Mold Inspection

What is the Common Sense Approach to residential mold inspections?

It's knowing where to look and what to look for when inspecting a home for mold. It's about knowing what to do when you find water damage. It’s being knowledgeable about the problem and the solution. It’s about conducting business swiftly and efficiently. It’s all about safety for your family and our workers. Bottom line, it’s about honesty, experience and a commitment to doing what’s right.

It’s true, the visual assessment is the first and most important part of any residential mold inspection. Recognizing visible mold, mold friendly environments and signs of previous water damage are important to develop accurate assessments. We use thermal cameras, moisture meters and probes to help identify wet materials that may not be visible to the normal eye.

Mold & Water Damage Remediation

Eliminating mold problems in residential buildings should generally be handled through the same process.

1. Identify the moisture source and take the necessary steps to control the moisture.
2. Assess the extent of the affected areas.
3. Develop a Scope of Work for remediation.
4. Follow accepted guidelines for safety and protocol.
5. Have an independent laboratory analyze the post remediation samples.

Regardless of the variety of treatments and new inventions that are emerging every day, the only recognized set of guidelines was developed by the EPA Environmental Protection Agency and The New York City Department of Health years ago. These two sets of guidelines are similar in protocol. They offer a safe and controlled procedure for removing mold affected materials. At Coastal, we follow the guidelines on every project.

Guidelines tell us that procedure for remediation is determined primarily by the square footage of the affected area. Small jobs (less than 10 square feet) may be handled by regular maintenance staff as long as they use dust suppression methods and personal protection. However, large jobs should be performed by professionals skilled in proper remediation techniques. The type of mold generally doesn’t alter the remediation protocol.

For isolated areas, we construct plastic barriers to contain the work area. Negative air pressure is established and prevents cross contamination of unaffected areas of the interior.

Air Testing

We recommend air sampling for the following:

    • To insure an affected area has been properly remediated.
    • To determine the extent of an affected area.
    • When home buyers are investing in a new home.
    • After a flood or plumbing leak where building materials have gotten wet.
    • Any time health issues are suspected of being caused by moldy conditions.
    • To help identify the source of hidden musty odors.

Ambient air tests are used to evaluate interior air quality for airborne mold spores that could lead to odors and an unhealthy environment.

Wall cavity air tests are useful for walls where a previous water intrusion took place and there are questions whether the wall was cleaned properly during the repairs.

However keep in mind that air sampling is not an exact science. Atmospheric conditions change frequently and false positives happen for a variety of reasons. Isolating the areas to be tested is critical for accurate results. Lastly, test results should always be used in a general sense.

Asbestos Abatement

Buildings built prior to 1980 should be tested for Asbestos containing materials before any demolition. Airborne fibers released into the air can be injected and cause health problems. Asbestos is commonly found in acoustic ceiling coatings, vinyl tile, floor mastic, insulated ducting, drywall and drywall mud. We follow proper protocol and safety rules to protect your family and our workers.

Structural Drying

Coastal Heat Treatment offers several advantages over traditional structural drying methods by reducing the scope of the project.

Saves Money - Reduce costs associated with floods by 40 to 50% from conventional drying methods because there is less demolition and therefore less reconstruction. Allows most materials, such as drywall, cabinets and carpets, to be dried in place.

Saves Time - Structures where floods occurred usually can be dried in 2 to 3 days. Businesses are back in operation quicker. Residents and tenants are displaced for a shorter period of time. There is less disruption for home and business routines.

Kills Biological Contaminates - Along with fast dry times, heating structural materials to 140° to 160° is lethal to biological organisms that may flourish in the wet materials. Initiating the drying process within the first two days of a flood minimizes the potential for mold growth and pasteurizes any preexisting contamination.

Minimizes Pack Out - Contents usually displaced using traditional drying methods can often remain in place with Coastal Heat Treatment. Furniture that may have gotten wet during a flood can usually remain within the heating area and be dried along with the structure. Minimize the need for pack out services, boxes, wrapping paper, dollies and storage pods.

