HABITEC Environmental Services's (richard1951) Blog

Actually it is two pictures.  The same piece of untreated dimensional lumber is shown going from the crawl space floor to the engineered beam above.  First, the column/pier is untreated and in direct contact with the crawl space soil.  This provides an easy conduit for water to wick up and, wors...

This is about a foot of water covering the entry to a positive drain in a brand new home crawl space.  The Inspection was two days after a heavy rain.  The builder said the home is ready for occupancy!  Note the ductwork in the upper left hand corner of the picture.  How long do you think it will...

First, for those of you who know someone who lost their lives or were injured in this recent storm damage please accept our condolences and know that our prayers are with you at this time.Second, when these major storm damage events come through there is much to be done to stabilize the situation...

Answer:  Yes!  According to MoldREPORT, one mold type, cladosporium, is a genus that contains some species that can grow at temperatures near or below freezing.  "These species can be found on refrigerated foodstuffs and even frozen meat."  This information can be important if you suspect mold pr...

ANSWER:  Protocol dictates that a mold assessment starts with a mold survey/inspection.  From a mold survey/inspection comes a recommendation for mold sampling.  Each component of this process has its own cost.  Mold samples are charged per sample.  Normally the most basic service involves a mold...

ANSWER:  There are 3 types of mold samples that can be performed; indoor and outdoor air testing, contact (swab, bulk or tape), and carpet testing.  A thorough and complete evaluation will usually involve all 3 types of samples.There are two categories of mold samples taken.  These include viable...

ANSWER:  The science of mold is growing daily.  There are literally hundreds of known species of mold and many more suspected.  Different molds develop from different habitats.  If you can determine what kind of mold you are dealing with you are more likely to find the source of the mold growth a...

ANSWER:  YES!  If mold is in your building it is a problem even if you cannot see it.  The main health threat from mold is mold spores.  Mold spores are microscopic.  In other words you cannot see spores.  Once dispersed the spores can be spread through the air.  If mold is in your building you s...

ANSWER:  NO!  Stopping the source of water does not completely solve the problem.  If mold is deprived of its source of water it does not die, it only goes dormant.  If the moisture returns, such as from humidity, the mold comes back to life and continues to grow.

ANSWER:  Mold and mold spores are present as a natural part of life on earth.  As long as a habitat for mold growth is not inside a building then this natural mold is not an immediate threat to our indoor air quality.  Mold needs 3 things to survive: moisture, food source, and a surface to grow o...