WOW! It has been a whirlwind year and it's hard to believe that 2014 is almost here. We have been blessed once again this year with many great customers. As I look back over 2013 two nagging thoughts come to mind ...... Crawlspaces and Attics!
Crawlspaces and Attics are the two least favorite places for a home inspector. Both of them contain insulation. Both of them are often difficult to navigate. Both of them are dark. Both of them often contain surprises, whether bats or snake skins in the attic or spiders and mud puddles in the crawlspace. But those kinds of surprises are not the worst ones. Attics and crawlspaces often contain mold, especially in our area of North Carolina. We have hot humid summers and when that humid air enters the attic or crawlspace through vents it often causes condensation and condensation dampness leads to mold growth.
There is no way to adequately convey the disappointment I experience when I encounter mold. I hate the stuff, but I see it all the time. I hate to inspect it. I hate to write it up. I hate to have to explain it. I hate to see what it might do to a Real Estate deal. For these reasons I try to go as easy as I can when reporting mold, but report it I must. That is one reason I am hired to do the home inspection. When I say I go easy on mold what I mean is I try not to scare people unneccesarily. A mold is a fungus and fungus is found everywhere. There are actually thousands of kinds of molds or fungus' and they vary greatly in the danger they pose to humans. A poison mushroom fungus will kill you dead dead and black stachybotrus mold will ruin your health for life. But there are many kinds of mold that don't bother us much at all. Mold is in your yard. It is on your roof. It may also be in your attic or crawlspace. This doesn't mean that you should panic if that is discovered. Instead you should be mindful that mold growth is always associated with moisture, ALWAYS. If you stop the moisture you stop the mold and it will go dormant. Mold is actually a symptom of a moisture problem. Water is the main problem! whether condensation, a leak, or drainage. So folks, do me a favor and fix any moisture issues you may have in your attic or crawlspace so I can come out of those places smiling.
Providing the Fayetteville and Surrounding Areas with the Best Home Inspection Possible
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