Important Step in ensuring the Safety of Your Family and Employees
Mold is a dangerous type of fungus that thrives in damp places and spreads through air-borne spores. Exposure to mold can result in serious health problems, including respiratory infections and allergic reactions. It can also damage your property. A mold inspection is a crucial step in ensuring the safety of your family and employees.
Mold inspections should include a visual examination of the entire building, including areas that may be hard to reach such as behind walls and underneath carpets. A mold inspector can also use moisture meters to detect high levels of moisture in a building that may encourage mold growth. Mold inspectors should also consider whether other irritants may be contributing to discomfort for occupants, such as dust mites or animal dander.
In addition to assessing visible signs of mold, a good mold inspection should also look for evidence of past mold growth. This can indicate that a previous water problem has caused an area to become moldy, and it may be prone to return once the conditions that created the initial mold are present again. A previous mold infestation may also have sensitized individuals to the presence of spores, leading to allergies or other health issues.
Depending on the situation, a mold inspection may involve air sampling and surface testing. A qualified professional will be able to evaluate the need for either of these tests and recommend the most appropriate method of sampling. During an air sample, the home inspector will test indoor air and outdoor air using spore traps or canisters to determine concentrations of airborne mold spores. The results are then compared to establish the level of contamination within the home.
Mold Inspection – Important Step in ensuring the Safety of Your Family and Employees
Surface sampling is a less-common technique used during mold inspections. The home inspector will apply a small amount of methylene chloride to the suspected surface in order to attract and capture mold spores. The samples are then taken to a laboratory to be examined under a microscope and recorded. This is a more accurate way of measuring the size and concentration of a mold infestation.
In the end, a good mold inspection will focus on finding and eliminating the source of mold growth. Moisture is essential to mold growth, so if you can identify the source of the moisture and eliminate it, you will stop the mold from returning. A mold inspection should also look for underlying causes of the moisture, such as leaks and condensation, to prevent mold from returning in the future.
If you need to conduct a mold inspection, make sure you have all the necessary tools and supplies. You can find a variety of tools at online retailers. A good tool kit will also contain a mold inspection checklist. A mold inspection checklist will help you keep track of all the areas and items you have inspected, making it easier to document your findings. It will also help you create a detailed report that can be shared with clients and other interested parties.
Once the visual inspection is complete, it may be necessary to carry out surface sampling and/or testing. This could involve swabbing certain surfaces with a swab that is then sent to a lab for testing. The swab is normally incubated for several days in order to identify the type of mold present.