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Environmental Inspections

An ever increasing awareness of environmental issues allows us to offer a diverse range of testing services for commercial and residential properties. The risk to inhabitants of buildings with contaminated soils, excessive radon gas, interior mold growth or water impurities can be detrimental to health and pose great liability risks.

 
Mold Inspections & Testing
A detailed review of the properties interior and exterior will be conducted to determine potential sources of moisture infiltration and the possibility of physical mold growth. Sophisticated devices such as moisture meters and humidity monitors will be utilized to ascertain areas where mold growth is possible. The mold inspection is typically the first step in developing a mold profile of a property. In many instances, physical mold is not visible, therefore indoor air quality testing is necessary to determine the scope of contamination.  A variety of mold testing procedures are utilized to discover what types of mold strains exist in a contaminated property.
 
A Physical Mold Test is taken when there is visible mold growth within the property. This test will identify the dominant mold strain growing in a particular area. Based on the strain, remediation actions can be dictated.
 
An Indoor Air Quality Test is a more extensive series of sampling. The air samples will give a more complete understanding of mold growth within a building. Air testing consists of the collection of 150 liters of air taken from various internal areas within a property and one exterior sample. The exterior sample serves as the control test which gives a profile of the mold strains existing in the natural environment that the building resides. After all samples have been processed by a certified laboratory, the interior samples are compared to the exterior sample.  If there are unique mold strains or like strains at higher spore levels in the interior samples, colonizing mold is possible within the building. Typically 6 – 8 different strains of mold will be identified per sample, and their corresponding spore counts will be known. These two data sets will provide an accurate identification where mold growth is occurring in a property and to what degree the growth is occurring.

Mold Remediation

The remediation (removal process) of mold is the last step in dealing with contaminated materials within a property. Typically, a removal and replacement of contaminated materials is what constitutes a remediation project. Special care has to be taken to ensure non-contaminated areas of a property are not cross-contaminated during the removal process.
Air filtration, spore capture and ventilation must be employed during the course of remediation. Each remediation project is highly unique, typically escalates in scope and can be costly. We approach remediation projects very carefully. The safety of the inhabitants of the property is our greatest concern. Our personnel are certified to conduct remediation and produce remediation plans. If your property requires mold remediation, we will consult with you to provide the best options for your situation. There are mold remediation companies that thrive on the fear factor to initiate unnecessary procedures which drive costs sky high. If you have already received a remediation plan and would like a 2nd opinion, please don’t hesitate to contact us. There’s good reason why several school districts, relocation companies, construction firms and countless property owners have trusted us to conduct safe, reliable and thorough remediation projects.

Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment

Structure & Site is experienced in reviewing site conditions and conducting investigations to assess potential environmental risks associated with a piece of commercial or industrial property. The Phase l is performed to determine several factors, such as the historical use of the property, known or suspected contamination sources within the site vicinity, and potential subsurface conditions in the site vicinity. The decision to conduct a Phase ll is based on information obtained from the Phase l. The Phase ll will determine if contamination is present, analyze the extent of contamination and estimate the cost of remediation. The degree of investigation can include groundwater, soils, underground storage tanks, PCB content in transformers and other electrical equipment, drinking water quality, indoor air quality, and asbestos-containing materials. Many lending institutions require a Phase I as part of the mortgage due diligence process. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, it is possible that a limited environmental assessment can be conducted which can significantly reduce costs.

Radon Gas - Radon is a natural occurring by-product of decaying uranium within the earth. All buildings have some level of radon gas. The EPA reports that Radon is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer in the country, causing 14,000 deaths annually. To calculate the amount of radon within a building, Structure & Site utilizes the EPA recommended procedure to collect and analyze radon gas level over a 48 hour period.
Click to visit the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality's map of radon concentrations in your county MI RADON MAP

Radon Remediation - If a building tests positive for high radon levels, simple and inexpensive remediation solutions are available. The most common remediation is to install a sub-slab ventilation system. This system consists of a ventilation pipe inserted into a hole that has been dug through the concrete foundation slab.

A vent fan then pulls radon gas from under the building and vents it outside before it has a chance to enter the interior of the building. Costs range from $800 for a home to more than $3,000 for a large commercial building. The sub-slab vent system is very effective in reducing radon gas and is unobtrusive within the building. Additional info can be found at this EPA site.

Water Purity - Homes or buildings with water supplied by a well can be subject to many impurities. Structure & Site provides water purity tests that detect levels of coliform bacteria, nitrates, nitrites, metals, radon, E-Coli, lead and arsenic. Buildings built before 1980 may contain a high lead content within the plumbing pipe solder which can be picked up by water movement through the pipes. Additional info can be found at this EPA site. Water testing can be a costly endeavor, as many potential contaminants exist in water supplies. Different geographic areas present unique chemical ground water circumstances and we recommend that you consult us prior to testing.

Lead Based Paint - Structures built before 1975 are subject to lead based paint content. Consumption of lead paint by way of lead paint dust poses a health threat. Testing consists of taking air quality samples, physical samples of paint or a swab tests from areas within the building, which will be analyzed to identify lead based paint content. Additional info can be found at this EPA site.

  Helpful Links

Mold Info Site
Informative site

www.michigan.gov/deq
State enviro site

www.lungusa.org
Air quality site

Recycling Facts
Some good news

Indoor Air Quality
Solid info

Green Buildings
The new thing

Radon Mitigation
Get rid of radon gas

Septic Systems
How it works

Global Warming
Facts & Figures

 
 
  Phone 248.645.5522
24 Hour Cell 248.854.7327
email - 411site@gmail.com
 
 
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