MOLD DETECTION SA · SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa’s Leading Mold Inspection Specialists
Professional Mold, Damp and Indoor Air Quality Assessments Since 2008
We identify the source of mould and moisture problems — not just the visible mould.
Mold Detection SA provides independent scientific assessments for homes, businesses, schools, medical facilities and industrial properties throughout South Africa.
✓ Hundreds of clients assisted
✓ Referred by medical professionals
Professional Mold & Indoor Air Quality Services
We provide scientific inspection, testing and reporting services for residential, commercial and industrial properties throughout South Africa.
Operating throughout South Africa
Johannesburg • Pretoria • Cape Town • Durban • Western Cape • Gauteng • KwaZulu-Natal
Do You Suspect a Mold or Damp Problem?
Mould problems are not always obvious. Visible growth may be limited, while hidden moisture, dampness and airborne contamination continue to affect the building.
Common Building Warning Signs
✓ Persistent musty or earthy odours
✓ Damp walls, ceilings or floors
✓ Mould returning after cleaning
✓ Condensation on windows and walls
✓ Roof leaks or plumbing leaks
✓ Rising damp and waterproofing failures
✓ High indoor humidity
✓ Water damage or previous flooding
✓ Hidden mould behind cupboards, skirtings or flooring
Health and Indoor Air Concerns
Some occupants report that symptoms become worse inside a particular building and improve when they leave. A professional environmental assessment can help determine whether mould, dampness or poor indoor air quality may be contributing to the problem.
✓ Sneezing, blocked nose or sinus symptoms
✓ Wheezing or worsening asthma
✓ Irritated, watery or burning eyes
✓ Headaches or unusual fatigue indoors
✓ Skin irritation or rashes
✓ Symptoms following water damage
✓ Ongoing illness after incomplete mould cleaning
Mold Detection SA regularly assists clients referred by medical practitioners where a professional assessment of the indoor environment is required.
Professional Mold Assessments
Mold Detection SA provides comprehensive scientific mold investigations for residential, commercial and industrial buildings. Every assessment is designed to identify visible and hidden mold growth, determine the underlying moisture source, evaluate indoor environmental conditions and establish whether airborne mold-spore overabundance exists within the building.
Depending on the building, the client's concerns and the inspection findings, our professional assessments may include:
✓ Comprehensive visual, moisture and mold odour inspection
✓ Damp and moisture-source investigation
✓ Moisture mapping
✓ Humidity, condensation and ventilation assessment
✓ Professional airborne mold sampling using a dedicated mold air-sampling machine
✓ Laboratory analysis of airborne mold samples
✓ Mold genus identification and concentration analysis
✓ ERMI Mold Test & HERTSMI-2
✓ Actinomycetes & Other Bacterial Analysis
✓ Indoor and outdoor airborne mold comparison
✓ Surface tape, swab or contact sampling where required
✓ Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) assessment where appropriate
Air sampling is far more than determining whether mold spores are present. Laboratory analysis identifies the mold genera (genus) detected, measures their airborne concentrations and compares the indoor results with the outdoor environment. This enables Mold Detection SA to determine whether individual mold genera or the overall indoor airborne mold ecology demonstrate microbial overabundance and whether further investigation or remediation is required.
Important
Before appointing a mold inspector, ask one simple question:
"Will you be using a professional mold air-sampling machine?"
If the answer is No, they cannot scientifically measure airborne mold-spore concentrations, compare indoor and outdoor airborne mold levels or demonstrate indoor mold-spore overabundance. Passive settle plates are not air-sampling machines. They simply collect spores that settle by gravity onto a culture plate and do not sample a measured volume of air. Consequently, they cannot accurately quantify airborne mold concentrations or provide the same level of scientific evidence as professional airborne mold sampling.
The objective of every Mold Detection SA assessment is to determine why mold is developing, identify the moisture source, scientifically evaluate the extent of contamination and establish whether airborne microbial overabundance exists. Our reports provide clients with a clear understanding of the building's condition together with practical recommendations for remediation, moisture control and long-term prevention, ensuring that corrective actions address the cause of the problem rather than merely treating the symptoms.
Indoor Air Quality Assessments
Indoor air quality cannot be determined from one instrument reading or one pollutant measurement. Mold Detection SA evaluates the available measurements together with the condition of the building, ventilation, moisture, occupant concerns and the findings of the mold inspection to develop the most complete practical assessment of the indoor environment possible.
