After the drying
Mold Inspection & Testing in Martinsburg, WV
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 an unused chimney worse than a used one?
Because nothing is drying it. A working flue has warm gas going up it that carries moisture away, and an abandoned one simply collects. The cap has usually gone or was never fitted when the heating was changed, so rain falls straight down the opening.
Where does water in the stack show up inside?
In the masonry itself and at the base of the stack, which is in the middle of the building rather than at an outside wall. So the damp shows up in an interior wall or ceiling, which is the last place anyone looks for a roof-related problem.
Should the stack come out?
Capping it properly is usually the cheaper and better answer, and it is often all that is needed. Taking a central masonry stack out of a house is substantial work that reaches every floor, and it is worth doing only if there is another reason to.
These questions come from the Martinsburg page.