Do Home Inspections Check for Mold: Let’s Know More

Looking for a professional home inspection mold removal service, but don’t know who to trust? We feel you. Mold infections are a common nuisance across US households. Not only molds are extremely harmful to human health, but they can also wreak havoc in your home!

Each year, mold destroys more wood than the total amount of fires and termites combined, while triggering 40% of all asthma episodes across US households. That’s why it has become a standard practice to get a home mold inspection when you’re purchasing a new house. Mold inspection is also required if there have been issues like a broken plumbing system, water damage, or a leaky roof. 

But, how can home inspectors detect mold, when we can’t even see them with our eyes?

This blog will focus on the answer to that question. We’ll try to provide a simplified overview of the mold inspection process. 

We’ll try to answer some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the home inspection mold removal process, such as: 

• What is a mold infection? 
• Do house inspectors check for mold in commercial spaces?
• How do home inspectors check for mold?
• Is mold inspection part of a home inspection?
• Do home inspectors test for mold on-site?
• Can home inspectors detect mold? 
• Do inspectors check for mold, or do they test it?
• How do they check for mold in a home inspection? 

So, without any further ado, let’s get started. 

What is Mold Infection?

Basically, mold is a type of fungus that grows on almost any organing material and feeds off it, speeding up the decomposition process. Molds thrive on moisture and release countless spores into the air. 

These spores are so small that you won’t be able to see them with your naked eyes. These lightweight spores travel through the air and enter your respiratory system, triggering allergies and asthma episodes. 

A small amount of spore is usually harmless but in large quantities, these spores can do much more damage than you can think. And there are molds almost everywhere. 

However, as mold thrives on moisture when the spores find a moist surface, they grow unbelievably fast, consuming the organic material in the process.  

Do Mold Remediators Check For Mold?

Yes, they do. It’s standard practice for new homeowners. Mold has the potential to change the normal ecosystem of your residence, and it will if left unchecked. In fact, every house should go through professional mold inspections on a regular basis. 

However, mold can’t live without moisture. So keeping your environment dry is a great way to combat mold infestation. Make sure your vents are working properly, so there’s no moisture buildup in your home. 

So, is mold inspection part of a home inspection? Yes. 

Can home inspectors detect mold? It’s their job, they are trained to seek out mold and effectively sterilize the area around them. 

When Should You Check for Mold Infection?

Should you opt-in for mold inspection every week, every month, or every year?

The answer depends on so many variables. Molds are harder to notice and they can grow almost anywhere. It’s a standard practice to check for old in every year. 

However, if you think it’s necessary, you can check anytime you want. Here’s the typical scenario people ask for mold inspection and removal service:

Direct Detection

If you find mold in your house yourself, don’t hesitate to call for professional help immediately. you should ask for Professional Mold Inspection Services also if you start smelling a strong musty odor in your house.

Getting a new house

If you are getting a new house, follow the standard procedure and get a mold inspection done. This is especially true if the house you’re looking into was empty for a long time. The winter humidity will help the mold infestation in the spring and summer.  

Water Damage

Mold infection is also a common procedure after water damage restoration services. If there’s been any water damage on your property, mold can infest the moist areas and cause trouble. 

If your home has a record of being water damaged due to flooding or leaks, the water damage restoration experts will check your home for any mold growth. 

You Live Near Water Source

Last but not the least, you should check your home for any mold growth at least once a year, especially in rainy weather. If you leave near any kind of water source, the midtime of spring is the perfect time for a mold inspection service. 

In a nutshell, you should ask for a mold inspection service when: 

• There is excess moisture in the environment 
• If you smell something damp, moldy, or musty inside your home 
• If you’re moving into a new house 
• If you have trouble breathing or face frequent allergy/asthma episodes
• If the walls feel damp and there are visible mold spots all over the wall 
• Once/twice a year if you live near any water source 
• If your home has moisture-generating appliances (Ex: humidifiers, dryers, radiators)

Mold Inspection vs Mold Testing

This can be a little confusing. We get questions like, do home inspectors test for mold, and do house inspectors check for mold? Although those two questions may look the same, there’s a subtle difference in testing and checking for mold. 

Let’s explore if the experts check, or test molds. 

The answer is, both. Checking for mold means taking samples from a moist environment. The inspection part of the process happens at home. The process contains a visual inspection, sample collection, and search for potential sources.

Once the inspection is complete, the experts take those samples to the lab. There, the testing happens. 

Experts test those samples in a controlled environment. The primary objective here is to identify the mold strain and calibrate its potential to harm your and your loved ones.  

So, do they check for mold in a home inspection? The answer is, yes. Do home inspectors test for mold? Well, not really. That’s the job of their lab partners. 

How Do Home Inspectors Check For Mold

The process of mold testing for home inspectors takes a lot of experience and skills. They’ll use advanced technology to identify and combat any kind of mold that’s growing beneath your eyes. 

So, how do home inspections check for mold? Here’s how: 

When you ask for a professional mold inspection service, the agency will send professional mold inspectors.  

