The premier source for home inspector news and information. Whether you're a homebuyer or a licensed home inspector, you'll find valuable insight on the world of home inspection training and competency on this blog.
Turn on the television these days and chances are you'll hear something about mold. Increased publicity about this problem increases the likelihood that certified home inspectors will field questions on this subject.
Mold in the home can lead to serious health concerns for residents, including allergies and other respiratory ailments. Often there is a lot of hype in the media about health hazards, but toxic mold is a reality and people do get sick. Licensed home inspectors need to treat the problem seriously and check for mold during a home inspection job.
It's certainly necessary for certified home inspectors to know what mold looks like and where in the house it's commonly found: wood studs, drywall, ceiling tiles, ductwork and carpets, to name a few. But it's also increasingly important for licensed home inspectors to know what mold is. A solid home inspection training course will school you in the basics of this important issue.
Mold is a microscopic organism that helps break down organic material in the environment. One of its favorite snacks is cellulose, which is commonly found in wood. And if it weren't for fungi, such as mold, we'd be up to our eyeballs in ten thousand year's worth of yard waste. This we can appreciate, certainly, but when mold starts growing on our floors joists, all thanksgiving goes out the window. A home inspection career means you'll help people identify this potential health hazard.
Mold needs three important ingredients to prosper: moisture, warmth and food. Very often mold encounters these conditions in the bathroom, basement or kitchen. This is one reason licensed home inspectors are always on the look out for moisture and water damage in a house, which might lead to a serious mold problem. According to the National Association of Home Builders, standing water in an area with a temperature between 40 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit can produce mold in as little as 48 hours.
Mold comes in many colors, including black, white, orange, green and brown. It often appears as a black stain. The best way to see what mold looks like, is to check out photos on the Internet. During a home inspection job, a strong flashlight is the weapon of choice for examining stains and spots.
One reason a home inspection is so important, is to identify mold for a potential home buyer. For homeowners who've had some mold issues and are hoping to sell their home, a few home inspector training tips may help:
- Get that house dry - identify water leaks
- Install exhaust fans in damp areas of the home
- Put plastic down on the floor of crawl spaces
- Remove water damaged carpets
- Don't forget to vacuum regularly
When you become a home inspector, you'll learn many things you expected, and some you didn't. The need to identify mold may come as a surprise, but any professional home inspection class will feature it as part of their training.
Labels: Certified home inspector, home inspection career, home inspector
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home Inspector Blogs