Health and Fitness Tips

Mold can be very difficult to see or it can be found in a wide range of colors-even though it is usually called black mold. You can find mold in a variety of places as well: basements, crawl spaces, attics, in and around AC units or dehumidifiers, just to sample a few.

Health Concerns Regarding Mold: Mold can be the cause of several serious health problems like respiratory issues, asthma, mycotoxicosis and more. Its health related issues can affect just about anyone, although most at risk are those who are infants, young children, elderly and those who may have a compromised immune system. Luckily if you know where and what it is, mold can be eliminated. This is one good reason mold inspections should be a routine part of your home care schedule.

Inspecting for Mold: Professional mold inspections should be conducted on a routine basis as it is not unusual for the typical home to have some sort of mold. However, if left undetected these fungi multiply quite quickly changing a small issue into an enormous problem. Basic professional inspections should be conducted on a routine basis with more extensive professional inspections happening only on an occasional basis.

Purpose of a Certified Mold Inspector: A Certified Mold Inspector (CMI) may be needed if you have damages from mold that you wish to file a claim for. Most often only an official test results analysis by a CMI will be accepted under such circumstances. The CMI offers the most extensive mold testing when it comes to air, walls, floors and appliances. Having a CMI conduct mold testing is a good idea if you are considering buying an older house, are under the suspicion that there may be a problem or if you just have not had your home tested in a while.

DIY Kits for Mold Testing: Do-it-yourself mold inspection kits are readily available at most home supply stores. These types of testing kits can and should be used in between professional inspections. They in no way replace the professional inspection but can be used as an indication of when a professional inspection should be conducted. These can give an indication of whether or not the air in your home contains mold spores. However these kits are not foolproof and professional inspections should be scheduled routinely whether or not you use the DIY kits.

Essential Preventative Measures: The most essential preventative measures may sound like common sense. They include but are not limited to: ridding your home of any standing water, scrubbing appliances (like refrigerators, humidifiers, etc) with antibiotic soap, cleaning your AC unit regularly, regularly changing your floor mats and shower curtains.

As you can see, conducting routine mold inspections should become a part of your routine home maintenance schedule. If left unchecked, mold can cause enormous issues with not only your health but you home as well.

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