Hot Environmental Topics

Finding Mold during a Home Sale

Jul 28, 2025 3:00:00 PM / by David C Sulock posted in mold, mold remediation, mold cleanup, mold contractor, Mold Testing, Due Diligence, mold survey, mold assessments, mold professional, mold expert, Mold, Mold growth, mold remediation, Indoor Air Quality

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The term "mold" correlates to fungi (although not all fungi form molds, some form mushrooms), and mold is often called mildew (because "mildew" sounds better than "mold"). No matter what you call it, finding mold during a real estate transaction is a negative. How you manage mold can have a huge impact on the real estate transaction.

To be clear, mold is a known indoor air contaminant and a health hazard, underscoring a bigger issue: a water issue that can be destructive to building materials.mold culture

The health concern can give an out to a buyer, as the home can be viewed as uninhabitable. A failed sale also red ones the property as having some issue that caused it to fall out of contract. Relisting the property means disclosing the mold growth and any other defect noted from the buyers’ inspection.

Those are some of the negatives, so let’s flip the coin to the positive side. Finding mold means confronting it head-on.   Determining cause (Was it fixed? Is it defined?), fixing the mold (remediating to whatever extent necessary to bring the indoor environment to a normal fungal ecology), and lasting documenting these facts to the buyer. In short, you are defining and addressing, for lack of a better term, the cancer.   Fixing the issues solves the issue. I can freely say that after 30-some years of environmental consulting, I have never said Do Not Buy that property because of mold.

So, how do you manage mold in a real estate transaction?

When mold is found or suspected, assess what you know at that point.

1          Do you know the cause?

2          Do you know the source?

3          If you do not know 1 & 2, you do not know the cost to address.

4.         Do you know if mold is anywhere else?

If you can't answer 1 through 4, you need to take steps to answer the questions.   Understand if an inspector notes mold in an attic, unless it was a paid inspection, you will not have the data to answer these questions.

 

Photo Nov 15 2018, 9 42 08 AMThis utility room houses HVAC equipment, a water heater & a washer and dryer.  There are three typical causes of mold in this room. Mold was found; do you know where, the cause, and the fix?   We did.

Mold Questions

856-858-9509

 

 

 

 

 

This leads to having a professional mold inspection performed. Yes, there are specific paid inspections to evaluate a property for mold. Did you know you can test for mold and evaluate the fungi found, which helps unlock the driver (cause) of the mold was.   Yes, different molds need different conditions to grow.

Keep in mind that unless a mold inspection was contracted as part of the purchase due diligence, meaning that in addition to your home inspection, radon testing, termite, piling inspection, engineering, roof, pool, septic, etc., then mold was not specifically looked for, but it was noted by an inspector or a relative with a keen eye. This drives you to needing to get a professional involved.

What can you expect from a professional mold inspection?

Confirmation that mold is or is not present.

Evaluation of the causes of the mold and the extent of the mold. Yes, mold can have multiple causes.

Lastly, a budget to address the mold (remediate) and repairs that may have been missed to prevent the mold from returning.

It is not uncommon that after the mold inspection is completed, the real estate settles, either before of after the mold is remediated. Yes, it is common that there is not enough time to address the mold before settlement. We are seeing payments to environmental companies directly from settlement accounts (title Company), which ensures the mold is addressed.   Reading between the lines here is telling, for buyers and lenders to proceed to settlement when mold is not addresse,d is saying there is a comfort level about the mold being addressed.

 

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What can you expect from a professional mold inspection?

 

 

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How do I get tested for mold in my apartment?

Sep 5, 2024 11:32:00 AM / by David C Sulock posted in mold, mold cleanup, mold contractor, Mold Testing, mold inspections, mold assessments, mold expert

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This is a common request we get from tenants. We have worked for tenants, landlords, and Homeowner Associations (HOAs).  In all cases, the following advice is the best course to address suspect or known mold issues.

First, if you suspect a mold issue in a property you do not own, it is best to contact the owner/landlord, as it is their responsibility to evaluate complaints. Since mold is water-related, unaddressed mold issues that are ignored will continue to cause damage to the property. Stopping the water source that drives mold growth is something any property owner would want to address.

