What Is A Professional Mold Inspection
A mold inspection occurs when a licensed professional examines and assesses the inside and outside of a home for mold issues. The mold inspector is looking for evidence of mold, including obviously visible mold and other cues like rust-stained walls orwarped baseboards.
During the inspection, the inspector will survey the extent of any mold damage and attempt to locate the source of the problem. When mold is located, the inspector takes a sample of the mold for furtherlaboratory testing to identify its type.
Following the inspection, the inspector will typically prepare a written report for the customer detailing their findings and the results from laboratory testing.
Itâs important to note that a mold inspection does not usually include the cleaning and removal of mold. This is generally done by a separate mold remediation company.
Common Causes Of Mold
Mold can only thrive in the right conditions, the most important of which are moisture and a food source such as drywall or any organic material. This is why signs of mold tend to appear in places that are damp, often wet, or where water accumulation has occurred.
Food sources include but are not limited to drywall, baseboards, window trims, and wood studs. Common areas where mold is typically found are areas that were exposed to water from water intrusion, floods and plumbing leaks.
How Do I Address The Problem
Mold Clean-Up And Removal:
To clean up and remove indoor mold growth in small quantities, follow these steps as they apply to your home.
- Identify and Fix the Moisture Problem
- Begin Drying All Wet Materials
- Remove and Dispose of Mold Contaminated Materials
- Disinfect Surfaces optional
- Remain on Mold Alert
- Identify and Fix the Moisture Problem the most important step in solving a mold problem is to identify and correct the moisture sources that allowed the growth in the first place.
Common Indoor Moisture Sources Include:
- Flooding, inadequate maintenance and failure of building materials and systems
- Water movement through basement walls and slabs
Drying The Indoor Environment:
To keep indoor surfaces as dry as possible, try to maintain the homes relative humidity between 20-40 percent in the winter and below 60 percent the rest of the year. You can purchase devices to measure relative humidity at some home supply stores. Ventilation, air circulation near cold surfaces, dehumidification and efforts to minimize the production of moisture in the home are all very important in controlling high humidity that frequently causes mold growth in our cold climate.
Begin Drying Of Wet Materials:
Remove And Dispose Of Mold-Contaminated Materials:
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What Does Mold Smell Like
Mold has a damp, musty scentsimilar to what you’d smell after opening an old book. “In general, smell is not a good way to determine if there is a mold problem,” said Laureen Burton, a staff chemist and toxicologist for the Environmental Protection Agency . The smell of indoor molds can differ depending on the type of mold, the surface on which it’s growing, and its source of moisture. Plus, she said, some people don’t notice a smell at all.
The mold smell is caused by microbial volatile organic compounds , which are substances that are naturally produced by molds as they grow. “The health effects of inhaling mVOCs are largely unknown,” said Burton, “although exposure to some mVOCs has been linked to symptoms such as headaches, nasal irritation, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea.”
Dont Want To Use Chemicals Heres How To Test For Mold In Your Home Naturally
If youre concerned about the effects of harmful chemicals when testing for mold in the house, worry not. Testing for mold doesnt use any chemicals, and kits are non-toxic.
In fact, the main thing you should be worried about when testing for mold is the mold itself. If you are collecting direct samples of mold using the swab technique, wear gloves and a mask to reduce your exposure to the mold.
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Damage From Fire Extinguishment
During a fire, extinguishment can mean water damage from either automatic fire sprinkler systems or direct water from a firefighters hose action. The possibility also exists that the fire suppression system in the building could fail or malfunction causing unnecessary release of water. In these situations, responsiveness is crucial to the recovery of fixtures, furniture, and business assets. Our team of professionals is trained to deliver this kind of responsive action.
How To Test For Mold At Home
Wondering if your house has mold in it? Heres everything you need to know about testing your house for mold.
Ever catch a whiff of something musty or earthy while youre in the basement doing laundry? Wonder why your child is coughing and sneezing for no apparent reason? Questioning why the rash on your husbands arm keeps coming back?
It might be that four-letter word every homeowner hates to hear: mold.
While they might not be a huge issue, mold allergies are more common than you think. So if youre wondering if you might have a mold problem and how to know for sure, keep reading.
But first, as the famous Chinese general Sun Tzu said, its important to know the enemy. Lets take a look at exactly what mold is and why it might be living in your house.
FYI: Some species of mold have bad reputations. Take black mold, for instance. While it is toxic to humans, there is no proof it is any more dangerous than other, similar types of mold. Scientists say that the toxic mold syndrome hyped in the media is largely overblown.1
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The Facts About Mold In Your Home
Mold is a fungus that reproduces by creating small spores that work like seeds. Every home has mold. Mold spores can be unwelcome guests floating in on the breeze through an open window or door, hitching a ride on clothing or hiding in plain sight on packaging materials like cardboard or paper. Once established, it will look like fuzzy spots or blotches that can be black, green, brown, yellow, and even orange or white.
