A long time ago, alchemists thought it was possible to turn lead into gold. They also believed in the existence of a philosopher stone and an elixir of youth. It’s not hard to see when looking at these ambitious goals that alchemy differed from modern science more than a little bit. However, in many ways
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We spend quite a bit of time at Amity explaining to people how we can help remove mould from their homes and what they can do to try and prevent mildew and mould growth in the future. Today, we thought we’d take a moment to suggest ways to stop mould from growing in the first
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Perhaps you never realized that there was mould or asbestos in your home. You may have waved an inspection because of external pressures and perhaps the problems with mildew are new ones that you have yet to notice. Regardless, it’s time to sell your home, and you decided to get your own inspection before listing
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Mould is a fungus. It belongs to the same kingdom of living things that yeast and mushrooms (arguably the best recognized fungi) inhabit. Though the study of fungi or mycology is often considered a branch of botany (the study of plants), moulds and fungi are more closely related to animals than plants. Humans use a
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Asbestos is a super neat, naturally occurring silicate compound. It absorbs sound, it’s stretchy, and it’s resistant to both fire and damage from electricity and chemicals. It’s also quite affordable. Humans began mining asbestos over 4000 years ago, and in the 19th century, it became very popular as a construction material. However, as we became
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Do you think you don’t have to worry about asbestos because your building is brand new? According to the Globe and Mail asbestos pipes are still being installed in new condos, apartments, and even hospitals across Canada. “It is unclear how many asbestos-cement pipes are being installed in Toronto and other cities, and there appear
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Mould can grow in many places in your home as long as there’s food, warmth, oxygen, and most importantly, moisture. Mould spores are everywhere in your home and it’s impossible to get rid of all of them. One thing you can do is eliminate the sources of moisture that make it possible for mould to
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When a lot of people think about mould in homes, they picture mould visibly growing on walls or mildewed grout or sealant around sinks and bathtubs. Even if there isn’t any visible mould in a house, it could be hidden away in several different locations. Here are a few of the places where mould commonly
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We’re all aware of the health risks presented by mould in our homes. Exposure to high levels of mould spores and the toxins produced by moulds can cause symptoms like a dry cough, nose and throat irritation, itchy watery eyes, respiratory problems, and skin rashes. Some people are more sensitive to mould than others and
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In the 11th century, monks at the Enkleistra St. Neophytos monastery in Cyprus added white asbestos to the plaster behind their religious paintings, presumably to enhance the colour of the red paint they used, and this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to asbestos history. People have recognized the remarkable properties
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