http://www.mayindoorair.com/blog Air Quality Survival Tips Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:23:27 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Both finished and unfinished basements are prone to developing mold-growth problems. If you do laundry, exercise, watch TV, or play in moldy, below-grade (below ground level) space, you may be inhaling mold spores and other unhealthy substances.There are some steps you can take, however, to keep the air in your ... http://www.mayindoorair.com/blog/2009/11/11/basements-healthy/ Many people call us because they are concerned about musty odors, and then we conduct a mold inspection. But there are other sources of building odors that can sometimes make people sick and that may indicate the presence of a variety of building problems. Then the odor testing required may ... http://www.mayindoorair.com/blog/2009/11/11/odor-testing/ “Indoor air quality consultant” is a title that can stand for different levels of education and experience. Home inspectors, air conditioning technicians, pest control operators, and even lead, asbestos and mold remediators may do air quality testing. Some people who call themselves indoor air quality consultants have had only a ... http://www.mayindoorair.com/blog/2009/11/11/indoor-air-quality-consultants/ There are many types of mold that are black, and most are not “toxic black mold.” http://www.mayindoorair.com/blog/2009/11/11/black-mold-testing/ Indoor air quality testing may be done to determine levels of allergens, irritants, or contaminants indoors, and also generally involves determining whether the temperature and humidity are within the “comfort zone.” The concentrations of particles in the air are often included. The concentration of carbon dioxide may also be measured. ... http://www.mayindoorair.com/blog/2009/11/11/indoor-air-quality/ If you have a basement mold problem, a mold inspection should include a walk-around the property to look for sources of foundation moisture from the exterior. If you’ve had mold growth in a room on the first or second floor, a look at your gutter system should be part of ... http://www.mayindoorair.com/blog/2009/11/11/what-do-mold-inspectors-do/ One family we worked with had moved out of their home and was living in a hotel, because a mold inspector found mold all over their basement foundation walls. The mold ended up being efflorescence: crystalline mineral deposits due to moisture migration through the concrete. (If you wonder whether a ... http://www.mayindoorair.com/blog/2009/11/11/mold-inspections-backfired/ The mold inspector you hire depends on your needs. If you are worried about whether mold may be present due to a hidden leak, you want to hire a professional with experience investigating building problems. Use a mold inspector who owns a moisture meter and an infrared camera. Infrared cameras measure ... http://www.mayindoorair.com/blog/2009/11/11/hiring-mold-inspector/ A lot of our clients have had mold testing done and received reports that they found confusing. Many of the reports stated that there were elevated concentrations of mold spores indoors. The clients already thought this would be the case, because they were suffering health symptoms or detected a musty ... http://www.mayindoorair.com/blog/2009/11/11/mold-testing-results/ Many building supply stores sell mold-testing kits. The kit contains a flat plastic dish that you fill with nutrients for mold to grow. You set the dish out open for a limited period of time before putting the cover back on the dish. You can then either watch the dish ... http://www.mayindoorair.com/blog/2009/11/10/mold-testing/