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:

 

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

 

  1. 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.

 

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

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

Although mold is naturally found in environments everywhere, indoors and out, it can become a genuine and challenging problem when it starts growing in homes, offices and other occupational settings.

This is critical because mold growth can cause or worsen acute and chronic health conditions affecting the health and well-being of anyone who spends time in the workplace environment, from employees to customers to suppliers.

We’ve mentioned this before but it bears repeating: mold can grow on just about any surface provided it has water/moisture, a nutrient source and its preferred temperature. It stands to reason then that mold growth is hindered or eliminated when excess water or moisture is eliminated.

If your goal is to prevent mold growth in your industrial or commercial property, your first steps should focus on eliminating ALL excess moisture and water.

We offer some additional tips as they relate to your industrial or commercial property.

 

Have a question about mold inspection or remediation services in your Toronto commercial, industrial or residential building? Contact the Toronto remediation professionals today! Free consult when you call us at 416-575-6111.

Like bathrooms, kitchens can be a tremendously good breeding ground for mold. They offer three things that mold just loves: warmth, various sources of food (including dirt and dust), and humidity.

If you’re looking for a quick and helpful checklist you can print off to help identify potential sources of mold in your kitchen, consider this it!

 

#1 Look under the sink

Leaky pipe? Spilled cleaning products? Kitchen garbage? The space under your kitchen sink is the first place in your kitchen you should check for mold. If you spot a leaky pipe, first fix the problem and then consider laying vinyl tile on the bottom of the cabinet to protect it from any potential water damage in the future.

 

#2 Look around the sink

Check your taps and all around your sink for mold growing on or underneath. All seams and corners around the sink should be properly caulked to prevent water damage to your countertops and of course mold growth.

 

#3 Check your exterior walls

In your kitchen, check all of the walls that face the outdoors to identify potential areas of mold.

 

#4 Check your windows

We recently mentioned that window condensation in the home can be a warning sign of possible mold growth, and mold can be especially active in kitchens due to high humidity levels. Mold can grow on all types of windows, including wood-framed, metal-framed and even vinyl, so it’s important to check yours for mold or any evidence that mold may be present.

 

#5 Check your garbage and/or garbage disposal

As handy as they are, garbage disposals can offer mold a lot of potential sources of food. Rinse your garbage containers and/or garbage disposal with undiluted vinegar or another favourite antibacterial cleaner. Run the garbage disposal a minimum of once a day to help keep mold growth at bay.

 

#6 Check your compost

Like the garbage and garbage disposal, our compost bin can be easy prey for mold. Don’t allow it to sit out, especially in hot, humid summer weather, and dump it as often as you possibly can throughout the day.

 

#7 Check pantry items

If you’ve ever smelt a rotting potato, it’s likely a smell you won’t soon forget. Regularly check onions, potatoes and other stored food for mold and immediately toss any foods that look like their best days are behind them.

 

#8 Check your dishwasher

We recommend checking both inside the dishwasher as well as around the entire casing of the dishwasher. This is especially important if you have wood cabinets (as many of us do) because mold can grow productively on all of these surfaces. From professional experience, I can tell you that a small leak may go unnoticed for a long time!

 

#9 Check your fridge and freezer

The same advice for dishwashers also applies to your refrigerator and freezer: check inside the appliance for food sources of mold, as well as around the appliance. In addition, be sure to check the drip tray. It’s usually located at the front of the fridge and underneath. Check it several times a year or you may find something growing in there that would put monsters under the bed to shame!

 

#10 Check your ice maker

Bonus tip: if you have an ice maker built into your refrigerator, check in and around it for mold too.

 

Have you inspected your kitchen from top to bottom for potential sources of mold and still can’t find the culprit behind that musty or mildewy smell that’s driving you crazy? Contact us and we’ll be glad to make a visit to your home or office to track down and identify the source and type of your kitchen mold.

 

Mold, mildew and various types of bacteria tend to love warm, wet or damp, dark places. Unfortunately, your favourite warm shower or hot relaxing bubble bath—combined with a lack of ventilation or air circulation—can often make your cherished bathroom the ideal breeding site for these types of unhealthy organisms to set up shop.

Looking for some handy tips to help prevent mold, mildew and other types of bacteria in your bath?

Here are five of our top tips!