There are nearly 1,000 types of household mold. A few common culprits are Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Penicillium. The dreaded black or toxic mold that you see in the headlines, Stachybotrys chartarum, also know as Stachybotrys atra, isnt a common mold, but its not rare either. It will look dark green or black.
You cant keep mold out, but you can make it less welcome. Household mold needs hospitable conditions in which to thrive. One key ingredient in establishing and maintaining a mold colony is moisture. If you dont have a consistent source of moisture, mold wont be able to survive.
In the next section, well take a look at ways to check for mold.
- Inside ductwork
- Above ceiling tiles
The nose knows, and if you cant find any mold but the smell persists, theres probably mold hiding somewhere nearby.
In the next section, well discuss ways to get help dealing with mold in your home.
If You Have Mold In Your Home
Mold can look like spots. It can be many different colors, and it can smell musty. If you see or smell mold, you should remove it. You do not need to know the type of mold.
If mold is growing in your home, you need to clean up the mold and fix the moisture problem. Mold can be removed from hard surfaces with household products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of household laundry bleach in 1 gallon of water.
Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Black Mold On Bathroom Ceiling
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Health Problems Caused By Mold
Mold is commonly found in trace quantities in all sorts of places, but it only begins to present a health hazard when you have a situation where a large quantity of mold spores are present. In large amounts, mold spores can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems.
For people with allergies or sensitive systems, exposure to mold particles can cause coughing, itchy or watery eyes, headaches or migraines, sinus problems, nasal blockage, sneezing, and fatigue.
Depending on the type of mold, the presence of mycotoxins could also be an issue, which is a major health concern for people and pets alike. The mycotoxins produced by black mold in particular are believed to be the cause of several neurological problems. People have been making connections between toxic mold and health problems for nearly a century, and it has been linked to sick building syndrome in recent years.
Poor Reason For Testing #1 To Find Out If There Is Mold
A complex mixture of mold particles normally exists in all occupied indoor environments. If appropriate testing is done, it is expected that molds will be found. There is, however, an important distinction between the normal presence of mold particles, versus mold growth and accumulation indoors. Unfortunately, even when it is done well, testing may not be able to distinguish between normal and problem conditions and it may even give misleading results.
When mold grows indoors, it poses a potential health risk and damages what it grows on. When mold growth is visible or mold odors can be smelled, it is common sense that there is a problem that should not be tolerated.
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What Does It Look Like
Molds are a type of fungus and can look like their fungal cousins, mushrooms, and yeasts. There are thousands of types of mold, and their appearance can depend on the type and where it’s growing. Outdoors, molds can be seen gobbling up the dead organic matter on decomposing surfaces like fallen leaves and rotting logs indoors, house mold thrives in wet, humid environments like bathrooms and basements or anywhere that has recently flooded.
According to the CDC, the most common indoor molds are Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Alternaria. However, black mold, or Stachybotrys chartarum , is sometimes found in homes and other buildings. This greenish-black growth can grow on fiberboard, paper, dust, and lint, particularly in areas that may have recently flooded or suffered other types of water damage. While black mold can certainly look scary, the CDC says that Stachybotrys chartarum isn’t any more harmful than other types of mold.
How To Test For Toxic Mold
If you have mold in your home, your nose is one of the most inexpensive devises you can use to detect it. Mold smells, and chances are, youll be able to detect the distinctive odor that taints the air around moldy walls, carpeting and other objects. The struggle is in understanding when mold is dangerous to your family or home.
The term toxic mold is a little confusing. Some molds, like Stachybotrys chartarum or black mold, produce mycotoxins, toxic substances that cause health problems in some people. There is no direct link yet between mold-produced toxins and serious conditions like idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage in infants, but there are concerns that exposure to these toxins can exacerbate existing lung conditions and allergies, and possibly cause problems in otherwise healthy people. Common molds that arent considered toxic also have the potential to cause reactions in some people, which makes it important to get rid of any type of mold you find in your home as soon as possible, particularly if you suspect that someone in your family is having a reaction to it.
Mold can be scary. There are potential health implications for your family, and a mold outbreak can take a financial toll, too. Once established, mold can be very invasive, releasing millions of spores into your home. Many homeowners insurance policies now exclude or limit coverage for mold related problems.
First up, lets learn a little more about household mold.
