Home inspectors are not mold inspectors
Home inspectors are not mold inspectors
If you are considering buying a home in the near future one of the things you should consider is having a home inspector and a mold inspector review the prospective home. Home inspectors are not trained mold inspectors and could miss a pre-existing mold condition which could impact you and your family’s health and value of the home.
Home inspector vs. mold inspector
Maple Leaf Mold has both trained home and mold inspectors on staff and we are familiar with how and what each inspector looks for. If a home inspector finds visible mold in a home he or she will note it on a report but the inspection will only be limited to what can be seen. A mold inspector will look further, using equipment designed to detect moisture inside a material itself, usually hidden from view, (such as a moisture meter or infrared camera).
Mold growing on new homes under construction
During my travels I am constantly dismayed at the number of instances where I see mold growing on new homes under construction. As a professional in the industry I get to visit many existing and newer homes because the owner has called me into take a look at potential mold problems that have formed due to a number of situations. However, one of the most understated reasons for mold growth in a new home is because mold was allowed to grow on the exposed wooden structure of the home as it was being built.
No thought was given to protecting or treating the structure, even by simply covering the materials waiting to be assembled, covering the structure as it’s being built and / or drying the structure out thoroughly before the interior build out has started.
Future indoor air quality is directly affected by the amount of diligence you apply during the design / construction phase of the home.
https://mapleleafmold.ca/mold-growing-on-…der-construction/
Why is there an important distinction between home inspector and mold inspector?
I recently read of a family who had a home inspector review a home they had made an offer on conditional upon the results of the inspection, (they did not call in a mold inspector to verify the homes condition). However, the home inspector missed a pre-existing mold condition hidden well within the home.
The homeowners, (after suffering for a number of months), found that the home they had bought was contaminated with mold. However, after they turned to their insurance company for help, were told they wouldn’t be covered because the mold was pre-existing in the house and a home inspector should have found it before they purchased it.
How could this be avoided?
Hire a certified IICRC mold inspection company.
In cases where you are buying a home an air quality test would be the first mandatory test which should be conducted. This will tell you where there is mold hidden behind flooring, walls, in attics or in other areas where mold can hide. The test will tell you whether there are elevated or non-elevated levels of mold in the home, providing you with a glimpse of the health of that home.
Maple Leaf Mold Inc. is a certified mold / asbestos removal and biological disinfection / air analysis company located in Toronto that uses certified IICRC technicians for all testing and remediation projects.
We are a professionally licensed firm experienced in testing, verifying and removing Mold / Asbestos / Lead and other environmental contaminants as well as providing disinfection services to control and kill biological contaminants.
Call 416-254-7256 to talk with us about your issue anytime.
        