If you rent a property with an HOA, contacting the HOA is prudent. Uniform buildings such as developments with an HOA will have buildings of similar age and construction. Since everything ages and has a life expectancy, it is possible that if your unit has a mold issue, the other units have the same issue.   If you have a water leak from the roof, rest assured other roofs in the complex have the same leak. 

Now there are absentee landlords, that may ignore your complaints.   In these cases, you go to step 2.

Your second approach would be contacting the local board of health and/or the municipality as landlords have to keep properties habitable. It is possible these agencies can evaluate your concern and have the landlord address it.

Your final option is to hire a professional to perform a Mold Inspection with testing.   I saved this option for last because you are spending money on professional evaluation. Budget $300 to $500 to $900 to have your mold problem professionally evaluated with testing.   Why such a wide range of costs?   Because mold problems are unique contingent on the mold issue and concern will dictate what is technique used for evaluation and how much testing should be performed.   There are some considerations before taking this step, will confirmation of mold by a professional be enough to get the owner to address your concern?   Do not spend money if you do not think you will get the result you desire. It is always safe to let the owner know you are hiring a professional as that may cause to owner to address your concern.

FLIR0157-1mold on wood

Lastly, be prepared that you may not have a mold problem.   Curren has completed thousands of mold inspections, and a good portion of mold inspections entail people thinking there is a mold situation affecting their health and this includes renters, owners, and workers in commercial buildings, and there is no mold issue.   If you are having health problems and mold is not a problem, you have other health issues that require professional medical evaluation.

What should you not do if you think you have a mold problem?

One, do not do any testing yourself, you are not qualified and will not understand what the test results mean.  It is a waste of money.

Two, do not declare you have black mold, as it is a fictitious mold, it does not exist, and no mold is named black mold.

Lastly do not claim to be a medical or mold expert, you are someone who may have a mold problem that you want evaluated and if present addressed.  It is our experience the vast majority of landlords want tenant issues addressed, so be calm and understanding.

 

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How do you successfully remediate mold?

Jun 24, 2024 12:17:00 PM / by David C Sulock posted in mold, mold remediation, mold cleanup, mold contractor, Mold Testing, mold inspections, mold survey, mold assessments, mold consultant, mold professional, mold expert, Mold, Mold growth, mold remediation

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Mold is a byproduct of water or moisture.  Fixing the source is step one in remediating mold.  

Mold Remediation is a multi-step process that includes the removal of the mold from impacted surfaces (Hepa Vac), the application of a post-cleaning fungicide, and lastly application of a fungistatic coating on organic surfaces.  

IMG_1313

The fungistatic coating is typically white or clear and applied to organic wood surfaces to allow the treated surface to resist mold growth.  The coating can also stop the wood from absorbing moisture, which is what allows mold to start to grow.

 

P1090444

 

 

 

This is all performed in a manner to try and contain the mold spores, so they are not spread to other rooms in the building.  You must also be diligent in looking for additional sources of water/moisture that fueled the mold growth.   Commonly, there are more than one cause of the mold growth.

caveat emptor

Since only 11 states have mold regulations, the work performed in all other states is questionable as you have no specified quality of service.   Meaning what should be performed to remediate mold is not always completed.  If the white coating is not a mold-resistant coating i.e., paint, mold would be expected to grow as paint contains organic material that can foster mold growth. Mold-resistant coating (fungistatic) costs significantly more than paint, and many people will use paint to save money.  

Mold Remediation Failures

If the company performing mold remediation is unlicensed, which most are and they do not follow industry protocols, expect corners to be cut and your mold remediation to be a failure.   Mold remediation failures come from a lack of clear objectives and protocols that the company should utilize to remediate the mold.

The photo below shows areas that were missed when applying a mold-resistant coating which allowed mold to grow.

New Jersey mold remediation

 While a remediated space does not necessarily have to appear like a freshly painted room, the area should visually indicate that treated surfaces are coated or covered. As the name implies “fungistatic coating” must coat all organic surfaces to be effective. The better coatings come with a 10-year warranty to prevent mold growth.

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Buying a house with mold.

