Environmental Evaluations

Welcome to DIR Home Consulting

DiR Home Consulting provides on-site mold and asbestos assessment services to identify and evaluate potential health risks in residential and commercial properties.

If you suspect a water intrusion, notice an unusual odor or experience increased allergy symptoms within your home, you might have a mold issue. Maybe you are planning to remodel or renovate your house, and if it was built before 1980, some building materials might contain asbestos.

In any event, we are ready to help you!

When you call DiR Home Consulting, you know you are calling the professionals!.

Save Yourself the Hassle

Call today (551-655-5500) to learn more about the advantages of hiring DIR Home Consulting or email to schedule an estimate.

Email us at: John@dirinspect.com

Mold Testing

We perform a full visual inspection of the property, including specific areas of concern to the client and general areas that could potentially have mold growth. The assessor will also obtain pictures for documentation of visual conditions. Moisture measurements are made where we suspect water intrusion.

Common inspections areas include locations where water could have entered the building to cause moisture in building materials such as:

•    Any location with plumbing fixtures, especially Kitchens, Bathrooms and Utility Rooms
•    Around Windows/Doors
•    Exterior Walls
•    HVAC supply vents and ducts
•    Crawlspaces
•    Attics

After the visual inspection of the property, the assessor will provide recommendations, if needed, for samples to identify any mold types present and quantify the amount of contamination. Types of samples include:

•    Air Sample – This is collected by an air pump creating air flow at a rate of 15 liters per minute (lpm) for 5-10 minutes through a spore trap that collects any particles in the air to give exact spore counts and concentrations. Air samples are typically collected at a height of Five feet above the floor, to simulate the typical breathing zone. Because there are no regulatory standards to compare against our indoor sample results, we must also collect an outside control sample for comparison. If an inside sample shows mold spores at a concentration elevated above the outside control sample, there is most likely an indoor source. Indoor/outdoor comparisons are made both for the total spore count and for each individual genus of mold.

•    Surface Sample – This is collected by using a cotton swab or tape lift to collect visible growth or discoloration from any surface. This sample can identify the mold genus and relative amount (trace – extensive) of any observed growth. This can also help determine the source of any airborne levels of mold spores.

•    Cavity Sample – While less common, this is collected with the same air pump, but utilizes a tube to extract a sample from within walls. These are collected when a wall shows signs of visual damage or moisture elevations are detected.  Cavity samples allow detection of mold within the walls to determine if mold may be hidden inside the wall. 

Asbestos

Where Is Asbestos Found?

Asbestos is found in thousands of products still in use today. Most of these materials are used in heat and acoustic insulation, fire proofing, roofing, and flooring. Some of the more common products that may contain asbestos include:

•    pipe and duct insulation
•    artificial ashes and embers sold for use in gas-fired fireplaces
•    resilient floor tiles and sheet flooring
•    building insulation
•    wall and ceiling panels
•    carpet underlays
•    patching and spackling compounds (use was banned in 1977)
•    brake pads and linings
•    pot holders and ironing board pads
•    hair dryers
•    electrical wires
•    patching and joint compounds, textured paints
•    roofing and siding shingles (asbestos cement)
•    toasters and other appliances
•    soundproofing and decorative materials sprayed on walls and ceilings
•    older stove top pads
•    asbestos paper, millboard, or cement sheets that are used on walls and floors around wood-burning stoves
•    oil and coal furnaces and door gaskets that may have asbestos insulation

Houses built between 1930 and 1950 may also have asbestos as insulation.