10 Reasons To Have Professional Mold Testing

Household mold is nasty stuff. Not only does it ruin your décor, but it can also trigger an assortment of alarming medical issues. Overexposure to toxic mold is known to impair respiratory health and brain function.

Many property owners and tenants do not suspect mold until they see it. Unfortunately, mold isn’t always visible to the naked eye. In some cases, it may be hidden away in attics, crawlspaces, and other remote areas of your home.

While the thought of an unknown mold infestation can send chills down your spine, there’s no reason to lose hope. Professional mold testing and inspection services can systematically investigate your building for hidden mold. Additionally, they can help you start your remediation efforts on the right foot by identifying the type and size of the problem accurately.

Let’s begin by exploring the basics of a mold inspection.

What is Mold Inspection and Testing?

Mold inspections alert you to mold growing inside your home, rental, or commercial property. Professional mold inspectors examine your property to locate signs of excess moisture, water damage, and active infestations. Check out our water damage restoration service that we provide.

On the other hand, professional mold testing is all about diagnosing the kinds of mold lurking inside a building. Usually, testing for mold involves:

•  Air Testing: Inspectors check the concentration of mold spores in your indoor air.
• Surface Testing: Inspectors swab household surfaces to find the number of mold spores deposited around the home

A certified mold inspector will:

•   Confirm if you have a mold problem. Since it’s easy to confuse mold patches with dirt and stains, you may need a mold expert to help you out.
•   Gauge the severity of the infestation.
•   Detect hidden moisture leaks.
•   Recommend preventative tactics and a mold removal plan.
•   Look for evidence of previous mold infestations.
•   Check your HVAC systems.
•   Moisture-map the entire house.

There are several reasons why you should schedule frequent mold inspections for your building. Simply put, a professional mold inspection:

Helps Minimize Mold Exposure

As mentioned, mold is a serious health hazard. Toxic mold is often a prime suspect in cases of Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS), a multi-symptom illness that affects the lungs, heart, skin, and central nervous system. Mold is also known to exacerbate asthma attacks and other preexisting respiratory conditions.

Mold inspections and professional mold testing can isolate traces of toxic mold inside your home. Once you’re aware of a mold problem, you’ll be able to minimize exposure and protect your loved ones.

Protects Your Building from Structural Damage

Scientifically speaking, mold is a parasite that feeds on organic hosts, such as paper, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood, and drywall. When left to colonize unchecked, mold can devour building materials and pave the way for dry rot. In extreme cases, you may have no choice but to raze the entire structure to the ground.

Locating and remediating mold growth right out the gate can save your building from a ton of structural damage. This is where professional mold inspections can help.

Mold inspectors assess places you wouldn’t normally look for mold. They check behind walls, under plumbing fixtures, inside flooring or ceiling tubes, and underneath appliances. Thanks to their efforts, you may have a better shot at removing the infestation before it spirals out of control and affects other areas in your building.

Highlights Water Damage

This may be hard to believe, but mold doesn’t develop spontaneously. Mold growth is directly related to water damage. Once mold spores settle on a damp surface, they multiply at a rapid rate, setting the stage for a full-blown infestation.

To truly root out mold, you’ll have to address moisture inside your facilities. A professional mold inspector will help you locate zones with high water content by using moisture meters or similar devices. Knowing where moisture exists in your building can help you eliminate mold permanently.

Provides an Accurate Mold Assessment

While you may be tempted to invest in an over-the-counter home mold test kit, we’d advise against it. Here’s why.

•   DIY mold tests are usually misleading or downright inaccurate. You really cannot conduct a scientific analysis in your living room.
•   They don’t come with a visual inspection. So, if you suspect a mold problem, but don’t see or smell it, these tests will do little to track down the issue or analyze its intensity.
•   Every home has mold in some capacity. So, when a home DIY kit yields positive results, it’s not telling you anything significant.

On the other hand, professional mold testing is conducted by experts in a controlled environment. Hence, they’re far more reliable and precise. 

If you want to get a handle on your building’s mold situation, always turn to a professional mold inspection and testing company like My Remediator.

