condition don’t always guarantee a better deal.

Boxing legend Mohammad Ali and his wife are suing the previous owners of the home they bought for a cool $1.87 million about five years ago. The lawsuit alleges that the home presented with a number of serious problems they claim were covered up and misrepresented by the original owners, including roof and chimney leaks, defective waterline connections and – not at all surprisingly given those issues – mold.

Relatively new homes can also be subject to mold infestation, even toxic black mold. Kim Daniello of Flint Michigan thought she’d found the house of her dreams. It featured brand new flooring, a completely finished basement and even a newly renovated kitchen. Once she and her daughter moved in, however, they began to experience alarming mold symptoms like difficulty breathing and sinus headaches. She pulled up the carpet in the basement and sadly her suspicions were confirmed – she found mold.

Any home that has experienced flooding, and even newer homes that have been empty for periods of time and/or subject to dampness, can host mold. Both the boxing legend and the single mother from Michigan could have saved themselves the frustration , not to say health-related consequences, with proper testing and inspection of their prospective homes by an expert.

Mold inspections will detect the problem before you buy and find that your dream has turned into a nightmare. Let Mold Inspections give you peace of mind before you sign on the dotted line.

Sometimes, we can’t fully understand the danger of a toxic agent like mold until it destroys something dear to us.

The Astrolabe Theatre on Nepean Point has long been one of the most beloved attractions in our nation’s capital, Ottawa, Ontario. It’s famous for the views it provides of the city and for its amphitheatre, which seats roughly 700 people.

But the City of Ottawa has to say goodbye to the historic building. The reason: proper attention wasn’t paid to mold removal. It’s too late now. The building is saturated with toxic mold and asbestos. The National Capital Commission has decided to demolish it.

As NCC spokeswoman Judith Gabois-St-Cyr explained, water infiltration was a key part of the building’s deterioration. The overly moist environment became a breeding ground for mold.

Could a proper mold inspection have saved the Astrolabe Theatre? It’s tough to say; the building is 30 years old. But an earlier commitment from building officials just might have caught it in time. Instead, the theatre is simply too overcome not just with mold, but also with carcinogenic asbestos fibres – especially in the service building and in the former dressing rooms for performers.

The site will be remediated; it hasn’t yet been decided what new attraction will replace the Astrolabe Theatre. The demolition schedule isn’t official yet but $1 million has been devoted to it for 2011-12.

Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area can learn a valuable lesson from the Astrolabe Theatre’s demise: historical buildings may be beautiful, but they’re also at major risk for mold and other hazardous materials. If we want to keep them intact and enjoy them forever, periodic assesments from a mold inspection and removal company are a prudent idea.

Why do you need a mold inspection?

1. Most of the time, mold is not visible on surfaces. Mold spores are not visible to the human eye although they are everywhere. The mold inspection is integral to the building owner and occupants so that the problem area can be pinpointed. Our mold inspection is not designed to find the obvious mold growth but the not so obvious.

2. Working with a mold removal contractor is easiest when a fungal assessment of the building/problem area is performed. The mold removal contractor’s environmental insurance requires that testing is performed.

MoldInspections.ca has inspectors that perform hundreds of inspections every year for homes, institutions and commercial properties. The assessments are done with state of the art equipment and a detailed report of all the findings. The mold removal contractor then uses our recommendations as a Scope of Work for the remediation project.

In general, when dealing with a mold issue indoors we want to know the size of affected area, the level of contamination including types of molds and airborne concentrations and the source of the moisture so that we can prevent future mold growth.

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