Bacteria and mold are present nearly everywhere. However, when mold growth is amplified, it can become a health concern for occupants in a home or workplace. Determining how mold growth has occurred is helpful in not only mitigating damages but to assist in removing the cause so that the mold does not come back.
The presence of water or excess moisture levels is critical to the amplification of mold since all other elements (i.e., right temperature range, food, mold spores, and areas with limited air velocity and light) are typically present somewhere in an indoor environment (such as a basement or crawl space). Elevated moisture levels in buildings are typically associated with one of three situations: 1) rain and surface/groundwater intrusion, 2) elevated humidity levels which in turn can cause condensation on building surfaces from both interior and exterior air, and 3) construction moisture present in either the building material or as a result of exposure to the weather prior to completion of the construction.
Provided one reduces or eliminates the source(s) of water/moisture indoors, the amplification of mold is greatly reduced or stopped. However, oftentimes the source of moisture is not immediately apparent. A useful tool for determining the source of interior water moisture (and subsequent mold amplification) is the measurement of indoor air quality (IAQ) using psychometric equiprment. The most common and useful IAQ parameters include indoor temperature, relative humidity (RH), and dew point temperature (or the temperature at which moisture will condense out of the air onto surfaces).
EES has been successful in determining the cause and origin of mold growth in hundreds of homes and offices across the Midwest using our detailed forensic process.