Should I test for Mold During My Home Inspection?

 Why is There Mold in My Home?

 Mold is a natural occuring event in the outdoor environment, an act of nature. It is actually an important part of nature, as it breaks down dead organic matter, such as weeds, leaves and even fallen or dead trees. This is where mold was meant to be, not inside your home. Inside your home, mold should be avoided. Mold spores are everywhere, so getting rid of them is nearly impossible. Mold spores are floating in the air in your home at all times, waiting for the right conditions to grow.

 The mold spores floating through the air will begin to grow when they land on wet surfaces throughout your home. These wet surfaces can be windows with broken seals causing condensation to build up. Or maybe the humidity levels inside are just too high, causing condensation on walls or ceilings. Maybe the exhaust fans in the kitchen or bath areas aren't functioning properly. Maybe there is a small leak in the roof. The point is mold needs moisture to grow. If you eliminate the moisture entering the  home, that is a huge step in stopping mold growth inside your home.

Can Mold in My Home Cause Health Problems for My Family?

 As noted above, mold indoors is not a problem, until the mold spores land on a wet surface. Once they land on a wet surface, the spores will begin to grow, and this is when  you can run into problems. Molds have some potential to cause some health problems.They do this by producing allergens, irritants, and in some cases, mycotoxins. Mold exposure can cause symptoms such as runny nose, irritated or red eyes, itchy irritated skin, and so on. If you experience these symptoms consult your physician, and seek their advice.

Do I Need to Have a Mold Inspection?

 In short, the answer is yes. A true mold inspection will involve taking several air samples and possibly some surface samples from suspect areas in the home. This can be costly to the homeowner, as you will have to pay for each sample taken. During a mold inspection, at least three air samples need to be taken. Two samples need to be taken from the oustide of the home as control samples, and at least one sample needs to be taken inside the home.

 I personally do not  believe every mold inspection needs to have sampling done. If I can perform an inspection and rule out water intrusion into the home, and moisture build up inside the home, that is the first step in ruling out mold growth. If after this initial inspection, I feel there is further investigation needed, I will go over this with you, and we can make a plan to do air samples, or clean up any visible, mold like growth in the home at that time. This can save you hundreds of dollars in air and surface sampling fees alone.

 When you hire a home inspector, make sure they have some type of training in mold inspection also. Yes, there fee may be a bit higher, but this is your home you are talking about, and the safety of your family. A good home inspector will not push for mold sampling, they will simply advise you on steps you can take to eliminate moisture, the key ingredient for mold growth. Remember, sampling costs money, and can add up quickly, if you feel you have a mold problem, have the home inspected, and repair anything found by your home inspector to prevfent mold growth.
If you feel that you do need to have sampling done to verify mold growth in your home, have the sampling done by an independent company. Do not have the sampling done by the same company that will perform the remediation. The mold inspector should only be interested in the existence of mold growth in the home. Once this has been verifeid, contact a remediation company to remove the mold from your home.

How Do I Get Mold Out of My Home?

 The basic answer is that you don't. Mold spores are everywhere, and it is virtually impossible to remove them all from our homes. The best step you can take in preventing mold growth however is to prevent moisture in your home.Small patches of mold can be cleaned by the homeowner. A small patch is usually considered 10 square feet or less. If the area is larger than that, hire a professional for the mold clean up.

 If it is a small area, you can clean it yourself. To do this you need to be prepared. The first thing you will need is the proper protection from the mold. Rubber gloves, goggles for eye protection, and a breathing mask with the suitable filters are recommended. Seal the infected area off from the rest of the home by covering heat registers and return ducts. If there is a window nearby, open this for ventilation. Clear the area of personal items and furniture. If personal items such as clothing, small rugs, etc. have been infected,bag them in a tieable trash bag and dispose of them.Now it is time to wash the infected area. First, wash the area with a mild detergent and warm water. Let the area dry. Now wash the area with a bleach and water solution. The solution should be ¼ cup bleach to one quart of water. Wait 20 minutes and repeat this process, and wait another 20 minutes. Now apply a borate based detergent solution to the area. This can be found in the supermarket. On the bottle of detergent it will have borate listed as an ingredient. This step will aid in preventing the mold from growing again. DO NOT DRY. Clean and vacuum all floors in the infected area. Clean all linens that were in the room.
Remeber, after clean up you need to monitor the area for new growth.

To view my mold inspection credentials please check out IAC2, the International Association of Certified Indoor Air Consultants.