Everyone knows that a general home inspection is an essential part of the home-buying process. After all, you don't want to purchase a home with major electrical or plumbing issues that are going to cost you thousands of dollars to repair shortly down the road.

However, not many people understand the importance of a mold inspection as part of this process. And, since it's not mandatory for homeowners to disclose a mold problem to their real estate agent, mold often gets overlooked during the inspection. This is why you need to hire a separate mold inspector yourself before you sign on the dotted line.

Why Is a Pre-Purchase Mold Inspection Necessary?

You need to have your prospective new home tested for mold prior to purchase for one simple reason: mold remediation is super expensive. When you buy a home that has an undetected moisture problem, you can guarantee mold contamination is right around the corner, if it's not there already. Unless you want to suffer from ongoing respiratory issues, allergies, headaches, and other unpleasant symptoms related to mold, you'll need to solve this underlying problem right away.

Unfortunately, proper mold remediation involves more than just scrubbing away visible mold stains with bleach. Rather, it requires total removal of all mold-contaminated materials (e.g. flooring, drywall, cabinets, etc.)—otherwise, lingering mold spores would continue to populate and contribute to further mold growth. As you can guess, removing and replacing all these structures and fixtures can add up to a very expensive project.

That's why you want to know about mold issues before you buy the home—so you can either back out of the sale or use the added expense of a mold problem to negotiate a better deal.

A General Home Inspection Is Not Enough. Call Today!

Since general home inspectors aren't typically trained to detect the more subtle signs of an underlying moisture or mold problem, they're not likely to catch it. That's why you need the help of an experienced, certified mold inspector like Common Sense Inspections, Inc. We know exactly what to look for to protect your investment in a new home. Call now to schedule an appointment!

The Moldy Blog

About the author

Hello, Samuel Dixon with Common Sense Inspections Mold Inspection in Los Angeles has been awarded the Council­ certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC) designation by the American Council for Accredited Certification (ACAC). This prestigious, board ­awarded certification recognizes Dixon’s knowledge and field experience in indoor environmental investigation and consulting. To earn the CIEC designation, Samuel passed a rigorous examination based on respected industry texts. He then submitted documented, verifiable field experience to a board of peers, earning a unanimous vote of approval. To maintain the CIEC designation, Samuel will remain active in the field and complete 40 hours of professional development activities within the next two years. Samuel is now listed in the ACAC certificant database at www.acac.org, along with more than 2,800 ACAC certificants around the world. The database can be searched by name, company or zip code and represents a continuously updated roster of experienced indoor environmental professionals. The CIEC designation is accredited by the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB) and the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), both nationally recognized third­ party accreditation bodies. For more information, visit www.acac.org.