Structural Pasteurization

It's scientifically proven that the process of heating a structure to sauna like temperatures for the predetermined periods of time will act as an interior sanitizer. Heat kills bacteria like Salmonellae, E, coli. Heat kills viruses and other pathogens. Dust mites, spiders, cockroaches, termites and even bed bugs are eradicated with the heat method. By adding HEPA filtered air scrubbers to the process airborne particulates are removed dramatically improving the indoor air quality.

Structural Sanitizing is used for:

    • Homes
    • Apartments
    • Preschools
    • Nursing Homes
    • Restaurants
    • Locker Rooms
    • Medical/Dental Offices
    • Hospitals Rooms

Pest Management

Heat treatment is evolving as the new green solution for pest infestations in residential buildings. Termites, bed bugs, cockroaches can be eradicated completely without the use of any chemicals.

Bed Bugs
Coastal Heat Treatment is the most effective solution to eradicate bed bug infestations. Our non-chemical, non-toxic heat method penetrates wall cavities, carpet seams and mattresses to reach and kill bed bugs. By applying heat evenly throughout a structure, heat is able to kill bed bugs wherever they are hiding, something other treatments cannot achieve in a single treatment.

Coastal Heat Treatment is lethal to all of the growth stages of the bed bug life cycle including the eggs. This is an important fact given that not all current pesticide control methodologies kill bed bug eggs. This means that oftentimes we can eradicate the entire bed bug population in a single treatment. Coastal's Heat treatment kills other insects during this process including dust mites, spiders and cockroaches.

Termites
According to California Department of Consumer Affairs there are only 2 effective methods for total whole house eradication of termites - Fumigation and Heat.

It's scientifically proven that the process of heating a structure to sauna like temperatures for the predetermined periods of time will act as an interior sanitizer. Coastal Heat Treatment kills termites, spiders, cockroaches, dust mites and even bed bugs with our patented structural heat process.

By adding HEPA filtered air scrubbers to the heat treatment process, airborne particulates are removed dramatically improving the indoor air quality. When lethal heat is combined with HEPA filtered air scrubbers dust and airborne allergens that can cause respiratory problems are eliminated.

Odor Removal

Where Do Odors Come From?

An odor is caused by one or more volatized chemical compounds. The odor may be released as a vapor or attached to particulate in aerosol. The odor is perceived by a person’s sense of olfaction through breathing or inhalation. Household odors may come from many sources, including humans, chemicals, building materials, animals, dirt, smoke, sewage, mold, etc. Some harmful odors come from water damage to structures. The “musty” smell of mold is an example of a potentially harmful odor. Bacteria associated with water losses may also be the source of building “smells”.

There are three basic ways to get rid of odors. To accomplish this you can:

    1. Mask the odor.
    2. Change the odor.
    3. Eliminate the odor source.

Remove odors with Heat. This is the process Coastal Risk Management uses by either killing the living source of the odor, for example mold or bacteria, or by off-gassing the chemical causing the odor. Accelerated off-gassing is used when the odor is a chemical in a building material, such as formaldehyde. Off-gassing may not totally eliminate the source, but reduce it to levels that are not as perceptible.

Senior Safe Home Modifications

When moving from home is not the best option, Senior Safe Your Home. Coastal Risk Management offers a wide variety of home modifications that povide easy and safe access to maintain an active lifestyle. As a General Contractor (710352) we have the expertise to handle all trades needed for any modification. Call us for a free in home consultaion.

    • Walk-In Tubs
    • Stair Lifts
    • Roll In Shower Enclosures
    • Entry Ramps
    • Safety Bars
    • Consulting

Construction

Water mitigation, mold remediation and asbestos abatement almost always require demolition. Coastal Risk Management's reconstruction division specializes in restoring interiors to preexisting condition. Wall board replacement, kitchen cabinets to complete bath remodeling you can count on Coastal to restore your real property to like new condition. Coastal is a licensed General Contractor (CSLB# 710352).