5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MOLD - BUILDING INSPECTION MELBOURNE

Mold not only looks ugly and smells bad, but it is also a serious health risk for occupiers. Mold grows in a warm, damp, and humid environment especially around a constant supply of water. Building Inspection Council has observed that more than 40% of houses in Australia have internal water leakage and Water Penetration from outside, which is an ideal situation for mold growth. A professional building inspection will warn you about the mold problem when buying a property and save you from expensive mold treatments. Here are 5 things about mold that need to know

1. What is mold?

Mold is a fungus and it comes in various colors (Green, black, white, and other) and forms. It grows can grow indoor and outdoor. It thrives in a damp, humid, and warm environment. While some molds are visible and give a musty smell but they can grow under floors, between walls, inside the ceiling, roof cavity, or any less accessible area.

2. What are the causes of the mold?

Mold happens due to 2 things – mold spore and favorable environment (damp, humid, and warm). Spores are natural and everywhere, outdoor as well as inside your house. Spores are microscopic particles that are emitted by mold. These are often as small as a single cell and float around in the air until these land on some surface. Spores are part of nature and impossible to remove from the air or environment, so out of our hands.

Fortunately, mold spores only become mold when they land on moist surfaces which is a controllable part of the cause of the mold. That is why you will find mold only in damp, warm, and humid environments.

3. What are common places for mold growth?

Mold can grow anywhere but the chances of growth are higher in a damp, humid, and warm place. Here is few of area which is prone to mold growth

Any part of the house with a constant water supply such are internal water leakage (leaking pipes) or external water penetration(leaking window, broken roof, faulty gutters, etc)
Any damp places or areas which are not dried after water leakage or flooding such as basements, under floors, etc.
Closed or less accessible area with zero or minimum ventila
The buildings that are tightly sealed (especially Air Conditioned) entrap the moisture inside and help the mold to grow

4. What are the risks of mold?

Health Risk: Mold can cause health problems such as allergic reactions, Aspergillosis, Toxin-related diseases, and Sick Building Syndrome. Some people are allergic to the presence of mold. Some varieties of mold are toxic and can cause toxin-related diseases. The new building has been designed to prevent loss of heating and cooling. This leads to entrapping the air inside helping the mold growth resulting in “Sick building syndrome”
Aesthetic Issue: Mold is not a great site to look at especially inside the houses. Mold looks ugly and damages the paint, wallpapers, etc. It leaves the strain marks even washed or removed.
Smell Problem: Mold leaves continuous bad musty smells in the environment around it. Some people cannot withstand it and may suffer nausea. Air fresheners do not provide the solution to it. The only solution to this smell is removing the mold completely.

5. How to prevent mold?

Removing the mold from a house is expensive and the best solution is to prevent it from happening. Here are some tips to prevent the mold:

Sort Water Leaks Promptly: Mold needs water or dampness to grow and if you prevent any leaks in the house, then the mold problem would be minimum.
Dry the things promptly: Problems do happen and your house may be suffering from unwanted water damage such as basement flooding, Carpet wetting, water overflow. It is important to dry everything as soon as possible.
Clean everything regularly: Cleaning every part of the house will not only make the house look great but also warn you about any water accumulation or mold growth before it is too late.
Control Humidity: Extreme humid air provides enough moisture to help the mold to grow on any surface. It is important every part of the building have proper ventilation and use dehumidifiers if needed.

Mold is a serious problem and can cost your thousands of dollar to get rid of it. This makes the cost of building inspection worth it. A competent building inspector will detect any signs of mold and warn you before you sign above the dotted lines.

Building Inspection Council is a not-for-profit organization that helps Australians with building inspection. We provide free quotes from the pre-verified expert building inspectors who not only detects mold but also explain you thing about mold. The best part about is that we do not have to compromise for profit and you get the most genuine and honest inspection quotes. Click here for free quotes.

Suggested Studies: For more information, please read following articles.

WHAT ARE TOP 3 BUILDING DEFECTS?

GUTTERING DEFECTS FOUND DURING BUILDING INSPECTION

9 HIDDEN TRAPS UNEARTHED BY AN EXPERT BUILDING INSPECTOR

15 TOP BUILDING DEFECTS FOUND DURING BUILDING INSPECTION

MOST COMMON BUILDING DEFECTS