Independent Root Cause Investigation
TONER Home Performance investigates the root cause of mold, moisture, water intrusion, and indoor air quality problems in homes across Texas and the southern United States. We're an independent building science firm - we don't sell our recommendations, so our findings answer to your home, not to a repair invoice.
After our forensic review, you receive a written, independent diagnosis explaining exactly why the mold or moisture is occurring, plus a prescriptive, construction-level plan to resolve it. Based in Houston, serving Texas and the entire South.
When to Call a Building Science Firm Instead of a Single Mold Assessment Consultant (MAC)
A licensed MAC performs a visual inspection and air testing, produces a report on whether mold is present, and typically charges a few hundred dollars. That's useful when you simply need to confirm and document spores - but it isn't what we do.
TONER Home Performance (also a MAC) is the next step up. We diagnose why moisture and biological growth are happening, as a building science problem, then write a comprehensive forensic review letter that explains the causation and prescribes the resolution.
Hire a MAC when you need to know whether. Hire us when you need to know why - and you want it to stop for good.
Choose a mold test if: you need a quick yes/no, a real-estate or insurance checkbox, or an air-sample number.
Choose forensics & mold assessment if: the mold keeps returning, you want an elevated second opinion, the cause is unknown, occupants are getting sick, or the problem may end up in a dispute.
How We Investigate Forensic and Mold Cases
Our process is systematic, and it treats the house as one connected system rather than a series of isolated spots.
Background & History
We gather the home's full record - construction history, prior repairs, micro-climate data, and occupancy dynamics.
Occupant Interview
We talk with the people who live there, and any other involved parties, about symptoms, timing, and how the home is actually used.
Full On-Site Review
We examine the entire exterior, interior, attic, mechanical systems, and surrounding site - using tools like sonar, moisture metering, and laboratory-grade lighting to see what the eye misses.
Pattern Matching
We compare what we find against our catalogue of over 6,000 homes we've already corrected, so we recognize failure patterns efficiently.
Building Forensic Review Letter
We write a clear letter explaining the root cause and the resolution in construction-level detail - then peer-review it internally and have it professionally proofread.
Zoom Presentation
We walk you through the findings live, because these problems are genuinely hard to grasp from a document alone. We never just email a report cold.
Resolution Handoff
We refer you to the best trades and contractors, or help coordinate the work directly - but we never perform or sell it.
What You'll Receive
A comprehensive Building Forensic Review Letter that documents the symptoms we observed, the building-science causation behind them, and a prescriptive, step-by-step resolution organized by system - for example, attic first, then HVAC, then envelope.
Every letter is internally peer-reviewed, professionally proofread, and delivered live over Zoom so we can walk you through it. From there, we connect you with the right trades or coordinate the work ourselves so it gets done right.
Common Causes of Mold & Moisture
Mold is a symptom. In our hot, humid Southern climate, the source is almost always one of these moisture dynamics - and our job is to identify which one is driving your problem:
Vapor drive: moisture in vapor form pushing from the hot, wet exterior toward the cool, dry interior.
HVAC imbalance: pressure differentials that fail to control indoor humidity.
Condensation planes: points where hot and cold meet across an airspace.
Bulk water intrusion: roof, window, flashing, and drainage-plane failures.
Occupant factors: thermostat set points, filter neglect, or everyday lifestyle moisture loads.
Air infiltration: humid outside air leaking into wall cavities. Interestingly, air infiltration is very rarely the cause of issues.
Mold and Your Health
Many of our forensic engagements begin with a referral from a physician, because a home's moisture and air quality can directly affect the people inside it - especially anyone with allergies, asthma, or autoimmune sensitivity. Because we don't sell remediation, our assessment isn't shaped by a repair we'd profit from. We document what's actually happening, so you, your doctor, and your contractor are all working from the same truth.
Why Our Reports Don't Say "Mold"
You'll notice we talk about "mold" openly here - but our actual forensic reports use precise terms like "particulate," "biological growth," or "microbial presence." That's intentional. Without laboratory swabbing, the responsible, legally careful way to describe a substance is by what we can verify. We use plain language with you, and precise language on the page.
Our Positive Approach
We approach every forensic case with optimism. When a house misbehaves, we don't see a problem - we see an opportunity to make the house better. Whether it's moisture, occupant usage, condensation, strange smells, odd bugs, mold, or something nobody has been able to explain, we're confident we can find the root cause, explain it clearly, and give you the steps to resolve it.
Does your project sound like a good fit?
Initial case reviews and technical consultations are completely free. Our team reviews your details and responds within one business day.