Concerns for Mold Growth in Fairfield County
Fairfield County is located in the southwestern part of Connecticut, putting it in close proximity to New York City. With a population of more than 939,000, it is the most densely populated county in the state, and the county’s borders contain four of the 10 largest cities in the state: Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk, and Danbury. These cities represent significant commuter communities just off the Metro-North Line of the Metropolitan Transit Authority. Each city has a diversity of housing stock ranging from new construction to homes that have been around for a century or more. No matter the age of the home, it should be inspected periodically to ensure that there are no underlying issues related to mold. If there has been a recent accident or damage involving water, then it is doubly important to have an inspection performed that can help prevent thousands of dollars in repair costs.
In an average year, Fairfield County receives 47 inches of rain and 26 inches of snow. The amount of rainfall is about 10 inches above the national average. The county’s location means it is prone to a wide variety of severe storms, ranging from hurricanes and tropical storms to nor’easters. Many storm systems have caused intense flooding due, in part, to the county’s urban character—which has resulted in a lack of permeable ground surface and increased runoff. Any time water damage from flooding occurs and is not properly dried, rapid mold growth can take place, exposing occupants to potentially hazardous levels of contamination. Thus, it is important to have a mold inspection performed after major storms or if there are any signs of flooding or water damage in your home or workplace.
What does a Mold Inspection in Fairfield County Consist of?
To identify the severity and the nature of any mold growth in a home, it is important to have an inspection performed by a professional. At RTK Environmental, such an inspection consists of having a certified microbial investigator perform a complete visual investigation, take moisture readings, examine hidden moisture sources with a moisture meter and a thermal image camera and check humidity levels in the air. Additionally, they will also take samples of suspect mold to identify what type it is and also take air samples. The air samples are taken from the areas where mold is identified, as well as from other areas to determine if any cross-contamination of mold spores has occurred. These samples are analyzed in a third-party laboratory to avoid confirmation bias, in harmony with RTK Environmental’s no-conflict-of-interest policy. Once the samples have been analyzed and returned, the data is reviewed and recommendations for remediation are provided to the client. RTK’s involvement doesn’t end here though. Our inspectors as well as administrative staff continue to be available for ongoing consultation before and throughout the remediation process. Following successful completion of the remediation and associated cleaning the inspector then returns to site and performs a complete visual inspection again to be certain the entire process is complete. He will again take additional samples to be certain that the air is clear for re- occupancy of the affected areas and for reconstruction.
To have your property inspected by a professional microbial investigator, call us at 800.392.6468.
