Invisible Mold

A Pennsylvania-PA mold inspection taught me an early lesson about symptoms from mold exposure.

Years ago, at a Pennsylvania mold inspection, my client was a woman with a nose like a bloodhound. This client contracted with me for a mold inspection at her apartment, stating that she got respiratory and other mold symptoms whenever she sat on her living room couch. No mold was visible, but what looked like old water staining was evident on the parquet floor tiles around the convection unit (air conditioning and heat) below the window.

I started testing in this area and found Aspergillus-Penicillium-type mold spores. Testing was done by touching clear sticky tape to the parquet floor tiles and then examining the tape under my microscope. I could see spherical shapes of mold spores, particularly in samples taken from cracks between adjacent wood tiles. To get into the cracks, I used my fingernail with sticky tape over it.

A moisture meter tested negative for moisture at the floor, though because it was winter, I could not know if a test when the air conditioner was on would also be negative.

A second visit was scheduled, where building maintenance staff would be present to remove floor tiles. My plan was to check the newly accessible areas of wood tiles as contaminated tiles were removed. By the time I got to the area where the floor tiles were clear of mold, one third of her living room parquet flooring had been taken up.

From this Pennsylvania mold inspection client, I learned that many people are sensitive to hidden mold even when nothing is visible and where there is no current leakage. Thus, when national guidelines for mold investigation and cleanup mention "visible mold" being of concern, I think about the potential for "non-visible" mold also being a health issue and provoking symptoms from mold. Even when parquet floor tiles were lifted in this apartment, no visible mold was evident.

I should tell you that many mold inspectors might be concerned that these activities took place without "proper procedures" in place for cleaning up mold. This client and I were comfortable with the approach we took. The end result was a satisfactory job that cost her nothing for remediation, since building maintenance personnel did the work. The only cost to her, other than my fee, was paying for least-toxic glue for the new floor tiles. It was my opinion that the way she normally cleans was sufficient for capturing stray mold spores, and workers had already moved furniture out of harm's way. No carpeting was present.

For information on the EnviroHealth mold inspection, with on-site microscope, please call 1-888-735-9649 or write to may@createyourhealthyhome.com.

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