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Orlando Mold Inspections &
Indoor Air Quality Testing
Serving Central Florida Since 2001
Commercial and Residential Properties
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Orlando Mold Inspections, IAQ Indoor Air Quality, and IEQ Indoor Environmental Quality Home and Building Inspections
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- Moisture
- Scan Particulate Scan
- Video Inspection
- Thermal Imaging
- Visual Inspection
- Odor Investigation
- Invasive Inspection
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- Forensic Inspection
- Diagnostic Inspection
- Non-Invasive Inspection
- LEED IAQ EQ 3.2 Testing
- Boroscope (fiber optic) Inspection
- Post Remediation Clearance Inspection
- Black Light / UV Scan (long wave ultraviolet)
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Take Control of Your Indoor Environment Call Microshield Today
and talk with an Indoor Environmental Consultant. (407) 383-9459
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The Benefits of Our Inspections
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Identify Allergens in your home or office.
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Identify Asthma Triggers in your home or office.
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Identify the presence and source of elevated mold spores in your home or office
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Identify the source of unusual Odors or VOC's in your home or office.
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Identify the possible elevation of Particulate Matter in your home.
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Employers increase productivity.
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Property owners protect their investment.
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Doctors find assistance with their diagnosis.
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Lawyers can show an association between mold and an illness.
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Real estate brokers can present properties with a documented Healthy Indoor Environment.
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Most Importantly you'll have a Specific Plan of Action to reduce or eliminate the Allergens, or Asthma Trigggers, Mold, VOC's, or Particulate Matter in you home or office.
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Whats In The Air You Breathe?
Call Microshield Today and Start Improving your Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
(407) 383-9459
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The Visual Inspection
A visual inspection is the most important initial step in identifying a possible contamination problem. The extent of any water damage and mold growth should be visually assessed. This assessment is important in determining remedial strategies.
Ventilation systems should also be visually checked, particularly for damp filters but also for damp conditions elsewhere in the system and overall cleanliness.
The use of a boroscope, (fiber optics) to view space inside ductwork or behind walls is used along with the use of a radio moisture meter to detect moisture "inside" building materials, identifying hidden sources of fungal growth and the extent of water damage. Because mold cannot live without moisture, sources of moisture are one of the focal points of our investigation.
During the thorough visual investigation of your structure (including the attic, crawl spaces and basement) we examine:
- Heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems.
- Moisture barriers for proper installation and condensation occurrence, via existing wall openings and a fiber optics scope.
- The moisture content of floors, walls and ceilings--even beneath surfaces--using a non-invasive moisture meter.
- The temperature and humidity of the indoor and outdoor air, using a properly calibrated instruments.
- All water-damaged areas, and locate the point of water intrusion
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Air Sampling
A certified inspector trained in the appropriate sampling methodology performs air monitoring. Air samples are collected with a Bioaerosol Sampler. This type of sampler imparts viable spores on potato dextrose agar as well as other media in petri dishes placed in the apparatus at the rate of 15 cubic liters of air per minute.
Air sampling for fungi should not be part of a routine assessment. This is because decisions about appropriate remediation strategies can usually be made on the basis of a visual inspection.
Air monitoring may be necessary if an individual(s) has been diagnosed with a disease that is or may be associated with a fungal exposure (e.g., pulmonary hemorrhage/hemosiderosis, and aspergillosis).
Air monitoring may be necessary if there is evidence from a visual inspection or bulk sampling that ventilation systems may be contaminated. The purpose of such air monitoring is to assess the extent of contamination throughout a building. It is preferable to conduct sampling while ventilation systems are operating.
Air monitoring may be necessary if the presence of mold is suspected (e.g., musty odors) but cannot be identified by a visual inspection or bulk sampling (e.g., mold growth behind walls). The purpose of such air monitoring is to determine the location and/or extent of contamination.
If air monitoring is performed, for comparative purposes, outdoor air samples should be collected concurrently at an air intake, if possible, and at a location representative of outdoor air. For additional information on air sampling, refer to the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' document, "Bioaerosols: Assessment and Control."
