Kensa Fans know that water is a big focus of every home inspection, second only to safety. In this latest (and overdue) Resource article, we look at a very common symptom of water, the dreaded m-word -- mold. Every house has mold, because water. That’s just science, we don’t make the rules. But it's not really very scary.
100K!
Our pal Google tells us that there are over 100,000 flavors of mold. Some are toxic, some are not, and some we even enjoy eating – show of hands, who loves gorgonzola cheese? Point being to remember the context, which Kensa always provides with every issue found during every inspection. There are a few types that are most commonly found in the home.
On a related note, technically the only way to be sure something is in fact mold is to have a proper sample taken and have it analyzed by a proper lab. That’s why we never say, “Hey, that’s mold,” out loud or in a written inspection report. At the same time, it’s also usually pretty clear that something is in fact mold. For example, when you see a gross greenish growth on the piece of bread you just pulled out of the bag, you don’t need a lab to tell you it’s mold. The EPA says, “In most cases, if visible mold growth is present, sampling is unnecessary.” However, depending on the scale and scope of the problem, you may need professional remediation services to solve the problem. This would be discussed during your Kensa Inspections home inspection by your inspection inspector named Ken who founded Kensa.
Tech Tip
On a side note related to the related note, one thing to point out about remediation is that the EPA says you can clean it yourself if the affected area is less than 10 square feet. In other words, you don’t need a professional to deal with a few spots under the bathroom sink. A sample scenario: First, you get a plumber to fix the leak that provided the water that caused the mold (root cause). Next, you go to the hardware store and get some “anti-microbial” cleaner and follow the directions on the jug (symptom). Then you keep an eye on it to see if the problem returns (monitor). Simple. Other situations may require a professional, such as attic and basement problems. Just remember to always solve the root cause (water) before trying to clean up the symptom (mold).
Visual Aides
Without further ado, let’s have a look at some examples of mold -- aka microbial growth, aka the fungus is amungus -- found during Kensa’s inspections:
(get the details at your inspection :)
EPA, CDC, XYZ
We follow the EPA guidelines for mold (and radon), and we follow CDC guidelines for things such as best practices around Covid. This article isn’t meant to reinvent the wheel for giving extensive information about what mold is or what to do about it, so here’s what they provide:
https://www.cdc.gov/mold/faqs.htm
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Where will the mold manifest in your next new home? Let’s find out together! Get an overview of what’s included in a typical home inspection:
https://www.kensainspections.com/inspections