Mold Issues: Prevention, Testing and Removal

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the basics on mold and the health risks it presents in your home. Mold, which can sometimes be identified based on its impact but also may go undetected in some situations until it’s too late, present several potential health risks to both people and pets in the home.

At Aerolite Consulting, we’re proud to offer comprehensive mold testing as part of our new home inspections, helping prospective buyers get an advanced idea of whether mold or a variety of other environmental contaminants like lead, asbestos and more are present in the home – even if they can’t be seen in public areas of the space. Not only will our mold testing professionals identify these contaminants, they’ll offer general expertise on future prevention and the importance of this testing. Here are a few more basics on mold in the home.

Mold Prevention

Here are several general tips for controlling and avoiding mold:

• Moisture control: Mold needs moisture to form, so keep a close eye on areas like bathrooms and others that regularly run water. Also be sure to clean up any spills or standing moisture, plus clean and repair roof gutters regularly.
• Sloping: The ground should slope away from your home’s foundation, which will stop water from entering or collecting around it.
• Humidity: Mold also requires high humidity to thrive, so keep your indoor humidity relatively low – usually between 50% and 60% relative humidity.
• Condensation: If you see condensation or moisture on windows, walls, ceilings or pipes, act quickly to dry it and then remove the moisture source. Condensation is often a sign of humidity.

Importance of Testing

As we noted above, there are some cases of mold or other home contaminants that will be present, but not show noticeable signs to humans. Many mold infestations, for instance, begin causing respiratory and other health issues for individuals in the home long before anyone actually identifies the mold itself, as it will often grow in locations we don’t look in often.

This is why testing is so important, especially when moving into a new home. You have no idea what kind of care the previous owner took to prevent these kinds of contaminants, but robust environmental testing gives you a clear answer here and allows you to take any concerns back to the seller before you sign any sale documents.

Basic Removal Tips

In many cases, you should leave mold removal to disaster cleanup specialists, especially if you do not have proper safety equipment on-hand. For those looking to perform a DIY removal, safety items like gloves, a mask and goggles are absolute musts. Mold deposits should be scrubbed with detergent and water, plus dried completely.

For more on the issues with mold in the home, or to learn about any of our mold testing or other home inspection services, speak to the staff at Aerolite Consulting today.