Our professional indoor air quality equipment measures a combination of airborne particles, gases and environmental conditions. The readings are analysed together because particulate matter, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, TVOCs, humidity and temperature collectively tell the story of pollutant generation, accumulation and ventilation within the building.
✓ PM₁, PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀ airborne particulate measurement
✓ Carbon dioxide (CO₂) measurement and ventilation analysis
✓ Total Volatile Organic Compound (TVOC) measurement
✓ Formaldehyde (HCHO) measurement
✓ Temperature and relative-humidity assessment
✓ Condensation and moisture-risk analysis
✓ Ventilation effectiveness assessment
✓ Identification of likely indoor pollutant sources
✓ Professional interpretation of the combined IAQ readings
✓ Practical corrective and remediation recommendations
The Measurements Tell the Story of the Building
CO₂ assists in evaluating fresh-air exchange and occupant-related ventilation conditions. TVOC and formaldehyde readings assist in identifying the accumulation of measurable airborne chemical pollutants. Particulate readings identify the burden of inhalable airborne particles, while humidity, temperature and condensation conditions help explain moisture instability and the potential for microbial growth. These measurements must be interpreted together rather than treated as unrelated numbers.
Mold Detection SA does not simply provide instrument readings. We analyse the measurements, investigate likely pollutant sources and provide professional feedback regarding ventilation, moisture control, pollutant reduction and any corrective or remediation work required.
Important Limitations of Commercial IAQ Equipment
Commercially available field instruments provide valuable information, but they cannot identify every airborne chemical, microbial emission or ultrafine particle present in a building. A TVOC reading is an overall instrument response and is not a complete chemical fingerprint. It does not individually identify perfumes, fragrances, microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) or every chemical released by household and building products.
Perfumes, fragranced cleaning products, air fresheners, incense, scented candles and essential-oil diffusers may introduce complex mixtures of vapours, aerosols and fine or ultrafine particles into the indoor environment. These emissions may affect occupants even where a commercial field instrument cannot identify or separately quantify every individual substance.
Mold Detection SA does not perform laboratory spectrum analysis or chemical-speciation testing. Our assessments are therefore limited to the capabilities of professional commercially available IAQ equipment. These limitations are considered when we interpret the results, occupant concerns, visible conditions, ventilation, possible pollutant sources and the findings of the mold assessment.
Integrated Mold and Indoor Air Quality Assessment
Where appropriate, Indoor Air Quality testing is added to the mold inspection to provide a broader analysis of the building. Mold sampling identifies airborne mold genera and concentrations, while the IAQ measurements assist in evaluating particulate pollution, chemical pollutants, humidity, condensation and ventilation. Combining these findings provides a far more complete understanding of the indoor environment than mold sampling or an IAQ meter can provide independently.
Products & Recipes
After 8 years of continuous mold assessments and remedial work done, Mold Detection has acquired and developed the best mold cleaning and prevention products in the world.
We have products that will assist to remove that ugly mold stains against your ceiling, walls and furniture. We have products that will remove the very harmful microscopic dust on furniture, walls, floors. We have products that will assist in solving your damp and waterproofing problems. Contact us today to learn more about killing mold.
Professional Mold Remediation
Successful mold remediation involves far more than simply cleaning visible mold. Mold Detection SA develops professional remediation specifications designed to remove visible mold growth, reduce airborne mold spores, eliminate contaminated materials where necessary and, most importantly, correct the moisture conditions that allowed mold to develop.
Every remediation recommendation is based on the findings of the mold inspection and may include:
✓ Moisture source correction
✓ HEPA vacuuming and dust removal
✓ Professional mold removal and surface decontamination
✓ Removal of irreparably contaminated porous materials
✓ Airborne mold-spore reduction
✓ Cleaning of fungal fragments and settled mold debris
✓ Moisture control and drying recommendations
✓ Post-remediation verification where required
Mold is a living organism that naturally exists in the environment. If excessive moisture remains, mold growth will usually return regardless of the product used. Successful remediation therefore requires identifying and correcting the underlying moisture problem rather than simply treating the visible mold.
Important
The objective of mold remediation is not to "kill" mold. The objective is to remove mold contamination, reduce airborne mold spores and fungal debris, eliminate the moisture source and restore the indoor environment to a normal, healthy condition. Simply spraying chemicals onto visible mold without correcting the moisture problem rarely provides a long-term solution.
Mold & Health
Hundreds of thousands of people get infected by it every year and most of the times doctors misdiagnosed this illness due to mold having the same symptoms as flu, sinusitis, asthma, pneumonia, etc. The worst part is that highly sensitized people die from mold. Read more