After the drying
Mold Inspection & Testing in Bainbridge Island, WA
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 does this happen in the wettest months?
Because the ground is what the system depends on. Drainage from the house discharges into a field in the soil, and when that soil is already saturated after weeks of rain it will not accept anything more. The system then backs up to the lowest opening indoors. Nothing has broken; the ground has run out of capacity.
What comes first, the drainage or the drying?
The drainage, and it is not close. The house has to stop putting water into the system, which is a bigger ask than closing a valve, so the tank is emptied and the household's water use is suspended until the field can take flow again. Cleaning and drying follow that rather than run alongside it.
What can be kept after a backup like this?
The structure usually, the finishes usually not. Anything porous the water reached comes out on what the water was rather than on how wet it reads, and that includes flooring, board and insulation in the path. Framing and concrete are cleaned and then dried, and readings are taken after the cleaning rather than before.
This FAQ belongs to the Bainbridge Island page; it is repeated here.