Bob Shupe, the president of Cleaner Guys, was recently featured on the very first inaugural episode of the empowering podcast “Real Estate Unveiled!” Listen to the podcast now, or read on to see what they talked about.

Talking mold inspection and removal with Tim from All Islands Home Inspections

If you don’t know Tim Hance from All Islands Home Inspections, you need to listen to this podcast. Tim is the guy you would want around the house all the time, just to talk about how everything works! In the very first episode of their real estate podcast, our very own Bob Shupe had the honor of sitting down with Tim for an in-depth discussion on mold and how to deal with it. Read on to learn about some of the topics covered.

Mold removal:

Mold most commonly grows in attics, crawlspaces, inside wall cavities, and behind cabinets or appliances. Removing mold from these places takes the right mix of training, experience, and creativity to get the job done completely. Additionally, Cleaner Guys cares about removing mold with minimal disruption to the building. We consider it essential to a successful mold removal project. We want to disrupt the daily goings on of our clients as little as possible.

Mold sealers and preventative coatings:

After the mold has been removed, use a sealer or anti-microbial coating to assure that it won’t come back. There are a number of sealers on the market available to professional mold remediation contractors. Cleaner Guys has a couple we love, and Bob talks about the benefits of a good sealer. He warns that typical box store primers or shellac are not always a great solution; listen to the podcast to find out why.

Home maintenance:

Maintaining any building is essential to provide good indoor air quality, as well as a healthy living environment. Home maintenance should include:

• Regular roof cleaning and repairs, to prevent hidden leaks that can cause severe water damage and mold.
• Regular checks of your basement, crawlspace, and attic — including any drains and pumps. Mold and rodents are both common, and neither take long to move in!
• Landscaping maintenance. Regularly check any trees on or near your property for signs that they could be dying. This puts them at risk of falling onto your home.
• Regularly inspecting the exterior of your home, including siding and paint, for any cracks, loose boards, peeled paint, etc. These are breaches in your home’s protective barrier, and will let rain and weather in, and therefore mold.
• Windows and window sealing. Redo your window sealing if you find heavy dampness, or “glass sweat”, on your windows. It’s a sign that the PNW weather is getting in!

Mold inspections:

Listen to the full podcast, because it is packed to the brim with need-to-know ins and outs of mold inspections and mold removal. So take some time on a run or a drive to listen in, and understand mold better! Mold is something every Washington State homeowner and property manager should be seriously concerned about; it’s everywhere here. Staying in the know is important! Tim talks about how often he finds mold during real estate property inspections, and shares important ways that he is always on the lookout for mold.

When it’s NOT mold:

Sometimes, you can see discoloration or staining on drywall or roofing, and think that that means there’s mold. Bob explains that there could be, but discoloration and staining does not necessarily mean mold.

Discoloration can be from old leaks causing water damage, or even a previous mold problem that was already cleaned up. However, discoloration is usually an indication that something is wrong. Best practice is to know a team of experts you can call to figure it out. Letting the mold experts navigate you through mold removal and cleaning is critical. Otherwise, you’ll end up wasting time and money on DIY solutions or “fix-all” concoctions that don’t work.

The health of your family is not something you want to bet on what you read on the internet. You need real people from your local area bringing their expertise to the plate for you.

In your area:

If you need home inspection services, be sure to give Tim at All Islands Home Inspections a call. When you’re thinking about selling, and you want to know what might come up in the inspection, it’s best to know about any problems beforehand. And for that, Tim is your man.

Sometimes, you find that perfect home, but there might be a mold problem. In other instances, you may be preparing your home to be the perfect home for the next owner, and there is mold that needs to be removed. In either case, give Bob at Cleaner Guys a call today, or reach out through our Contact Us page. We have great response time, and we can set you up with a speedy mold inspection in Skagit County, Island County, Whatcom County, Snohomish County, or San Juan County.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. No part of this article is medical or legal advice, and may not be used as such. For all serious medical matters, consult your doctor. For all serious legal matters, consult your legal advisor. This article contains Cleaner Guys’ experience and opinions only.