Category: Home Inspection

Water Testing Kits

The first level is the industrial level which is usually done by the water utility or the water supplier. This testing is either done by very sophisticated and expensive devices or through a long, involved process in which the water is tested for different types of contaminants.

Lead, arsenic, cadmium and other heavy metals are tested with a mass spectrometer. A mass spectrometer is a massive device that can cost millions of dollars and they are mostly found in big water laboratories. This water testing gives accurate results and each test costs a few dollars per test.

coli, salmonella and other pathogenic bacteria are tested by plating samples of water and waiting to see if there are colonies of bacteria growing in the sampled water. This test is performed routinely, even on a daily basis in almost any city or neighborhood and it takes usually 24 hours to know if there is something in the water.

Even though industrial water testing today is accurate, it suffers from some inherent problems that lead us to question the effectiveness of it:

The tests in almost 100% of the cases are done by the most biased entity – the water supplier and they have a very strong interest in telling the customers that their water is safe to drink. Not surprisingly,The Guardian found that about one third of American cities fake their water testing results.

The testsare relevant to the water at the point of origin but arenot relevant to the water that you are actually getting at your house. The water coming out of your faucet passed through miles of pipes and containers and you don’t know where that water has been between thesource (where it is tested) and your house.

Water changesover the course of the day so the water coming out of your tap is not the same water that wastested.

It takes at least 24 hours to detect pathogenic bacteria in your water and 36 hours on average and meanwhile you have been drinking contaminated water.

In many cases, the regulators allow the utility to supply bad water.

For all these reasons, people understand that if they don’t test the water in their house, they won’t know the quality of the water they are actually drinking – and that’s how water testing kits, the second level, came to be.

Water testing kitsare also used in situations where no one is otherwise testing the water, for example in cases where the user is in a rural place on vacation and wants to test the water. In a slightly different example, the user could be a well owner that relies on just one unregulated water source and he wants well water testing.

 

Order a Water Sampling Kit

This kit is used to collect a water sample for coliform bacteria and nitrate testing which provides a general indication of the sanitary quality of your drinking water.

Carefully collect your water samples and send them back to the Hygienic Lab. Results are usually mailed within a week of sample collection. Funding for this testing may be available through your county health department and the Grants-to-Counties program. You may be able to get your well water tested at no cost.

 

Pool Water Testing

Regularly testing your water is an essential part of maintaining your pool’s welfare. Getting an accurate reading of your water chemistry helps you understand exactly how much of what product your pool needs. Testing your pool water prevents the possibility of under-treating or over-treating the water, which keeps your pool properly balanced and saves you money!

Home Pool Water Testing

offers several options you can use at home, including test kits and test strips. Testing at home is easy, but there are a few things you need to know before getting started. Which type of test will work best for you?

Liquid Test Kits

PROS

Most accurate type of water test. Liquid DPD reagents are the best for testing chlorine levels in your pool

Testing available for more diverse aspects of water chemistry

This method is used by pool professionals and health departments

CONS

Most expensive water test

Testing process can take longer and be more complicated than test strips

Reagent bottles must be held vertically to ensure uniform drop size, and drops must be counted as they’re slowly added

More prone to user-error

Test Strips

PROS

Fastest water test

Simple to use and read

Least expensive to purchase

Most popular option for pool owners wanting a quick, daily pool chemistry analysis

CONS

Fewer options for testing capabilities

Not as accurate or precise as a liquid test kit

Some results take just a few seconds to develop, and some take longer; for tests with multiple results on the same strip, it’s important to understand the timing so you don’t get inaccurate results

Hands must be completely dry when removing the strip from the container

 

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS WATER

Policy and Guidance

NAVFAC Potable Water Quality Management Guidance – NAVFAC Potable Water Quality Management Guidance Document

MARINE CORPS INSTALLATIONS COMMAND POLICY LETTER 6-19: – Sampling and Testing For Lead in Drinking Water in Priority Areas

MCO P5090.2 – V16 – Environmental Compliance and Protection, Drinking Water Systems and Water Conservation, 11 Jun 2018

COMSUBLANT/COMSUBPACINST 6000.2E – Standard Submarine Medical Procedures Manual for Submarine Medical Departments

OPNAVINST 5090.1E – Environmental Readiness Program, 3 Sep 2019

OPNAV-M 5090.1 – Environmental Readiness Program Manual, 3 Sep 2019

Chapter 7: Sampling and Laboratory Testing

Chapter 21: Safe Drinking Water Act Compliance Ashore

Chapter 34: Overseas Environmental Compliance Ashore

CNICINST 5090.1A Navy Overseas Drinking Water Program Ashore

CNIC M-5090.1 Navy Overseas Drinking Water Program Ashore Manual

CNIC M-5090.2 Certificate to Operate Criteria and Requirements for US Navy Overseas Drinking Water Systems

