After the drying
Mold Inspection & Testing in San Francisco, CA
An independent assessor confirms whether the assembly that got wet is actually dry, whether growth started while it was not, and how far it reaches. An inspection after a water loss confirms whether the assembly that got wet is dry now and whether growth started while it was not. Readings are taken in the material, cavities are opened where the readings point, and the result is a written scope of what is dry, what is not, and what has to be corrected for the repair to hold.
No obligation: the assessment comes before any scope
On this site, inspection is the last check of a water job rather than the start of a separate one. Most people reach this page because something was wet, was dried, and a smell or a stain came back. The inspection answers whether the material is dry now and whether anything grew while it was not. Nothing here is medical advice; questions about health are for a clinician.
Often needed alongside
- Mold Remediation
Growth and the material it grew into come out under containment, what remains is cleaned, and the assembly is dried and read before anything closes it in.
- Structural Drying & Dehumidification
Sealed air movers and dehumidifiers bring framing, subfloor and drywall back to a measured dry standard, with daily readings logged from inside the material.
Frequently asked questions
What does a seismic retrofit involve down there?
Bolting the sill to the foundation and sheathing the short cripple walls above it, which means opening up the lowest part of the structure, drilling the foundation, and closing it back up. It is done for shaking, not for water.
Why does retrofit work matter to a wet wall?
Because the work is exactly where water arrives. The sill, the cripple wall and the base of the framing are what a retrofit touches and what a wet garage or a leaking foundation reaches, so the two overlap completely. That overlap is the reason a retrofit inspection and a damp survey tend to find the same things.
Does the quality of the retrofit vary?
Enormously, and it is worth establishing which kind you have. Some were engineered and inspected; others were done quickly with whatever hardware was to hand. Opening one small area tells you which, and it changes what can be relied on.
This FAQ belongs to the San Francisco page; it is repeated here.