Water is an unstoppable force. They say it built the Grand Canyon and, over time, can wear down a mountain. So, while water itself, in the right amount or velocity, can be a danger to your home, it also gives birth to another destructive element that can be just as dangerous—mold. That’s why mold inspections are part of every Detail View full home inspection.
What’s the Deal with Mold?
Mold, like most things, needs oxygen and water to grow. Unlike most other organisms, it thrives in darkness. That’s why mold is associated with damp and dark spaces, like basements, crawlspaces, attics, and leaky pipes.
As we inspect your home, we look in these spaces and more for signs of mold.
Why Does Mold Matter?
Mold can adversely affect you, your home, and your family. Here are some reasons to worry about mold, beginning with the least serious and ending with the most negatively impactful.
Smell and Look
Anyone who’s ever walked into a musty cellar knows mold’s scent is far from pleasant. Anywhere with mold or mildew (a type of mold) is not where you want to spend a lot of time or eat a sandwich.
Mold also changes the space it grows in. Mold growing on a wall is unattractive at best and will leave an otherwise lovely space looking unclean and rundown.
Home Damage
Over time, mold can damage the areas where it grows. It starts with surface damage, like staining and discoloration on walls, ceilings, and floors. However, if left to proliferate, mold may also create structural problems.
Since mold feeds on organic material, it can eat drywall and wood. This can take out a wall or destroy your home’s structural integrity!
Loss of Money and Property
With its presence alone, mold lowers a home’s value. That’s why mold inspections are part of our overall home inspection. It’s also one of the reasons we check the property’s slope – water pouring into a space will likely grow mold eventually. If you know about the problem, you can prevent it before it starts.
In addition, mold can damage the personal belongings in the space where it grows. Cloth, leather, cardboard, and paper are particularly vulnerable to mold damage. When you store your precious family heirlooms and albums in a damp space, you risk losing them forever!
Health Issues
Perhaps the biggest reason for mold inspections is your health. Mold causes diverse health problems, from a stuffy nose to death!
Not everyone is sensitive to mold, and some people are only sensitive to certain mold species. Some of the people most sensitive to mold are those who are allergic to it and people with existing breathing problems like asthma, COPD, immune disorders, and others.
Mold can even harm pets.
What Do Mold Inspections Look Like?
When Detail View performs mold inspections, we inspect the whole home, looking for visual (and olfactory) signs of mold. We’ll take special care in basements and attics where we are most likely to spot the first signs of a mold infestation.
In addition, we look for areas where water can enter the home and signs of water damage, which can be a precursor to mold. We’ll also use a moisture meter to look for condensation.
And in the End…
Once we’re done with your mold inspections and whole-home inspections, we’ll give you a report on our findings so you can make the best decision for you and your family. But that’s not the end. We also guarantee our work!
If you discover mold within three months of your home inspection, our free warranty helps with the cost of mitigation. So, you have no reason not to include a mold inspection in your preparation for buying a home.
