Molds are microscopic organisms living on animal and plant matter. They break down the waste material, and recycle the nutrients into the environment. Mold is present everywhere, and produce spores in order to reproduce. Under the right conditions, molds grow and multiply rapidly. They only need enough moisture and organic material to breed and multiply.
Why Are Home Mold Inspections Important
Mold spores are spread everywhere, and if given sufficient moisture, mold can grow anywhere in the house. Some of the most common sources of moisture are roof leaks, flooding, damp basement, plumbing leaks, drainage problems, humidifiers, steam from kitchen and bathroom, wet clothes drying inside home, damp crawl spaces, and improper ventilation of combustion appliances.
Regular home mold inspections are very important, as exposure to mold may adversely affect the health in some people. Most common effects of mold are allergic reactions caused by breathing mold spores, and it can cause irritation of eyes, nose, lungs and throat, asthma, or hay fever. Dead as well as living mold spores can cause these allergic responses, and hence killing the mold using bleach or other disinfectants may not stop allergic responses.
Home mold inspection is not very difficult as mold can easily be seen or smelled. Its growth is usually seen as slightly furry, slimy or discoloured patches. Mold also produces a unique odour that is the first indication of its presence.
Some areas of home are always susceptible to mold growth, and these must be thoroughly checked during home mold inspections. These areas include shower curtains, surface in and around the air conditioner, bathroom tiles, window mouldings and seal on door of refrigerator.
Though professional mol sampling can be quite expensive, it can be helpful to know the type of mold present in the house. First step to handle the mold problem in the house is to hire a certified Industrial Hygienists, who can take the sample of molds from the house, and get them analysed in the lab to identify the type of mold. This certified mold inspection can help decide the appropriate products and procedure to get rid of home mold.
Industrial Hygienist will also perform the clearance testing to make sure that the level of mold in the structure of the house in lower than those outside. Home mold inspection can be expensive, and there are no government agencies to oversee the problems related to molds in structures. If moving to a new location, get all the belongings cleaned by professionals to get rid of mold and spores.