CNIC M-5090.3 Operator in Responsible Charge and Assistant Operator in Responsible Charge Training and Certification Program for US Navy Overseas Drinking Water Systems

BUMEDINST 6240.10C – Department of the Navy Medical Drinking Water Program

NAVMED P-5010-5 – Water Quality For Shore Installations

NAVMED P-5010-6 – Water Supply Afloat

NAVMED P-5010-10 – Sanitary Control and Surveillance of Field Water Supplies

Lead in Drinking Water in Priority Areas

BUMEDINST 6200.14D – 30 Aug 2017 – CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING PREVENTION

OPNAVINST 5090 – Update to Policy on Sampling and Testing for Lead in Drinking Water in Priority Areas

CNIC Guidance for Lead Testing in Priority Areas INC Encl1 and Appendicies

EPA PN HANDBOOK 2010

CNIC Shore Drinking Water Quality Reports

FINAL FY17 Shore Drinking Water Quality Report

FINAL FY18 Shore Drinking Water Quality Report

Navy Policy on Drinking Water Exceedances

 

HOW TO TEST SWIMMING POOL WATER USER’S GUIDE

With Spring around the corner, it’s about that time to open your pools for a fresh new swim season. We’ve partnered with Poolresearch.com on this article to keep you up-to-date on how to test your pool’s water properly. Let’s dive into the details!

Having a pool is a lot of fun, and it’s crucial to keep it clean. Most people know how to test for pH balance and chlorine levels, which is essential, but end up ignoring phosphates and potential contaminants, such as iron and calcium.

These substances can not only lead to unpleasant looking water that makes your pool uninviting but also cause severe damage to your pool. Fortunately, testing your pool water is easy if you know how to do it correctly.

Why Pool Water Testing Is So Important (And How to Do It)

Pool water testing is essential. Without it, there’s no way to know what’s in your water. While trace contaminants may not seem like a big deal now, over time they can develop into a really big problem. To avoid potential issues, it’s important to test your water regularly.

The first thing you’ll need is a water sample. To be sure to get an accurate reading, follow these simple steps:

Make sure to use a clean cup.

With the opening facing down, dunk the cup elbow deep as close to the center of the pool as possible.

Fill the cup by turning it right-side up.

What about Black Mold or Stachybotrys?

Recently, there has been heightened concern regarding exposure to a specific type of mold commonly referred to as black or toxic mold. Currently there is no conclusive scientific evidence linking the inhalation of black mold spores or any type of mold in the indoor environment to any illness other than the previously described allergy symptoms. The term “toxic” is an inaccurate description of this mold. There are many common molds that are black in color.

If you see mold growing in your home, the most important thing to remember is not to panic. You do not have to leave your home or belongings behind or destroy everything in the house. Instead, seek the help of someone who is knowledgeable and experienced in dealing with mold. Contact your local public health agency or state health department for more information on mold.

Mold Cleanup

Professional cleaners or remediators may use methods not covered in this publication. Please note that mold may cause staining and cosmetic damage. It may not be possible to clean an item so that its original appearance is restored.

Protecting Yourself During Mold Cleanup

Before starting your cleanup process, make sure you have the proper equipment and take precautions to protect yourself.

• Avoid breathing in mold or mold spores. In order to limit your exposure to airborne mold spores, you may want to wear an N-95 respirator, available at many hardware stores and from companies that advertise on the Internet. Some N-95 respirators resemble a paper dust mask with a nozzle on the front; others are made primarily of plastic or rubber and have removable cartridges that trap most of the mold spores from entering. In order to be effective, the respirator or mask must fit properly, so carefully follow the instructions supplied with the respirator. Look for the label of N-95 and NIOSH to assure the respirator will provide the protection needed.
• Wear gloves. Long gloves that extend to the middle of the forearm are recommended. When working with water and a mild detergent, household rubber gloves may be used. If you are using a disinfectant, chlorine bleach or a strong cleaning solution, you should select gloves made from natural rubber, neoprene, nitrile, polyurethane or PVC.
• Wear goggles. Goggles that do not have ventilation holes are recommended to avoid getting mold or mold spores in your eyes.

 

Who should do the cleanup?

This depends on a number of factors. One consideration is the size of the mold problem. If the moldy area is less than about 10 square feet (less than roughly a 3-foot by 3-foot patch), in most cases, you can handle the job yourself, following the guidelines below.

