Home Inspector Fairmont MN | Inspector– 507-721-3145
If you are unfortunate enough to discover a problem with mold growth in your home be it in the basement, attic or on the wall of your bedrooms or lounge it is imperative that you deal with the problem and immediately.
In order to establish the type of mold present and the type of the repairs which will have to be undertaken you will need to have a mold inspection undertaken by a qualified professional.
So, what is a mold inspection all about?
A mold inspection will identify any conditions around your property which will support mold growth as well as pinpointing problem areas for example water damage, odors and obvious signs of fungal growth etc. The mold inspector will take the inspection outside and check the exterior of the dwelling again for obvious signs of water damage, leaks and their sources such as broken pipes, broken gutters, cracked brick work and so on.
What does the inspector actually do during a mold inspection?
After the initial visual checks the first job is normally to gauge moisture levels present in the walls of the property. The moisture levels are measured at intervals of about two feet and special attention must paid by the inspector in areas under sinks, around water heaters, anywhere that there is a water source present. Moisture levels are measured using a special meter which has two small pins which are inserted into the lower part of the wall and will give a reading to show the level of moisture present. The acceptable level is 15% or below.
Should at this point in the mold inspection your inspector discovers wall moisture readings greater than the acceptable figure or comes across signs of water damage or mold growth the inspector will bring them to your attention and possibly discuss whether samples should be taken. However, even assuming there are visible stains from water damage or perhaps mold growth the inspector will still be unable to give any indication for certain that you have a mold problem which is why sampling is essential.
The most common sample that will be taken is an air sample. By taking air samples during a mold inspection it is possible to establish what strain of mold is present in the atmosphere and in what quantities. Another common sample is to take a physical piece of material that has visual mold growing on it.
How fast can you expect results?
As a rule of thumb, these samples can take 7-8 days to process at the lab but the mold inspector will make contact and give a verbal report as soon as the results become available followed by a written report within a couple of days.
Should you book a mold inspection it is important that you keep doors and windows closed as much as possible for the 12 to 24 hours previous to the inspectors visit. This will allow that the mold inspection results are accurate. It will allow the mold inspector to detect odors and air samples will not contain excess outside air.
To keep yourself and other healthy and safe, give us a call today!
Prime Inspections – 507-721-3145