Oct 19, 2023 1:47:00 PM / by David C Sulock posted in mold, mold remediation, mold cleanup, mold assessments, mold expert

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Are you buying a house with mold? Is mold harmful? Should I be concerned about mold?

Mold is ubiquitous in our environment, but not all homes have mold and visible mold growth is a sign that something went wrong.

mold testing

Mold can have an adverse health effect on people. Mold affects different people differently. Clearly if you are not allergic to peanuts or dairy products, consumption of these food items (within reason) will not cause you harm.  The problem with mold is people are subjected to it unknowingly after they move into a new residence and after days, weeks or months health concerns arise.   

Should you have a mold inspection prior to a home purchase?   Yes, if you want to ensure the home doesn't have mold, years you should have a mold inspection.

 

 

 

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Mold can be harmful in a variety of ways.  Inhaling mold spores creates a reaction, which is your body finding that it doesn’t like the mold and your body fights the spore.

 

Mold air testing

 

 

 

Think about how pollen can create a reaction in susceptible people. Now certain molds can produce mycotoxins and microbial volatile organic compounds which can affect humans. These are created by mold growing, you are inhaling these compounds when you smell the musty odor associated with mold.

Understand mold digests organic material, a great example is how mold breaks down your compost pile outside. So mold in a building will consume organic material, such as paper, sheetrock, cellulose, wood, and other items. As these materials are consumed, compounds are made (think stomach acids) by the consumption of the material as well as the building materials breaking down into other compounds. Paint is paint, right? Or is paint a number of compounds that are the ingredients of paint? The paint is present on a sheetrock wall, when this wall has mold growth, mold breaks down the paper and the paint causing off-gassing. A person can be allergic to the compounds that mold creates when consuming your home. Now mold is really resilient and will grow when conditions permit the mold to grow and will go dormant when the conditions are not conducive for mold growth. So, if you add water and warmth to a room, mold can grow. Take away the water and put temperatures below 50 degrees and mold goes dormant, waiting to grow another day. If you intermittently smell a musty odor, it mold gets wet and grows. The smell goes away when the water goes away. This situation means you have a water leak that is intermittent.

Mold inspections can test for hidden mold and molds that are not actively growing. An abundance of invisible airborne mold spores can be a health hazard to humans when inhaled.

Is mold everywhere? Yes pretty much anywhere on earth mold is present, that said we have completed thousands of mold inspections, and not all inspections find mold. So if someone tells you every home has mold, well, it may be accurate, but it depends on what level of mold growth and airborne spores are present.

When Mold is present it points to an issue, could be a water issue, moisture, leak and much more. Want to speak to a mold expert?  

856-858-9509

 

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How to read mold test results.

Sep 6, 2022 12:29:00 PM / by David Sulock posted in mold remediation, mold cleanup, Mold Testing

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How to read mold testing results.

A Mold Survey involves mold sampling for the presence or type of mold. Mold sampling is completed in two ways, mold surface sampling and mold air sampling. Mold surface sampling is completed on a surface that is suspected to contain a mold-like substance, this type of sampling can be completed by performing acquiring a mold tape lift sample or a mold swab sample. Both methods involve acquiring a sample of the mold-like substance and having the sample analyzed by a laboratory. Your results should determine the type and quantity of mold. The interpretation of sample results pertaining to mold concentration has to be evaluated objectively when the analysis finds mold as you are sampling an area that has a mold-like substance, which can typically represent the suspected highest concentration (worst area), otherwise, why would you sample that particular area. The other type of mold sampling is mold air sampling. Mold air sampling is accomplished by running air through a laboratory containing that that captures microscopic airborne particles (fungi). The sample container is then analyzed by a laboratory for mold type and mold quantity. The analysis can be studied for both viable molds, meaning the sample is studied to see if the mold spores grow or by non-viable meaning, it what is the overall type and quantity of mold found. Mold non-viable air sampling is more common as it has been established that mold spores alive or dead can be an irritant.