There are specialized courses like mold inspection, looking for water leaks, and mold testing for home inspectors so that they know exactly what to look for.

Once the team arrives at your home, they’ll start their inspection. They’ll look around your home and collect samples from the moist areas inside your house. They’ll also test the air quality around your home. 

So, how do they check for mold in a home inspection? Well, the inspectors usually take multiple samples as do a few different types of tests to identify and calibrate the capabilities of the mold strain. 

Once the inspectors are done, they’ll head back to their lab to further inspect the samples. The testing process will take about 2-3 hours. Once the results come out, the agency will update you via email, messages, call, or postbox. 

The whole process roughly takes 3-8 hours, so you’ll be done within the day. However, if the result shows mold growth, then the experts will start the mold remediation/removal process. That can take up to a week, depending on the severity of the infestation. 

If you’re thinking, “do inspectors check for mold at night, or on holidays”, yes they do. You just have to book an appointment with your local mold inspectors beforehand. 

Another common question is, “do house inspectors check for mold if the house is flooded”. The answer is, no. You’ll need to get rid of all the standing water first. 

Do Inspectors Check For Mold In Commercial Spaces?

I guess that answers the question, “is mold inspection part of home inspection”. 

We’ve explored how the mold inspection process works in a residential environment, but how about your car, or workshop? Do inspectors check for mold in other properties as well? 

Yes! Professional mold inspection and remediation services also cover cars, workshops, and other commercial spaces. No matter what kind of property you have, you can ask for a mold inspection. 

However, the larger your property is, the longer it’ll take for the inspectors to identify and completely remove mold colonies. 

Are All Molds Dangerous

At this point, you might be wondering something like this, “But I’ve heard that not all molds are harmful”, right? So how do home inspectors check for mold that is harmful to your health? 

There are more than 100,000 species of molds available near our living environment. Do you know blue cheese or penicillin? Both of them are the result of mold growth. So, not all the molds are bad. Some of the mold strains you need to worry about are: 

• Aspergillus 
• Cladosporium
• Fusarium 
• Trichoderma
• Lomentospora 
• Scedosporium 
• Mucormycetes
• Geotrichum
• Ucladium
• Memnoniella

They are the answer to your question, ‘why do home inspections check for mold’. There are a lot more where those come from. Some strains are hard to find, some are stubborn to kill, and some others grow super fast. 

This is the main reason mold testing for home inspectors is so thorough. They’ll search every square inch of your house in search of mold infections. 

Molds are, in general, hard to detect. So it’s understandable if you have questions like how effectively can home inspectors detect mold. But don’t worry. The experts are trained to identify harmful mold strains and effectively illuminate them from your house. 

The Cost Of Professional Mold Inspection Service

If you’re searching for how home inspectors check for mold so that you can try it yourself, you’re welcome to try. However, even if you try to follow the exact steps of the process, there will be some errors. 

The experts are trained for identifying even the tiniest mold footprint and will be able to assess the situation perfectly, whereas home/DIY inspections won’t deliver the same level of accuracy. And you won’t even know where to look. It’s better to leave the task to the professionals. 

The standard mold inspection can be completed within a day and usually cors around $200-500 in a standard house. If the house is bigger than 4,000 sq feet, it’ll cost more as the inspector will take more time sampling and inspecting every inch of your property.   

Aside from the size of your property, the cost can also vary depending on the age, type, and location of your property. Mold inspection in cars, offices, or homes has its own price range. Some companies also offer a range of packages to choose from.  

Contact your local mold inspection service for more info. 

How To Prevent Mold Infestation: Pro Tips

Even if you can’t detect mold infection, you can take measures to prevent it. Here’s some Pro Tips on how to control and prevent mold growth in your house: 

• Keep the humidity level of your home below 50%
• Establish smooth airflow throughout your rooms 
• Use exhaust fans, A/C, or dehumidifier
• Check and eliminate any water leakage 
• Add mold inhibitors to your paints before applying
• Use mold-cleaning products
• In case of a flood, try to dry your room within 24-48 hrs
• Remove soaked carpets and mattresses as soon as possible
• Don’t mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners when you’re cleaning mold 
• Take appropriate safety measures before cleaning mold
• For cleaning 10 sq ft+ areas, check the EPA guideline 
• Ask for Professional Help when needed 

Epilogue

In our today’s blog, we’ve tried to provide a generalized overview of the mold inspection process and everything you need to know about it. 

We’ve covered questions like, why do home inspections check for mold, how do house inspectors check for mold, what’s the difference between inspecting and testing mold, do inspectors check for mold in commercial spaces, and when do home inspectors test for mold to mention a few.

And if you want professional plumbing and restoration services like, mold inspection/removal, or any other emergency service near Florida, My Remediator is here for your every plumbing needs. Contact us today for more info. 

We hope this blog proves to be helpful for those who are looking to understand the home inspection mold-checking process a bit better. Thanks for reading this far. I wish you a good day.