Basements are particularly sensitive to mould contamination due to water penetration though the walls. Basements have not been designed to accommodate people but were usually used for storage of materials, fuels and the odd items. In recent years the number basements converted into flats or good storage areas have been steadily rising. Many challenges have [...]
Second opinion mould inspection
Tenant – landlord relationships can sometimes escalate into serious disagreements ending up in the layers office. This week I have completed a project where moulds and mould contamination has been blamed for deterioration of tenants’ health thus warranting braking of the tenancy agreement. The tenants in this case obviously concerned with mould have appointed a [...]
Penetrating Damp – Mould Removal
Failures in building envelope often result in water penetration through the building construction. Water penetration into the indoor areas may not be always directly visible but can manifest itself through development of mould. In my recent investigation I have encounter such a case. Cracking of the external render has resulted in water penetration through the [...]
Un/resolved case
Indoor air quality investigation may not always produce the expected results and sometimes the results of such investigation are often inconclusive. This is particularly true in the air contamination is only one of the suspected causes of a particular problem or the airborne contaminants are present only sporadically, for short periods of time or sometimes [...]
Problematic carpet
Investigation of indoor air quality is a complex process involving often involving analysis of numerous components of air and often with no clear cut results. The problem with indoor air quality assessment is the fact that you can only realistically measure only small number of possible contaminants. The main hindering factor in any investigation is [...]
Unusual problem – resolved
A while back I was contacted by a very nice lady living on the south coast of the country. She was very concerned about what appeared to be black mould covering approximately one third of the bedroom ceiling and extended onto one of the bedroom walls. We had a lengthy discussion about what it could [...]
Indoor Air Quality – Mobile Home
Last year I was invited to investigate an indoor air quality complain from a proud owner of a new mobile home in the Welsh countryside. The owner has purchased this brand new mobile home from a respectable manufacturer. After moving into the mobile home the owner and his family members have noticed a particularly pungent [...]
Poor Indoor Air Quality – Offices
Just before the start of winter I was invited by the management of large hospital in the north of the country to investigate a case of poor indoor air quality in a small office building. The office workers have been complaining from a poor indoor air quality for several months. They suffered from throat irritations [...]
Microbial Volatiles – Bedroom odour
In January I was invited once again to the north of the country to investigate long lasting and persistent indoor air quality and odour problem in newly build country house. The building was about two years old and very early after moving into the property one of the downstairs bedroom was suffering from persistent poor [...]
Fine particle dust – respiratory and neurological irritation
I was contacted by a gentleman who was suffering from unknown and rather severe respiratory irritation whenever he spent some time in his home. His symptoms have appeared and then gradually worsen since he moved into his new home. The property itself was about 30 years old but has been newly refurbished and re-fitted with [...]