Signs of Mold in a Home: Why It’s a Problem + Visible Signs

While we wish it were not the case, sadly there are a number of situations where the seller of a current home may attempt to conceal issues from prospective buyers (or simply may be unaware of them to begin with). While a few different such problems may be present, one of the most common and well-known is the presence of mold.

At Aerolite Consulting, we’re proud to offer not just standard home inspections for Utah buyers and sellers, but also environmental contaminant testing such as mold testing, radon testing and many others to help you understand any potential threats present in a home you’re in the process of purchasing. While our inspectors should be hired for any such home, and will definitely pick up on the signs of mold and other contaminants, it also pays for you to have an idea of the telltale signs of mold while touring or walking through any prospective home — this allows you to ensure you specifically order a mold test from our inspectors when it’s time for our services to be carried out. With this theme in mind, this two-part blog series will dig into why mold is a concern, plus some of the ways you can go about determining whether it’s present in a home you’re looking into.

Why Mold is a Problem

Mold present in any home is an issue for multiple reasons. First and foremost, mold is something we don’t want to be breathing in for any period of time. It can cause a number of different respiratory issues (including asthma attacks and/or worsening respiratory conditions), and it’s also documented that prolonged exposure to even tiny amounts of airborne mold may lead to serious health concerns down the road.

But there’s more to it than just the health risks of exposure to mold spores. Mold, if present in a home being considered for purchase or inspection, can grow and spread from one area of a property to another fairly quickly. Even worse is that this mold growth often isn’t visible to the naked eye — while some molds may be bright green and/or black, other molds may appear as little more than a musty scent and/or dried up patches of dirt. This means that the presence of mold isn’t always obvious to those buying and/or selling a home, which is why it pays to understand the telltale signs of such an issue.

Our next several sections will go over some tips we offer to clients on evaluating the possibility of mold presence during a home tour or walk-through.

Visible or Other Signs

While mold isn’t always visible, there are many cases where it is — or where related signs tip you off. For instance, if you notice standing water puddles in the basement, high humidity levels and/or musty smells, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with the presence of mold. One of the most important things we tell our clients is to think about what they can’t see — specifically, if you don’t see visible signs of mold, but suspect it may be present in a home you’re walking through, be sure to order a mold test during your home inspection.

For more on how to spot the signs of mold in a home you’re considering to ensure you have a mold test done, or to learn about any of our home inspections or environmental contaminant tests in Utah, speak to the team at Aerolite Consulting today.