Ancillary services are provided as an extra service to a Commercial Inspection.
Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) reports should be conducted any time you purchase a commercial or industrial property. The Phase 1 ESA survey is also recommended when purchasing undeveloped, vacant land. If you are buying a property in or adjacent to a commercial area or next to a service station, dry cleaners or other environmentally sensitive business, you should also have a Phase I report performed on the property prior to taking title.
Why Do I Need a MOLD Inspection?
A mold inspection is the first step in the process of determining if the mold spores in the property are elevated and if so, what type of spores they are. During a mold inspection we take a minimum of 2 Air Samples to (1 Inside/ 1 Outside) to determine if elevated conditions exist or not.
When making a commitment like buying property, you want to make sure you are not purchasing into someone else’s problems. Unfortunately, it is fairly easy to cover up serious mold issues for a short period of time with cleaning or painting the affected areas.
There are many reasons to test for mold:
- Seeing mold with the naked eye or smelling it upon entering the property
- There was recent water damage in the property
- The property is older
- If the new occupants have a respiratory illness or are elderly/infants
Why Do I Need a Radon Test?
Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas. It comes from Radium, Uranium and some granites in the earth. It comes up through the soil, can collect in homes and is the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determine the levels that are safe or when to consider mitigation.
You have to conduct a Radon test to determine the radon level in the property. “Radon level” is not whether or not the house has Radon. Radon comes up through the soil. In most areas there is always a level of Radon in the air, even outdoors. What we want to know is what that level is inside the living space. Because of subsurface soil conditions and home construction differences, the level of Radon in one home may be completely different from the house next door. Each home must be tested separately.
Our Inspectors use electronic continuous Radon monitors which take air samples each hour for a minimum of 48 hours. the results are available at the end of the testing period showing an average Radon level for each of the 48 hours of the test.
Our professionals get the most reliable results conducted with properly maintained and calibrated equipment. We ensure that the test is completed in optimal testing conditions can provide hourly results if there was unusual conditions and test interference.
What is Thermal Imaging and What Will it Detect?
An infrared scan can be a valuable tool in analyzing leak detection or heat loss that might be hidden during a standard property inspection. This is an additional tool that help you get a more complete picture of your property.
By detecting the difference in temperature between a wet area and the surrounding dry areas thermal imaging can help detect moisture issues that would not be visible during a standard property inspection. This is an additional tool that help you get a more complete picture of the property.
Edifice Inspections has trained inspectors in the use of Infrared Thermography. We encourage its use with qualified individuals and will gladly answer any questions you have concerning its use, advantages and limitations. This new technology has many advantages but should only be used by qualified personnel as an additional tool to help the inspector provide the most thorough inspection possible for their customers.
Termite Inspection
Termites are a serious threat to properties, especially in the southeast. Queens can produce thousands of termite eggs per day, and termites have a relentless appetite for the structural wood in your home. Unfortunately, termite damage is typically not covered by commerical insurance — so you’ll want to stay two steps ahead of termite invasions.
Properties are at risk from multiple types of termites:
Subterranean termites live underground and infiltrate homes through a series of tunnels. They feed on the cellulose components of your home, which are primarily wood and by-products of wood. Subterranean termites are very common in southern states and have a proclivity toward warmer climates, but they have been found in every state except Alaska.
Drywood termites do not need contact with the soil like subterranean termites. Drywood termites build colonies in structural wood; control of drywoods can be more challenging because their colonies are not confined to the soil.
Formosan termites are sometimes referred to as “super termites” because of their size, destructive habits and size of the colonies. Colonies can number over 1 million!