Leak: What Do You Do When You Discover One?

by | building biology, buildings and health, condensation, indoor environmental health, mold, mould, water damage

What Do You Do When You Discover a Leak?

A leak may come from a tap, a water pipe, the roof, a window…

Whatever causes water to come into your home, you need to act quickly.

Why?

Because mould spores are everywhere, and they need moisture to proliferate.

A leak is one of the many causes of water damage.

Water damaged buildings are of great concern due to the impact that they can have on health, particularly in a sensitive individual.

Mould is a Moisture Issue

Moisture can be all that a dormant mould spore needs to become active and start growing.

With mould, there is bacteria and the “microbial stew.”

Moisture can also attract termites, rodents, and other pests that can cause damage to the building and possibly also your health.

Actions If You Discover a Leak:

  1. Fix the leak/hole/pipe
  2. Dry everything within 48 hours
  3. Monitor it to make sure it stays fixed

I also recommend that you create a regular maintenance schedule so that you can keep an eye on things.

Old leaks can still be a source of problems, particularly to those who are sensitive or sensitised to mould.

This is because mould, dead or alive can be a problem. Read more about that here.

Are you worried that you might have a problem? Let's talk.

Mould Dead and Alive

by | building biology, buildings and health, indoor environmental health, mold, mould

Mould Dead and Alive

Mould dead or alive can be a problem.

There are many ways to kill mould, but this does not make it safe for your health.

Dead mould is called “unviable” and alive mould is called “viable.”

Mould is everywhere, however only about 25% of the spores are viable. The rest aren't, which means they are dead.

In terms of health, mould, viable or not, is a problem.

Parts of mould break off, these are called hyphae.

There are spores released to start new colonies. Some contain mycotoxins and others contain microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs).

Some moulds are particularly irritating, allergenic or problematic for health.

Yet for people who are sensitive or sensitised to mould, ANY mould can be a problem.

Here's a video that I did… Mould Unwanted: Dead or Alive

Please excuse the start where the writing is mirrored – I hadn't realised it would do that. 🙂

 

In my years, I have assessed a lot of places (hundreds of them). In many I have found mould, dead and alive.

Mould is often not visible – and can also be hidden.

Remember, mould doesn't have to be alive to be an issue.

The first part of a water damage and mould Indoor Environmental Health Assessment is the visual inspection. My eyes are trained, and I can easily spot potential issues.

If you would like to have an assessment, please go ahead and book your virtual Indoor Environmental Health Assessment with me – I would be happy to assist you.

Book Your Assessment NOW

IMPORTANT TIP

If anything becomes wet, it needs to be dried within 48 hours.

This includes a spill on a rug, a burst pipe or even the laundry.

There are many ways that we can create enough moisture to support the growth of mould. As such, you need to be mindful.

You can read more about that here.