What Do Mold Inspectors Actually Do ?

Reliablecounter Team

If you discover mold in your home, you may be wondering what action to take next. You will usually require a professional mold remediation service when a mold outbreak covers over 10 square feet of your property. If that’s the case, or you’re unsure whether there is hidden mold in your home, it’s best to call a mold inspection company. The mold inspection and remediation process are more involved than you’d probably expect. It’s designed so that the mold inspection and remediation company understands exactly what type of mold exists and where it’s present.

Mold inspectors use a variety of tools to test for mold. The most common form of testing is air quality testing. Another common form of testing is surface testing. This involves taking swabs or samples of surfaces in your home that have mold growth on them. The air and surface samples are then sent to a lab for analysis. The results will tell you the types and levels of mold spores present in your home.

The results of the tests will take a few days to come back. Once the results are back, the mold inspector will deliver you a report. The report will tell you the types and levels of mold spores present in your home and where they are located. If the mold test results are too confusing to understand you can ask the inspector for more clarity or hire a mold results interpretation service.

If the mold test results indicate that you have a mold issue that needs to be remediated, your next step is to hire a mold remediation company. The company will use the mold report to develop a mold removal plan. When hiring a  remediation company, be sure to ask about their experience and qualifications. They should be licensed and IICRC certified to remove mold. Be sure to get multiple quotes before making a decision.

The mold removal process usually involves a multi-step process. First, the mold remediation company will set up a containment zone to prevent the mold spores from spreading to other parts of your home. Then the company will run HEPA air filtration units to trap mold spores and remove the moldy materials. This often includes drywall, insulation, and other home items. Possessions that you’d like to keep will get sent to a special cleaning facility. The remediation company will take an inventory of the items, transport the items for cleaning, and return them to your home. Next, the remediation technicians will often add a solution to the affected area to prevent mildew and mold from forming again.

Lastly, there is the restoration process. In some cases, the mold may have damaged building materials in your home, such as drywall. These materials are often removed and replaced. If the mold removal company is a full-service restoration company they take of the rebuild process as well.

In order to prevent mold from reappearing in your home, you’ll need to correct the source of the problem. Mold usually occurs in homes due to excess moisture, which can be caused by poor ventilation, leaky pipes, leaky roofs, flooding, malfunctioning appliances, or anything else that is a source of persistent humidity.

The mold testing, removal, and restoration process may seem daunting and unnecessarily expensive. However, ignoring a mold infestation in your home will only make matters worse. Mold will damage building materials such as wood and can cause structural problems. In addition, mold exposure can also be damaging to your health. Mold health symptoms can include sneezing, rashes, coughing, and itchy eyes, which can be especially harmful to people with underlying health conditions.

If you suspect your home may have a mold problem, contact a certified and licensed mold inspector to begin testing as soon as possible.