 

  1. Help the humidity get outside.

Hot baths and showers generate an intense amount of humidity, or water vapour in the air. So the first step is to give the extra humidity that has accumulated during bathtime the boot! Do whatever you can, as often as you can, to help the room return to being dry and moisture-free, and as quickly as possible.

You want the humidity to be cycled outside rather than inside so a properly installed bathroom exhaust fan is a must.

Bathroom exhaust fans are the norm but in some houses, especially older ones, building codes at the time dictated that the bathroom needed only either a window or a fan. An exhaust fan is a better bet, especially in winter, so consider having one professionally installed if you don’t already have one.

Experts recommend running bathroom exhaust fans for at least 30 minutes to help the warm air escape to the outside. Bonus tip: If you notice moisture on your bathroom walls or mirror, the fan hasn’t run long enough. Keep it going!

If you’re a busy professional or part of a busy family, you might enjoy the convenience of a bathroom timer. This simple investment makes it easy to run the bathroom timer while on a busy schedule—just set it and forget it! You can head out the door without worrying that the fan is going to run needlessly all day.

 

  1. Eliminate all accumulated water.

Mold and mildew can’t thrive in areas that don’t provide it with a ready and regular source of water. So the next step is to eliminate any water that accumulated during your bath or shower… and if you’re anything like most people, that can be a lot!

Water on the floors, countertops, glass or plastic shower enclosures, and especially on your shower curtain needs to be eliminated to help prevent mildew or mold from forming.

After every bath or shower, wipe up excess water on floors, countertops or other surfaces, and wipe down your glass shower enclosure or plastic shower curtain. You might also like to store your wet towels in another room or on a heated tower rack to help them dry faster.

 

  1. Stop all leaks.

In addition to the water that may accumulate during showers and baths, water can also be introduced through old fixtures, such as leaky toilets, taps or pipes. Have them professionally inspected and repaired to reduce additional water from being introduced and accumulating.

 

  1. Seal and caulk your tiled tub and shower surrounds.

It’s a common misconception that the grout between your bathroom tiles, under your toilet, or inside your tiled tub or shower surround is waterproof. In fact, it’s actually porous so it will absorb any accumulated water, which can then potentially cause damage to the subfloor or other structures.

In potentially humid areas like bathrooms, we highly recommend applying a grout sealant to newly tiled areas such as showers. In addition, you should caulk all corners, crevices and the bottom row of tiles where they meet the bathtub with a specialized bathroom caulk designed for the job.

 

  1. Inspect, clean and store children’s toys appropriately.

A common and yet not well-known source of mildew and mold in bathrooms is children’s toys. You know, those plastic tub toys that kids love to play with, drink water from, or put in or on their mouths during bathtime?

Yeah, those ones!

Sadly, even those beloved tub toys, when exposed to water and humidity, can become a serious harbinger of different bacteria, mildew and mold when not cared for correctly.

We recommend checking all your children’s toys on a regular basis. You can clean plastic toys with soap (unless the mold has infiltrated the plastic, in which case throw it out and buy a new one) and launder fabric or terrycloth toys in the washing machine.

That said, storing children’s toys properly is key to help prevent mildew and mold from forming and growing in the first place.

This means allowing the waterlogged toys to drain properly, either hanging up, stashed in a ventilated basket or nestled in a mesh bag. Don’t use baskets or bags where water can collect and be careful not to overload them. Aim to have 360° ventilation around the toys in your chosen storage solution.

Stuck for toy storage ideas? Check out Pinterest for a variety of effective and stylish storage solutions.

 

 

Do you suspect mold, mildew or other bacteria in your Toronto area home or workplace? Give us a call and our GTA-based mold testing professionals can perform an assessment to locate, identify and remedy any potential mold issues that may be present in your bath or other rooms. Free phone consultations. Contact us today!

Now that the evenings are getting cooler and the leaves are beginning their colourful fall display, many factors contributing to mold growth are on the rise. Along with the usual seasonal culprit – pollens – it can make autumn of special concern for anyone with allergies or asthma.

We’ve had a wet summer this year in Ontario, which means the ground has never been bone dry. Autumn rains will quickly moisten the earth and have the potential for saturation and even flooding. The leaves that fall from now until the end of the season will retain moisture and that means mold spores present in the outdoors and entering your home too with the air.

Now that the weather’s cooler, the windows are closed more often or even all the time and the furnace is on at least some of the time. That produces conditions which can raise humidity levels and promote mold growth.

