Don't Buy a Home without a Mold Inspection!
Why Get Inspected?
BUYING A HOME OR PROPERTY?
Is there a musty smell in the building? Are there visible signs of water damage on the walls, ceiling, floor, anywhere? Has the home ever experienced a leaking basement, a roof leak, a plumbing leak, a sink or sewer back-up or overflow, a flood, or any other water problems?
Don't buy a home without a Mold Inspection!
The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Developement encourages purchasers to obtain a Professional Mold Inspection prior to closing. (HUD-9548-E)
VISUALLY SEE MOLD?
Have a mold inspection to check for additional mold and the source of the mold problem. Also have the mold tested to determine if it is toxic or allergenic.
SMELLS MOLDY OR MUSTY?
Again trust your instinct, if it smells like mold, it probably is. Many times mold grows behind walls or in attics, crawlspaces, or basements and is not readily visible. Have a mold inspection to check for mold and the source of the mold problem. If mold is found, have it tested to identify and determine if it is cosmetic,allergenic, pathogenic, or toxic.
UNEXPLAINED HEALTH COMPLAINTS?
Your environment may be contributing to or causing your health problems. Have a mold inspection to find or rule out mold. If mold is found, have tests done to identify and determine if it is toxic or allergenic. Have other environmental testing performed.
BUYING A HOME OR PROPERTY?
Is there a musty smell in the building? Are there visible signs of water damage on the walls, ceiling, floor, anywhere? Has the home ever experienced a leaking basement, a roof leak, a plumbing leak, a sink or sewer back-up or overflow, a flood, or any other water problems?
Don't buy a home without a Mold Inspection!
The U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Developement encourages purchasers to obtain a Professional Mold Inspection prior to closing. (HUD-9548-E)
VISUALLY SEE MOLD?
Have a mold inspection to check for additional mold and the source of the mold problem. Also have the mold tested to determine if it is toxic or allergenic.
SMELLS MOLDY OR MUSTY?
Again trust your instinct, if it smells like mold, it probably is. Many times mold grows behind walls or in attics, crawlspaces, or basements and is not readily visible. Have a mold inspection to check for mold and the source of the mold problem. If mold is found, have it tested to identify and determine if it is cosmetic,allergenic, pathogenic, or toxic.
UNEXPLAINED HEALTH COMPLAINTS?
Your environment may be contributing to or causing your health problems. Have a mold inspection to find or rule out mold. If mold is found, have tests done to identify and determine if it is toxic or allergenic. Have other environmental testing performed.
Realtors Take Note!
Mold Issues are NOT the Deal Killer; Fear and Worry Break the Deal.
- An honest, open Certified Mold Inspection alleviates fear and worry. A Certified Mold Inspection permits a fair transaction to occur for all parties.
- A Certified Mold Inspection enables both the buyer and the seller to close a real estate transaction feeling good about themselves and what they have just bought or sold. A Certified Mold Inspection facilitates an honest assessment and evaluation of the property.
- The buyer has greater confidence that there is not some hidden problem that will be expensive to fix, adversely affect their health, and/or decrease the value of their new home.
- The seller can show that they are not hiding any moisture problem and that this is an open, honest transaction.
- Both the buyer and the seller can benefit from a Certified Mold Inspection.
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPEMENT ENCOURAGES PURCHASERS TO OBTAIN A PROFESSIONAL MOLD INSPECTION PRIOR TO CLOSING. (HUD-9548-E)
- What is a Mold Inspection? A good Inspection begins with a thorough visual inspection of the home by a Certified Mold Inspector. The process is similar to a home inspection only in that the whole house is inspected (exterior, interior, attic, crawl, and basement). Unlike a home inspection the focus is upon water intrusion and signs of microbial growth. The inspection is intense and thorough and may take longer than your home inspection, average 2-3 hours.
- What results from a Mold Inspection? Upon Visual Inspection, sources of water/moisture intrusion will be documented. If visual microbial growths are found, they will be documented and the source of water/moisture intrusion will be located. Sampling and testing of any found microbial growth will be recommended and documented. Test results will document if the microbial growth is mold and if the mold is cosmetic, allergenic, pathogenic, or toxic.
- Why should a Mold Inspection be performed? A Certified Mold Inspection should be performed for every real estate transaction. (This will be a requirement in the near future.) At a minimum a Mold Inspection should be performed when you see or smell mold. Trust your instincts. A basement is not supposed to smell musty. Recommend that your client (buyer or seller) get a Certified Mold Inspection from a Certified Mold Inspector. The buyer should enter into the real estate transaction with eyes wide open. The seller needs to correct problems and document the steps they took to correct them. A Certified Mold Inspection alleviates fear and worry.
- Why a Certified Mold Inspector? A license is not required for mold inspection, so anyone can claim to be a mold inspector. Certification is what distinguishes a professional. A Certified Mold Inspector is educated and trained for mold inspection and sampling. A Certified Mold Inspector will give you a thorough inspection focused on mold detection, average 2-3 hours.
