Just how big a problem is mold in your home? Mold spores are everywhere in the air, both indoors and out. That considered, to what extent are these pesky fungi really a threat to your health and home?
While mold may not be life threatening, it’s certainly something that most home owners worry about. Here’s why.
1. It affects property value
Mold invasions — even if they’ve been cleaned up and professional addressed — can and do affect the property value of a home. All states have mold disclosure regulations specifying what you must disclose to potential buyers about mold in the home. For this reason, it’s best to deal with mold earlier rather than later.
It’s also alarming to buyers that mold signifies water of ventilation problems. Mold might be a sign of leaky pipes or a poorly ventilated attic — things that can be costly to repair and will therefore can drive down the price of a home. There’s a stigma to mold invasions, and that stigma has a real impact on property value, and even your ability to sell the house in a timely way.
2. It causes health problems
While most molds are not considered dangerous unless left entirely unchecked, different people react in different ways to the presence of mold in one’s home. Individuals with mold allergies will often show symptoms like runny nose, itchy throat, or watery eyes in the presence of mold. Additionally, mold can trigger asthma attacks or difficulty breathing for individuals with asthma or other respiratory problems.
There are plenty of inconclusive hypotheses about other potential dangers of mold. Some specialists believe that exposure to mold at a young age can increase the chances of developing asthma, but other doctors disagree with these findings.
3. It grows unseen
Perhaps one of the most frustrating aspects of mold is how inconspicuous it is. Because mold prefers to grow in dark places, it often turns up where you aren’t likely to see it — such as behind a washing machine or along your basement walls. What’s more, when you do see mold in your home, there is every possibility that you aren’t seeing all of it.
In most cases, visible mold is indicative of a deeper problem. Mold may be growing beneath floors, behind walls or above ceilings. For these reasons, it’s highly recommended to hire a specialist if you discover a mold infestation in your home.
Hiring a Mold Specialist
For all of these reasons, it makes good sense to hire a specialist if you find mold in your home. Sure, it’s possible to clean up small amounts of mold on your own — but even then, it’s important to work carefully, and to remember that a deeper problem may be present.
A qualified mold specialist will be able to clean up existing mold, find other infestations, and troubleshoot conditions in your home that are causing mold to grow in the first place. With an experienced specialist on board, you can be rest assured that your home will be mold free — now and into the future.