When A Home Mold Inspection Is Useful And What To Expect With Mold Testing
Posted on: 15 May 2019
If your home has a musty odor or if you've recently had a plumbing or roof leak, then there might be mold growing somewhere. You might be able to narrow down the location by determining where the musty odor is the strongest, but the best way to tell if you have mold is to have a mold inspection done. Here's when an inspection is useful and what it entails.
When To Consider Having A Mold Inspection
If you can see mold growing behind a washing machine or in your attic, then an inspection may not be necessary until after the cleanup is finished to make sure the mold is gone. However, if you can't see mold, but you smell a musty odor in a room, then you may want an inspection to find the source of the odor and mold. Mold can hide and be a huge problem without you being aware of it. In some cases, it can trigger allergy symptoms. If your allergies seem to get worse when you're at home, you may want your home tested for mold. Another time to consider a mold inspection is when you're buying a house, especially if you know the area around the house is flood prone.
What A Mold Inspection Entails
Tracking down hidden mold isn't always easy, but one thing that gives it away is moisture. An inspector can use a thermal camera or moisture meter to find areas of your home that have dampness or high humidity. These are areas where mold is likely to be growing under the carpet or behind the drywall. It may be necessary to look behind drywall or lift up a bit of carpeting for a visual inspection if it can be done without disturbing the mold; however, the inspector can also take samples for analysis in a lab. A combination of a visual inspection and lab analysis can confirm if you have mold and how bad it is. The inspector can take air samples to check for airborne spores. They will probably take an outdoor sample as a baseline and then sample different areas of your home to compare readings that help pinpoint the location of the mold problem. Surface samples are also taken that pick up mold spores that have floated through the air and fallen on shelves, walls, or flooring.
One thing to know is that the tests will probably pick up mold even if you don't have a mold problem. That's because mold is present everywhere all the time, even though most of the time it isn't a problem. This is one reason that DIY test kits for mold can give unreliable results. Hiring a professional inspector is best so the results are accurate and you know if you need to take steps to have the mold removed. For more information, reach out to companies like Common Sense Inspections.
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