Opening doors to the balcony or patio can create two serious problems for Real Estate transactions that could be avoided and happen much too often.
We often show up to perform a radon test or mold inspection / testing and the Realtors immediately begin opening doors to the patio, even when it's 90 degrees or more outdoors. Doors and windows should be closed for at least 12 hours prior to and during a radon test or any mold testing. After being involved in at least 15,000 Real Estate inspections, I am still amazed at how many Realtors head straight to the sliding doors to open when they should know it can affect testing of the indoor air.
Does someone teach agents to open all the doors of a home when they arrive for a home inspection, radon test or mold inspection?
Agents should realize having the doors open before and during testing could compromise the test results. Unfortunately, it is common for us to be called for a mold inspection because a home inspector's mold test indicated "elevated mold counts". To often there is not a problem, nothing found during a visual inspection and testing. Is it the home inspector not following accepted national standards for testing or did the realtor have the doors open prior to or during the testing?
Everyone involved should understand that national standards for testing are developed for a reason and they benefit everyone when followed.
Yesterday we went to a home with a humidity bloom (mold on much of the homes interior caused by high humidity). The owner returned to the property after being gone for several weeks and found a sliding door was open "just a little". There had been 3 Real Estate agents there showing the property this summer and someone forgot to secure the doors. A small opening into a home can allow several pints of moisture (water) to enter a home every day in Southwest Florida.
Last fall a woman in Naples returned to her home to find everything in the second floor condo covered with mold and the sliding door open all the way. Her home was listed for sale and only shown once all summer, three weeks before she returned.
We don't expect the "door opening" problem to change, after ten years in the business; we just keep trying to bring it to everyone's attention.
We are opening an office in the Orlando area in a couple weeks; it will be interesting to see if the problem is common there too.
Please remember:
Keep doors and windows closed for at least 12 hours prior to a radon test or mold testing.
No vacuuming prior to a mold test is also good advice.
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