Scheduling a mold inspection is one of the most important steps you need to take to ensure the health and safety of your home’s occupants and the property itself. These inspections play an integral role in identifying the presence and type of mold that helps in preventing health issues like allergies, respiratory problems, and other serious illnesses. Besides this, these inspections also help you in addressing the issue before it spreads and worsens, avoiding extensive damage to the building materials and costly remediation in the future. Most of all, these inspections provide peace of mind, letting you know whether your home’s indoor air quality meets safety standards.
Investing in a mold inspection is a favor to your as well as your loved ones’ health and preserving your property’s value. Not only this, but these inspections also help you maintain a healthy living environment. In this blog, we’ll talk about what mold is, when you should get a mold inspection, and how much it costs.
What is Mold?
Mold is a fungus and like every fungus, it thrives in moist environments. It spreads by emitting spores, which are microscopic particles that are the size of a single cell. The mold spores float around in the air unless they could land on a surface. These spores are not just confined to indoor environments. In fact, they’re also present outdoors. Practically, it is impossible to remove all the mold spores from your house.
Fortunately, when the mold spores land on a moist surface, they only form mold. This means if you try to keep your home’s interior dry, then there’s a high chance that your home might not get exposed to higher levels of mold. Following are some of the measures you can take to prevent mold in your house:
Clean up spills
Repair leaks in your roof, HVAC systems, or plumbing
Ensuring that the kitchen and bathroom are properly venting moisture out of the house
The two major reasons why you need to clean up and remove any mold growth are:
It damages the surface where it is growing
It may aggravate asthma or allergies
When to Get a Mold Inspection?
If you witness any musty odor or discoloration in your house, then that is a clear indicator of mold growth. One good thing about mold growth is that it is often visible. If you witness mold in your walls’ cracks or corners, then that clearly means mold is growing and lurking in your home. Not just growing, but spreading. There’s another thing that you must remember: there might be mold growth even in areas that you can’t see. These areas could be your ducts, attic, basements, or between your walls. Plus, they’re not always obvious and apparent. Mold can form tiny colonies that are too easy for our eyes to escape. Following are some of the conditions in which you should definitely schedule a mold inspection:
Water Damage
If your home experienced water damage lately, then it is time to schedule a mold inspection. Doesn’t matter if it is as small as a broken pipe spraying water all over your kitchen or as major as a leaked roof. If any place that got wet and wasn’t quickly dries within a day or two then it will most likely be contaminated by mold.
Buying A New Home
When you’re buying a new home, there’s no way that can tell you if the home experienced water damage in the past or not. There’s always an uncertainty. So, it is better to take prevention before you need to cure the issue. Get a mold inspection to find out about the mold's presence. This will also help you in making informed decisions later.
After A House Has Been Unoccupied
If you have left your house empty for months or years, humidity might have built up inside and could have led to mold growth. And if your house is situated in a warmer area with high humidity, then you definitely need to get a mold inspection before you put your life back on track.
After Mold Remediation
At times, mold becomes a major issue, and to deal with that, you need to go through expensive and difficult steps. If your home has been exposed to mold and you’ve already taken the remediation step, then scheduling regular mold inspections must be on your to-do list.
You Witness Some Mold
If you notice some blue, green, white, or black “something” growing in your house, mostly in moist areas, then you need to conduct a mold inspection. This way you’ll even find the mold’s hidden presence as well as visible.
How Much Does the Mold Inspection Cost?
We can’t give you a specific amount that you might spend on a mold inspection as the cost varies from region to region. But there’s not much difference. If we give a rough estimate, then a mold inspection will cost mostly the same as a home inspection. On average, the mold inspection cost can range anywhere between $300 and $400, and this is for small- to medium-sized houses that are less than 4000 square feet. The price can go as high as $700 to $900. Remember that these price ranges are only for inspections and don’t involve testing.
Conclusion
Getting rid of mold in your house can be a challenging process, and remediation can cost an arm and a leg. So, the best way to handle mold issues is by preventing them from ever happening. There could be some steps that you can take to prevent this issue. You can start by promptly repairing leaks and end by keeping moisture out of your house. Additionally, cleaning and drying things quickly can also be a great way to prevent mold from thriving in your house. With this, you also need to control humidity, as extremely humid environments can provide mold with enough moisture to mark its presence in your home. You can also install vents in your bathrooms and kitchen, as this is a great way to keep humidity down and moisture controlled. But, if it all gets out of just the “prevention” phase, then scheduling a mold inspection is an ideal step.
Protect your home and health with Safe House Property Inspections! Our expert mold sampling services identify potential mold issues before they become major problems. Don't wait for mold to affect your property value or your well-being. Schedule your comprehensive mold inspection with Safe House Property Inspections today and ensure a safe, healthy living environment for you and your family. Contact us now to book your appointment!
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