Personnel conducting the sampling must be trained in proper air sampling methods for microbial contaminants. A laboratory specializing in mycology should be consulted for specific sampling and shipping instructions. Chain of custody is also important.
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HVAC / Ventilation Inspection
The HVAC Ducts are inspected often with a video inspection camera that can travel deep into the ductwork. The HVAC coils are inspected with a boroscope and black light for visual signs of water damage or microbial growth.
Duct air sampling, this method is sometimes used for direct examination of suspected HVAC air contamination. A cassette is directly attached facing the air supply operating for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
Careful handling not to contaminate the cassette using standard methods with gloves and alcohol preparation. This will then be put into a cooler with blue ice and taken to aerobiology labs to be cultured for 7 days to help identify species. This method is used on difficult to reach areas in ventilation.
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Call Microshield Today and schedule your Orlando Mold Inspection or
Indoor Air Quality Testing. (407) 383-9459
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Your Indoor Air Quality Mold Inspector & Consultant Should.......
1. Carry Certification By The American Indoor Air Quality Council (AmIAQC) as a Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC) With Accreditation By The Council for Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB). CIEC the most respected certification in the field of indoor environmental consulting.
2. Carry Environmental Consultants Professional Liability Insurance with Mold Coverage & Commercial Liability Insurance Including Environmental Liability From Legends Environmental Insurance Services, LLC. the gold standard for firms in the IAQ and Mold industry.
3. Only use American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) Accreddited Laboratories. Only laboratories accredited by AIHA have been assessed by AIHA and determined to be in compliance with AIHA Accreditation Policy Modules and ISO/IEC. NACLA recognizes AIHA’s accreditation program as compliant with the ISO/IEC 17011 standard.17025:2005.
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Do It Yourself Mold Test Kits
Earn a Not Recommended Rating
from Consumer Reports.
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Do It Yourself Mold Test Kits
If you see or smell mold, you don't need a test kit to tell you it's there. Generally, it's not necessary to identify the species of mold growing in your home, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If mold covers an area less than 10 square feet, you may be able to eliminate the problem yourself. Larger areas require a pro. When we tested the kits below for our report, we found significant shortcomings in all of them, flaws that were serious enough to earn each a "Not Recommended" Rating.
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Home Diagnostics Malt Extract Culture Plates and Air Sampler
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$74 or $203
(w/ air sampler)
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Expensive, and took a long time, an average of 23 days, for results to be returned from lab. No expiration dates on the kit; old media could affect the accuracy and reliability of the results. One unused plate came back positive for mold growth, indicating contamination at some point;
Not very reassuring for post-remediation use. |
Mold Chek Mold Test Kit
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$39
(4 petri dishes)
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Using unsterilized utensils or swabs increases the likelihood of contamination. Very difficult to open; kits could spill on the floor while opening package and become contaminated and useless. No expiration dates on the kit; old media could affect the accuracy and reliability of the results. Label claimed kit can identify toxic mold, but the report that the lab sends can't tell you this. One unused plate came back positive for mold growth, indicating contamination at some point;
Not very reassuring for post-remediation use. |
Mold Chek Sampling Kit
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$39 to $49
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Kit fits on most but not all vacuums. If you vacuum more than one area or room per sample kit, then you won't know which area has a mold problem. Label claimed that kit can tell you whether toxic mold is "hiding in your house." But brochure inside the kit has a disclaimer saying the lab report can't tell you this. |
Pro-Lab MO109
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$40 to $55
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In some samples, the vials with media leaked over entire kit. In one, an unopened kit was moldy. No expiration dates on the kit; old media could affect the accuracy and reliability of the results. Label claims that kit can identify toxic mold, but the report the lab sends can't tell you this. One unused plate came back positive for mold growth, indicating contamination at some point;
Not very reassuring for post-remediation use. |
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Latest Top (25) News
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Maryland College Students Take to Floating Dorm
 After an outbreak of mold shut down two dormitories at St. Mary’s College in Maryland, students moved on to the Sea Voyager, a cruise ship docked at the nearby waterfront.
