Long story short, we came very close to buying a home this past month, but after the regular inspection turned up a small amount of mold in the basement, we decided to bring in a specialist do air and tape samples from each floor of the house. The testing turned up extremely high levels of aspergillus and stachybotrys (black mold) on all levels of the house. I wanted to let people know how surprisingly affordable this testing was in the grand scheme of things ($350), and urge people to do this if you are buying a home (add an out-clause in your contract if you need to) or suspect issues in your current home.
Mold inspection
- Thread starter Melissa75
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Long story short, we came very close to buying a home this past month, but after the regular inspection turned up a small amount of mold in the basement, we decided to bring in a specialist do air and tape samples from each floor of the house. The testing turned up extremely high levels of aspergillus and stachybotrys (black mold) on all levels of the house. I wanted to let people know how surprisingly affordable this testing was in the grand scheme of things ($350), and urge people to do this if you are buying a home (add an out-clause in your contract if you need to) or suspect issues in your current home.
Sue, I hope your best friend's house turned up clear in the subsequent testing and she is enjoying her new home. 
We were too hesitant to go through with the purchase because of the types of mold and my lung problems. Also, would "clear" during the dry-winter really be clear once hot humid summer comes.
Joni, I once had a mold person come to the 90 yr old house we live in, and he refused to charge me because he said the house was simply a dry house and not at risk. Old doesn't mean moldy, your home might be okay.
Mamerth--I've got mold on some grout in a bathroom. I may be wrong but I don't think that's as dangerous as the molds that grow on building materials/walls. Can you get your husband to bleach the bathroom in any case? What I've learned from this experience is that a patch in one part of a house can cause high spore count all over the house.
We were too hesitant to go through with the purchase because of the types of mold and my lung problems. Also, would "clear" during the dry-winter really be clear once hot humid summer comes.
Joni, I once had a mold person come to the 90 yr old house we live in, and he refused to charge me because he said the house was simply a dry house and not at risk. Old doesn't mean moldy, your home might be okay.
Mamerth--I've got mold on some grout in a bathroom. I may be wrong but I don't think that's as dangerous as the molds that grow on building materials/walls. Can you get your husband to bleach the bathroom in any case? What I've learned from this experience is that a patch in one part of a house can cause high spore count all over the house.
Sue, I hope your best friend's house turned up clear in the subsequent testing and she is enjoying her new home.
We were too hesitant to go through with the purchase because of the types of mold and my lung problems. Also, would "clear" during the dry-winter really be clear once hot humid summer comes.
Joni, I once had a mold person come to the 90 yr old house we live in, and he refused to charge me because he said the house was simply a dry house and not at risk. Old doesn't mean moldy, your home might be okay.
Mamerth--I've got mold on some grout in a bathroom. I may be wrong but I don't think that's as dangerous as the molds that grow on building materials/walls. Can you get your husband to bleach the bathroom in any case? What I've learned from this experience is that a patch in one part of a house can cause high spore count all over the house.
We were too hesitant to go through with the purchase because of the types of mold and my lung problems. Also, would "clear" during the dry-winter really be clear once hot humid summer comes.
Joni, I once had a mold person come to the 90 yr old house we live in, and he refused to charge me because he said the house was simply a dry house and not at risk. Old doesn't mean moldy, your home might be okay.
Mamerth--I've got mold on some grout in a bathroom. I may be wrong but I don't think that's as dangerous as the molds that grow on building materials/walls. Can you get your husband to bleach the bathroom in any case? What I've learned from this experience is that a patch in one part of a house can cause high spore count all over the house.
Good to know....The last apt I rented definitely had mold. You could smell it....the basement was a dirt basement (the house was really old and wasn't kept up as well as it should have been). Unfortunately, when I moved, it was during the winter months when things dry out so I didn't realize how bad it was until the summer months and the rains came. I moved out of there fairly quickly, my lungs were so bad the year I was there, I think I was in the hospital 4 times with serious lung issues.
The place I am in now is dry and there is no hint of mold anywhere (there is also no basement) so I am not having the same bronchospastic problems I had in the other place. If I ever move again, I will see to it that the place is tested for molds. I didn't realize it was so cheap to do so <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Glad everything worked out for you!
Jenn 40 w/CF
The place I am in now is dry and there is no hint of mold anywhere (there is also no basement) so I am not having the same bronchospastic problems I had in the other place. If I ever move again, I will see to it that the place is tested for molds. I didn't realize it was so cheap to do so <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Glad everything worked out for you!
Jenn 40 w/CF
Good to know....The last apt I rented definitely had mold. You could smell it....the basement was a dirt basement (the house was really old and wasn't kept up as well as it should have been). Unfortunately, when I moved, it was during the winter months when things dry out so I didn't realize how bad it was until the summer months and the rains came. I moved out of there fairly quickly, my lungs were so bad the year I was there, I think I was in the hospital 4 times with serious lung issues.
The place I am in now is dry and there is no hint of mold anywhere (there is also no basement) so I am not having the same bronchospastic problems I had in the other place. If I ever move again, I will see to it that the place is tested for molds. I didn't realize it was so cheap to do so <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Glad everything worked out for you!
Jenn 40 w/CF
The place I am in now is dry and there is no hint of mold anywhere (there is also no basement) so I am not having the same bronchospastic problems I had in the other place. If I ever move again, I will see to it that the place is tested for molds. I didn't realize it was so cheap to do so <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Glad everything worked out for you!
Jenn 40 w/CF
Joni, I once had a mold person come to the 90 yr old house we live in, and he refused to charge me because he said the house was simply a dry house and not at risk. Old doesn't mean moldy, your home might be okay.
Thats good to know ! Thanks Melissa <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Thats good to know ! Thanks Melissa <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Joni, I once had a mold person come to the 90 yr old house we live in, and he refused to charge me because he said the house was simply a dry house and not at risk. Old doesn't mean moldy, your home might be okay.
Thats good to know ! Thanks Melissa <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Thats good to know ! Thanks Melissa <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
W
wendyc.fulk
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Fun Guy Inspections and Consulting
is a certified local expert company for mold inspection,
water damage, lead testing, environmental air quality testing services in Los Angeles.
is a certified local expert company for mold inspection,
water damage, lead testing, environmental air quality testing services in Los Angeles.