Are you concerned about the air quality in your home? Do you suspect mildew? Is there a family member who is sick or suffers from allergies and you want to know if your home is the source of the problem? Are you looking for expert opinion and advice? Indoor hygiene inspectors from Services ecoPlus will find solutions, answer all your questions and address all your concerns.
How does mildew develop?
Mildew will develop when we provide the moisture and nutrients that it needs.
A high level of humidity can be the result of water infiltration from outdoors at the floor, wall or roof level, or from a pipe leak. Occupants also produce humidity through their daily activities such as baths, laundry and cooking. Water will come in a building where the envelope is weakened or defective.
Humidity will build up inside a house when ventilation is insufficient to remove it.
Different types of mold grow on different types of materials. Some need a high level of humidity to develop. Others may appear even when no water can be seen. Humidity inside material itself can be sufficient to allow mold to grow.
Why worry about molds and mildew?
Foremost, because mold and mildew cause damage to materials. Materials that are stained or discoloured become useless over time because of molds. Paper and cardboard disintegrate after some time. Fabrics are damaged. The spread of molds could indicate humidity conditions favourable to the growth of fungi that rot wood and cause structural damage.
Mildew that develops inside a home can create health problems as it disseminates chemical substances and spores.
When exposed to mildew, the risks are higher for pregnant women, babies, older people and people with health problems, such as respiratory problems or a weakened immune system.
I suspect a problem—What can I do?
Request the professional advice of a consultant from Services ecoPlus, before starting complex or costly corrective measures. Otherwise, you may be spending a lot of money on renovations that won’t even solve your problem.
When you ask a qualified investigator from Services ecoPlus to proceed with an investigation, you will learn if there is really a mildew problem, the cause of the problem or the humidity source, and how to remedy the situation.
Samples must be collected from different areas in your home and analyzed in a lab to identify molds and pinpoint where they come from.
Sampling
Surface sampling. It is used when enough molds are visible for the investigator to measure. The sample is then brought to the lab for microscopic identification. Once the molds have been identified, the investigator prepares a report with specific recommendations.
Dust sampling. A reproductive method of molds inside walls is to send spores (tiny particles) into the air. Spores are heavier than air and settle on flat surfaces (cabinet tops, furniture, frames, and so on.) Therefore, spores are mixed with dust usually found in a house. The dust is cultured and analyzed permitting identification and evaluation of the number of molds of each type. It is then possible to know the health index of the indoor air quality of the house, index that goes from 1 = low risk to 10 = very high risk.
Direct air sampling. In contrast to dust sampling where spores could have been lying around for weeks, direct air sampling gives a picture of present conditions. That means that any spores collected were present in the air at the time of sampling. Protocols require that at least two different samples be collected, one indoor and one outdoor, for comparison purposes.
Services ecoPlus serves Gatineau, the Outaouais and National Capital Region.