Why you may need mold inspection and testing services.

When it comes to your home or commercial property, the air quality inside is just as important as the building iteself. Bad air quality can oftentimes lead to mold, which can cause damage to your real estate, your health, and your property’s value if you want to sell.

How do you know if you have mold?

If you see patches on your shower curtains or white spots on your basement floor, or even if you’re simply planning a real estate sale, it’s time to schedule a professional mold inspection.

What is mold and where do spores come from?

Mold is a fungus that grows and thrives on moist surfaces. There are three main ways that spores end up in a home or commercial building:

1. Air intrusion: Outdoor air enters the building through windows, doorways, and other openings. This air can carry spores with it.
2. Items: Spores are microscopic, so air-borne entities can enter buildings attached to people, pets, groceries, and more.
3. Interior growth: Spores can be produced indoors, in places with excessive moisture.

What are the damaging health effects of mold?

While it’s abundant in nature and is mostly unharmful in an open-air environment, mold can become a menace in enclosed spaces, especially to those allergic to it. Constantly inhaling mold spores can cause both immediate and long-term health problems, ranging from mild to chronic.

Since the air we breathe is the same one that carries the spores, this increases the risk of respiratory infections and aggravating existing ones. Mold poses a risk to everyone, but children, seniors, the immunocompromised, and people with breathing issues are most at risk.

Short term effects of mold can include:

• Sneezing
• Red eyes
• Runny nose
• Fever-type symptoms

Long term effects of mold can include:

• Unexplained skin irritation
• Chronic cough
• Persistent nasal infection
• Frequent asthma attacks

Why is a professional mold inspection so important?

Mold increases at an exponential rate through spore formation and dissemination. The spores travel through the air to form new spots, meaning time is of the essence if you suspect you may have mold.

There is no way to visually determine if staining/growth is mold, or what kind of mold it is — you need an air sampling and lab analysis to be sure.

At AHI, we perform mold inspections frequently and specialize in moisture detection. To test for mold spores, we sample the air using air cartridges or swabs. We then overnight the samples to a certified lab with extensive credentials, excellent reputation, and a long track record. Typically, we get results by the next business day and provide a mold inspection report, with a complete diagnosis of the mold spores present. If a swab test comes back positive, we recommend you seek remediation from a professional mold removal company.

If you have any questions or concerns, or suspect you may have mold on your property, don’t wait! Schedule a mold inspection and testing.