After the drying
Mold Inspection & Testing in Lynn, MA
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.
The pro who inspects is the pro who quotes
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
The porch roof leaked. Why is a bedroom involved?
Because the room is on top of it. In these buildings the space over the front porch is enclosed and lived in on every floor, so what looks like a porch roof from the street is the floor of a room. Water getting past that covering is inside a finished floor structure rather than running off open boards.
Which gets opened, the ceiling below or the floor above?
Whichever the readings favor and whichever is cheaper to put back, decided before anything is cut. The wet framing sits between a finished ceiling and a finished floor with no void at either face, so one of them has to come open. The ceiling is usually the lesser loss, but a hardwood floor above can change that.
Is this an autumn problem or a winter one?
Mostly winter, though the wettest month is October. A low-pitched bay roof sheds rain adequately; what defeats it is ice collecting at the edge through four freezing months, which backs water up under the covering and into the structure. The October rain fills the ground and the February ice fills the framing.
This FAQ belongs to the Lynn page; it is repeated here.