While most types of mold aren’t toxic, they can still cause health problems if they aren’t taken care of. Ensure your home is free from toxic mold by having Triton Home Inspections run some tests today.
What Are the Dangers Associated With Mold?
While mold has little or no effect on some people, others (including those with sensitivities) can experience a number of health problems. Exposure to mold spores can cause symptoms like runny noses, coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, and rashes. If somebody is asthmatic or allergic to mold, their reaction can be even more intense. Even if you or your family aren’t at risk for the mold health problems, it’s always a good idea to identify and remediate it before it spread.
What Is Mold Inspection?
A mold inspection determines whether there’s any visible mold present and estimates its size (in square feet). An inspection typically includes a visual examination for signs of mold growth, an assessment of water damage, testing for humidity levels, and inspecting the HVAC system for signs of mold contamination. Since mold often drifts into homes from the outside, marginal amounts are almost always present indoors. A mold inspection will be able to determine if the problem was caused by water damage.
During our inspection, we will examine the house for conditions that are conducive to mold growth, including evidence of past flooding or any signs of previous flood damage. We also check for any detectable signs of mold growth already present in the house.
Mold spores grow best where there is moisture and organic materials. They can grow on a wide range of different types of surfaces, from drywall to wallpaper to glass, and they come in a variety of colors.
If there appears to be any kind of mold growth, we will swabs the area with a sterile swab in an attempt to determine if the growth is microbial in origin or not. A swab test can determine whether there are any fungal spores or the type of fungus present.
We collect air or surface specimens from your property, then send them to an accredited lab for testing. The result is a complete mold report that provides an analysis of the mold found on the property. The laboratory results include specific spore counts, descriptions of the genus and species, and a list of molds.