Home inspectors who add mold assessment for a nominal fee are not giving you a proper evaluation. How can a home inspector do a home inspection with mold in the same time it takes them to do a regular home inspection, average 2-3 hours. You want a certified professional performing your inspection/sampling and an accredited lab processing your samples. This is a health and safety issue. You want a Certified Mold Inspector whose only job is assessing the existing property as a non-biased neutral party, not an inspector/remediator trying to drum up sales for the remediation side of their business.
SELLERS NEED MOLD INSPECTIONS: Mold is an issue that should be faced head on. Have a Certified Mold Inspection. If Mold is found, have it tested to document type of mold and any health risks. Type will play a factor in how to remediate. Stop the source of the moisture/water problem. Clean up the growth. Clearance test the area. Repair the damage. Disclose to the potential buyer that the seller took the initiative to inspect and correct any problems. This is a better road to take than waiting for the buyer to find a problem that scares them out of the deal.
BUYERS NEED MOLD INSPECTIONS: You don't buy a pig in a poke, you check it out. Mold is a huge issue that can affect among other things, the value of the home, the insurability of the home, and the health of the occupants. The value of a Certified Mold Inspection far outweighs the consequences.
Mold Issues are NOT the Deal Killer; Fear and Worry Break the Deal.
- An honest, open Certified Mold Inspection alleviates fear and worry. A Certified Mold Inspection permits a fair transaction to occur for all parties.
- A Certified Mold Inspection enables both the buyer and the seller to close a real estate transaction feeling good about themselves and what they have just bought or sold. A Certified Mold Inspection facilitates an honest assessment and evaluation of the property.
- The buyer has greater confidence that there is not some hidden problem that will be expensive to fix, adversely affect their health, and/or decrease the value of their new home.
- The seller can show that they are not hiding any moisture problem and that this is an open, honest transaction.
- Both the buyer and the seller can benefit from a Certified Mold Inspection.
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPEMENT ENCOURAGES PURCHASERS TO OBTAIN A PROFESSIONAL MOLD INSPECTION PRIOR TO CLOSING. (HUD-9548-E)
- What is a Mold Inspection? A good Inspection begins with a thorough visual inspection of the home by a Certified Mold Inspector. The process is similar to a home inspection only in that the whole house is inspected (exterior, interior, attic, crawl, and basement). Unlike a home inspection the focus is upon water intrusion and signs of microbial growth. The inspection is intense and thorough and may take longer than your home inspection, average 2-3 hours.
- What results from a Mold Inspection? Upon Visual Inspection, sources of water/moisture intrusion will be documented. If visual microbial growths are found, they will be documented and the source of water/moisture intrusion will be located. Sampling and testing of any found microbial growth will be recommended and documented. Test results will document if the microbial growth is mold and if the mold is cosmetic, allergenic, pathogenic, or toxic.
- Why should a Mold Inspection be performed? A Certified Mold Inspection should be performed for every real estate transaction. (This will be a requirement in the near future.) At a minimum a Mold Inspection should be performed when you see or smell mold. Trust your instincts. A basement is not supposed to smell musty. Recommend that your client (buyer or seller) get a Certified Mold Inspection from a Certified Mold Inspector. The buyer should enter into the real estate transaction with eyes wide open. The seller needs to correct problems and document the steps they took to correct them. A Certified Mold Inspection alleviates fear and worry.
- Why a Certified Mold Inspector? A license is not required for mold inspection, so anyone can claim to be a mold inspector. Certification is what distinguishes a professional. A Certified Mold Inspector is educated and trained for mold inspection and sampling. A Certified Mold Inspector will give you a thorough inspection focused on mold detection, average 2-3 hours.
Home inspectors who add mold assessment for a nominal fee are not giving you a proper evaluation. How can a home inspector do a home inspection with mold in the same time it takes them to do a regular home inspection, average 2-3 hours. You want a certified professional performing your inspection/sampling and an accredited lab processing your samples. This is a health and safety issue. You want a Certified Mold Inspector whose only job is assessing the existing property as a non-biased neutral party, not an inspector/remediator trying to drum up sales for the remediation side of their business.
SELLERS NEED MOLD INSPECTIONS: Mold is an issue that should be faced head on. Have a Certified Mold Inspection. If Mold is found, have it tested to document type of mold and any health risks. Type will play a factor in how to remediate. Stop the source of the moisture/water problem. Clean up the growth. Clearance test the area. Repair the damage. Disclose to the potential buyer that the seller took the initiative to inspect and correct any problems. This is a better road to take than waiting for the buyer to find a problem that scares them out of the deal.
BUYERS NEED MOLD INSPECTIONS: You don't buy a pig in a poke, you check it out. Mold is a huge issue that can affect among other things, the value of the home, the insurability of the home, and the health of the occupants. The value of a Certified Mold Inspection far outweighs the consequences.
BEWARE THE MOLD SCAMS!
Does your mold inspector just happen to be in the mold remediation business too. This can be a grave conflict of interest, like hiring a fox to watch your hen house.
Your Certified Mold Inspector should be an independent third party to your relationship with your Certified Mold Remediator. This supports a proper check and balance system. A Certified Inspector/Remediator should only play one role in the relationship.
