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Do it yourself Mold Inspection20 Aug

Have you noticed any signs of mold growth in or around your home? If so, then it is time to conduct a thorough mold inspection. Mold inspection is normally done for two reasons; to find out whether or not there is mold hiding in your home, and to locate the source of moisture that is promoting the mold growth to begin with. The following areas are most prone to mold infestation, and should be given the priority when doing a mold inspection:

  • Bathroom

The warm and wet environment of a bathroom provides a very conducive environment for mold growth, particularly if the bathroom lacks proper ventilation. When inspecting the bathroom, you need to consider the following areas: shower, bathtub, sink, toilet, walls, and the floor.

  • Kitchen

Several surfaces in your kitchen are prone to mold growth. This could be food leftovers to dirty dishes that pile up in the sinks. Mold growth is also accelerated by the high moisture content from the use of cookers and water that runs from the taps.

  • Bedroom

Mostly, the bedroom is not seen as a place where mold can thrive. However, if there is no proper ventilation, then all indoor spaces become susceptible to the growth of mold and mold which necessitates inspection.  

  • The Living Room

Many people acknowledge that mold can grow in any place in their homes, and the living room is not an exception. When inspecting for the growth of mold in your living room start with the following areas, the couches, carpets, curtains and indoor plants like flowers.

Why Do Mold Inspection?

If you detect mold problems in your home during the early stages, you will minimize the impact that it has on your family. When mold grows for a prolonged period of time, more time and effort may be required to completely rid it from your home. For this reason, you are advised to perform mold inspection when you first notice it to prevent more costly repairs and remediation.

One of the major reasons that families decide to conduct mold inspections to begin with, is that they are being affected by symptoms thought to be caused by mold. These symptoms range from allergies, to skin irritation, to respiratory problems.

If you’ve experienced issues with water like leaks, spills, or flooding, you should consider doing a mold inspection to check whether mold could be growing in your house.  If there is any mold growing, then you are likely to notice a musty, stale smell.

Cracking or peeling paint, black spots, and swelling are clear signs of mold growth on a wall. When you see this, take a very close look, and you might see small collections of mold spores.

If you’ve already found the visible growth of mold, you can still do a more thorough inspection to check for growth in other areas, or spaces that may contain hidden growths. For example, if you see mold that has grown on a wall, ceiling, or floor, then it means there could be a larger mold infestation behind that surface.

What comes Next after Mold Inspection?

No one wants mold growing in their home. It is for this reason that many people invest a lot of their time and resources in a mold inspection, so that they can take precautions and alleviate the damages caused by mold.

If after the inspection you discover that mold could be infesting your home, don’t panic. There are some tried and tested tips that can be used to eliminate the growths. Some of these hacks include:  

  • Ensure that you shut down all the sources of moisture. Be sure to regularly clean and dry all the areas like the bathroom and the kitchen which have high risks of mold infestations.
  • Ensure there is enough ventilation in all the areas of your home.  Open the doors and the windows regularly to allow the circulation of air.  Fans also help in keeping homes ventilated.
  • Use cleaning solutions for example bleach vinegar and ammonia among others. These solutions have proved to be quite useful in the removal of molds.
  • An electrical dehumidifier is the most effective way to remove mold from your home. Depending on the size and model, most dehumidifiers are also an affordable solution as well.

Dehumidifiers have been designed to monitor and control levels of humidity in the air by drawing excess moisture. This, in turn, helps to reduce condensation and consequently the growth of mold.

Dehumidifiers have been designed to monitor and control levels of humidity in the air by drawing out excess moisture. This, in turn, helps to reduce condensation, and consequently the growth of mold. Dehumidifiers are most useful when moisture levels are high, so you can switch them on just after taking a shower, when doing laundry, or when drying clothes in the house.