While the Tulsa climate is not noted for being especially humid, mold can be a problem in homes and buildings in the area. You may have read frightening stories about mold problems in homes and wonder if you should get an inspection.
If you see a little mold around your shower or toilet area and nowhere else, you may not have to worry. There are many inspection services in the Tulsa area easily discovered in an online search.
There are other situations in which a mold inspection should be considered. If mold is not visible but you can smell it, or if you’ve had a water leak, you may need one. An inspection may be a good idea when buying an existing home, especially one that has been empty for a long time.
With the climate controls off, humidity can build up inside and make a good home for mold. An inspection also may help in cases of a landlord dispute over mold.
Mold is a fungus and spreads via tiny spores so small they float in the air. This is why visible mold in a home is often also found in other places that aren’t so readily seen. Most household mold is not the dangerous black mold that is the basis for home horror stories.
However, many people are allergic to mold, perhaps without realizing it, and any type of mold can aggravate symptoms. People with breathing problems such as asthma, especially children, can be adversely affected by mold spores as well.
Mold testing is different from the inspection, but the results can vary. It’s hard to get the ideal testing conditions for a test inside the home, and some spores from outside can sneak in and cause less than perfect testing results.
Since there are no real governmental guidelines for an acceptable amount of mold spores in a home, testing may not always be useful. A good inspection is usually all that’s needed.
Usually, a mold inspector will ask the homeowners where they have seen mold and where there have been any water leaks or damage or moisture problems either presently or in the past.
The inspector searches places prone to mold growth, which may mean damaging a portion of drywall or other surface to get to the area. If mold is found, the inspector will try to find the source of the moisture problem and talk to the customer as to what actions need to be taken. It’s not just a matter of getting rid of the mold, but also what allowed to mold to grow in a particular place so it doesn’t return there.
After the inspection, if the mold is restricted to a small area, you may be able to clean it up yourself. The EPA recommends contacting a mold remediation service if the contaminated area exceeds ten square feet.
You’ll need to get rid of the underlying moisture problem first before cleaning. Hard surfaces can be washed and scrubbed. Soft surfaces such as foam tiles and carpet can’t be salvaged and must be replaced. Porous surfaces are not salvageable.
Seeing mold in your home doesn’t mean you need to hit the panic button. On the other hand, if you see a small mold colony you can clean yourself, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t mold problems in places you can’t see.
It’s a good idea to get an inspection. Some mold inspection and removal services offer free inspections. Just remember, the problem won’t get smaller if no action is taken.