All on mold inspections – when to get it and the costs involved
Mold inspections are important – whether you are purchasing a new living space or living in a home you have known for years. The thing though is, mold inspections are different from a typical home inspection in terms of their processes. Depending on the size of a house, the cost will also vary. However, you might not be exactly certain on whether it is a good idea getting a mold inspection Houston service to check out your home, and you might be unsure on whether you can afford the cost.
If this sounds like you and the dilemma you are in, then far not – we will answer these questions and give you a rundown on what to expect for both aspects.
First off, what is mold?
Before answering the question on cost and process, it is important to understand what this substance is. Mold is a type of fungus, and its makeup allows it to thrive in a variety of environments and places. The spread of mold is through microscopic particles that it releases, which are known as spores – and they are often as small as a cell. These spores are airborne, and usually float around until they can land on a surface – so that means that every home will have spores, even the ones that are very clean. It is impossible to completely eradicate the spores from a building or home unless you install an industrial-level air filtration system, and not everyone can afford that.
Fortunately, spores will not form in all conditions they will only develop after landing on a moist surface – and that means you can avoid issues with mold infestation if you keep the interior of your home dry. You can achieve this by repairing leaking parts of your roof, cleaning up spills, making sure there is sufficient aeration of your bathroom and kitchen, and repairing the HVAC and plumbing systems. There are two reasons that make it very important to remove mold from your home: it aggravates asthma and allergies, and it always damages the surfaces it is growing on.
When should I call for mold inspections?
A very good thing about mold – if you can see it, then you have it. As long as you can see some mold growing in the corners or cracks of walls, then it is definitely growing and releasing spores. Sometimes, it can also form colonies that are too small to see, but there are some cases when you need to look for mold issues in the home.
These are:
- When there is water damage – if you are dealing with a leaking roof, flooded basement, or a broken pipe, then you need to check for mold problems. Any area that is wet and does not dry quickly (in this case a time span of 24 to 48 hours) needs mold inspections.
- When you are buying a new home – aside from the typical home inspection procedure, it is important to call in mold inspection teams to carry out a test for mold. This cannot be dealt with by a general home inspector, as they may not have the equipment or the knowledge to do so. It is also important to conduct the test if you suspect there was water damage.
- If you are dealing with an unoccupied house – if you want to buy a house and find out it has been unoccupied for quite some time (several months or years), then you need to call in mold inspection professionals. The combination of increased humidity and darkness might have encouraged mold to grow inside; especially if the house is in areas that have high humidity levels.
- After you perform a mold remediation process – the steps of mold remediation are difficult and expensive, and you want to make sure the infestation does not happen again. In this case, you can do an additional test or enlist the services of mold inspection teams to do the job for you.
- If you are noticing the presence of some mold – if you see white, blue or green stuff growing in your home and are unsure of what it is, you can do a test to find out the extent of infestation or where it is growing. This is particularly important because chances are that it is not just confined to one place.
Is there a difference between mold testing and mold inspection?
If you are in the midst of doing some research about mold, you might come across some services that tell you they perform mold testing or mold inspection, while some say both. What is the difference though, you might ask? Mold inspection will simply identify the presence of mold in a building, and it will also define the extent of the problem by measuring mold coverage in square feet. On the other hand, mold testing services will identify the mold type in your home as well as the number of mold spores in the air.
Before embarking on any of these services, you should note that:
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- The conditions that are necessary for conducting scientific tests for mold are very difficult to get in a home, so the results will vary regardless s of the remediation work.
- All indoor spaces have higher levels of mold spores, as these particles drift in from outdoors. The mold test will generally give you a long species list, some of which are absent from your home.
- The EPA has no specific regulations and rules regarding the acceptable amounts of mold spores and mold in a house or building. This means that mold testing will not always be useful, so it is always best to work with a professional when you want to do mold testing. Some inspections will also include mold sampling or testing, especially in the states here the law requires them to do so.
Final thoughts
The issue of mold is a very serious one, and it is very important to take control of the entire problem before it spins out of control. The cost of calling in a professional mold inspection and testing service will save you money in the long term, and help you get rid of the problem as soon as you can.
About the author
The Handyman Tips Team is a group of authors that provides tips on the Handyman Tips website. The Handyman Tips team consists of real handymen, contractors, carpenters, woodworkers, and experts in home repairs, appliance repairs, and landscaping. The team is always there for visitors to the Handyman Tips website. If you can’t find the answer to your question on the Handyman Tips website, one of them will reply to you almost immediately if you contact them through the Ask the Handyman page!
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