When buying a home, don’t let your enthusiasm to buy and eagerness to move in prevent you from crossing all your T’s and dotting all the I’s. One of the most important parts of buying a home is the home inspection, but don’t assume that the home inspector will exercise due diligence when it comes to examining your new home for mold.
When a home inspector goes to work, the thought of inspecting for mold is often the furthest thing from his or her mind. Many home inspectors see mold as a liability and do not want to see it, inspect for it, or talk about it. Many home inspectors leave mold testing to licensed mold assessors. When inspecting a home, a home inspector will look for bad wiring, plumbing and roof leaks, and structural defects such as a cracked foundation or an improperly constructed addition. These are the “big ticket” items that generally cost thousands of dollars to repair and could potentially be a deal breaker. The inspector will also test items such as vents in the bathroom and above the stove in the kitchen. He will check electrical panels and outlets. HVAC vents and ducts will be checked to make sure they are blowing air at the appropriate temperatures.
On many home inspections reports nowhere is there a place for mold inspection findings. And if the home inspector does include mold inspections it may not be their specialty, only a distraction and a way to make a few extra dollars. Years ago, before mold inspection licenses many home inspectors did mold testing as a add on service. However as the years went by most of them in NYC stopped providing the service as they learned over the course of a few years that doing a mold inspection correctly involved much more than testing the air. Some of them continued and made mold a specialty service that they focused on and dedicated all their attention to. I am one of those home inspectors turned full time mold inspector.
If you are buying a property and water damage and moldy conditions have NOT been altered, removed, remediated, or hidden in any way then we have evidence to inspect during a pre purchase mold inspection. If the seller discloses all information honestly and fully, then we will hopefully have the background evidence we need. If there is no new paint, no new baseboards, no new cabinets and countertops, and the property does not have excessive amounts of furnishings, then it may be a candidate for inspection. In such cases we can often do an inspection that will uncover much of the properties mold, so it can be documented and so that recommendations can be made in our report.
At BH Mold Inspection Service we are a leading NYC mold inspection company for current owners. We also conduct mold inspections for some home buyers in some situations. We hold and continuously maintain our professional mold assessor’s license. And certifications. As independent inspectors we do not have a vested interest in the outcome of our tests. Our tests are honest and objective, and for a reasonable fee we can come out and inspect the home you are about to purchase.