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.

 

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!

We often talk about the importance of ventilation in the basement and crawl space of a house – naturally, since that’s a very common place for moisture and dampness to accumulate and it’s often a poorly ventilated area.  However, other areas of the house are vulnerable to moisture build up and therefore mold growth too. The most obvious are those where using water is part of the room’s function, like the kitchen and bathroom.

Multiple Benefits of Fans
Installation of a good fan in both of these rooms will bring you multiple benefits.

Moisture is virtually always present in kitchens and bathroom, so it’s essential to ventilate and avoid excessive moisture build up. The moisture alone can damage wood and other building materials along with leading to mold growth.

Time to Replace Your Fan?
Even if you already have a fan, you should consider whether it should be replaced. Older fans may not be moving much air around, and they probably aren’t energy efficient. A new generation of energy efficient models are available and they’re generally quieter than older fans too.

There are two basic types of fans:

Exhaust Systems
A step up from a simple fan, an exhaust system draws the moisture and odours in and release them outdoors via a system of ducts and an exterior exhaust hood

Here are many things to consider when buying. For More Information, including fact sheets and product ratings check the Home Ventilating Institute

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.

Allstate Insurance recently reported that water damage has become the leading cause of property damage in Canada. Citing the growing number of torrential rainstorms combined with aging infrastructure in many Canadian cities, it adds up to a recipe for water damage – along with mold growth and infestation.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada estimates that losses to water damage amount to a whopping $1.7 billion a year, and Allstate says that 39% of those claims are related to sewer backups in the wake of flooding.

“Water seems to be the new fire as it is now the leading cause of property damage in Canada,” says Karen Benner, spokesperson for Allstate Canada. “Even if your neighbourhood has never experienced problems with basement flooding or sewer backup, your home can still be at risk. Overloaded sewers can back up through household sewer lines and flow into basements or ground level apartments,” says Benner.

Some helpful suggestions:

A case in point:
Students at London’s Wilfrid Laurier University have been deprived of their beloved Wilf’s Pub since October after a sewer backup caused extensive damage to the building. After it underwent extensive rehabilitation, there was an attempt to reopen the pub in January, however mold issues resurfaced and caused it to be closed all over again.

The example illustrates the importance of getting good help, a seasoned mold removal expert like Mold Inspections who will do the job right. Do you notice a persistent, musty odour in your home? Have you experienced respiratory systems or headaches that just won’t go away. Then you should call in the experts right away for an inspection.

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, CP24, Global TV 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.

The basement of a Toronto area home has a secret that goes back to the dark days of the Cold War – and some issues any homeowner will relate to.

The home is located in Aurora, north of Toronto. Built in 1875 by one of the town’s early residents, outside it’s a lovely restored Victorian home. Inside and downstairs in the basement, you’ll find “The Bunker”.

Its official name is The Preparedness Centre, meant to serve as the hub for local government operations in the event of a nuclear attack. The Bunks is equipped with a 35 x 60 foot concrete and steel operations area complete with maps on Plexiglas boards, including one where people would list casualties and radiation data.

High Tech Communications…and Mold

Along with intriguing surprises like 100 telephone lines and storage tanks for drinking water, the current owners, who keep it functional for posterity, are fighting a constant battle many other homeowners will identify with – a battle against mold.

Concrete Basement?

Water seepage into the concrete structure has led to rotting drywall and ongoing mold growth. Concrete is a common material used in basements, both in walls and flooring, and any cracks or leaks, or frequent condensation especially where there’s inadequate ventilation, can lead to mold growth.

Do you notice a persistent, musty odour in your basement or crawl space? Is it prone to leaks or condensation? Then you should call in the experts right away for an inspection.

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, CTV, Global TV 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.

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.

We really hate to put a damper on anyone’s holiday celebrations, but that iconic Christmas tree may just be worsening your indoor allergies.

After it’s been cut, an evergreen tree is dead – it seems like an obvious statement, but have you considered this: once dead, it becomes home to mold. The longer your tree has been sitting outside on the lot, cut and waiting to be purchased, the longer mold has had a chance to settle in. Once the tree is in your home, the mold can easily become airborne and seep throughout the whole house.

Even artificial trees aren’t immune to mold infestation. The first year after you purchase an artificial tree, it will be fine, but once it’s been stored in your damp, dark basement for a year or two or three, it too becomes prime real estate for mold growth.

