How Reliable Is A Home Inspection For Mold?

Why Should I Get A Mold Inspection When Buying A Home?

One of the core services that NuTech Mold offers to our customers in the Suwanee, Georgia area is professional mold inspections. The purpose of a mold inspection is two-fold:

First, to determine if there are any underlying moisture issues in your home. Moisture is the most important ingredient required for mold growth. Our goal is to identify the core reasons you have mold or indoor air quality issues in your home.

Second, once we determine the cause of moisture, the next goal is to determine the level of mold contamination in the home. This is accomplished by asking questions to get a better historical understanding of the property, a visual inspection, and testing which could include air quality tests and sample/swab tests. We send all samples to a Third Party lab to provide our customers with a report on the spore count and species of the mold.

Once the core moisture problem/source of contamination is identified and the level of mold contamination is assessed, a proper plan/scope of work can be implemented to remove the mold and restore the fungal ecology of the home. It is very important that the moisture problem that caused the mold growth is fixed first before any mold remediation begins.

Now that you understand the purpose of mold inspections, this article will explain why NuTech Mold recommends that you invest in a mold inspection when you are buying a home.

10 Facts About Mold You Should Know Before Buying A Home!

In order to truly appreciate the concerns caused by mold, we recommend that you invest some time in educating yourself.

NuTech Mold is so passionate about educating consumers in the Suwanee, Georgia area because we know that knowledge helps them make more informed decisions.

Listed below are 10 mold facts you should know when you begin your research to purchase a home.

To learn more about mold, visit our blog.

1. Mold is nature’s recycler because it has an important purpose in our eco-system: to breakdown and eat dead organic matter.
2. Mold needs three important ingredients to grow: a food source, dead organic material like wood, paper, carpet, etc.; ideal temperature of 41 degrees up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit; and moisture.
3. Mold comes in various colors (black, white, green, or gray) and different shapes.
4. Some molds are visible and may give off a smell.
5. The core problem with mold lies with the fact that it can be hidden between walls, under floors and ceilings, or in less accessible spots, such as basements and attics.
6. Mold is often found around leaking pipes, windows, or roofs because the constant supply of water gives mold spores the moisture they need to thrive; basements or other places that have flooded and haven’t been thoroughly dried; tightly sealed buildings (common with new construction), which trap excess moisture inside; homes with poor ventilation, numerous over-watered houseplants, and housekeeping habits that ignore obvious dampness and don’t include airing the place out.
7. Other clues that there could be mold concerns include the following: water stains on the walls; musty odors in the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, basement, and other areas where there could be leaky pipes; standing water in the basement.
8. Foreclosed homes are susceptible to mold because banks shut down the power to save money, meaning the HVAC unit is no longer running. This usually causes high humidity levels meaning mold can take hold quickly.
9. Mold exposure can impact your health, making you sick.
10. Mold is not only a health concern, but a structural one because it feeds on the property thereby reducing the long term value.

Always Submit An Offer To Purchase Subject To A Home Inspection AND Mold Inspection!

Buying a home is a long term decision.

Buyers rely on the good will and honesty of the seller, real estate agents, and the home inspector.

Considering the potential cost of mold removal, you are much better off finding out if there is a potential mold problem before purchasing the home. A mold inspection will provide you with additional peace of mind because it is conducted by an independent professional who gains nothing from the sale of the home.

Best case scenario, no mold is found.

Worst case scenario, mold is found, giving you the option to walk away or negotiate a better price with the seller to cover the cost of professional mold remediation.

The cost of a mold inspection is negligible considering the potential cost to remove mold after the purchase has been complete.

Better to be safe than sorry!

Top 7 Reasons To Hire A Mold Inspector Before Buying A Home!

Since buying a home is such a long term decision, it is in your best interests not to rely on the judgement or advice of your real estate agent or home inspector because they are not mold experts.

1. The primary goal of real estate professionals is to facilitate the sale of property because that is how they earn their commissions. Their goal is well defined.
2. Real estate agents are proficient at sales and marketing. Most do not have any mold training or experience.
3. Even if a real estate agent has a background in construction, this does not necessarily mean they have any knowledge about mold or even know what to look for.
4. Agents rely on the honesty of the seller when they fill in the property disclosure form. What if the seller does not disclose moisture issues, existing mold problems, or past moisture events that has caused mold? How will the agent know?
5. Since most agents are not construction experts, they usually advise their clients to submit their offer subject to a home inspection.
6. Most home inspectors are not trained to identify mold concerns or the potential causes of mold. The primary goal of home inspectors is to inspect the overall structural integrity of the home, the roof, wiring, bathrooms, plumbing, etc. They may point out water stains or advise you that your basement has an odor, identify water seepage or a leaky roof, but will they advise you that this could lead to mold? Home inspectors want to avoid potential liability from mold related problems. If they point out moisture issues don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions and always get a second opinion with a professional mold inspection.
7. Most home inspectors rely on referrals. Not surprisingly, the primary source of referrals tends to be real estate agents, whose primary objective is to sell property. Mold concerns create challenges for home sellers and the agents listing the home.

A Brand New Home Does Not Mean It is Mold Free!

There are several reasons why new homes are susceptible to mold, including the following:

• The trend towards building energy efficient homes saves money on heating and cooling. Unfortunately, building homes so that they are air tight results in a lack of proper ventilation, leading to mold growth.
• Construction errors like installing the vapor barrier when there is moisture present leads to mold growth because the moisture is trapped.
• The season the home was built could also be a factor. If the home was built when there was lots of rain and the foundation was not allowed to completely dry before installing the insulation and vapor barrier, traps moisture behind the walls.
• Cost saving construction measures is another factor. Home builders prefer to use Orient Strand Board (OSB) and less plywood and timber which provided some resistance to mold because these materials are semi-porous. In contrast, OSB and particle board are porous and susceptible to mold growth.

Hire A Mold Inspector For Peace of Mind!

When you are purchasing a home it is important that you have all the information to make an informed decision and have peace of mind.

Scrutinize the property disclosure form that is provided by the seller. Here are seven questions you should get answers to:

1. Is the property in a flood hazard area or an inland wetlands area?
2. Does the home have basement water, seepage, or dampness issues?
3. Has the home had roof leaks?
4. Does the home have any rot and water damage problems?
5. Does the home have any water drainage problems?
6. Does the home have any sump pump problems?
7. Does the home have a crawl space?

Buying a home, moving in, and then finding mold problems will not only be a huge inconvenience to you and your family, it could also impact your health.

If you hire a mold inspector, there are two scenarios.

Scenario 1: The mold inspector does not find any mold. Fantastic!

Scenario 2: The mold inspector finds mold. Now what?

Don’t get too worried. You have two options:

First, you could walk away from the deal.

Second, if you have your heart set on the home, you can be proactive and find out how much it will cost to remove the mold by calling NuTech Mold for an estimate.

With this estimate, you can increase your negotiating power with the seller, demanding either that they fix the mold problem, subject to a Third Party Clearance test, or you submit the purchase, deducting the cost of the mold removal from the final sale.

It is much easier to remediate mold from an empty home then it is with contents inside. NuTech Mold are professional mold removal specialists. We will remove the mold and restore the fungal ecology of your home and back up our work with a Third Party post remediation clearance test verifying the efficacy of our work.

Then move into your new dream home with peace of mind knowing that you do not have to worry about mold concerns or the potential health impact.

Buying or Selling A Home? Got Mold Questions?

Call NuTech Mold, 470-655-1212, if you want an expert opinion on mold or send us an e-mail. We look forward to serving you! 🙂