After the drying
Mold Inspection & Testing in Pawtucket, RI
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
Why does a disused shaft matter?
Because it is still a hole through the building. Boarding it over at each floor closes the opening but leaves the shaft itself, so water getting into it on any level runs down through the structure to the bottom. It bypasses every floor it passes, which is why the damage turns up in the cellar.
How would anybody know it is there?
A shallow cupboard in the same corner of the kitchen on every floor is the usual sign, or a patched section of wall that lines up between levels. Old plans show them where they exist. Contractors working on these buildings find them when a wall is opened and there is nothing behind it.
What should be done with one that has taken water?
Open it at the lowest level and at the level where water entered, and dry it as a shaft rather than as a wall. It has no ventilation and no air movement, and the framing inside it has probably been wet before. Closing it back up without drying it puts the problem back where it was.
This FAQ belongs to the Pawtucket page; it is repeated here.