After the drying
Mold Inspection & Testing in Fredericksburg, VA
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
Why is the corner the weak point?
Because it is a butt joint running the whole height of the wall with nothing behind it but sealant. Every course of siding ends there with a cut edge, and cut edges take up water. Wind pushes rain along the wall to the corner, which is exactly where the joint is.
What is behind that joint?
The corner framing, which is the most heavily loaded part of the wall. Water getting past the corner board runs down the framing and the sheathing behind it. Where there is building paper it will usually shed most of it; where there is not, it is into the structure.
How are corner joints kept sound?
By keeping the joint sealed and the end grain painted, which means looking at it every few years rather than when a wall is being redone. The cheap improvement when siding is replaced is a strip of flashing behind the corner board, so the joint is no longer the only defense.
This FAQ belongs to the Fredericksburg page; it is repeated here.