Learn the Facts about Mold

Once you have the laboratory analysis completed, you now have to discuss the results and what they mean. Unlike soil and groundwater samples where all states have specific government-established standards, with mold there are No Federal or State Agency established concentration standards (Maximum Exposure Limits- MEL) or threshold level values for airborne indoor mold or for surface sample analysis of mold. Therefore, if you suspect there is a mold problem and have air testing or surface sampling performed, there is no regulatory standard to compare your results against. Without government standards, there is no common industry standards standard. The reason that there are no standards is that setting exposure limits or MELs would be difficult for a variety of technical reasons, which include limitations in both mold surface sampling and mold air sampling techniques, individual variability in sensitivity to microbial exposure among the human population, the occurrence of different types of biological and chemical pollutants in the indoor environment and limited data on the exposure-response relationship in humans. In essence, it is difficult to say who will be affected by mold spores and at what concentrations it would take to affect different people.
mold testing
Due to the lack of set government standards, the environmental consulting industry follows general principles when evaluating mold test results. On a basic level when evaluating mold air sampling data, the mold levels should be higher outside than inside. The idea behind this approach is that there are always more molds outside in the soil, mulch, plants, decomposition of organic matter, etc. outside. Aside from an indoor and outdoor comparative evaluation, you evaluate the test results for specific types of mold. This evaluation includes looking for common outdoor molds as well as molds that are more commonly found on moist building materials. Evaluation of these molds goes a step deeper by looking for so-called opportunistic molds (marker fungi), which are frequently found on long-term water damaged building materials. The presence of these molds can point to a long-term moisture issue. These opportunistic fungi include Aspergillus and Penicillium species, Acremonium spp., Sporobolomyces spp., Stachybotrys, chartarum, Memnoniella echinata, Tritirachium oryzae, Ulocladium botrytis, U. chartarum, Cladosporium spp., and Chaetomium spp. These are molds that are not typically recovered in the outside air, so when they are found outside, they are in generally low levels. Conversely, when they are found indoors these molds typically point to an indoor water issue. The higher the indoor concentration of these fungi the more likely a long-term water issue is present.

In summary mold testing and the interpretation of the analytical results involves the evaluation of individual types of mold you find and determining why they are present.

Finding the type of mold, while interesting it does not explain why it is present. Therefore, every mold survey and mold inspection should not just confirm the presence of mold but also why the mold present is, and what created the environment for the mold to grow. The backend of the mold testing and mold sampling project includes an inspection for the physical presence of mold as well as for water damage.

More common mold questions and answers can be found at: /Mold-Frequently-Asked-Questions

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Mold Disclosure New Jersey

May 23, 2022 9:28:00 AM / by David C Sulock posted in mold, mold remediation, mold cleanup, Mold Testing, mold expert

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New Jersey allows sellers of real estate properties to complete a Property Condition Disclosure Statement.  The property disclosure statement relative to mold references he following. 

NJ Seller’s Property Condition Disclosure Statement
(N.J.S.A. 56:8-19.1) A. 2685 

Yes    No         
[ ]      [ ]               9)        Are you aware of any water leakage, accumulation or 
                                       dampness within the basement or crawl spaces or any 
                                       other areas within any of the structures on the property? 

[ ]      [ ]               9a)      Are you aware of the presence of any mold or similar 
                                         natural substance within the basement or crawl spaces 
                                         or any other areas within any of the structures on the 
                                          property? 

As revised, N.J.S.A. 56:8-19.1 newly requires that if a filled-in property condition disclosure statement indicates the seller’s awareness of water leakage, accumulation or dampness, the presence of mold or other similar natural substance, or repairs or other attempts to control any water or dampness problem on the real property, the involved real estate broker, broker-salesperson, or salesperson is required to provide the buyer with a physical copy of the Department of Health’s "Mold Guidelines for New Jersey Residents" pamphlet. 

Mold Disclosure & Consumer Fraud

New Jersey consumer fraud law bans the "concealment, suppression, or omission of any material fact with intent that others rely upon such concealment, suppression or omission, in connection with the sale or advertisement of any … real estate." N.J.S.A. 56:8-2. 

The administrative rules of the Real Estate Commission provide that real estate licensees must disclose all information “material to the physical condition of any property which they know or which a reasonable effort to ascertain such information would have revealed to their client or principal and when appropriate to any other party to a transaction.” N.J.A.C. 11:5-6.4.  The concern raised by this requirement is that a real estate broker or agent might be called on to answer to a defrauded buyer for passing along bad information originating with the seller. 

