Why You Should Get A Mold Inspection

If you are in the process of buying a home, I strongly recommend getting a mold inspection. Mold inspections are not part of the general home inspection you get so it’s not something most people think of doing. Catching any sign of mold before you purchase the home gives you the opportunity to negotiate and work with the seller to address the financial concerns of the situation.

A lot of times you don’t even know mold exists. It likes to grow in dark, hard to see places, like around windows or walls where condensation has occurred. If the mold inspector cannot see mold, they may run a mold test, which is where air is filtered through a collection device and then sent off for analysis.

How To Identify Mold

When you are viewing the home, I recommend doing a visual inspection to see if you spot any signs of mold. With varying colors and textures, mold isn’t always easy to identify. This list from Air Labs provides the most common household molds and how to identify them.

• Acremonium: This mold appears as a fine powder that can be white, pink, grey, or orange.

• Alternaria: Look out for dark green or brown spots that appear to have a soft, velvety texture.

• Aspergillus: This mold can grow into thick layers and is often white, yellow, or green.

• Chaetomium: This mold grows around water damage, and it is usually brown, grey, or black. It appears like a stain on the walls and creates a distinct musty smell.

• Cladosporium: This type of mold is commonly found in carpets and upholstery. It blends into the fabric well since it has a suede-like texture and can be olive-green or brown.

• Mucor: If you spot any thick patches of white or grey hair-like forms, watch out. This mold often grows underneath damp carpeting.

• Penicillium: This mold creates a rather pretty blue or green colored patch with a soft, velvet texture.

• Stachybotrys: Commonly known as black mold, this extremely toxic mold grows in patches that can be black or very dark green.

• Trichoderma: This kind of mold forms wooly clusters that can be green, white, or yellow.

• Ulocladium: You will often find this mold growing around cracks in the tile or floorboards. It is black or dark brown.

Mold and Your Family's Health

Not only does mold do damage to your home, it can also cause health issues for you and your family. It causes everything from dizziness, coughing, seizures, respiratory problems, and many other issues. In severe cases, mold can cause liver and kidney damage, cancer, and even pregnancy complications.

With all the expenses that already come with buying a home, it can be hard to justify yet another one. As not just a home inspector that has seen some really bad situations, but also as someone with a family, I cannot stress enough how crucial it is that you get a mold inspection done before you purchase the home.

If you or someone you know is need of a home inspection, please visit our website to schedule an appointment. We are also available for Radon, Mold, and Meth Testing.