B. Sure Home Inspection Company
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CT & MA Licensed & Certified Home Inspector at your Service
The air quality in your home is the most important health issue for every family today. Every individual is different regarding their sensitivity to the effects of poor air quality in the home. Identifying the causes can help to determine how to make your home provide a health environment.
When you are in your home, do you or your children have: headaches, sneeze a lot, feel nauseous, have asthma attacks, have allergies, then you should have your home tested.
Health Effects of Molds
- Allergens: Any agent or substance that causes an allergic reaction: ie; skin rash, itching,runny nose, wheezing, respiratory problems, irratations
- Pathogens - (growing in or on the body): Any microorganism capable of causing disease. Such as upper resiratory infection, Aspergillosis
- Toxins: Compounds produced by mold that may have poisonous effects in living organisms. Neurological damage, memory loss, central nervous system effects CNS, circulatory problems, carcinogens
We are a nationally "Certified Residential Mold Inspector", "Certified Air Quality Specialist" & "Certified Environmental Consultant"
We can provide an indoor air quality analysis consisting of air sampling, surface sampling and carpet sampling. These tests are non-destructive and are performed under strict IAQ Standards. They are analyzed at accredited & approved labs. We maintain a complete "Chain of Custody" of samples from inception to shipment to the lab. We provide you with the labs analysis and interpretation and will make further recommendations if warranted.
Sampling techniques:
- Air Samples: 1 outside control sample ( as molds are present everywhere, this sample is used to compare indoor species & spore counts). 1 or more indoor air samples in suspected areas to identify species & spore counts present compared to outside sample.
- Surface Samples: Sampling of suspect surface areas to identify species
- Carpet Samples: Identifies a history of species present
The Investigation
Before you spend a fortune on ineffective remedies, air purifiers and demolition, you need to find the causes before you rectify the problem. Moisture or water intrusion into the home in any areas can lead to the cause of many indoor air problems. Some areas of the home are critical to maintaining dry conditions. Places to investigate include:
- Attic areas for signs of Roof Leaks; including leaks around chimneys, vent stacks & roof vent penetrations,end wall staining where a chimney or attached structure is connected on the exterior and the flashing may be defective, staining on roof decking and rafters, ridge vent areas.
- Siding, Window & Door areas: Improperly installed flashing and drip edges, missing storm windows or protective window frame, lack of or plugged up weep holes on storm windows, missing or lack of installed storm doors which can lead to water intrusion into thresholds and door jambs, lack of or reversed sloping of porches landings and decks, unsealed & unflashed kick plates, holes and open penetrations in siding, siding in contact with grade, garage door frames in contact with grade
- Exterior Areas: Lack of gutters & downspouts, missing downspout discharge diverters to carry water at least 5 feet away from the building, lack of proper sloping of grade at foundation to keep water away-low or level areas need to be re-graded, missing window wells with covers on low basement window frames, driveways that slope towards and allow water into the garage areas, exhaust and dryer vent penetrations.
- Interior Areas: Staining on walls below windows, flooring below door openings, stains on ceilings & walls, All areas with plumbing connections, refrigerator areas (water lines, behind sub-zero units), dishwasher & laundry washing areas,
- The Basement- the area where everything trickles down: Staining on sub flooring & structural members especially around perimeter and below plumbing fixtures, staining on foundation walls including water stains, efflorescence, rusty water stains at tie rod holes, basement floors (finished or unfinished), rusting & water stains at bases of support columns, moldy finished walls especially near floors, staining below window frames, damp & smelly air (dehumidifiers may help control moisture in the air),
