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Mold is common in buildings, homes, and areas where there is a lot of moisture. Mold rarely causes health problems, but it can pose serious risks to people who suffer from allergens. This raises the question: is a mold inspection worth it?
Mold can cause wheezing, stuffy nose, itchy eyes, and reddening of the eyes. However, the reactions can be more serious for people with chronic allergic diseases such as asthma. This just goes to show that a mold inspection is indeed worth every penny. The problem is, doing a thorough mold inspection yourself would be challenging. This is where experts come in.
Mold inspection ensures a thorough inspection is done in the interiors and exteriors of a property to provide accurate information that will be useful for repairs.
There are several ways mold inspectors test for mold. The method used depends on accessibility and owner interviews. Most inspections involve taking air and surface samples. Let's have a look at how a typical mold inspection is done.
The first method is to visually look for mold. An expert will know where to look for signs of a mold infestation. Mold inspectors look at sources of moisture such as sinks, drains, roofs, faucets, and water pipes, among others. They also look for mildew inside walls and other areas a regular person would not bother looking.
Professional mold inspection services also include sampling various surfaces in and outside a building. This involves inspecting the mold growing on different surfaces.
There are three methods to inspect mold on surfaces:
Air sampling is one of the other methods inspectors use. It can be done in several ways.
The most common is the spore trap wherein fungal spores are trapped by a sticky object as air is blown through the surface of the object. Since the air contains a lot of particles, the sticky object is taken to the lab for testing.
Technicians add stains to the sticky surface to test for mold. Mold spores absorb these stains to identify the type and quantity of mold in that air sample. Air sampling also involves growing or culturing mold spores caught from the air. However, this method is not commonly used since it may take a long time.
If the test results come back positive, you should move forward and remedy the mold problem. There are many ways to remove mold from surfaces including thorough cleaning using bleach and other detergents. It can also involve replacing moldy porous building materials from walls and ceilings with fresh drywall and insulating material. Proper air conditioning can also help remedy mold problems.
If you have recently rectified a flood or have had mold remediation, you should hire a post-remediation mold inspection to ensure the problem has been completely dealt with. Mold can corrode wood and activate allergens, so mold inspection is important in that it will help you identify the most affected areas, the type of mold present, and the best method to remedy the problem.
With over 10 years of experience, we at O2 Mold Testing are willing and able to offer professional mold inspection to your property all over the country. We have a team of experienced professionals equipped with modern equipment for a mold inspection. Our services include air sampling, surface sampling, visual mold inspection, and moisture and leak detection.