What A Residential Mold Inspection May Entail
Posted on: 12 August 2020
If your home has a musty odor, that signifies the presence of mold. However, you may not see mold anywhere even after searching every room of your home. Hidden mold is common, and to find out if your home has hidden mold, you'll probably need to have a mold inspection done. Here are a few things a mold inspection may entail.
Look For Signs Of Water Damage
If there's a plumbing drip or roof leak, there are probably signs of water damage, such as water spots on the ceiling or bubbles on drywall. Where there's water damage, there's usually mold as long as the temperatures are warm enough to allow mold to grow and flourish.
The mold inspector may need to open a wall to see if mold is growing inside. The inspector may use cameras to look behind walls and under floors. They may also use moisture meters to track down areas of water damage that aren't noticeable otherwise.
Check Areas Prone To Mold Growth
Mold needs moisture, food, and warm temperatures to thrive. When mold is growing and producing spores, it gives off its distinctive musty odor. You may notice this odor when you open a cabinet under your sink. By noticing where odors are present in your home, the inspector can narrow down the source of the problem.
However, mold may not give a strong odor if it isn't thriving due to cold temperatures or lack of moisture. In that case, the inspector may look in spots known to harbor mold, such as under sinks, behind appliances, in bathrooms, attics, and basements, on carpets, in HVAC ducts, and around window sills.
Test For The Presence Of Mold
Mold testing involves taking samples from your home to send to a lab to determine the amount and type of mold spores in the air. A mold test isn't always done as part of a mold inspection, particularly if mold is visible. A mold test usually shows some mold spores even if your home doesn't have a mold problem since mold spores are always present.
It's when the spores collect on surfaces in your home, grow, and spread that they become a health and home issue. If you think mold in your home is giving you health problems, you may want to have a mold test done so you know what kind of mold you're being exposed to.
A residential mold inspection company will find mold wherever it's growing in your home so steps can be taken to eliminate it. When the mold is gone, the musty odor leaves with it so your home smells fresh again and your respiratory system isn't irritated by mold spores.
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