Call or email to schedule your Inspection.

317-605-3432
Email: mc2inspections@yahoo.com 

Mold Inspection and Testing:

CREDENTIALS AND CERTIFICATIONS: 

MC² Home Inspections is an Indiana business located in Hendricks County. MC² Home Inspections personnel have experience in the indoor air quality field and mold inspection. Personnel are internationally certified through the International Indoor Air Quality Commission as Indoor Air Quality Certified Professionals (IAQCP) and Mold Inspection Certified Professionals (MICP).   MC² Home Inspections utilizes the latest in mold inspection equipment and techniques, and adheres to recognized formal protocols for mold inspection. The mold inspection process that MC² Home Inspections follows is briefly described below.

VISUAL INSPECTION PROCESS:

The first step in properly evaluating any indoor environmental problem is the visual inspection. Throughout this phase an inspector is looking for evidence and causes of indoor environmental problems such as previous moisture intrusion, evidence of mold growth and areas with a potential for future mold infestation. An assessment typically covers the interior spaces, including basement, attic and crawl space, as well as the building exterior.

Surface sampling is used to identify a surface contaminant at a specific location. This technique is useful also in ruling out possible discolorations or staining that sometimes exhibit mold like characteristics. Typically a swab or piece of clear tape is used to collect a small quantity of material. In turn, this is analyzed either with a fungi screen or culture analysis. An independent national laboratory performs the analysis.

Air sampling is one of the most effective methods for determining whether some type of indoor contaminant is potentially creating an unsafe living environment. Our testing procedure incorporates the Micro5 cassette. With the Micro5, air quality is tested by drawing 5 cubic liters of air per minute and impacting the airborne particles over a glass substrate. Typically the process runs for 5 minutes, producing a sample size of 25 cubic liters. Next, the cassette is sent to a laboratory, where the contaminants are identified and counted.
                                               

Of course, the volume of contaminants alone do not provide enough information to accurately determine the level of contamination. They need be compared to outside control samples. This is why we always recommend a minimum of two air samples.

           MC² Home Inspections proudly uses EMSL for all of our Laboratory needs.

                          

Frequent Causes of Mold Growth:

Millions of people suffer from seasonal allergy symptoms such as congestion, an itchy, runny nose and itchy, watery eyes. However, many also suffer from perennial allergies, which result in symptoms throughout the year. Perennial allergies are triggered by indoor allergens, including house dust mite droppings, animal dander, cockroach droppings and indoor molds.

For more information on indoor allergens and what you can do to control them, click HERE 



Wood Destroying Pest Inspection:

A proper termite and WDI inspection consists of several steps.

• An inspection of the exterior of the home, looking for signs of termite activity such as termite shelter tubes, as well as conditions conducive to termite and other WDI infestation (such as wood that is too close to the ground, dead tree stumps by the house, improper grading, leaky gutters or downspouts, or tree branches overhanging or touching the home). The inspector will also look for evidence of infestation by other wood-destroying insects such as Carpenter bees, Carpenter ants, Powder post beetles and Borers.
  
  

• An inspection of the interior of the home, with special emphasis on the basement, garage, door and window frames, and other areas that are particularly prone to WDI infestation. This part of the inspection will be both visual and physical. The inspection typically involves visually inspecting, tapping, probing, and sounding susceptible wood. The inspector will also be looking for live termites and other insects as well as other evidence of infestation (tubing, frass, signs of prior treatments, etc.), damaged wood, and conditions conducive to infestation (such as excessive moisture levels).
  
  

• A standardized inspection NPMA-33 form developed by the NPMA and adopted by various state and federal agencies, that may sometimes include additional documents attached by the inspector to clarify the inspection findings.
  
  
  Common Wood Destroying Insects:
  
  

• Lyctid powderpost beetle. The larvae of Lyctid powderpost beetles develop and feed in hardwood. They usually infest furniture, flooring, paneling and molding. The beetles lay their eggs on the surface of wood. The larvae are C-shaped grubs that feed and pupate in the wood. Adults chew out of the wood, leaving circular emergence holes about 1 mm to 2 mm in diameter. Adult beetles are brown and are 3 mm to 5 mm long. The antennae have two-segmented clubs.
  
   

• Bostrichid powderpost beetle: The larvae of Bostrichid beetles live and feed in wood. They can attack both hardwood and softwood, including bamboo, wicker and weaving material of baskets. The beetles bore into the wood to lay eggs. The larvae eat and pupate in the wood. Adult beetles are 3 mm to 6 mm long. To emerge, they bore round exit holes greater than 3 mm in diameter.
  
  
  

• Anobiid powderpost beetle: Anobiid powderpost beetles are 4 mm to 6 mm and develop in softwood or hardwood in structures. They are very common in subflooring of buildings. The beetles lay their eggs in cracks or on the surface of the wood. The larvae bore into the wood and feed on it. Adult beetles emerge from the wood by boring circular emergence holes about 2 mm to 3 mm in diameter.

               

               Powder post beetle                         Powder post beetle damage

• Old house borer: This beetle is 15 mm to 25 mm long, flattened and grayish-black. The area behind the head has two shiny black spots. The larvae spend two to 10 years feeding on sapwood of pine, fir, spruce and other softwoods. Adults emerging from infested wood bore oval emergence holes 6mm to 15mm long.

     Old house borer                                                                  Old house borer damage

• Eastern subterranean termite: Eastern subterranean termites live in colonies composed of workers, soldiers, reproductives and supplemental reproductives. During the spring, the reproductives swarm and leave the colony. The reproductives are black and have a thick waist. The antennae are straight and both pairs of wings are the same length. Subterranean termites feed on wood, but nest in the soil. They construct mud tubes from their nests to the wood in structures.

         Subterranean termite                               Termite damage

• Carpenter ants: Carpenter ants are large ants, about 13 mm to 15 mm, that nest in hollows of wood. The nest is usually associated with wood decay or termite damage in a house. Outdoors, carpenter ants nest in mulch or debris. The Florida carpenter ant is red and black, whereas the Eastern carpenter ants (found here in Indiana) are jet black. Carpenter ants do not eat wood; they hollow it out for nests.

       
                          Carpenter ant                          Carpenter ant damage

• Carpenter bees: Carpenter bees are 20 mm to 35 mm long. They closely resemble bumble bees, except the abdomen of a carpenter bee is a shiny metallic greenish-black, and the abdomen of a bumble bee is very hairy. These insects sometimes build their nests in solid wood such as weather boarding, railings, supports and trim of buildings. Their nests are in the form of tunnels three to six inches deep in the wood. The entrance hole is about 12 mm in diameter. The holes are very clean and appear as though they were made by a drill. Damage to wood is seldom extensive.

       
          Carpenter Bee                       Carpenter Bee Damage