New construction is not exempt, it just fails differently
Most people assume a mold inspection is something you do to an old house. The housing around Runway in Playa Vista is some of the newest in the region, and owners are regularly surprised to be told it needs looking at at all.
A modern building does not get damp the way a beach cottage from the thirties does. It gets damp because it was built to be airtight, and airtight cuts both ways. A tight envelope keeps weather out very effectively. It is equally effective at keeping moisture in, and a modern home generates a great deal of moisture: showers, cooking, laundry, and the people themselves.
The three things we find in new buildings here
Ventilation that has been turned off. Tight construction relies on mechanical ventilation to move air that no longer moves on its own. Continuous bathroom fans get switched off because they are audible. Fresh air systems get set to their lowest setting because they feel draughty in winter. The building was designed around equipment running, and once it is not, humidity climbs and stays climbed.
Construction moisture that never left. Concrete, screed and framing all carry water when a building goes up, and the assembly is closed over the top of it. On a fast schedule that water is sealed inside. It leaves eventually through the interior, and in the meantime it does whatever it likes inside the wall.
Condensation on cold surfaces. Modern insulation makes some parts of a wall much colder than others. Warm humid indoor air meeting a cold spot behind the plasterboard condenses there. Nothing has leaked and nothing is broken, yet a wall cavity is wet.
The ground underneath is worth knowing about
This whole area was low, wet ground long before it was built on. That history is dealt with by engineering: drainage, membranes, vapor barriers and slab detailing all designed for the conditions. It works, and it needs to keep working.
Which means the things worth checking are the ones that fail quietly. Below-grade parking, elevator pits, mechanical rooms and the base of ground-floor walls are where a drainage or membrane problem announces itself first, usually as elevated readings long before anything is visible.
What the inspection covers
Moisture readings across wall planes with attention to the cold spots insulation creates. Thermal imaging, which is more revealing in new construction than old because it shows the insulation pattern and any gap in it. Relative humidity readings room by room, since in a tight building the humidity itself is often the finding. A look at ventilation equipment to see what is fitted and whether it is running.
Where readings justify it, air sampling against a same-day outdoor control, and surface sampling to identify what is growing. Accredited independent laboratory, results in a report written to be read by somebody who is not an inspector.
Inspection and testing only
Golden State Mold Inspections does not remediate. In a newer building the finding often has a bearing on a builder warranty or an association claim, and a report from a firm that also wants the repair work will be disputed on that ground alone. Ours is independent of the outcome, and where the answer is that the building is performing correctly and the humidity needs managing differently, that is what the report will say.
Questions from Playa Vista owners
The building is eight years old. Is an inspection really worth it?
If humidity feels high, if windows run with condensation, or if there is a smell in a closet or a corner, yes. Those are the early signs in tight construction and they show up long before a stain does.
Our HOA maintains the exterior. Is this their responsibility?
It depends where the source is, which is what an inspection determines. Envelope and common systems usually sit with the association, conditions inside the unit usually sit with the owner. Establishing which one it is generally comes first.
Could this be covered by a construction warranty?
Possibly, and independent documentation is what makes that conversation possible. Warranty periods vary and some are short, so it is worth checking your dates before deciding how quickly to move.
Can high humidity alone cause mold without a leak?
Yes. Sustained high humidity is enough on its own where air is not moving, which is precisely why ventilation matters so much in newer buildings. A good number of the cases we see here have no leak anywhere in them.
Newer construction rarely raises the questions older stock does, though renovation of any adjoining older building still can. Independent asbestos testing covers that. A full list of the coastal areas we cover is available too.
Getting to us from Runway
From Runway on Campus Center Drive, head south on Lincoln Boulevard and stay on it as it runs south. Turn right onto Imperial Highway, left onto Main Street, right onto Grand Avenue and left onto Lomita Street. Our office is at 204 Lomita Street, El Segundo, CA 90245. Call (310) 525-0619.