How can you protect yourself while still enjoying the holidays in traditional style? Here are some tips:

– Select a freshly cut tree, or cut one yourself
– Shake the tree to remove dead needles and dislodge as much existing mold as possible
– Keep the tree’s water source covered up, since it too can be a source of mold contamination
– Both real and artificial trees can be hosed down with water before setting them up to help remove any contaminants, but remember to dry it thoroughly outside before you bring it in
– Don’t keep the tree up for too long; enjoy the holidays and then dispose of it as quickly as you can

Your Roof in the Winter

Of course, any issues you may have with your Christmas tree will vanish when the season’s over; not so for mold that’s infesting your home. Here in Canada, with our harsh winters, it’s especially important to keep an eye on your roofing, eavestrough and gutter systems. When there’s a heavy snow followed by a partial thaw that refreezes overnight, the combination of snow and ice build-up and thawing can route the melt off into unexpected paths – including right inside your flashing and into the walls.

It’s a good idea to keep tabs on your roofing and eavestrough all year round, to help ensure that your walls stay dry on the inside. Moisture can and often does lead to 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.

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 and get a mold inspection from the specialists.

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.

Upset tenants at a Montreal high rise were abruptly ordered to move from their homes without notice earlier this month. They were greeted at their doors by city inspectors who wore filtration masks donned to protect them from exposure to mold and other moisture issues that have plagued the building. The inspectors informed them of the city’s decision to evacuate the building until the mold and other maintenance issues were dealt with.

Police were on hand to keep the peace as the unhappy tenants were taken to a nearby YMCA. The move by city officials comes as a result of legal actions taken against the landlord, who’s apparently notorious for his neglect of rental units and has a history of non-compliance with city ordered repairs.

In Toronto, tenant associations and the councillor for the Jane and Finch corridor urged the city to make similar moves against poorly maintained buildings earlier this year. Mold and other moisture related issues are among several listed as being common to the area.

As the buildings in our big cities like Toronto and Montreal age and economic prospects continue to tighten, the issue of poorly maintained buildings comes more and more to the forefront. Water leaks from the outside or indoors via faulty plumbing can easily create pockets of moisture where unhealthy mold can flourish.

Whether you’re a tenant or a landlord, mold is a serious issue with well documented effects on human and animal health, and it needs to be addressed by the experts. A prevailing stale and musty odour and small black spots along a bathroom wall are often your first clues that you have a mold infestation in your home.

The only way to ensure peace of mind is to order a Mold Inspection from the experts at MoldInspections.ca. Please call us for a 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.

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.

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 Canadian and have any interest in home renovation or inspection, you probably know the name Mike Holmes. He’s the man behind the hit HGTV show Holmes on Holmes and Holmes Magazine, known across the country as a trusted authority on everything handyman-related.

When Mike Holmes enlists another company for help in a given home-related area, it’s a major compliment to that company. That’s why MoldInspections.ca is so honored to be featured in the latest issue of Holmes Magazine as the authority on mold detection and prevention.

In a feature article, “Let’s Clean House,” Holmes Magazine turns to MoldInspections.ca owner Tara Valley for help on solving common problems that foster mold growth.

Valley provides expertise in numerous areas, quoted on three key mold tips:

1. Grout/caulking. Valley explains that any grout or caulking that becomes cracked is no longer watertight and no longer doing its job. It needs to be replaced before it allows moisture in and creates a comfy environment for mold.

2. Mold in large surface areas. Valley explains that, while certain growths are small enough for the average homeowner to clean, mold covering large surface areas should be handled by a certified mold inspection company. The proper experts know how to dispose of mold-ridden objects and clean up wet zones without spreading spores. She adds coughing and feeling unexplained respiratory problems even after cleaning up mold yourself may suggest the mold growth is bigger and deeper than you thought.

3. Flashing. Valley explains that “if exterior flashing doesn’t lie flush against a seam, water seeps in. This can breed mold and cause structural damage.”

This isn’t the first time MoldInspections has been listed as a trusted Canadian mold expert, as the company has been featured on HGTV, and it won’t be the last. Kudos to Mike Holmes for knowing a good mold inspection company when he sees one!

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, Global TV and Holmes on Homes Magazine,   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.