• If there has been a lot of water damage, and/or mold growth covers more than 10 square feet, consult with an InterNACHI inspector.
• If you choose to hire a contractor (or other professional service provider) to do the cleanup, make sure the contractor has experience cleaning up mold. Check references and ask the contractor to follow the recommendations of the EPA, the guidelines of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygenists (ACGIH), or other guidelines from professional or government organizations.
• Do not run the HVAC system if you know or suspect that it is contaminated with mold. This could spread mold throughout the building.
• If the water and/or mold damage was caused by sewage or other contaminated water, then call in a professional who has experience cleaning and fixing buildings damaged by contaminated water.
• If you have health concerns, consult a health professional before starting cleanup.

Tips and Techniques

The tips and techniques presented in this section will help you clean up your mold problem. Professional cleaners or remediators may use methods not covered here. Please note that mold may cause staining and cosmetic damage. It may not be possible to clean an item so that its original appearance is restored.

• Fix plumbing leaks and other water problems as soon as possible. Dry all items completely.
• Scrub mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely.
• Absorbent or porous materials, such as ceiling tiles and carpet, may have to be thrown away if they become moldy. Mold can grow on or fill in the empty spaces and crevices of porous materials, so the mold may be difficult or impossible to remove completely.
• Avoid exposing yourself or others to mold.
• Do not paint or caulk moldy surfaces.
• Clean up the mold and dry the surfaces before painting. Paint applied over moldy surfaces is likely to peel. If you are unsure about how to clean an item, or if the item is expensive or of sentimental value, you may wish to consult a specialist. Specialists in furniture repair and restoration, painting and art restoration and conservation, carpet and rug cleaning, water damage, and fire or water restoration are commonly listed in phone books. Be sure to ask for and check references. Look for specialists who are affiliated with professional organizations.

 

Why Shouldn’t You Get a Free Mold Inspection?

A free mold inspection is usually a bad idea. Here are some reasons why you should think twice about that free inspection:

Inaccurate Results

If a company offers a free mold inspection, it’s unlikely that they are giving you the best. Often, things that sound too good to be true are too good to be true. Thorough mold inspections aren’t cheap. A company that offers high quality inspections needs costly equipment and skilled workers. For that reason, they can’t afford to offer free inspections.

When you receive a thorough inspection, you get more accuracy. You can learn exactly what types of mold are in your home. Furthermore, you can find out where your mold is coming from. When you do hire a mold testing specialist in Houston, you can get better results. Unfortunately, free inspections don’t involve precision. The specialist might tell you that you have mold, but they might offer no other specifics. It’s also likely that they have less training, which causes inaccurate results.

More Costly Than Paid Testing

Typically, a free mold inspection is more costly than a paid one. This is due to the inaccurate nature of free testing. If you have a mold problem that goes undetected, you could be in for thousands of dollars worth of damage. Mold spreads quickly. Failing to diagnose the problem early on means it will only get worse. As the problem progresses, the cost of repair only increases.

Scams

These days, most people are targets for scammers. Regardless of your age or situation, you could be a victim of a scam. Some companies offer free mold inspections and try to take advantage of you. For instance, some businesses shake out rugs and pillows to release more spores into the air. The result is higher mold concentrations throughout your home. Other companies use gimmicky equipment that don’t actually get the job done. This point comes back to the lack of regulation in the mold inspection industry. If a company wants to make money off of you, they could argue that you have more mold than you actually do. To remedy your “problem”, you could spend money in unnecessary mold remediation.

 

How do you keep mold out of buildings and homes?

Inspect buildings for evidence of water damage and visible mold as part of routine building maintenance, Correct conditions causing mold growth (e.g., water leaks, condensation, infiltration, or flooding) to prevent mold growth.

Inside your home you can control mold growth by:

• Controlling humidity levels;
• Promptly fixing leaky roofs, windows, and pipes;
• Thoroughly cleaning and drying after flooding;
• Ventilating shower, laundry, and cooking areas.

 

How Mold Home Inspections Work

The first step in a mold inspection should be an IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) or MAS (Mold Air Sampling) test to determine what irritants or possible mold strains are present in the home.

As mentioned before, not all mold is toxic black mold, despite the color. A visual inspection alone will not indicate how dangerous a mold growth is. Only mold testing can accurately identify the specific strain of mold in your home.

During your inspection, we will also look for signs of mold, past mold growths that could become active again, or areas with signs of moisture that could lead to future mold problems.

Next, any samples collected during the mold testing and home inspection will be sent to a certified lab for analysis and identification of the exact nature of the problems found.

Thermal imaging can also be useful in detecting the presence of water that could lead to a mold problem. For example, if you smell a musty odor but have not had any recent water damage, thermal imaging can be used to determine if there is a hidden leak inside your walls causing the mold growth.

Mold home inspections must follow strict requirements to get an accurate reading of the air quality inside your Florida home. Don’t trust this process to just anybody. Always make sure you hire an inspector that is certified to perform mold inspections and beware of prices that are too low or too high.

