PowerBees conducted mold testing at a large colonial style home build in the 18^th century in Cambridge originally and was moved to Wellesley early 1900s.  The home has been reportedly unoccupied for over one year.  The client is considering purchasing this prospective residence and became concerned about the air quality after a home inspection revealed possible mold in the basement.  There is a report of a prior plumbing leak beneath the kitchen sink and a report of possible flooding in the basement.  The home inspector noticed a water line around the boiler during his recent inspection of the property.  There was also a report of a leak near a second level fireplace.  There were no reports of other water damage or microbial issues in the property.  Three non-viable air samples were taken at the property.  One air sample was taken in basement, a second air sample was taken in the kitchen on the first level and a third air sample was taken outside.  The results from the samples showed very high levels of airborne Penicillium/Aspergillus spores in the basement and high levels of airborne Penicillium/Aspergillus spores on the first level.   The Penicillium / Aspergillus spore counts in the basement are extremely high and may pose certain health risks.  The Penicillium / Aspergillus spore counts in the kitchen are high as well.  A total spore count of 2000 counts/m³ is considered a threshold level by most Industrial Hygienists. That count of 2000 counts/m³ should consist of no more than 1/3 Penicillium / Aspergillus, 1/3 Cladosporium and 1/3 Other.  The Penicillium / Aspergillus count was 145000 counts/m³ in the basement and 4590 counts/m³ in the kitchen compared with a count of 267 counts/m³ outside.  The air quality in the kitchen is most likely impacted by the high readings in the basement.  Based on these results and the visible mold in the Basement,  PowerBees recommends a remediation process to eliminate visible mold.

After a homeowner contacted PowerBees in early June, a Certified Mold Investigator, conducted a complimentary mold inspection at the customer’s home for the purposes of estimating the cost of Mold Remediation. The customer contacted us and reported mold in his basement possibly caused by high humidity and water intrusion. We examined the 40’ x 16’ partially finished basement where Green Mold was visible on contents and sheetrock.  Moisture was visible on the foundation floor, evidence of moisture intrusion. A dehumidifier was present but not operational.  Moisture detection readings in the basement were “High” on the foundation floor and sheetrock. Humidity was measured at 77% in the basement, which is very high. The mold was caused by high unabated humidity and moisture intrusion. To remediate we will create a Managed Air Flow Environment, employ the use of a HEPA Air Scrubber to remove airborne spores,  HEPA Vacuum all surfaces and apply multiple treatments with an antimicrobial agent.  Air Scrubbers will capture airborne Mold Spores during the filtration process.  Excessive moisture and heat facilitate the growth and proliferation of Mold.  A laboratory test was not conducted by PowerBees nor requested by the customer.  Mold was visible to the human eye. Mold can grow on virtually any organic surface, as long as moisture and oxygen is present.  When excessive moisture accumulates on building materials mold growth will often occur.  The combination of moisture on organic surfaces and building materials provides an inviting habitat for mold to thrive.  PowerBees recommend refraining from the heat until the mold is remediated and Air Duct Cleaning at the end.

After expressing concern to a PowerBees representative homeowners in Framingham, MA requested that mold testing be conducted at their property.  The client and her young family have been living in this single family split level home (built in 1960) for the past four and a half years. The mostly finished basement in the home has flooded several times since property was first occupied by the family.  It last flooded approximately three years ago.  The basement was finished after that time.  A sump pump and French drain were installed to mitigate the moisture issue.  The property was also regarded. There was no reported flooding in March during the torrential rains in MA.  There has reportedly been a musty odor coming from the basement at various times. There was also reported warping of wainscoting in the basement. The client has recently developed allergies over the last two or so years.  There have also been reports of possible water damage on the master bedroom ceiling.  Three non-viable air samples were taken at the property.  One air sample was taken in the basement office, a second air sample was taken from the kitchen/dining room area on the first level and a third air sample was taken outside.  The results from the samples showed slightly elevated levels of airborne Penicillium/Aspergillus spores and Stachybotrys spores in the basement office.  The results indicate that the air quality in the kitchen/dining room is within acceptable tolerances according to the EPA standards that PowerBees utilizes.

After being contacted by the homeowners, PowerBees Inc. deployed a Certified Mold Investigator to Wayland to conducted a complimentary mold inspection at the customer’s home for the purposes of estimating the cost of Mold Remediation. The customer contacted us and reported a musty odor in his family room, a previous leak in the kitchen with possible mold beneath the cabinets and mold behind the washer and dryer in the basement. Upon inspection, a musty odor was confirmed, but there was no visible mold in the family room.  However, there was water staining beneath the carpet near the sliding glass doors.  Water may have come in through the sliding glass door, although the flashing behind the vinyl siding was perhaps defective, allowing moisture intrusion.  There was visible black mold beneath the cabinet noticeable after a section of baseboard was removed.  We examined the partially finished basement and found visible Black Mold on the sheetrock behind the washer and dryer and water staining behind on pine boards in the finished area.  A dehumidifier was in the family room and operational.  There were two operational dehumidifiers in the basement.  Water staining in the finished section of the basement suggests past water intrusion.  There are no ongoing leaks in the basement or the family room. To remediate, we will create a Managed Air Flow Environment in the basement and employ the use of a HEPA Air Scrubber to remove airborne mold spores.  We will remove affected building materials and employ the use of HEPA Vacuuming and multiple treatments with an antimicrobial agent.  Air Scrubbers will capture airborne Mold Spores during the filtration process.  A laboratory test was not conducted by PowerBees nor requested by the customer.  Mold was visible to the human eye.  Moisture detection readings, taken with a Delmhorst Moisture meter, were “Dry” throughout the basement and family room.  Humidity was measured at 42% in the family room and 37% in the basement.  Excessive moisture and heat facilitate the growth and proliferation of Mold.  Mold can grow on virtually any organic surface, as long as moisture and oxygen is present.  When excessive moisture accumulates on building materials mold growth will often occur.  The combination of moisture on organic surfaces and building materials provides an inviting habitat for mold to thrive.

The owners of a vacation property in Falmouth, MA contacted PowerBees after discovering mold issues at the property.  PowerBees deployed a mold inspector to conduct a thorough mold inspection of the property.  A strong musty odor was discernable in the basement. Upon inspection, water staining was visible on the exposed plywood in the laundry area and on the foundation walls and floors. There was no visible water staining in finished living space. Moisture levels measured, with a Delmhorst Moisture meter, were high in the plywood sub-flooring in the laundry room, but normal throughout the remainder of the basement in all other surfaces (walls, floors, ceilings, etc.).   There was visible black mold on the sub-floor and on the door to the laundry room.  It is possible that the dyer is or was exhausting moist air into the laundry room – there was extensive lint buildup behind the dryer.  A dehumidifier was present but not operational at the time of inspection.  The dehumidifier was not configured for automatic draining.  Upon inspection of the outside, it was noticed that some downspouts were not directed away from the dwelling.  There was also vegetation growing along the exterior foundation, which may be a contributing factor in the moisture and humidity buildup in the basement.