  1. Mold disclosure in a typical real estate transaction
  2. Seller answers no regarding water or mold
  3. Home goes under contract
  4. Buyer does due diligence including a mold inspection.
  5. Mold is found and a repair request presented to the seller
  6. Maybe because of mold, maybe another issue but the transaction falls apart and the property is an active listing.

The seller now has to disclose the mold even if it was not disclosed previously. If it is disclosed, the Realtor would need to provide the buyer with the mold guidelines.

Mold growth is due to a water issue, mold will grow back if the water issue is not fixed. After disclosure of mold growth by seller, ask how the water issue was fixed and for some paperwork. Regarding the mold remediation, ask the seller for paperwork from the mold remediation company. The company should provide information on the remediation was performed and warranties on the products used during remediation.

Disclosure of mold by the Seller should not make your run from the property, if you have the proper paperwork backing up that it was remediated and the water issue was fixed, it shouldn't be an issue in the future.

 

Mold Collage-2

 

 

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MOLD...the four letter word in real estate transactions.

Nov 15, 2021 1:00:00 PM / by Tiffany Byrne posted in mold, mold remediation, mold cleanup, mold contractor, mold assessments, Mold, Mold growth, mold remediation

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Mold is the new four-letter word of real estate transactions. If either mold is visually found or testing is done (airborne mold spores and/or surface sampling), the transaction has a high percentage that it may not happen. There are many stories of real estate transactions with mold growth, but this one is very interesting.

The story goes that a buyer was interested in a home and during the home inspection, the home inspector took an air sample in the basement and the outside (exterior) for comparison.  There was no photo or knowledge of where the air sample was acquired from, for example the photo below documents where the air sampling was acquired (ex. kitchen).

Air sampling

Back to the story - The buyers wanted the entire basement remediated down to the studs.  The seller contacted Curren Environmental and  we provided sampling as well.  Our sampling showed mold was present in the basement bedroom. 

Sample results before and after

What does this lab data mean?

 The Stachybotrys as shown above in the sample results prior to remediation , should not have a raw count above one, and it was at 43.  Penicillium/Aspergillus was also very high, with the spr/m3 at 23,467 where it is recommended that should not be above 1000.  The second set of numbers are after remediation where the airborne mold spores dropped dramatically and were within industry standards.  Note - no home will be mold free. 

As part of the story, you need to know that this property was vacant for over 2 years. The heat and air were on as part of maintenance but not properly dehumidified. Mold growth occurs where there is moisture and organic materials. In this case, there was visual signs of mold growth on some furniture in the basement bedroom, but not in the basement living space and  small visual signs on the sheetrock wall in the basement bedroom.  There was no need to remediation and remove the entire basement back to the studs. 

What happened next?

When the humidity is high and the property is not well ventilated, mold growth will occur. These spores can become airborne and move throughout the home. This home had a lot of carpet which holds mold spores. Curren Environmental provided Mold Remediation at this property.

  • Carpet was removed and tack strips were removed.
  • All organic furniture that could not be wiped down was disposed.
  • Removed mold impacted sheetrock, 18 inches past mold growth in basement bedroom. 
  • HEPA vacuum walls and floors in the entire basement
  • A broad spectrum, FDA approved, fungicide was applied to the walls and the flooring in the rooms.
  • Air scrubbers were on during remediation and left at the property for at least 72 hours.

As the story goes, post air testing showed elevated spore levels dropped dramatically at the property. Please see below. For this story, only the sheetrock area that had mold growth was removed and the carpet, no other sheetrock was removed.  

 

Mold the four letter word

The ending, a happy buyer, a happy seller and clean home. Not every property that has elevated mold spores needs to have everything torn down and removed. A mold remediation professional will look at the data, photos provided and any other detailed information prior to handing over a cost. It is very important to understand that mold is everywhere and there are no “Mold Free” properties.

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Are free Mold inspections scams?

