After the drying
Mold Inspection & Testing in New Orleans, LA
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.
Independent local assessors · no obligation to proceed
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
How long does an old pine floor take to dry compared with the walls?
Usually much longer. Heart pine is dense and holds water deep in the board, so it cups early and releases moisture slowly. Rather than tear out wood that is hard to replace, the contractor runs drying mats on the floor and keeps reading it after the plaster walls have already reached the dry standard, sometimes for weeks.
The rooms are dry but the house still smells damp. Where is the water?
Very often under the floor. A raised house keeps its living floor above a loss, but the bay between the piers fills and stays wet against the joists. The contractor opens the crawl, removes any soaked insulation, runs air and dehumidification underneath, and reads the joists and subfloor from below until they are dry.
Can plaster walls be dried in place, or do they come out?
Plaster over lath usually dries in place, but slowly. It is dense, so surfaces read dry while the lath behind still holds water, and closing it early is how stains and growth come back. The contractor drills at the base to move air behind the plaster and keeps reading until the lath reaches the standard, which can be two or three times the drywall timeline.
The same questions, in context, on the New Orleans city page.