Suggestions for Fall:

Mold in Your Home
Proper ventilation is of course important any time of the year, but it’s hard to monitor every possible source of moisture in your home. Even a pinhole leak in plumbing can create lingering moisture where mold flourishes behind a wall – and you won’t see a thing.

Worsening allergies and asthma (in the absence of other obvious triggers) can be a sign that mold is in your home. Here are some of the other signs and symptoms:

We Can Help
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 Global news, official supplier to HGTV’s Income Properties with Scott McGillivray and Leave It To Bryan and recommended by local 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.

The Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal is one of the world’s premier car racing events but despite the glamour and the big money prizes, organizers are battling a foe many homeowners will find familiar – mold.

The so-called paddocks that will house the most famous race car drivers in the world suffers from mold and fungi infestation. Employees have been complaining about the same issues for three years, according to reports. Carpets (notorious for being mold-friendly) were changed and the paddocks painted last summer in an attempt to control the problem but crews say it’s now worse than ever.

Seasonal Structures and Mold
The trailers that make up the paddock area were added to the Grand Prix grounds a few years ago and the perennial problems with mold underscore the problem with trailers and other seasonal structures in general when it comes to mold- they’re not designed to be entirely weatherproof and our harsh climate gets inside. A little moisture goes a long way and when the structure isn’t occupied or maintained for a good part of the year, it’s a recipe for mold to flourish.

We Can Help
Just as seasonal structures are vulnerable, so are those hidden nooks and crannies in your basement, attic, underneath sinks and windows… all of these areas are mold prone and you may never know it’s beginning to infest your home.

However, sooner or later you’ll feel the results. If you experience:

Then you owe it to yourself and the health of your family to be sure.

For Mold Testing & Inspection Services in Toronto, Contact Moldinspections.ca

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.

Neighbours of an upscale South Western Ontario neighbourhood took matters into their own hands when they were left with a former grow op house in their midst. Homeowners to either side of the vacant grow house bought the property and recently hired an excavation firm to have it demolished.

A large marijuana grow op was discovered on the property on St. Michaels street in LaSalle, Ontario in November 2011. Police raided the house and seized marijuana crops with an estimated value of $1.3 million.

The grow operation was set up in the basement, where some of the cement blocks had been removed from the walls to access hydro lines illegally. The equipment found and confiscated included electrical transformers and 1,000 watt sodium lights. The owner lived elsewhere in Windsor and had bought the property for the sole purpose of setting up a marijuana grow operation, according to police statements.

The amount of damage that is caused to such a property – especially when there are no residents to take into account – is enormous. A local newspaper reported that the property recently sold for $135,100 – just over half what it sold for a little more than a year earlier. Potential buyers often can’t get insurance, which means they won’t have access to a conventional mortgage.

Some of the neighbours in the tony neighbourhood were surprised to find the grow house on this leafy street, but you can find them anywhere. That’s the big issue with marijuana grow ops – not the ones that are known and discovered, but the majority that are not.

Grow Op Damage
The police know that for every marijuana grow op house they find, a few more remain off their radar. It’s something you need to be cautious of when buying a resale home. Marijuana grow ops can be found in upscale neighbourhoods as well as more modest locales and can cause significant damage within months.

Growing marijuana requires warm, humid conditions that are also ideal for mold growth, and it’s extremely common for former grow op houses to be mold infested, among other things.

Some of the more common health risks include:

You Can’t Always Tell
A visual inspection alone won’t tell you about mold that’s hiding inside the walls or floors. The only way you’ll know for sure is with indoor environmental assessments and testing.

Indoor Environmental Assessments & Testing
Indoor environmental assessments and testing helps detect former Grow Ops.

Before buying your home or if you suspect it has been used as a ‘drug house’, consider hiring a professional indoor environmental assessment & testing company to do a mold, yeast, bacteria – and other toxic substances – inspection. These contaminates are often associated with grow ops and meth labs and are health risks.

As Indoor Environmental Assessment & Testing Specialists, you should know that it is ‘home buyer beware’, and that testing for former Marijuana Grow-Op activity has never been more important.

Know what you are getting into. For Grow-Op & Drug House Testing Services in Toronto, Contact 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.

Indoor air quality issues and the hidden mold epidemic are coming more and more to the forefront of environmental agencies, as illustrated by a recent project of the Canadian Environmental Law Association. The project, which looked to study the environment and legal issues, ended up with a focus on mold in lower income homes in Kenora, Ontario.

