Everything You Need to Know About Mold Inspections When Buying a House
Buying a house can be a scary process. It is the biggest purchase of your life and you want to make sure that everything is working properly. One way you can ensure this is by having the home inspected. You can get a standard home inspection, an FHA-required pest inspection, and a radon inspection. If you suspect mold, however, you need a qualified mold inspection performed to fully understand what you are dealing with before moving forward with the purchase.
1. What causes mold growth in a home?
Water and high humidity can cause mold in a home. In fact, when water gets into a house during a storm or other weather event, mold can appear in as little as 24 hours. The EPA warns of this and suggests cleaning up water and drying the area out immediately.
2. How do you know if the house has mold?
There are a few ways to know if the house you want to buy has mold. You could see the telltale black spores growing in a damp corner of the home or on a basement wall. You may smell a damp, musty odor when you enter the home. Your home inspector may even discover mold when performing his inspection of the home's mechanical systems and foundation.
3. Should you get a separate mold inspection?
Home inspectors are not looking for mold, nor are they trained to complete mold inspection services. You need to hire a separate mold inspection company to perform a detailed analysis of the home and to determine the presence of mold.
4. What happens if the house has mold?
Once you have an inspection report, you need to determine if you want to move forward with the purchase. If the mold present is minimal, you and your real estate professional may reach out to the sellers and request that mold remediation is completed before closing.
5. What is mold remediation?
Mold remediation involves removing the materials that are contaminated with mold and mold spores as well as resolving the source of the water damage. If the inspector deems the water damage came from a leaky roof or a foundation that is not sealed, the remediation would include making those repairs to the house so that the mold does not return at a later date.
A mold inspection is the only way to understand the level of water damage and mold in a property and can help keep you and your family safe.