Sep 23, 2021 2:33:00 PM / by David C Sulock posted in mold remediation, mold cleanup, mold contractor, Mold Testing, mold inspections, mold survey, mold professional, Mold, Mold growth, mold remediation

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It is not uncommon for mold to be found at a residence. Mold will grow silently over years in areas of your home that you may not even go in. 

Free mold inspections
During the home inspection or a mold inspection, mold  will show up during a real estate transaction. The rub with mold is that someone may see staining and call it mold or during a  home inspection, the inspector may test a surface for mold and confirm mold and then you are left with the knowledge that mold is present. What you won't know is why it grew, how to prevent it in the future and to what extent the mold is present.

The mold dilemma is there are only 11 states that have mold regulations so the industry lacks real mold professionals. If you are in NJ, PA or DE there is no mold licensing so in theory you can't find a mold professional or you can't find a state licensed professional.

The lack of mold regulations create no barrier of entry for someone wanting  to do mold work.  If you don't need a license  that saves you a lot of time and brain power.

Companies try and drum up work by offering "Free Mold inspections".   Are mold inspections truly free?    The time to give professional advice is not free,  as there has to be a cost involved to evaluate a property and provide professional advice. Free mold inspections, should read, "You are going to pay me to remediate mold if you need it or not". In the photo below, an inspector said that was mold and recommended remediation. 

Mold or water damageProfessional mold inspections can average around $500, plus or minus depending on size of property and if surface or airborne sampling is performed.  (It was not mold)

mold inspectionsLet's be clear we have given thousands of 2nd opinions over the years and there is always three common threads we find with mold advice.

  1. Many owners of properties that are told they need mold remediation, do not actually need mold remediation.  Or the remediation they need is not the ENTIRE basement or attic.
  2. Mold often grows back when the mold was inadequately addressed. Read, consultant never stopped the actual cause of the mold. (Leak, moisture intrusion, humidity, etc).  In short there was never a professional evaluation for mold.
  3. The mold testing person doesn't understand the results of the mold testing, the cause of the mold growth or the actual extent.  Case in point inspector sampled a crawl space and a basement that were connected. We were asked to provide a cost to remediate the crawlspace, when in fact the basement had the bigger mold issue and people used the basement to exercise, so the mold exposure was greatest in the basement, but that is not what the consultant recommended.    The problem with non-mold professionals is they like to take a samples because they will get a really long, slick looking report of lab data, which is all pretty boilerplate, but it looks nice.  Because the lab gives such a nice package the actual mold consultants feel they do not have to provide an opinion in writing, it happens all the time.    So they find mold but they can't say it doesn't have to be remediated, why it would need remediation, what would be the difference or really most important what is the cause, causes or even likely causes for the mold.  

Regarding the "report".  A mold inspection report isn't the lab data from the lab, it should be a written report detailing the inspection, what was found, what wasn't found, and most importantly is why was there mold in the first place.  The report should also go over, in detail, what the lab data means, along with photos.

The bottom line is many mold companies work in their best interest not that of the owner or client.  This is particularly true if you are being offered free advice.  Conversely Home Inspections are not mold inspections, so while an inspector may say mold was noted in the basement in attic, it does not define the extent or the cause.  Both of which you need to properly remediate the mold.

 

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Bank Owned Homes & Mold

Jun 19, 2020 8:45:00 AM / by David Sulock posted in mold, mold remediation, mold cleanup, mold contractor, Mold Testing, mold inspections, mold survey, mold assessments, mold consultant

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The recession of 2008 can still be felt today in the form of foreclosed properties that have been flipped.    These flipped homes look nothing like the home when it was bank owned.   Flipped homes certainly hold appeal for homeowners who want move in conditions homes.  The photo below shows a house that went through renovations.

flipped home-1

This is a photo of the same home same area pre renovation.   Note the mold on the wood furniture on the left hand side of the photo.

mold in home before flip (002)

Bank owned houses due to no occupancy, have wildly ranging temperatures and humidity fluctuations.  In short, the house gets hot and humid in warmer months, which allows mold to grow.  We have done homes where we come across mold on walls, trim, furniture, attics, basements and crawl spaces due to the house not being heated and cooled.  These homes also may be like this for years.  This certainly makes for homes that are in desperate need of rehabilitation, the question you have to ask is was the mold addressed?