Kenora was one of six cities which were chosen to take part in a three-year project looking at the links between environmental law and health. As part of the study, they set up an office in Kenora with workers who took complaints and reports from local citizens.

Mold Complaints
The study, which just concluded, confirmed a link between economics and environmental health. Kenora is city with a population of 16,500 and while researchers in the other five cities chosen for the project dealt with problems like industrial hazards and contamination, it became clear that the focus in Kenora would be on mold and mildew issues. About 200 households approached the Legal Aid Clinic workers reporting of mold infestation in their homes, most of them low income or rental properties.

As the program draws to a close, there are plans to take the next step on a local level and test affected housing for mold exposure to determine the exact nature and extent of the problem

Even Celebrity Homes Battle Mold
Although the study focused on low income and rental housing, recent news headlines remind that the high end homes of celebrities like Mohammed Ali and the late Brittany Murphy aren’t immune from mold either. Mold can grow virtually anywhere, in any home. Where there is moisture, there is the potential for mold, and you may not know that it’s there spreading in your walls until you experience the common symptoms of mold infestation, including headaches, eye irritation and more, along with a persistent musty odour.

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.

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.

Hurricane Irene has ravaged the United States in obvious ways, blowing down and flooding countless homes, but the natural disaster can inflict long-term damage, too. The moisture created by flooding creates an ideal breeding ground for toxic mold spores.

The impact can also be felt north of the border. In Canada, we were hit with major storms as a residual effect of Irene, so a GTA mold inspection company could be just as busy as an American one theoretically.

Naturally, it’s a smart idea to undergo a mold inspection even just to see if your home is at risk after a flood. However, while you’re waiting for the help to arrive, the Center for Disease Control recommends a few key tactics to perform in the first 24 to 48 hours after flooding.

1. Dry out the building quickly. Open doors and windows, get air flowing through your home, use dehumidifiers or fans, and do anything possible to dry your place out.

2. Get tough on porous items. It may be frustrating, but you’re better off saying goodbye to any porous or “undryable” items that can’t be properly cleaned and dried. That includes wallpaper, drywall, insulation, leather, cardboard, paper, and even some clothing, just to name a few items. Trying to dry them isn’t worth the trouble because it’s virtually impossible to completely to do so. The smarter move is to get these mold-prone items out of your home!

3. Clean wet, salvageable items with water and detergent. The use of detergent or bleach to combat mold is a source of debate in the mold inspection community. But, even if detergent can’t kill mold, it may be effective at making conditions undesirable for mold to initially grow.

The CDC is adamant that you act quickly if your basement has been flooded. Once the initial work is done, you can contract a certified company for affordable mold testing.

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.

If you’re educated yourself on the dangers of toxic mold and subjected some of your home to mold testing, you probably feel confident that your household or workplace is safe, right?

Well, what about the truly secret places where mold can hide? Places most of us would never expect to look? Try these on for size:

The dishwasher

Most people never think to clean their dishwasher. After all, it’s a cleaning device in and of itself, so in theory it should never be dirty. Unfortunately, that’s not true. Remember, a dishwasher is a constantly moist environment, making it very desirable for mold spores. One trick to conquer mold in your dishwasher is to peel back any seals or stickers and scrub away.

The deck

We typically think of dank basements, carpets tiles and various indoor locations when we search for mold. But it can form outside, too. A common place is in moist, rotten wood. Even though mold occurs outside in this case, don’t underestimate it. It can still harm pets who ingest it and its spores can travel through the air.

Cardboard

We typically associate mold with fixed structures  like the floors, ceilings or closets, but to ignore something like cardboard is to underestimate the awesome power of human laziness. Think about how many clutter-filled basements you’ve encountered in your lifetime. A common ingredient: an old, trampled cardboard box.

As you already know, cardboard isn’t the sturdiest material. When it gets wet and soggy, it stays that way. When it stays that way and isn’t thrown away or recycled, it becomes a breeding ground for mold. Don’t let cardboard accumulate in a damp place!

Some mold inspection and removal companies won’t go the extra mile and think of the outside-the-box examples of mold-fostering environments. That’s all the more reason for you to hire a certified expert for your mold inspection. That way, no stone will go unturned in the search for mold – not even these overlooked places!

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.