Mold can cause structural damage to your building, so if you think there might be mold growing somewhere inside, you need to hire a professional to do a mold inspection.<\/span><\/p>\n Don’t make the mistake of trying to do the inspection on your own. Unlike a professional, you won’t know what to look for and where to find it. Even if you do know where to look, you may not have the tools to search inside the walls, within crawlspaces, and around the roof.<\/span><\/p>\n But finding mold doesn’t always mean you need an inspection.<\/span><\/p>\n Keep reading to learn when you should get a mold inspection and when you should skip it.<\/span><\/p>\n There are a few reasons why you shouldn’t (and arguably can’t) inspection your building for mold yourself, one of the biggest being you aren’t trained to do so. You may not know where to look, have the tools to look there, or even know what you’re trying to find.<\/span><\/p>\n Here are a few other reasons you should always leave a mold inspection to the professionals.<\/span><\/p>\n Even the <\/span>U.S. Government EPA<\/span><\/a> says mold inspections should be made by professionals who have the right experience, know the proper protocols, and have access to sample methods.<\/span><\/p>\n Do you know what those signs are?<\/span><\/p>\n If you don’t, you definitely shouldn’t be trying to inspect your building for mold on your own. Missing these signs can potentially cause more problems in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n For example, past mold growth in a specific area means there was a water issue there at one point. If there was mold there once, the issue may come back and cause mold growth again.<\/span><\/p>\n Possible mold areas in your building that are overlooked could cause you or your employees to have allergic reactions or sensitivity to mold when it comes back.<\/span><\/p>\n Mold can only grow with moisture, so if there is any kind of mold growing in your workplace, you have a moisture problem.<\/span><\/p>\n A professional will be able to find these moisture problems and address them. Even if you find the right source of moisture, if you don’t handle it properly, the mold will just continue to come back.<\/span><\/p>\n Wait, there’s such a thing as good mold?<\/span><\/p>\n Well, while no mold is necessarily good, some mold is completely natural and doesn’t need to be removed right away or worried about.<\/span><\/p>\n There are two types of mold, called Ophiostoma and Ceratosystis, that are found on wood in buildings (like structural frames). But they only grow on the sap in the wood, so once the wood has dried out, the mold stops spreading.<\/span><\/p>\n Other than staining the wood, this mold doesn’t cause many other problems.<\/span><\/p>\n These tests won’t do you much good. Even if they do find mold in your workplace, they don’t help you find the source of the mold or what to do about it.<\/span><\/p>\n Besides that, every building has some trace amount of mold. So finding that mold with a mold test kit may not actually let you know you have a serious mold problem.<\/span><\/p>\n This is important to remember: <\/span>if you can already see mold, you don’t need a mold inspection<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n Why not?<\/span><\/p>\n Because you already know it’s there and knows where it’s coming from. (Even if you don’t know the exact source, the professional who comes to remove the mold will be able to find it and take care of the problem.)<\/span><\/p>\n What good would a mold inspection do if you already know exactly where you have mold?<\/span><\/p>\n Contrary to what some people may think, you don’t need to get the mold tested and find out what kind of mold it is before you remove it. All mold, regardless of species and color, is removed by the same method.<\/span><\/p>\n So knowing what kind of mold you have in your business building is irrelevant.<\/span><\/p>\n There are many situations where mold inspections are helpful and even necessary. But the mold is not actually visible in this cases.<\/span><\/p>\nWhy Can’t I Do This On My Own?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Professionals Know What They’re Doing<\/b><\/h3>\n
They Look for Signs of Past Mold Growth<\/b><\/h3>\n
They Find Moisture Problems<\/b><\/h3>\n
They Know What Molds Are Good and Bad<\/b><\/h3>\n
What If I Use a Mold Test Kit?<\/b><\/h3>\n
When Do I Need a Mold Inspection?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Appropriate Times for a Mold Inspection<\/b><\/h2>\n