Mold Inspection

Why does mold grow?

Most Common Reasons for Mold in Attic Areas

• Inadequate or blocked/partially blocked ventilation openings.

• Inadequate levels of insulation.

• Bathroom exhaust fan discharging into attic or soffit.

• Excessive amount of stored items in attic.

• Non-insulated attic scuttle/pull-down staircase/ walk up staircase door.

• High interior humidity levels.

• Presence of whole-house fan.

• Presence of Air Conditioning evaporator in attic.

• Presence of non-insulated sheet metal duct-work in attic.

• Other, uncorrectable factors include - orientation of home and/or sections of roof.

• (north, south, etc) , location of home (woody areas can have a much higher.

• airborne spore level), and number of occupants in home.

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Most Common Reasons for Mold in Basement Areas

• Improper construction methods for finished areas.

• Condition of gutters and downspouts.

• Grading around exterior perimeter.

• High interior humidity levels.

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What makes mold hazardous?

Common symptoms of mold exposure

• Sneezing, runny or stuffy nose

• Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness

• Red, itchy eyes

• Dry, scaly skin

• Hay fever like symptoms

• Fatigue and weakness

• Headache

• Morning stiffness and joint pain

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Complications of mold exposure

• Mold-induced asthma

• Allergic fungal sinusitis

• Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis

• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis

• Infections of the skin or mucous membranes

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When Should you Consider Hiring Charleston Mold Testing

 

• To determine if mold is in fact growing in your home.

• Before you purchase a home or investment property and wish to identify if mold is a pre-existing issue.

• You smell a moldy or musty odor and cannot locate the source.

• You suspect mold but do not see any visible mold growth.

• Residents of your home experience mold exposure related symptoms (headaches, breathing difficulties, congestions, skin or eye irritation, allergic reactions) without a known cause.

• After any flooding or water damage event.

• You find a water leak that has been active for more than 24 hours.

• Unusual stains appear on furniture or building material.

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If you have any questions, please contact us here. Often mold problems can have simple solutions if treated early, but if left alone can grow spread to other areas and long term exposure to mold increases potential health risks.

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Why you should hire a certified independent inspector

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Charleston Mold Inspector is IICRC certified, and uses certified labs to test samples so you know your results are accurate and true. Many times people encounter someone who only visually inspects for mold or doesn't follow proper testing procedures which may lead to costly repairs which are not needed or for unseen mold to continue growing and infecting the home. The other issue many people face is hiring a company which does both the inspection and remediation. This scenario can cause a conflict of interest where the same company claiming an issue is present is the same one to fix it and say it is no longer a problem. When Charleston Mold Inspector does the testing, a remediation protocol is created which will be followed by the remediation company of your choice, and after the remediation a follow-up test is done to verify the problem has been properly and fully removed.

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Here is a segment from the popular show Dr. Oz which highlights this exact issue and how to avoid it: