Save Your Home With A Mold Inspection
The Truth About Mold And How We Can Help First of all… Don’t Panic! Every home has some mold. Because mold is prevalent outdoors, it will be present to some degree inside the home. And while beneficial to the environment, mold growing indoors can be harmful. Anywhere there is moisture and proper nutrients, mold will flourish. Basement, crawl spaces, attics, bathrooms, and kitchens are just a few of mold’s ideal growing locations. And just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there. Mold can thrive behind wallpaper, under carpeting and on ductwork or pipes. What We Do. Security Home Inspections offers a number of different mold-related services. All of the following are available: Mold Inspections Sampling Partial Inspections Basements Crawl Spaces Infrared Services A mold inspection is the only way to find out if mold is a problem in your home. Our inspectors will use their knowledge and expertise to educate you on the probability of mold in your home and offer suggestions for what to do if a problem arises. Moisture meters are used to help identify hidden sources of mold growth. Infrared services may also be ordered to determine sources of water intrusion. If necessary, swab, tape or air samples may also be taken. Samples are then sent to the lab for analysis. A detailed written report is available by email next day and includes digital pictures. What You Can Do…. Mold levels can be controlled, and managing water and moisture indoors can prevent mold growth. If mold already exists, it can be removed, even in high levels. The following steps should be taken to control mold levels in your home: Repair any water leaks Provide good air circulation Make sure all HVAC systems have a good electrostatic filter on the return Use exhaust fans in kitchens, laundry rooms and bathrooms Insulate and ventilate attic and crawl space areas Clean, dry or remove items that are damaged by water Use dehumidifiers in basements Schedule a mold inspection with us today!
Why Inspect? What Do Home Inspectors Look For?
An experienced home inspector can almost predict which defects will be present in any particular home based on age and/or location. Several factors allow us to do this. Homeowners are more likely to have performed electrical, plumbing, and other miscellaneous work personally in older homes. If this is the case, it becomes more likely the work was performed incorrectly. In some areas there are no inspections performed by the county or municipality and the workmanship lacks professionalism. Topography also plays a role in some defects. There are certain areas that have a higher percentage of homes with elevated radon levels. So what do home inspectors look for? Here is a list of the 10 most common defects found during home inspections. 1. Electrical Defects 92% of homes had electrical defects. Of those, 65% had improperly wired receptacles, 45% had wiring defects in the electrical panels, and 39% had defective smoke detectors or none at all! 2. Exterior & Window Rot Rot was found in or on the exterior of 24% of homes. Rot was found in the windows of 17% of these homes and 14% had rot in trim components. 3. Plumbing Plumbing defects were found in 95% of homes. Of those, 11% had high water pressure from drain pipes or fixtures and 56% had leaks. 4. Drainage/Gutters Clogged gutters & improper drainage are the primary causes of water penetration into basements and crawl spaces. These problems were noted in 27% of homes. Of those, 12% had clogged gutters, 16% had poor or negative drainage or grade, and 4% had damaged or missing gutters. 5. Crawl Space 41% of homes had defects in the crawl space. Of those, 4% had rot in the structural components, 11% had water problems, 2% had other structural issues like over-notched floor joists and over-spanned beams. 6. Basement Water Penetration 18% of basements either currently had water problems or had water problems in the past. 7. Broken Thermal Seals 24% of homes had broken thermal seals. 8. Attics 66% of homes had defects in the attic. Of those, 13% were water related defects, 20% were structural defects, 21% were related to insulation, and 25% were related to venting. 9. Fireplaces 84% of homes inspected had fireplaces. Of those, 45% had defects. 10. Radon 42% of homeowners purchased a radon test with their home inspection. In 42% of those, the radon levels were higher than EPA’s recommended mitigation level. 57% of the homes with a high radon level had a basement. Indiana is among the top ten states with high indoor radon levels.
Top 5 Things Sellers Can Do
In these Top 5 Things Sellers Can Do lists, we give our personal tips to help sellers save money, minimize the length of the inspection, and make sure the inspection goes smoothly. We’re always looking for ways to help buyers and sellers, as well as make sure the home inspection process goes as smoothly as possible for everyone. Feel free to let us know your own tips. If you find this information helpful, please share it around. Have a presale inspection. If the furnace is older than 15 years, have it inspected/serviced/cleaned. Remove non-working items – humidifier, power attic vents, instant hot water dispensers, electronic air cleaners. Buy a $12 receptacle tester and test all of the outlets. Repair them if you need to. If you know something is defective, fix it or disclose it. Good idea to look in the crawl space before inspection. Check to see if any insulation has fallen down or if there’s water on the ground – deal with this before the inspection. 1. Change/replace light bulbs. 2. Change the furnace filter. 3. Clean the gutters. 4. Make sure you have working smoke detectors on each level. 5. Make sure you can open all windows & install any missing window cranks or screens. Leave a note for the inspector about exotic, unusual, or aggressive animals. Leave notes about pets – don’t leave cats or dogs out! Make attic, crawl space, furnace, and electrical panels accessible and free of personal items blocking them. Leave inspector notes (e.g. crawl space access is located under the carpet in the second bedroom). Leave the inspector your contact number for the day (e.g. key to pool cover, key to detached garage). Leave note for the buyer (e.g. make yourself at home – there’s water in the fridge). Leave during the inspection.
