Are you thinking of buying a home, but start to notice signs of mold? Perhaps you have been living in a home for some years, then you start to smell something musty after experiencing some water damage – and you are not sure where it is originating from.
If this sounds like you, then a mold testing and inspection needs to be conducted as soon as possible – and preferably from a qualified inspection team.
The mold testing process is essential to create a healthy home that is free of mold spores and other air contaminants, such as black mold, which is a big culprit that you find lurking in damp areas such as your bathroom, or inside walls.
Here are some things you need to know about mold testing, at least before you call in the professionals.
How does mold testing work?
Did you know that mold testing procedures are of different types?
Yes, you do not just expect one kind of mold testing procedure and call it a day – these tests are all meant to work in slightly different ways, and are all due to diagnose the problem and its source.
The first is air testing, which involves collecting spores form the air inside your home, and outside in some cases. This is to determine the levels of spores in your indoor air, as well as contrasting with that of the outer air.
In some instances, you will find the mold inspectors collecting samples of areas you suspect might have mold infestation, then send these to labs for further analysis. Additional methods include swab samples as well as tape samples, both which you can use to collect spores from surfaces that seem suspiciously infested.
If you are not sure of the method you want, the inspection team will assist you to know and understand the best options you have.
What are some of the signs that I will need mold tests?
Calling in a mold testing team is not always necessary, especially when you see visible signs of mold infestation somewhere in your home. However, when you notice the signs of infestation but are unsure where it is – for instance, a strange musty odor coming from somewhere – then it is best to call in the services of an inspection crew.
Moreover, it is recommended that you enlist the services of mold inspectors when:
You suspect that your home has issues with moisture, due to problems like water leaking, flooding, or bathrooms that do not have sufficient aeration.
You suffer from issues stemming from poor air quality, which in turn will lead to issues such as watery eyes, shortness of breath, sore throat, or itchiness.
Are there some benefits of mold testing?
There are many benefits that come due to mold testing activities. These include:
It gives you some peace of mind – since you will get the results of your suspected issue, you will not need to worry anymore about it spreading throughout your home. It also helps you to take action early enough and correct the problem, before it becomes severe.
Helps you to avoid buying a home that has serious issues with mold –if you fail to do thorough inspection for mold before purchasing a home, this will cost you thousands of dollars afterwards when you are requesting for mold remediation services.
Protects your health – mold has strong links to a variety of health issues. Aside from respiratory problems, it also leads to eye irritation, and a host of unpleasant effects that stem from poor quality of indoor air.
Helps you to identify any related problems such as water damage – the process of testing the mold infection and seeking its cause can lead to the discovery of other problems such as past water damage, poor plumbing, water leaking, and much more.
What are some of the methods I can use to reduce mold infestation?
Reduce moisture
Every home has mold to some degree, and it is a natural part of life – so you cannot eliminate it entirely. However, you can reduce the chances of infestation happening, through controlling the moisture content.
In order to reduce mold significantly, you need to reduce the humidity indoors to about 30 to 60%, through these steps:
Improve ventilation in your home
Clean and dry any damp materials and furnishing within 24 to 48 hours in order to prevent cases of mold growth
Make sure you frequently vent any potential mold sources such as dryers, by taking them outside for some hours
Make frequent use of air conditioners and de-humidifiers
Increase the usage of exhaust fans when you wash, clean or cook
Removing mold requires plenty of hard work
The usual case with mold infestation is that it usually grows in areas of the home you do not see, until it starts to appear on the surface. If you want to prevent the spotting from happening, clean any areas where you notice a musty or damp smell.
After mold removal, be careful with equipment
You must make an effort to do extra cleaning after mold removal, or else it will easily lead to another infestation. First, you use a vacuum cleaner in the preliminary cleanupstage, then clean the vacuum and dry it after disposing the contents and washing all its attachments with the mold removal solution.
Using a bleach and water solution and a scrubbing pad, clean all the surface of mold infestation to kill the mold. Keep scrubbing until you see the disappearance of the mold, and leave the solution to sit for some time until it dries.
Once it dries, wipe the surface using a clean cloth (do not rinse it), then use a de-humidifier or fan to dry the area. Repeat for three days, then check the area to see if there is still any infestation signs left.
Final thoughts
Among the best methods of protecting the health of you and your family is through doing regular mold inspections, as well as calling in mold inspection and removal services in case you are dealing with removing infested areas.
Loves home. I am here to provide how to make your home a much better place. 🙂 Blogging about HomeDecor, Home Improvements and more.