Enables You to Plan Ahead

Because a mold inspection tells you exactly what you’re dealing with, you can chalk out a definitive course of action. Once you discover the extent of the outbreak, you can estimate how long the removal may take. This, in turn, can help you make alternate living arrangements for your family or move your kids to a different location for the required period. As they say, you can’t act until you know!

Improves Indoor Air Quality

Although Florida, USA does not have any specific mold laws, the Indoor Air Quality Standard of 2007 regulates IAQ in buildings occupied by public employees.

In this regard, remember that airborne mold spores can directly impact your indoor air quality. For people who are genetically susceptible to mold, a high concentration of spores in indoor air may lead to allergic reactions, eye irritation, itchy throat, and congested sinuses.

Professional mold inspectors will sample your indoor air and provide you with an approximate spore count. With this information, you can ramp up your efforts to improve your building’s IAQ.

Maintains Property Value

For most homebuyers, mold inspection is a no-brainer. Nobody wants to encounter mold patches in their brand-new apartment. But what if you’re looking to sell a home with mold?

Since mold is generally considered a red flag, its presence can decrease property values, Ideally, you should resolve the mold problem before putting your property on the market. Hiring an experienced mold inspector can help you start the remediation efforts and fix moisture issues well ahead of time.

Saves You Money

The average cost of mold remediation depends on the mold’s location, type, and size of the mold, among other things. So, if your mold is spread over a large area, you may end up paying a fortune to get it removed.

Considering the speed at which mold spreads, it’s in your best interest to act quickly. The longer you wait to detect a mold problem, the bigger it gets, and the more money you spend remedying it.

Detecting mold early on can help you mitigate it without burning a hole through your pocket. We recommend that you schedule a professional mold inspection with My Remediator the moment you suspect a mold outbreak in your building.

Gives Valuable Insight into Mold Prevention

Reputable mold inspection and testing companies don’t stop at examining your home or business. They can also suggest ways for you to keep recurrent mold problems at bay. Some of these tips include:

•   Ensuring proper ventilation throughout the building
•   Using exhaust fans in bathrooms
•   Drying out damp areas as quickly as possible
•   Using mold-resistant products
•   Cleaning and repairing roof gutters as regularly as possible
•   Getting rid of standing water from roofs

Being industry experts, mold inspectors can help you prevent full-fledged mold attacks in the long run. All you need to do is follow their advice and conduct regular inspections, and you’re good to go!

Provides Complete Detection

Sure, professional mold inspection is primarily a visual survey. However, experienced mold inspectors know what to look for. Plus, they usually bring several high-tech equipment to the scene, such as thermal imaging cameras.

Also, unlike homeowners who may give up midway between a search, a mold inspector won’t stop until they cover every corner of the home. They can even remove paneling or drywall to get a better look inside your walls and ceilings.

When it comes to professional mold inspections, there are no half measures. In the end, you’ll rest easy knowing that your entire home was checked for mold.

When Should You Consider Mold Inspection and Testing?

While you should get in touch with a mold inspector anytime you suspect an infestation, here are a few situations that also warrant professional mold testing and inspections:

• Water Damage: If you’ve been dealing with a host of floods, leaks, and sprays recently, you should inspect for mold. Any surface that wasn’t dried quick enough may fall prey to it.
• Buying an Old Home or Property: A house or building that has been locked up for a long time may have mold outbreaks, especially in areas prone to moisture and warmth.
• After a Mold Remediation: You must test for mold after the removal process is complete to make sure you got rid of it all. It’s also a great way to keep remediation companies on their toes!
• Disputes with Your Landlord: In case you discover mold spots, but your landlord refuses to acknowledge them, you can request a mold inspection to investigate the matter further.

The Bottom Line

When dealing with a mold issue, time is of the essence. The longer you allow it to spread, the more time-consuming and costly it’ll be to remove. The second you notice a problem, use the tips discussed above to find the best mold remediation company in your area. If you need a quick and prompt solution to your Mold, contact My Remediator, the best mold remediation company in Florida, USA. With years of experience and unmatched service, our mold remediation company provide a 24-hour service whenever you need it.

At My Remediator, we take pride in providing the top-of-line mold and other restoration services we have provided to residents across Florida, USA. If you are looking for honest, professional mold restorers with exceptional experience in restoration services, you have come to the right place