NYC Housing Authority Neglects Mold
New York City’s public housing towers are the shame of the city, ungainly and forgotten stepchildren.
Battling Mold Infestations - Posting
New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development issued 14,290 violations for mold in residential buildings last year.
New York Anti-Asthma Program Would Cite Landlords
The City Council in New York plans to introduce legislation requiring landlords to battle garbage, mold and vermin, all factors that have been linked to asthma.
Slime Mold Proves to Be a Brainy Blob
 In Japan, researchers showed that in only a day, slime molds could design a complex network as efficient as the Tokyo rail system.
I Think I See Mold in the Walls. What Should I Do?
 Answers to homeowners’ questions about mold, cold weather problems, holes in drywall, and more.
Prolonging the Life of Berries
 Thermotherapy, a very hot fruit bath, is an effective way to stave off mold growth on berries.
Starving Out the Mold
 In the bathroom, a room the British call the water closet for good reason, eliminating water isn’t viable. Cutting off food, though, is.
Repelling the Dark Invader: Mold
 Dealing with mold is a never-ending battle with moisture, no matter where your second home is located.
Not From the Mold
 The architect’s respect for the environment is evident through his use of a 20-foot hemlock log as part of the home’s interior design.
Cinnamon Is Key Ingredient in Anti-Mold Wrapper
 Researchers are using cinnamon’s microbe-killing properties to develop an anti-mold wrapper.
Mystery Molds
 Should you avoid food that has a little mold on it because the mold has permeated throughout?
With Return of Mold, Students Are Displaced
A Greenwich school, displaced by mold, finds it in its temporary quarters too.
IN OTHER WORDS
In Other Words column; excerpt from Fairfield Minuteman commentary on overcrowding, asbestos and mold problems at Stratfield Elementary School in Connecticut; excerpt from New Milford Spectrum commentary on issues of growth, development and preservation in New Milford, Conn
Officials Report Mold in a Leonardo Collection
Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Atlanticus, the largest collection of his drawings and writings from 1278 to 1519, has been infiltrated by mold.
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Latest Top (25) News
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Behold the Power of Mobile Technology
Improved mobile technology is providing restoration and
remediation professionals with important new tools that are changing the way
many companies manage files and estimate damages.
Contractors and Adjusters – Finding Common Ground: The R&R Q&A
Chances are, if the adjuster and contractor aren’t working
well together on a particular project, the customer isn’t going to be very
pleased with the end result. Based on this alone, it’s important for adjusters
and contractors to cooperate, communicate and work together to ensure that the
project gets done well, the customer is satisfied and any other details are
worked out accordingly.
Don’t Let Roofing Work Be Your Albatross
It was the summer of 2010 when I received a frantic call from my mom. "Issa, how can you schedule work at my house without telling me?"...
How to Improve On-the-Job Communication
Have you ever wondered why people get upset with you on a
job that you are doing for them? Do you wonder if they think that their
job is the only one you have to do? Do you wonder if they really care what
you are doing to advance their job completion when you are not on their
jobsite? Do you think that they would feel differently if they knew what was
going on with their job?
Marketing Your Restoration Business through Claims Networks
If you have not embraced restoration networks in
your marketing plans, then it’s time for a wake-up call. Firms like Alacrity,
Code Blue, Crawford Contractor Connection and IMACC operate networks of
restoration firms that will revolutionize how insurance companies interface
with their agents, customers and restoration firms.
Putting Class Back in Session
In early September 2011, Tropical Storm Lee stalled over central Pennsylvania only a week after Hurricane Irene swept the East Coast. The residual flooding cost residents and businesses thousands to millions of dollars in property damages. This included the hard hit Danville Area School District in Danville, PA.
Ultrasonic Cleaning: Key to Remediating Contaminants
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), health care associated infections (HCAI) are currently the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, with an estimated death toll of nearly 100,000 per year.
Under One Roof - Hail and Wind Restoration
Why is it so hard to find a good roofer after a big hail or windstorm hits? That's a question many of us who have worked "storm duty" have pondered, much to our dismay.
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