Doing a mold inspection before buying a house
Aside from finding the money to buy the house, you also need to think about a home that fits your requirements, and making sure you get the most from your investment.
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Whether you are am first-time buyer or experienced in the field, it is very important to ensure the condition of the house is up to standard; and one of the methods is by doing a professional inspection of the home.
A home inspector that has a valid license can provide a complete report to you, which will tell you the condition of the home and help you identify any issues.
It will also help you to know the heating, exterior, interior, lighting and plumbing issues, if there are any. Among these important tests is a mold inspection test, as it can lead to many health and financial problems if you move into a mold-infested home.
Mold can grow in your home year-round. However, damp, dark conditions make it even easier for mold to root itself in your basement, where it can then travel throughout your home. Once mold spores appear, it’s very difficult to remove them. So preventing mold from growing – is the most effective way to get rid of it.
Learn more about – How to Prevent Mold from Growing in Your Basement?
Why should you even invest in mold inspection before purchasing a home?
Before moving into a home, the last thing you need is someplace with mold lurking everywhere and in corners. Getting a professional inspection team is great, especially if you do not have the time or sufficient knowledge to do the task yourself.
Another thing to keep in mind is that mold exists everywhere; just because you cannot see it physically, does not make it non-existent.
Spores can be among the sneakiest particles ever, and the home you have been dreaming of could be harboring them even without the knowledge of the current owner.
What are some benefits of mold inspection?
Mold is everywhere and you cannot entirely avoid it, but it will increase health problems when you are exposed to it for a prolonged time. The spores can lead to specific symptoms such as wheezing, stuffy nose, skin irritation, coughing, colds, throat irritation, and eye irritation.
These issues are not easy to notice, especially if the mold is not entirely visible – so calling in professional mold inspection professionals is important to spot issues before it leads to health problems for you afterwards.
No seller will openly admit mold issues
At the end of the day, it is a business in operation when it comes to selling homes, and no seller wants you to think their property has issues going on. If you do not take the time to have an inspection team come in and do a survey of the area, you will not be entirely sure if the seller wants to hide any issues.
In addition to this, mold problems take some time before they begin to appear – so the seller can sometimes be unsure if the problem is just starting, or whether it is present.
Mold issues are difficult and expensive to deal with
The process of repairing any damage caused by mold infestation is a difficult undertaking, and can be quite heavy on your budget limits. It gets even more costly when you find that the reason behind it is water damage.
You might initially assume that you saved some money by foregoing any inspection or just choosing regular home inspection options.
After you move into the home, you discover a few months down the line that you have a mold problem on your hands, and you cannot ignore it. That forces you to pay for the repairs, as well as correcting any damage that led to the issue in the first place. It is always best to avoid the problem and do a proper mold inspection beforehand.
It reveals any evidence for flooding, leaks or water damage
Regular home inspections might not be sufficient to detect problems with mold issues, since the process in the usual inspections are different from mold inspection.
That means that a home inspector will only check if there are visible signs of broken pipes, leaking, or flooding. If they do not smell a musty odor or see the mold infestation themselves, it is highly likely they will be unaware of any problems in this area.
The best way to deal with the issue of inspection is calling in a mold inspection and remediation team, as they have additional knowledge on detecting mold and dealing with the problem before you move in.
How can you detect mold in your potential home?
Watch out for visible mold and a musty odor
Mold usually thrives in any areas of the house that are moist, wet, humid, and dark. Even if you might not find black mold spots when you examine an open house, you might still come across existing mold infestations complete with musty smells.
Always check if the smell of the house is too strange for your nose, even if you might not know why. Moreover, if it smells too good, then that is another warning sign – the owners might be trying to cover up for the musty smell by masking it with something else.
Ask the owners if they had mold problems before or at the moment
The sellers cannot automatically disclose such information, even if some states require the seller to inform the buyer of any issues – but it is still worth the try.
Other than asking directly about mold issues, you can enquire if the house has experienced flooding – this might be a pointer to additional mold issues that they might not know.
Go for a professional mold inspection team
If you are unsure of how to approach the topic of mold infestation with the home seller, you can hire a professional team that handles mold inspections.
They have the right skills, expertise, license and knowledge to help them on the job, and their tools are optimal for the task. They also have additional processes they follow, which a typical home inspector will not do.
Final thoughts
Mold is very dangerous to you and your family’s health, so it is important to have it resolved before you move into a new home, as well as preventing you from incurring expensive costs down the line. Getting a mold inspection done is essential to making this happen and get the most for our money.
