A recent police raid in a Pickering neighbourhood east of Toronto found a large and sophisticated marijuana grow operation, including more than 1,100 plants estimated at more than $1million in street value.
The elaborate grow op featured diversions to the home’s hydro and water operations. Designed to hide the fact that usage of both electricity and water are way out of whack with typical residential requirements, such utility diversions are common to illegal grow houses.
Marijuana Grow Ops & Mold
Growing marijuana requires certain conditions, including maintaining temperatures between 18 and 27 degrees Celsius and very moist soil conditions. Indoors, it results in higher than usual levels of humidity and constant moisture.
It means that buildings used for marijuana growing create the ideal conditions for mold to also flourish.
To compound the effect, a typical grow op may or may not involve people actually living in the residence, as the conditions understandably result in less than ideal conditions for habitation. The grow op tends to take over, in other words, and other considerations – like proper maintenance – fall by the wayside.
The Grow Op Inspection
The large Pickering bust occurred on a quiet residential street. In fact, criminals will select just this kind of “nice neighbourhood” to hide their grow op activities, and a residence may never be identified as such. For every grow op they find, police know that several more will remain hidden and continue to operate.
When you go to buy, a regular home inspection may not find mold growth from a former grow op, toxic mold that’s hidden behind walls or flooring. The only way to complete peace of mind is a specific mold inspection designed for grow-op detection.
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 CP24’s Wylde on Health, 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.
