The Mold Inspector: An Overview

Don’t underestimate the amount of money it can cost to rid your home of this potentially dangerous substance. Not only can it make your family sick, some of it is suspected of causing death. A professional knows where to look and knows what signs to look for. Whether you’re buying a home or are simply concerned about the home you live in, it wouldn’t hurt to have it looked over.

Sometimes a general home evaluator will also double as a mold inspector or, at the very least, may work closely with one. Since it is never a good idea to buy a home without having it evaluated by an independent professional, you may as well ask them to do an inspection for mold while they are at it.

Make sure they have the expertise and knowledge required to do such an inspection properly. If you have the service done improperly, it could leave you with a false sense of security. This would be a bad thing indeed, if in fact there are areas of concern in your home which the evaluator did not pick up on.

A lot of the danger from mold comes from two sources. Property damage and those who are allergic to it. Those who are allergic can suffer from a host of respiratory problems if there is a build-up in the home. The substance also degrades surfaces quite easily and can also be an indication of water leakage, which can be a hazard in and of itself. Of course, then there is the black variety, which has been shown in numerous studies to be extremely toxic and potentially cause a host of severe health problems.

If a mold inspector does come to the conclusion that you have a problem, you have some options. You can find a commercial cleaner to take care of the issues or you can do the removal yourself (if there is only a small amount to deal with). Alternatively, if you have not purchased the home, you may wish to go ahead and pass. There are a lot of people trying to sell their homes right now, and little need for you to purchase one that has problems of this nature.