Should I Do a Mold Inspection Before Moving Into a New Home?
April 10, 2019
If you are a first-time homebuyer, you’re likely worried about every little aspect of your new property. Even if you’re an experienced homebuyer, the thought that mold could be hiding in the walls or under the floors is terrifying. Before you know it, what was once a minor mold problem that the previous owner hid has become a full-blown infestation. Then, if you buy the house without prior knowledge of the mold growth, you’re on the hook for the mold remediation and repairs. It’s best to perform a mold inspection before you move into your new home. It’s an additional cost on top of the home inspection, but well worth the investment.
Troubling Mold in Your Home
Mold is a type of fungus that comes in a variety of colors, including black, white, green, and gray, and shapes. Some types of mold are visible and even produce a mildew-like odor, which is the first noticeable sign in many homes. But, most mold can be found hidden behind walls, underneath the flooring, or inside of the ceiling. Here, it feasts on any moisture it can find while thriving in the darkness.
Some of the most common places you can find mold in your new home include:
- Near a leaking plumbing pipe, window, or roof.
- A basement or other moisture-rich environment.
- A recently flooded room or space.
- A tightly sealed building, which will trap moisture and humidity inside.
- A home with poor ventilation, bad housekeeping, or over-watered houseplants.
Besides the gross appearance and unpleasant odor, mold is known to cause a number of health concerns. In many cases, these health concerns can be exacerbated by asthma or an already-occurring respiratory infection. The symptoms you may experience from long-term mold exposure include rashes, fatigue, itching, skin irritation, throat irritation, sneezing, chronic coughing, and in the most severe cases, seizures, bleeding, and respiratory disease.
Detecting Mold in Your Home
It’s not always easy to detect mold in your home. More often than not, you’ll want to hire a professional mold remediation and inspection service. Sure, you can save some money by purchasing a mold detection kit from your local home improvement store. These store-bought products are inexpensive and claim to work fast. However, most require you to mail your findings to a third-party office for evaluation. Then, they will mail their results back. It is a time-consuming process. It’s also not always accurate.
Instead of wasting money and tricking yourself into thinking you’re saving money, just hire a professional. The results you receive will be well worth the additional cost.
The moment you discover mold in your home, contact Restoration 1 of Central Maryland for guaranteed mold removal results. Give us a call anytime.