Mold Inspection – What Is Involved?

What Is A Mold Inspection?

A mold inspection focuses on determining if there is water damage present within the home that is causing a mold problem. Because some sort of mold content is present in just about everyhome, a determination is made during the mold assessment if it was caused by water damage.

How Is A Mold Inspection Done?

A mold inspection consists of a visual inspection for mold growth, moisture mapping for hidden leaks, air sampling, surface sampling, and checking the air conditioning for mold. Every inspection can be different as some could be limited in nature.

 

When should a mold inspection and mold testing be considered?

• When visible mold is not present, but the smell of mold is. Here a mold inspection and mold test can reveal whether there is indeed elevated mold, and where it is located.
• There have been plumbing leaks or water issues and there is a suspicion that elevated mold may exist in the air and/or behind walls.
• Post Mold Removal Clearance Testing to ensure that the previous mold issue has been resolved and mold counts have returned to levels found in normal environments of the same type.
• Health Concerns: In some cases, a doctor or the patient has a health issue that they cannot pinpoint the cause but seems to be related to mold symptoms (coughing, sneezing, headaches, etc). Here, a mold inspection and test may help to confirm whether the doctor’s or patient’s suspicions that a mold problem exists.
• For real estate transactions for the protection of Buyers and Sellers.
• Landlord/Tenant disputes as to whether there is a mold problem.
• Someone thinks they see or smell mold but are not sure.
• Someone is interested in a general Indoor Air Quality test of their environment.

 

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR A MOLD INSPECTION?

While there isn’t really any prep work needed for a mold inspection, there are a few things you can do to make things easier for the mold inspector.

1. Make sure that all areas of your home are accessible. A lot of people have their attic access inside closets. It is helpful to have the closet entry clear before the inspector arrives.
2. Since the mold inspection process in both an interior and exterior inspection, try to move items away from the exterior of the home so the inspector can get a good visual.
3. Be prepared to answer questions about your home. A good mold inspector will want to gather information about the history of your home including leaks, flooding, or other water intrusions.
4. If you have pets, please inform the mold inspector ahead of time and let them know if they need to make sure the cat doesn’t get out or if the dog is leery of strangers. Mold inspectors may choose to wear protective gear. They also carry equipment that may startle a pet.

 

Why Should You Have a Mold Inspection?

There are several reasons to have a mold inspection performed in your home. Any one of these situations would be enough cause for an inspection:

• You frequently have allergy-type symptoms in one room of your house. Or you have allergy-type symptoms in your home that go away when you’re somewhere else.
• You’ve had a water leak or flooding somewhere in your home.
• You smell mold, but don’t see any.
• You’re about to make a real estate transaction.

If you see visible mold, you can typically proceed to the mold remediation process without having an actual inspection. However, if you’re unsure that what you’re seeing is mold, an inspection is wise.

 

Six Important Things You Should Know About Mold Inspections

• Mold inspections need to be performed by a qualified mold inspector who has formal training and experience with mold inspections. Training and experience are necessary.
• Mold inspections should look for evidence of past or current mold growth. Past mold growth may indicate a water problem which will come back when certain conditions return such as a recurring leak. Past mold growth may also cause sensitized individuals to have an allergic reaction or, conceivably, cause some individuals to start becoming sensitized to mold.
• Mold inspections should look for mold within the building, inside walls, and in other areas where mold growth is undesirable, including areas where mold growth could be causing structural issues such as wood decay in crawlspaces.
• Some mold growth in buildings may be perfectly normal. For example, Ceratosystis and Ophiostoma are two molds that grow on lumber (sometimes referred to as lumber yard mold) and are frequently found growing on two by fours or other structural framing within buildings. These molds grow on the sap of wood and stop growing once the wood has dried. Although they cause black staining on the wood, they do not cause any structural issues. If black staining is found on wood, the mold inspector can take a sample and send it to the mold testing lab for analysis to determine if it is one of these molds.
• It is very important (and some would say essential) that the mold inspection look for sources of moisture. Water is essential for mold growth. Without a source of water, you will not have mold growth. Consequently, if there is mold growth, it must be associated with a source of moisture. If this source of moisture is not found and eliminated, the mold growth will return and remediation efforts are of negligible long term value. The importance of looking for sources of moisture cannot be overstated and must be included.
• Mold inspections are a subset of investigations called “Indoor Air Quality” (IAQ) investigations. These investigations look at the broader question: “What irritants are present in the air causing discomfort to the occupants?” If you are having a mold inspection because you feel ill when you are in a certain building or room, you might consider whether other irritants may be causing the discomfort and include these in the investigation.