Test your home for mold, identify mold problems and avoid serious health problems. The presence of mold in your home can significantly affect your investment. More importantly, constant exposure to mold over long periods of time can lead to serious adverse health effects. It may be hard to swallow the idea that mold testing is, in most cases, superfluous, but the EPA supports the concept.
He argues that when there is visible mold growth, sampling is “unnecessary”; mold should simply be removed. It then goes into detail about the circumstances in which you might want to use a behavior mold test, but these are few (we'll discuss them below). Reduce the risk of structural damage to your home Mold growth occurs in humid and warm areas. This means that mold can grow in areas of your home that aren't immediately visible, such as behind walls or wallpaper, behind or under plumbing fixtures, on the floor or ceiling tiles, and behind or under appliances.
Water damage and mold growth can cause problems with your home's wooden structures, insulation, and electrical wiring. A mold inspection and remediation will reduce or prevent serious structural damage. In most cases, if there is visible mold growth, sampling is not necessary. Because no federal or EPA limits have been established for mold or mold spores, sampling cannot be used to verify a building's compliance with federal mold regulations.
Surface sampling can be useful in determining if an area has been properly cleaned or remediated. Mold sampling should be performed by professionals who have specific experience in designing mold sampling protocols, sampling methods and interpretation of results. Sample analysis should follow analytical methods recommended by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), or other professional organizations. Even if you don't currently have mold growing in your home, you may have areas that are at risk of mold.
A mold inspection can help detect leaks and other areas of moisture in your home. Solving these problems can help you avoid not only mold, but also prevent other costly damage. Mold testing is not recommended or required by any regulatory agency. There is no state or federal standard for mold in homes.
Mold sampling and testing can be more expensive than simply cleaning and repairing water problems that allow mold growth. Knowing the types of mold present does not change this advice. Molds can be found anywhere and mold levels vary widely, depending on location, weather, and time of day. If you notice any mold growth, you should take steps to fix the water problem and remove and clean the mold as soon as possible.
In most cases, you don't need to hire a mold evaluation contractor. Most people can identify and clean up the growth of mold themselves. However, some people may choose to hire a New York State-licensed mold counselor to help identify mold problems and their cause. They will often recommend a licensed mold remediation company to come and clean the mold properly if needed.
Verify that a company is licensed by the New York State Department of Labor to perform mold remediation. It is very important (and some would say essential) that mold inspection looks for sources of moisture. Water is essential for mold growth. Without a water source, you won't have mold growth.
Consequently, if there is mold growth, it must be associated with a source of moisture. If this source of moisture is not found and removed, mold growth will return and remediation efforts will be of negligible long-term value. The importance of looking for sources of moisture cannot be overemphasized and should be included. Mold inspections are important because certain types of mold can harm your health and that of your family.
While there are home mold kits that you can buy and learn how to use them yourself, it is highly recommended to use the services of a professional inspector. Mold assessments help identify if mold is in fact present in your environment and help you detect areas closest to the source. With growing awareness of the potential hazards of mold, home inspectors are trained to conduct a thorough mold inspection. The types of mold are identified, as well as the amount of mold spores circulating in the air in the home.
The cost of mold inspection may vary depending on the size and age of the house, as well as the location of the house. Symptoms of black mold can include severe respiratory problems and infections, complications of asthma, chronic headaches and fatigue, dangerous neurological problems, and toxic mold syndrome. Verify that moisture sources have been successfully stopped and that no residual mold growth has remained after a known water and mold problem has been fixed. Several types of mold can be found in the home, but none of them is as dangerous or infamous as black mold or Stachybotrys chartarum.
Mold is dangerous to almost everyone, and most people don't know when they've been exposed to mold. Past mold growth can also cause sensitized people to have an allergic reaction or possibly cause some people to become sensitive to mold. . .
