User79327_2_t Richard Acree - Home and Commercial Building
Search MLS Listings by city:
Members: 122,705 - 1,709 Online Now  Login
 
Some have questioned the need for mold testing as part of a mold evaluation and resolution.  I would like to respectfully disagree.  Those who have been through a mold training program (as have the Inspectors at HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, 615-376-2753) have learned that there are different sources for different molds.  For example, a common source for stachybotrys, a highly toxic mold, is decaying yard debris such as leaves and mulch.  Should leaves be allowed to accumulate on the roof or in the water management system of a structure they could easily produce stachy in a "mold soup".  If this material finds its way into the structure you could have a serious mold problem.  Finding mold-like stains in the attic may have started from such a source.  Simply removing the mold may not prevent the mold from re-occuring.  If you can determine through testing that the mold is stachy then a reasonable approach to prevent the mold from re-oocurring would be to look for the source of the mold on the exterior of the building where leaves have accumulated and started to decay.  As usual, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, and mold testing provides the knowledge!
 

5 Comments on Mold Testing

Veddy interesting. Let me ask you what kind of mold might grow on ceiling tiles of a doublewide, at the center beam.  Roof replaced and no sign of mold in attic when roof opened up?

12/28/2007 10:06 AM by Joan Snodgrass Tri-Lakes Realtors, Shell Knob, MO (Tri- Lakes REALTORS)


Without testing it is difficult to say.  It sounds like it may be related to the HVAC system.  Is there a register close by?

12/28/2007 07:09 PM by Richard Acree - Home and Commercial Building (HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC)


Hopefully you saw my earlier response.  I was asking if there was a register close by for the HVAC system?

12/28/2007 07:12 PM by Richard Acree - Home and Commercial Building (HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC)


Thank you for the information.  Working with mold in a real estate transaction is very difficult. I had to in one instance and it worked itself out but was tricky.  The seller of course thought it was not a problem and I had to keep convincing them it was. Thanks.

12/28/2007 09:46 PM by Vincent Coccia (Construction Services Integration)


You're welcome Vincent.  At HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, we have worked with mold issues in numerous real estate transactions, as well as with homeowners who find a situation in their house that they think is suspicious.  We have found that most homeowners are not aware of the depth of the issue or the significance.  Ours is as much a process of education as it is solution.  The homeowners are usually relieved when HABITEC can lay out a path of resolution so they can get beyond the mold issue.  Knowing how to evaluate for mold following established protocol is key to a successful start to the process.  We do not offer mold mitigation as we feel to do both is a conflict of interest.  If a mold mitigation company comes in to test for mold, declares mold to be present, then lays out an expensive mitigation, there is too much opportunity for misrepresentation of the facts.  HABITEC recommends that one company should evaluate for mold, another should mitigate, if required.  Good luck going forward!

12/29/2007 09:06 AM by Richard Acree - Home and Commercial Building (HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC)


Leave a response…

Name:
Notify me of new comments:
Comment:
What does the graphic say?
 
Inspector: Richard Acree - Home and Commercial Building (HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC)
Richard Acree - Home and Commercial Building
Brentwood, TN
More about me…
HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC

Office Phone: (615) 376-2753
Email Me
Residential and Commercial building inspections, mold inspections and evaluations, radon testing and water quality analysis in Tennessee.


Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog

Find TN real estate agents and Brentwood real estate here on ActiveRain.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
© 2007 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved