Should you 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 quickly. Whilst small patches of mold can be dealt with using DIY methods large patches must be professionally assessed and treated due to the possible health risks involved.

In order to establish the type of mold present and the extent of the repairs which will have to be undertaken you will need to have a mold inspection undertaken by a qualified professional. N.B. there are hundreds of mold inspectors around but it is essential that you are not tempted to choose one simply because the cost is less. This is a potentially serious problem and you really must employ the best you can afford.

So, what is a mold inspection all about?

A mold inspection can identify any conditions around your property which will support mold growth as well as pinpointing problem areas for example water damage, odours and obvious signs of fungal growth etc. The mold inspector must take the inspection outside and check the exterior of the dwelling again for obvious signs of water damage, leaks and their causes 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 task is normally to check moisture levels present in the walls of the property. The moisture levels are measured at intervals of around two feet and special attention should paid by the inspector in areas under sinks, around water heaters, anywhere that there is a water source present. Moisture levels are checked using a special meter which has two small pins which are placed into the lower part of the wall and will give a reading to show the amount of moisture present. The acceptable level is 15% or below.

Should at this point in the mold inspection your inspector finds wall moisture readings greater than the acceptable figure or discovers signs of water damage or mold growth he/she must bring them to your attention and possibly discuss whether

samples should be taken. However, even if 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 necessary.

The sample collected is most likely to be an air sample. By taking air samples during a mold inspection it is possible to determine what strain of mold is present in the atmosphere and at what levels. It is important to at this stage that the mold inspector should take at least two air samples. The first should be from the area which is causing concern and the second has to be from outside. Why take a sample from outside? The answer to this is easy. Mold is found everywhere, we breath it in constantly and for the most part it is completely safe and does us no harm what so ever. So, during a mold inspection it has to be determined whether or not the mold inside is the same strain as that outside and if it is in the same ratio or less. The other side of the coin is obviously that the mold type may be the same but the concentrations much higher inside or it may be toxic mold.

Where there is visible mold growth samples of this can also be taken allowing the exact type of mold spores to be identified, however this is unable to determine if these mold spores are in the atmosphere.

How fast can you expect results?

As a rule of thumb, these samples should take 3-4 days to process at the lab but I would definitely expect that your mold inspector make contact and give a verbal report as soon as the results become available followed by a written report within a couple of days. Another point to be aware of, when it comes to the report following a mold inspection a good mold inspector will not simply send you a copy of the lab report. He/She should able to accurately interpret the results and deliver them together with recommendations to resolve the issue in plain English!

NB. If you book a mold inspection it is vital 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 odours and air samples will not contain excess outside air.