Mold & water damage assessment
Finding out how far the water went, whether there's a mold problem, and — after the work is done — whether it was actually fixed. Independent of whoever performs the remediation.
Assessment
Water damage is mostly an invisible problem. What's visible on the surface is rarely the extent of it, and the decision that matters — how much material has to come out — depends on where the moisture actually travelled.
- Moisture mapping with meters and thermal imaging to find the real boundary
- Air sampling for airborne spore concentrations, with an outdoor comparison
- Surface and bulk sampling where species identification matters
- Assessment of the conditions that caused it, because remediation without fixing the source is temporary
- A written scope the remediation contractor can work from
Post-remediation verification
After the work, verification confirms the affected materials were removed, the area is visibly clean and dry, and airborne concentrations have returned to normal relative to outdoor conditions. It's what tells an owner, an occupant, or an adjuster that the problem is closed rather than covered.
Most protocols and most carriers expect that verification to come from someone other than the company that performed the remediation. Cadence does no remediation, so that separation is automatic.
Anyone can call themselves a mold inspector
Washington does not license mold assessors. There is no state credential to check, which means the field ranges from serious industrial hygiene practice to a man with a moisture meter and a website.
What I bring to it is the same sampling discipline the asbestos work demands — defined sampling strategy, chain of custody, accredited laboratory analysis, and a report that states what was measured and what it means rather than an opinion. Ask anyone you're considering what their sampling strategy is and which laboratory runs their analysis. The answers are informative.
Independent of the restoration contractor
If the same company assesses the damage, performs the remediation, and then verifies its own work, the verification means very little. Keeping those separate is the entire point of a third-party assessment.
Who this is for
Property owners and managers, restoration contractors who need independent verification, and owners working through an insurance claim.
On urgency
Water damage gets worse on a schedule of days, not weeks. If something is actively wet, call rather than emailing — assessment before the drying equipment comes out captures information that's gone afterwards.
Water where it shouldn't be?
Tell me what happened, when, and roughly how much of the building is affected.