Found Mold In Your Home? Get A Mold Inspector For Peace Of Mind
Mold is a problem that all of us will most likely have to face in our homes someday. Whether it’s a small, easily containable spot under the sink or something that involves walls getting ripped out is left up to circumstance. When does it make sense to hire a mold inspector? Well, that depends on a number of factors, the most important one being your level of comfort. If hiring a professional residential inspector will give you the peace of mind you need then it is well worth the extra bit of trouble.
After you’ve discovered mold in your home the first thing you should do is find out how widespread it is. Is it in a very small, well-contained area? Has it spread further, possibly along the ceiling and floor? Even if it’s widespread it may not be visible on the surface, but you will likely be able to smell it. Remember that mold can grow on the backside of drywall, under carpet, and on the inside of wallpaper. This may result in carpet being pulled up and wallpaper being peeled back in order to confirm the presence and extent of mold. Wait until the professional mold review before attempting any of these drastic moves.
Don’t panic if the mold you find is black. Not all black mold matches the horror stories that you hear. There are toxic varieties of black mold, but more common forms of black mold are actually harmless. Your certified mold inspector will have to determine this for you, but don’t jump to conclusions. Homeowners have jumped the gun and torn their entire house apart pursuing mold they assumed to be potentially fatal only to discover later it was completely harmless and could have been removed in a far less expensive way.
Mold thrives on moisture, so your next step will be to determine the source of this moisture. Remember: mold spores are everywhere, but they can only settle down in damp areas. If you can eliminate the moisture, you’ll eliminate future mold growth. If it’s forming under your bathroom sink, find out where the sink is leaking and stop it. Keep your roof properly maintained to prevent leaks from forming. Too many leaks and you could have a very widespread problem. Stopping the sources of excess moisture should prevent the mold from ever coming back.
Once you have a basic idea of the extent of the spread, you can then see if it’s worth the cost of a mold review on your home. If the mold is harmless and the area it’s in is confined, you can probably clean it up yourself.
If it’s all over the place, don’t delay! Get a Dixon Environmental Services Mold inspector to perform a professional mold review. It could save you a lot of money and grief.