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.
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!
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
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.
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.
Air Purifiers and Mold in Your Home
There are various types of air purification systems out there designed for use in your home. They use a number of different types of technology and not all are created equal, as it turns out. You may be under the impression that mold spores are among the list of problems that they are touted to ameliorate, but in some cases, you’d actually be wrong.
Here’s a look at three of the most common types on the market.
Hepa Air Filters
Hepa Air Filtration systems were developed by the military during the Second World War for use in cleaning radioactive dust out of the air – so you can be sure they work well when designed and manufactured properly by a reputable manufacturer.
– They’re 99.7% effective at removing particles from the air as tiny as 0.3 microns.
– The technology captures the particles and they’re permanently removed from the air.
– They remove mold spores along with many other allergens, including dust mites and pollens, and are popular with allergy sufferers as a result.
– One caveat – the micro-organisms it collects can actually live and reproduce in the filter.
– Air has to actually pass through the filter for it to work, so you have to consider the size of the room and placement of the filtration system.
Air Ionizers
Air Ionizing systems create negative ions that magnetically attract airborne particles. Basically what happens is that the particles collect and become too large to circulate in the air, so they drop to the ground or collect as dust on furniture and walls.
– They can remove particles as small at 0.1 microns from circulation in your home.
– They will circulate the air so that one unit can work through a larger space.
– They may freshen the air while they’re in operation, but don’t do much about mold – they don’t permanently collect or remove particles from the air and don’t kill mold or other fungi.
Activated Carbon Air Filters
Activated Carbon Air Filters are essentially a form of carbon (sometimes charcoal) that has been processed to be very porous. The pores are extremely absorbent, and will attract fumes, gases, smoke and odours.
– They do not re-release collected materials back into the air, so they can be effective at “freshening” the air.
– This type of system doesn’t do anything about mold spores or other micro-organisms.
While Hepa Filters do present a viable, if limited, solution for removing mold spores from the air in your home, it’s important to remember that they are at best a bandaid solution. If mold spores are an issue, then your only effective solution is to have your home tested for mold and then take remediation action if it’s found.
If you suspect mold in your home, do yourself a favour and call Mold Inspections 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.
As temperatures in the Greater Toronto Area rise significantly over the coming weeks, allergy sufferers everywhere start to shake in their boots. The eyes start to water. The nose starts to run. The skin starts to itch. A summer of misery often ensues.
In most cases, pollen is the main culprit. It can be fine or a very course powder, released by trees, plants, grass and weeds. Winds can whip pollen up, get it airborne and travel great distances.
So why is it that we sometimes feel allergy symptoms after major storms? Isn’t the rain supposed to wash the pollen away?
The reason: pollen has an accomplis, a hazardous material that produces many allergy-like symptoms when inhaled. The partner in crime is toxic mould.
When discussing mold inspections on this blog before, we’ve highlighted the symptoms of inhaling toxic mold. Most commonly, the problems are lung-related; asthma and various respiratory infections are commonly caused by mold.
Unfortunately, there’s a dangerous overlap between hay fever symptoms and mold, including coughing and wheezing. If you’re a regular hay fever sufferer being exposed to mold, you’ll feel like you never get a break from your symptoms, even during a rainstorm.
But the problem is more serious than that. During allergy season, hay fever masks the more damaging long-term effects of mold exposure. You may think you’re simply breathing in pollen and that you’ll get relief when the cold weather arrives, but you may instead be inhaling toxic mold unknowingly all summer.
Since so many of us suffer from hay fever, it’s good advice for everyone to undergo a mold detection at the start of the summer. That way, when you’re grumbling over your sneezing and itching, you’ll take comfort in knowing your problem is temporary instead of toxic!
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 TV and recommended by contractors, we regularly serve as expert witnesses in court proceedings relating to Mold and Indoor Air Quality issues. Do you have mold? Call us today for a free quote at (416) 575-6111.
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