Household Mold Testing: Here’s Where Mold Will Likely Be Found

Everybody wants to save energy, but nobody wants mold in their home. House mold testing of homes whose owners are trying to be more energy efficient and save money on utilities will often times lead to the growth and formation of mold in their homes.

The reason for this is, homes that are closed up tight to keep hot or cold from escaping (or getting in) have little or no ventilation, and that creates an ideal environment for mold to grow and spread. When performing household mold testing, the inspector knows several places more likely to find this problem: poorly ventilated basements, attics and crawl spaces.

Basements – particularly those that are unfinished and rarely used – are notorious for breeding mold. In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, we regularly have humid weather, which greatly contributes to mold growth and causes the need for people to contract for regular house mold testing services. Same with attics – if they’re just unused storage depots, it means people aren’t up there paying attention to early stages of mold development. When this fungal growth is finally discovered, often extensive remediation projects are necessary.

There are more than 100,000 species of mold. Numerous health hazards have been associated with it including cancer, a variety of allergic reactions, asthma attacks in those with asthma, eye, nose and throat irritation, sinus congestion and bronchitis. House mold testing can quickly tell you if there’s mold in your home and then help to prevent the possibility of humans who live there developing these and other symptoms.

There truly is a mold epidemic in American homes. Improper ventilation can begin the spread of mold in any house, and where will the mold grow? Just about anywhere, but wood and wood-based products such as framing and paper-faced sheetrock along with paper-faced insulation are particularly susceptible. House mold testing regularly uncovers the presence of mold on and within these materials.

Wood is a natural place for mold to grow. It’s porous, so mold spores easily can spread within it, and before you know it, there’s a very serious problem – often one that no one in the home is even aware of. This is why house mold testing is so important: it’s very common for mold to exist in places people don’t go and places they never see. Using sophisticated equipment, household mold testing can detect mold wherever it is and technicians can then remove it.

The reason ventilation can help prevent the growth and spread of mold is because moving air creates a drying effect, whereas still air allows dampness to increase. If you are trying to save energy by keeping the house, or certain spaces within it, closed up, consider running a dehumidifier in these areas. And again, remember that just because you can’t see any mold, that’s no proof that it’s not there. A quality household mold testing service can detect mold that no un-trained person can.