Mold Inspection Toronto

Mould can grow indoors behind walls, above ceilings and underneath flooring.  Even though mould is a natural occurring fungi, mould that grows indoors can have serious health effects on many people. 

There are many mould types that can cause a variety of symptoms such as skin rashes, nose bleeds, itchy and watery eyes, breathing difficulties, migraine headaches, just to name a few.  Some moulds are extremely toxic such as Stachybotrys Chartarum.

Mould needs moisture and a cellulose nutrient source (drywall, carpeting, fabrics) to grow.  If you've had a water leak or flood that was not cleaned up properly within 24 - 48 hours of its occurrence, you could have mould growth.  If you have a hidden plumbing leak, excess condensation or high relative humidity, you could have mould growth.

Mould growth in buildings is not always visible or detectable through a visible inspection.  The majority of indoor mould growth issues are hidden inside walls, behind wall paper, underneath flooring or behind built-in cabinetry.

Mould does not always produce a musty odor.  Mould growth can occur without any scent or visible signs noticeable by the homeowner whatsoever.

Indoor mould testing has just become easier, faster and cheaper with Canada's first Certified Mould Detection Dog.

We have a valuable tool in our indoor mould inspection service.  "Quincy" is a three year old yellow Labrador Retriever that has been professionally trained and certified to sniff out mould.

You've heard of bomb detection dogs and drug detection dogs?  Now there are mould detection dogs.  There are over 50 Certified Mould Detection Dogs in the United States and we have Canada's first!

If you've had roof leaks, basement leaks, plumbing leaks, high relative humidity or condensation indoors, you could have a hidden mould problem.  80% of indoor mould issues are hidden and don't produce odors or visible growth.  They can however, cause a variety of health problems.

The age of the building has no bearing on whether there could be a mould issue.  

Most of our competitors

use the following technique

in their mould inspection

Their Method

• Visual Inspection (only) of the building for evidence of moisture intrusion and visible signs of mould growth.
• Moisture Meter to determine if walls, floors and ceilings show signs of active moisture problems.
• Limited Laboratory sampling using spore traps only (usually 2 or 3 samples) chosen in area they 'think' has mould.

Disadvantages

• Difficult to determine location and extent of hidden mould growth.
• Since they only use 1 method of laboratory sampling (spore trap or culture) there is a high possibility of falsely assessing the building.
• May sample in a clean area by mistake due to the fact that they don't use instrumentation and an air quality assessment to determine where laboratory samples should be taken.
• Higher clean up cost because the exact location of the mould still needs to be found once the building is put under containment by a mould remediation contractor.
• Lack of air quality instrumentation used will not provide information on why the mould is there or if there are other pollutants that can make you sick.

Reason for their approach?...PRICE!  Most of these companies are competing on price only and not on quality of assessment or benefit to the consumer. 

See what we can see!

Seemingly normal wall with no visible mould	Thermal Image showing water damage leading to hidden mould issues.  (Our Mould Detection Dog lead us to this corner).
Seemingly normal wall with no visible mould	Thermal Image showing extensive hidden water issues leading to mould.

At Haverkate & Associates we use the latest techniques and extensive air quality instrumentation to determine if a building has mould growth.

Our Method for Mould Assessments

• Visual Inspection of the building for evidence of moisture intrusion and visible signs of mould growth.
• Moisture Meter to determine if walls, floors and ceilings show signs of active moisture problems.
• Air Quality Testing to determine air patterns and relative humidity in the building which could lead to mould issues.
• Airborne Laser Particle Counter to determine which areas of the building show the highest dust load (which could be mould spores)
• MVOC meter (Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds) to determine off gassing levels for mould in the indoor environment.
• Mould Dog Inspection to pin point areas of the building that have active mould growth.  This will indicate in a non-destructive way which walls, floors, etc., have mould growth.
• Thermal Imaging to locate hidden moisture issues inside wall cavities without any holes, marks or other destructive techniques.
• Viable Laboratory Testing by way of drawing air (living mould spores) into a petri dish with an agar solution that will grow active mould spores.
• Non-Viable Mould Sampling by way of drawing air (dead mould spores) into a spore trap which will identify mould spores that have either died, dried up or have been killed by a biocide.
• Tape lift sampling for source identification.

(Green indicates optional procedure for determining what kind of mould is in the building)

Our Advantages

• More precise investigation.
• Able to pin point exact location of active mould growth. 
• Able to locate hidden mould problems.
• Less destructive since walls that do not have growth do not require opening.  Note: opening of any wall must be done under containment.
• Able to detect viable mould spores as well as non-viable growth.  Non-viable mould spores which are dead or have been killed by a biocide retain the mycotoxins.  Dead mould spores are just as toxic as live mould spores. It is essential in a mould investigation to determine both viable and non-viable spores.
• Faster and Less cost to the homeowner or property owner.

A proper mould assessment should always begin with a proper air quality assessment using the latest technology and air quality instrumentation.

We also perform Marijuana Grow House / Clandestine Drug Lab testing

Illegal drug houses and Marijuana grow houses are on the increase.  It is estimated that Toronto may have over 10,000 illegal drug houses.  The indoor environmental hazards in these homes should be tested before moving into one of these homes.

We also do Marijuana grow house testing and clandestine drug lab investigations for Toronto and southern Ontario.  If you're buying or selling a marijuana grow house, have it tested for potential mould problems.  Call us today.

Welcome to our mould and indoor air quality information web site.  Here you'll find information on mould as well as indoor mould testing and mould inspections for the Toronto and southern Ontario area.

We have Canada's first Certified Mould Detection Dog.  Together with our state-of-the art Indoor Air Quality Testing instrumentation, our mould K-9 and our expertise, we're confident we can assist you in your environmental issues in your home or office.