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Make Your Bathroom Watertight
A good bathroom renovation is about whats underneath the surface and behind the walls. When you are doing a bathroom reno, spend your money wisely. You have to understand every bathroom is a wet zone or a wet room. Everything we do as part of a bathroom renovation should ultimately be about keeping the water from damaging our homes.
When water gets into places where it does not belong, like under the finished floor behind the tiles, or under the lip of your drop-in sink, you are going to get mold. The best way to have a watertight bathroom is to use a continuous layer of moisture protection. I use Schluter Systems on all my bathroom renovation jobs. To me, its the best, most comprehensive system and they are always introducing new accessories to make my job easier. Here is more information about making your bathroom watertight.
Best For Quick Results: Healthful Home 5
Courtesy of Amazon
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Postage-paid for optional laboratory testing
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Single-sample test kit
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Additional fee for lab testing
Many at-home mold test kits take a minimum of 48 hours to determine if you have mold growth in your sample. In the case of lab testing kits, you may wait a week to receive results. Looking for a faster answer as to whether or not you have mold growth in your home? The Healthful Home 5-Minute Mold Test Kit uses rapid-testing methods to quickly indicate the presence of more than 32 different types of mold.
A major perk of this at-home testing kit is the fact that youll know right away if you have mold growth from some of the most dangerous generaaspergillus, penicillium, and stachybotrys. Two rapid tests using lateral flow assay technology provide results in five minutes. The testing method has been validated in an EPA-licensed and AIHA-accredited laboratory and eliminates the need to wait days for results from a lab.
Price at time of publish: $36
Test Type: Swab | Result Type: Self-report | Analysis Fees: Yes | Expert Consultation: Yes | Number of Samples: 1
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Why Trust The Spruce
This article was written by Erica Puisis, who has been researching strategies to improve everyday life and health for The Spruce since 2017. To find the best options for at-home mold testing kits, she considered a wide range of products that include both self-monitored and lab-evaluated options. When comparing options, she considered the type of test, the number of samples for each kit, how long it takes to receive results, the cost of any necessary lab fees, and whether or not additional help is available from an expert. All of the at-home mold testing kits on this list that are lab-evaluated are handled by an AIHA-accredited facility.
In the research process, we also interviewed Dr. John Balmes, a professor of medicine at UCSF and professor of environmental health sciences in the School of Public Health at UC Berkley. He shared insights on the most common types of residential mold, as well as the conditions that are most favorable for its growth. In addition, we spoke to Elías Rodríguez, the Deputy Director of Public Affairs for Region 2 of the EPA, regarding testing guidance and the role that moisture plays in the development of mold growth.
Give You Upper Hand In Negotiations
If a buyer determines the mold growth in the house after an inspection, they get the upper hand to negotiate with the sellers. Use this information to bargain for the home. Make sure to check the prices of repairs and cost of mold remediation services in Toronto before negotiating. Plus, hire a skilled team that can help you assess the percentage of mold growth in your house through air quality testing in Toronto, such as Inch by Inch. In other words, you will be able to get a better deal.
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Epa Advice On Mold Testing
The US Environmental Protection Agency advises that mold sampling usually isnt warranted if you can see visible mold growth. There are currently no threshold limits for mold or mold spores, so sampling a home for mold will not tell the homeowner whether or not their homes mold sample falls within an acceptable standard for mold exposure. Also, mold identification usually is not necessary because all molds have the potential to cause unfavorable health reactions, especially in people that have pre-existing sensitivities. Regardless of the type of mold or the amount of mold, it should not be allowed to grow in your home. Once you find it, you should take steps to remove.
For information about hiring a mold contractor, visit Hiring a Mold Consultant or Contractor.
How To Remove Mold
- Wear old clothes and shoes that you can launder or throw away after the cleanup work.
- Wear special N-95 or P-100 respirators, in addition to goggles and gloves.
- Set an old box fan or a cheap new one in a window to ventilate the room while working. Throw it out when you’re done cleaning, because the spores are almost impossible to clean off. Tape plywood or cardboard around the window openings so the spores can’t blow back in.
- Wrap and tape moldy carpeting in 6-mil plastic, and double-bag mold-infested debris in garbage bags for disposal.
- To control airborne spores, moisten moldy areas with a garden sprayer while you work.
- Turn off your furnace and air conditioner and cover ducts and doors to contain spores.
- Keep your wet/dry vacuum outside when you vacuum.
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Reduce Risk Of Structural Damage
Mold growth in some areas of your house can be visible, such as wallpaper or behind walls, near plumbing fixtures, ceiling tiles or flooring, and underneath the appliances. Besides that, having mold on the wooden structures, electric wiring, and insulation can lead to structural damages. As a result, you may have to pay for expensive repairs.
