How we serve Bellevue's indoor environmental needs

Common mold problems in Bellevue area homes

Bellevue homes run the gamut from modest mid-century ramblers to sprawling, high-end new constructions.  Each era and type of homes tends to suffer from a predictable set of issues.  Below are general patterns we’ve found with homes in the Bellevue area.

East Bellevue ramblers with low angle roofs

The construction quality of theses older homes tends to be high.  Their primary issue relates to the construction of the roof.  Many of these ramblers are built with low angle membrane style roofs.  The low angle design creates stagnant air, which in turn can lead to condensation and mold growth.  While this is a common issue, it shouldn’t be considered a deal breaker for the a potential home buyer.  The best solution is to wait until you’re ready to replace the roof.  During the reroof process, convert the attic to a conditioned space.  This involves removing/closing any ventilation and installing rigid foam insulation on top of the roof sheathing.  The upfront cost is substantial, but it’s the only method to reliably control condensation in low angle roof assemblies.  It’s also a much more efficient design, so you’ll recoup a portion of the investment with reduced heating/cooling loads.

Modern homes >3,500 square feet

Large homes rarely suffer from humidity and mold issues.  This is due to the ratio of occupants to the overall square footage of the home.  Unless extremely unusual circumstances are present, larger homes have a far lower ratio than a smaller home.   This lower density allows the indoor air and building materials to easily absorb the humidity without suffering from condensation and mold growth.

Photos from recent mold inspection and remediation projects in Bellevue

Remediation Plan

1. Contain attic entrances to prevent cross contamination and damage to adjacent areas of the home.
2.  Apply Environix Attic Guard to accessible sheathing and affected framing. Total square footage of application area:  Qty = 2474 Sqft
3.  Air sealing major penetrations in ceiling in accessible portions of attic.  Qty = 2474 Sqft
4. Air seal chase. weather stripping for the attic hatch   Qty = 1 Total
5. Air sealing existing can lights (units w/ AT rating only).  Can lights leak large quantities of air (and moisture) into the attic space, contributing to mold growth.   Qty = 37 Total
6.  Contain crawlspace access point to prevent cross contamination.  Qty = 1 Qty
7.  Replace internally baffled ridge vent with externally baffled model.  Cutback of sheathing is necessary.  Qty = 63 Ft

Mold Inspection & Testing Services in Bellevue

Finding a reliable Bellevue mold testing company goes beyond getting test results. Mold inspection and testing should come with explanations and solutions. Getting your house tested for mold is a great decision, but you also need to make sure it will serve its full purpose.

To get the most out of mold testing, you also have to make sure you identify the source of the problem. A lab test alone won’t give you the answers you need, but a combination of thorough on-site home mold inspections and lab tests can help solve the problem once and for all.

Excess moisture is usually at the root of a mold problem. High moisture in poorly ventilated areas creates the perfect environment for mold to thrive; therefore, fixing the humidity problem is just as important as removing the harmful contaminants.

Our team of professional inspectors uses a unique approach that identifies the source of the problem. Then, we provide a set of solutions to guarantee the problem won’t be back.

Mold Removal & Remediation

At Environix, our team doesn’t only focus on delivering a great experience to all of our customers; we follow a meticulous mold abatement protocol that employs high-efficiency techniques, resulting in lower costs for you.

Mold occurs naturally, and its spores can be found virtually everywhere. Unless referring to sterilized environments inside of laboratories and hospitals, removing all the mold from an area is impossible.

That said, a high volume of mold spores can have a significant impact on your air quality, and removing the contamination source can help restore your indoor environment.

Our mold removal service consists of a four-part approach that allows us to effectively eliminate the affected materials. The first step is to contain the area that’s infested by mold. This is important because it limits the scope of our work and drastically reduces the number of spores settling in your house.

After containment is completed, we focus on removing the damaged materials and cleaning the space. Both of these steps are critical, and surprisingly enough, the cleaning can take even longer than the removal process.

Lastly, we use a series of tests to verify the results, ensuring that the remediation project was completed successfully. The exact testing method will be different depending on variables such as the area affected and the remediation techniques put in place.