Important Info About Mold In The Home
When purchasing a new home, buyers ask about the condition of many items such as the electrical, plumbing, roof, HVAC, and the foundation. Many never ask about mold, which is quickly becoming of the major causes of needed home repairs or renovations.
Mold can manifest itself in many forms. All types of mold need the same things to grow, moisture and dark spaces. Areas like this include attics, crawl spaces, and basements. These areas are prone to moisture problems through the lack of ventilation or leaks from the structure or the plumbing. Mold will not only cause structural problems with the home, but also have health implications to you and your family.
By the time mold shows up in the visible living areas of the home, chances are the structural members of the home in that are consumed by mold. At this point the only option is the completely remove the affected structural parts of the home and replace with new materials.
The areas we discussed that are most likely to be affected by mold are not the only potentially affected areas. Other affected areas include the interior in the event that the home flooded or even from a failed appliance like a busted water heater or flooded washing machine, leaky pipes, or flooded basements.
When an inspector checks your home, he may use a moisture meter or a thermal imaging camera. Tools like these allow the inspector to find moisture problems that may not be visible with the naked eye. If moisture levels of 20% or higher are discovered in the home mold could be present as this is an ideal situation for mold to grow.
Closing Comments
You should have your home checked over by an experienced mold inspector at least annually if there is any worry of mold beginning to grow, or if there has been mold in the past. Mold can be an expensive problem to deal with so be proactive about looking for it, it can save you money in the long run.
Hubert Miles is the founder of Waterfront Houses USA. Get more information on Riverfront House and River House in the US and Canada.