Almost certainly mold in attics and crawl spaces are typically not addressed as these are not areas where the flipper will get bang for their buck or even look for repairs.

Basements typically get partially redone because it creates a living space that was not present before.  The problem is mold that has grown during the foreclosure process gets covered over by clean sheetrock, concealing the mold.  We have seen cracks in foundation walls covered by fresh sheetrock.

Basement mold

 

Basements in bank owned homes typically will have some levels of mold growth.  Again, when these homes are not occupied, there is a high possibility of mold growth.  

Why Mold Test a Flipped Home?

Many house flippers tend to look over the mold growth in basements, one because they are not aware it is mold growth and two, they are unaware of any water issues.  It is Curren's recommendation to always do  Mold Testing in basements of those homes that are being flipped, especially if they were once not occupied and a Foreclosure, sheriff sale, tax sale or bank sale property. There are times when basements are finished or re-finished and the mold growth is covered up, but not specifically remediated.  Meaning, mold will continue to grow and fester in these areas and will not just disappear.  

Attics are yet another area that are not in the realm of a house flipper.  When an house is not occupied for a period of time, humidity and moisture builds up, especially in an area that has no air flow.  Non-occupied homes do  not always have electricity and whole house attic fans, attic fans and humidistat attic fans will not turn on when necessary.  These situations lead to mold growth in attics.

mold can grow in an attic

Curren Environmental suggests Mold Inspections and testing in homes that have not been occupied for a period of time.  Mold growth will occur within 72 hours in the right environment.  Its not to say that home flippers are hiding the mold, they may just be missing that what they see is mold growth.  They are not mold experts.

Questions?

Call Curren Today

or email at info@currenenvironmental.com

 

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Do you Smell Mold?

Mar 28, 2020 3:22:01 PM / by David Sulock posted in mold remediation, mold cleanup, Mold Testing, mold inspections, mold consultant, professional mold remediation

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You can smell mold?

Spending more time at home than usual? Many people are in the safety of their homes and our office is getting called regarding musty smells, that people think relates to mold in their home. These calls coincide with rain events and we find a simple equation. People have mold in their homes they didn’t know existed. Many people find mold during a real estate transaction, since that is when a home under goes scrutiny, meaning multiple inspections occur and the wear and tear items that we often ignore are brought to light. I mean do you ever go into your attic or basement and look for mold?


mold inspections

The musty smell you have is most likely mold and it is active mold growth because when mold is consuming organic matter it off gases, hence the smell. Growth can correlate to rain events (not necessarily flooding), temperature changes, and humidity levels. In short moisture above 55% humidity as most molds in the northeastern United states will grow above that range.  Add in the fact that the northeast has an older housing stock and you have a higher probability of mold. Why older homes have mold, simple put the older a home the greater the time frame for mold to grow somewhere in the home. This gives mold the toe hold it needs as mold won’t die when it is dry it just goes dormant. This mold will then grow sporadically (no spore joke intended) over time until the owner complains of a smell, has a health concern or buyer’s inspector finds mold

 

mold inspections

Our calls lately have been from people who are working from home or simple spending more time at home and they either smell musty odors or are having health concerns. These people never had a mold inspection performed so the idea of a mold inspection makes sense.  Our mold inspections typically find mold, which makes sense.  The key to finding mold is understanding why it is there and how the mold can be addressed (mold remediation) and future prevention.  A typical mold survey might find a half dozen reasons why it’s there (yes there is typically more than  one cause for mold growth. We provide the homeowner a DIY  list for everything they are doing wrong and a corrective action plan (mold remediation) outline and costs. All mold remediation has a 10 year warranty against future mold growth, best in the industry.

We also teach several classes on mold so you know you are getting expert advice.
Environmental Education speaking at the Triple Play

 

All our inspector use N-95 masks and have at least five years experience with both mold inspections and remediation.  We inspect and remediate mold so we get to see mold from both sides which gives Curren a full perspective.  Different building materials from pour concrete walls, to cider block walls to wood studs to plaster wall all affect how mold can and will grow.To schedule an inspection call 856-858-9509.mold inspections and remediation

mold testing

Call for Mold Questions.

 

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