10 Reasons to Test Your Home for Mold

Mold is incredibly common in homes as it can grow on any surface that is exposed to indoor moisture.

Some types of mold are great – like the mold that grows on cheese and makes it more delicious. However, mold growth within homes is dangerous and can lead to poor indoor air quality and create an unhealthy living environment.

Before you can understand how to test for mold, you should know some key reasons why it is so important. Let’s discuss.

1. Most Toxic Mold is Hidden from View 

Even after you have conducted a visual home inspection for signs of mold, it can still be lurking in your home. Toxic mold can be hiding in or around any areas of your home that have been exposed to damp air. This includes the places you’d least expect such as behind your drywall, under the carpet, or in crawlspaces.

Further, mold spores are often invisible to the naked eye until it starts to spread. A professional mold testing is the only way to truly know if a house has toxic mold before it is too late.

2. You Are Buying a New Home

It is incredibly important that you have a home tested for mold before you buy it because it can be expensive and sometimes impossible to get rid of. Real estate agents are under no obligation to disclose knowledge of mold in a home. The responsibility lies on you, as a potential buyer, to make certain a professional mold and indoor quality air inspection are conducted. 

If mold is detected during the professional inspection, you may be able to negotiate with the seller to have them pay for repairs or lower the sales price. However, if the mold is toxic or there is an unmanageable amount, it’s best to stay away and look for a home that provides a healthier environment.

3. Mold Can Cause Illnesses and Health Troubles

Toxic mold can lead to severe health troubles, especially in children and people with compromised immune systems. A person with a weakened immune system is highly susceptible to developing a mold infection. These types of infections can lead to long-term illnesses and in some cases, result in death. 

Children are at high risk of developing respiratory illnesses from damp air quality caused by mold. In fact, children who live in homes with mold are five times more likely to develop asthma than those who don’t.

4. Mold Can Destroy Your Property

All it takes for toxic mold to grow is exposure to damp air. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that mold can grow on any of your personal belongings, including the clothes hanging in your closet. 

Should moldy clothes be thrown away?

Unfortunately, the answer is yes because mold needs to be completely eradicated. It’s virtually impossible to remove mold from clothes and if you keep moldy possessions in your home, the mold can spread elsewhere. No tangible item is worth risking your health.

Mold can also damage your home by taking over large sections and need removal services or even demolitions to eliminate. Mold growth can be expensive to remove and may cause you to have to replace the items in your home and pay for home repairs.

5. Toxic Mold Can Spread Quickly

Mold spores can start to grow on damp surfaces within 24-48 hours. If there is a leak in your pipes, flooding, or even a spill that isn’t fully cleaned up, it could cause a damp environment for mold to grow rapidly.

Since mold grows so fast, it’s important to get professional mold testing early on. It’s also best practice to get professional mold testing within 48 hours of any occurrence in the home that may lead to molding.

6. Insurance Requires Mold Testing Proof 

You will need to prove to the insurance company that your home has mold present in order to cover the damages. To do this, you will first need to hire a professional mold inspection company to conduct tests. The test results will give you the scientific evidence to support your insurance claim including the amount, type, and cause of mold.

The same goes for tenants of rental homes. If you are a renter and have concerns about mold contamination, your landlord should pay for the mold test to prove that mold damage is present.

7. Remove Musty Odor

Musty smells from the basement, attic, or enclosed spaces are typically a sign of mold. This odor might be from MCOC’s (Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds), which is the off-gassing of molds as they feed and reproduce. The musty odor from mold growth indicates poor indoor air quality.                                                                                          

Having an inspection can give you peace of mind that the odor is not from a mold. Alternatively, it could notify you that work needs to be done to rid the smell. 

8. At-Home Tests are Not Always Accurate

Many hardware stores sell at-home mold tests- however, homeowners should be wary of its accuracy. There have even been numerous instances where at-home test results have been wrong. Further, the process of collecting mold can be difficult and even dangerous if toxic mold is present.  

A professional test is the best way to know if your home contains toxic mold. Unlike at-home tests, a professional will be able to accurately detect the type and severity of mold growth.

9. Mold Test is a Sign of Overall Air Quality

If mold is present, there is a high chance your home has additional indoor air quality issues. An indoor environment with poor air quality can cause long-term health problems, allergies, and respiratory illnesses.

When a mold test comes back positive, it’s a good idea to have an air quality inspection done as well. This will determine if your home has other issues such as asbestos, radon, or bacteria.

10. Mold Testing is Easy and Quick 

You may be wondering how do you test for mold in a home and what is the process?

The best option is to hire a professional company to conduct an inspection. With a mold inspection, professionals will search the entire home, including the common hiding spots, for mold. Professionals will also give scientific information on the mold type and the cause of growth. 

Air labs is a professional mold detection company in Montreal, Canada that uses the following process to accurately test for mold:

1.  Conversation with the homeowner to learn about the property and address any concerns.

2.  Walk through the home with mold detecting technology to search for signs of mold.

3.  Document all mold findings and collect data on air quality.

The results will be given to the homeowner within a few days and the inspection takes only a few hours to run the entire test. 

In Conclusion

Mold can be hiding in your home, putting you and your family at risk of illness from poor indoor air quality. We recommend that you hire a professional mold inspection company to check for mold before purchasing a home. Mold inspections are quick and the best option to accurately detect mold.  

To get a free consultation or schedule a mold inspection with Air Labs, visit our contact page or call us at (514) 341-0000