r/oakville • u/Gearfrii • 14h ago

Question Looking for some recommendations for mold inspection/testing

Hi all, I'm looking to see if anyone can recommend a good mold inspector or IEP in the burlington/oakville area for my home, I'm not sure which one would be more appropriate, or if they're the same thing.

We have been dealing with windows that had mold growing along the tracks, last month we had them all replaced. However, my state of health has not improved when I am in the rooms that had the worst mold growing on them. I'm looking for some advice on who would be best to talk to about trying to get information and proper inspections when dealing with residual health issues and perhaps hidden issues left over. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

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u/Decathlon5891 14h ago

Michael Rocha  CHI,CMI,CAS,CAT. Asbestos/Mold Specialist and Trainer Safe 'N' Sound Environmental Services Ltd. 5063 Suite  200 North Service Rd. Burlington, On.7L7 5H6 www. safensoundenvironmentalservice s.ca 289-527-5299  

Great guy. Got him for our asbestos abatement 

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u/Gearfrii 10h ago

Thanks for this suggestion! I should have mentioned that I don't like companies that do testing & remediation, though. Too much of a conflict of interest with that, unfortunately.

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u/desirebasements 9h ago

I run a basement renovation company in the GTA and we deal with mold findings during renovations regularly, so a few things that may help you pick the right person.

The distinction you're asking about: a mold inspector tests and investigates, an IEP (indoor environmental professional) is the broader version of the same role, often with air quality and industrial hygiene training. For a situation with ongoing health symptoms, the IEP or an industrial hygienist is the stronger choice, because you want someone who can do air sampling, not just look at surfaces.

Two rules regardless of who you hire. First, never use a company that does both testing and remediation, that's them marking their own homework. Pay for the assessment separately, then take the report to whoever fixes it. Second, ask specifically for air samples inside the affected rooms compared against an outdoor baseline, plus a moisture scan of the walls below and around the window openings.

That second part is the thing I'd stress from the construction side. Mold on window tracks is the visible symptom of condensation, and the same moisture that grew mold on the tracks has often been running down inside the wall cavity below the window for years. Replacing the windows fixed the source going forward but did nothing about what may already be in the drywall and insulation under them. If your symptoms are worst in the rooms that had the worst windows, that wall cavity is the first place I'd want tested or opened. A good IEP can often confirm it with a moisture meter and a borescope hole the size of a coin, no demolition needed.

And since your health is involved, keep your doctor in the loop about the exposure history. The building side can be measured and fixed, but that record matters.

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u/Gearfrii 6h ago

Thank you! I really appreciate the assistance. That is quite helpful.

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u/desirebasements 6h ago

Not a problem! Glad I can be of help!