If you think fungus growing in your home is the toxic black mold (also known as Stachybotrys Chartarum), then you need to have a black mold inspection done on your home immediately. If you don’t, you’re risking not only your health, but also the health of others that live in or visit your home.
Even if you see the fungus and it’s not invisible, you still need to have your home inspected. Sure, it’s going to cost you some money, but it’s either that or deal with some serious health issues. And really, who wants to smell a nasty musty odor or see fuzzy drywall mold all over the place.
Before you open the yellow pages and hire just anyone however, make sure you shop around. If you don’t, you may wind up hiring someone who doesn’t have a clue what they’re doing. If you’re not sure who you should hire, you can always ask neighbors, friends, family and even local businesses who they would recommend.
When you’ve found the perfect inspector, he or she will generally start by finding the source of the problem. He or she will usually look for specific signs such as attic mold from a leaking roof or moldy paneling from a flooded basement. If the problem is hidden they may check for musty odors in the home. They may also look around problem areas like basements, bathrooms, attics, crawlspaces and kitchens.
Your mold inspector may also test the air for a spore count both indoors and outdoors. Testing the air for mold allows them to see if the spore count is higher in the home than it is outside. Some companies may choose to also do a surface sampling on visible fungus growth, which can tell them what types of mold you’re dealing with.
They will then take the samples back to a lab or their office where they can tell you what type of molds are in your home and how serious of a problem you have. Of course if the molds are really visible, you might not have to wait for them to tell you that you have a problem. They should also be able to tell you the specific cause of the problem such as a leaking roof or broken water pipe.
Once the investigation is over, the company should show you a report on what they’ve found. They may also give you some recommendations on removing the mold. In most cases you’ll need to hire a mold remediation company since companies who inspect homes for mold often do not remove the problem themselves.
There are however, some companies who do offer both black mold inspection services and mold remediation services, however you should check with your city’s codes before you hire a company that does so. If you are able to hire them, you should ask if they have any discounts for using additional services with their company.