Moving to a New Home? Have it Checked for Mold

Although this home suffered only minor exterio...

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When you move, whether across the street or across the country, it’s a good idea to first check your house for mold. Even if it’s a new home, it could still have a leak that needs to be corrected. It’s best to not take a chance even if mold is not readily visible. There could be mold in corners, in an attic or a basement. It could also be in the walls even if there isn’t any evidence of it on the drywall. A good idea would be to get the home tested as part of a home inspection, even if you have to pay for it separately.

Once you’ve moved in, keep track of wet or damp areas like the bathrooms and kitchen. If you see any mold starting to form, make sure that you treat it immediately. You can dry it out with a fan or hair dryer, but you also have to stop the source of the water or the mold will return. For pipe leaks that may be causing the problem, have them repaired immediately. If the mold is coming from general dampness, the room may need a vent fan in the ceiling to help keep it dry.

Mold can be treated and removed from a house and doesn’t have to be too costly or terribly invasive. If it is not controlled or eliminated, it has the potential to make those in the home very sick. To avoid this, be diligent about any water problems that your house might have and treat it right away. If nothing was found on inspection, water damage could always occur later. Most mild water damage dries without any intervention, so just watch it and make sure that it doesn’t develop into something else. In most cases it won’t, but it’s better to protect your family as much as possible in the event that it does.