Mold Problem Here?

Mold Problems Here?

I'm seeing a big uptick in requests for mold testing. Interestingly, these are being driven by doctors asking their patients to get tested. Since I am certified in Mold Inspection, I have been getting a number of these referrals.

In each such case where doctors have referred their patients for mold inspection, I have found, through air sampling, surprising levels of mold. Unusually, it is in the exterior samples that I am seeing high numbers which is, obviously, affecting the indoor air quality. Oftentimes, there is NO visible mold present but there have been plenty of mold spores in the air.

And, before anyone thinks “Well, not around here!”, I have done mold testing in Lewiston, Clarkston, Moscow, and Pullman - plus a bunch out of town. Mold is becoming a problem here. Now, that may be the result of a really wet spring - or, it may not. I suspect, but don’t and can’t know, that the past several years of national health issues have impacted the population such that mold that did not affect people previously is now a much more serious concern.

When I am inspecting for mold (NOT included in a home inspection), I am looking for sources of moisture in the entire structure. So, if a client says they have mold in the bathroom, I'm still going to be in all the other rooms, up on the roof, in the attic, and in the crawlspace. I'm also going to be testing surfaces for moistures, testing the air for humidity, and looking under and behind things to find the moisture source.

Sometimes, there just isn't a problem. But, more recently, there has been, from leaking plumbing to a failed dryer vent to water in the crawlspace.

Without testing, we just can't know.

If mold is a concern in your home, I recommend testing. It is a worthwhile investment in your air quality.