Whether someone has suggested you get a mold inspection, or you heard the term somewhere else, you’re now wondering, what is a mold inspection? How much does it cost? Is it worth it? How long will it take?
There’s no one better to answer all these questions than an actual mold inspection company! We’re Cleaner Guys, a professional mold inspection company of more than 20 years. We’ve put together this ultimate guide on mold inspections to answer your every question. Read on!
Table of Contents
- What is a Mold Inspection?
- How Much Does a Mold Inspection Cost?
- What Does a Mold Inspection Consist Of? What to Expect.
- How Long Does a Mold Inspection Take?
- How Accurate is a Mold Inspection?
- When Should You Get a Mold Inspection?
- Who Pays for a Mold Inspection?
- How to Get a Mold Inspection. Who Do You Call?
- Key Takeaways
What is a Mold Inspection?
A mold inspection is a service offered by professional mold testing and removal companies. It involves professionally trained mold experts thoroughly examining a building for mold growth, often with specialty equipment to help them. Typically, home inspectors or residents request mold testing when they suspect the presence of mold in the building. Inspection by professional mold experts is important because they have the knowledge and experience to examine areas for mold that a layperson wouldn’t know about, or can’t get to.
How Much Does a Mold Inspection Cost?
Mold inspection cost varies based on the size of the property being inspected, the base amount each different inspection company charges, and how far they have to drive. However, you can typically expect to pay a few hundred dollars for a high-quality mold inspection. Discovering mold incurs an additional cost for mold removal services.
What Does a Mold Inspection Consist Of? What to Expect.
The basic steps of the mold inspection process begin with 1) calling a company and scheduling a date and time for the testing, 2) at the set date and time, a technician arriving at your property and inspecting every room thoroughly for mold. Different companies use different equipment and methods for testing a property for mold. We encourage you to call a few different companies before choosing one. Ask them what equipment and methods they use for mold inspections, and their base price. (This advice is straight from our popular guide on choosing the right service company for you. Check it out here!)
Some companies may just do a visual inspection, checking with only their eyes for mold growth. On the other end of the spectrum, other companies, like us here at Cleaner Guys, use cutting-edge specialized mold detection technology to detect mold. These are not the only two methods for testing for mold. Different companies have different methods and equipment, such as tape lifting, swabbing surfaces for samples, and taking physical samples.
Almost no one else yet uses the cutting-edge technology that we use here at Cleaner Guys. It’s too new and high-end. But every inspection method has its place, and inspections with less high-end technology, while less accurate, may be cheaper, which may be an important factor for many.
How Long Does a Mold Inspection Take?
The amount of time a mold inspection takes depends on the size of the property and how many rooms are being inspected. In our decades of work here at Cleaner Guys, sometimes a client will want just a room or two inspected for suspected mold. Other times our clients want the whole property thoroughly inspected for mold. These two requests will obviously come with vastly different price tags.
Additionally, the duration of the inspection also depends on the methods and equipment being used. Mold inspections conducted with older equipment or methods may take a few hours. But a mold inspection with specialized equipment like InstaScope (used by Cleaner Guys) may take less than an hour, depending on the size of the property.
How Accurate is a Mold Inspection?
The accuracy of mold inspections also depends largely on the equipment and methods being used. This is why we highly encourage calling multiple companies and asking about their methods and equipment. With a very experienced company, if you tell them over the phone the square footage of the property to be inspected, they may even be able to give you an estimate of how long it would take them.
There are many methods of inspecting a space for mold. These can include swabbing, tape lifting, taking physical samples of potentially infected material, and using air-testing tech like InstaScope. However, not all of them have the same level of effectiveness and accuracy. Visually checking for mold or swabbing materials for samples will never be as accurate as a technology like InstaScope.
If you are lucky enough to have access to an inspection company that uses InstaScope, you’re in great luck! Very few companies yet use this technology, though it’s currently the cutting edge of air sampling technology. It’s too pricey for many companies. However, its accuracy is unmatched. In layman’s terms, it is a computer the size of a large suitcase, which a technician rolls around your property, allowing it to sample the air. It gives almost instantaneous results about the mold content in each room.
Watch our video below to see the Instascope in action, and hear a bit about why it takes mold inspections to the next level!
When Should You Get a Mold Inspection?
You should get a mold inspection if you experience any of the symptoms of mold sickness, if you smell unusual, musty odors in your property, if you’ve recently suffered water damage in your property, or if you see any of these signs of mold inside the walls of your property.
It’s also wise to get an annual mold inspection of your property. Many times, mold spreads quietly inside the walls, attic, or crawlspace of a property for a long time before anyone notices it. By then it has spread so far, it is a huge deal to get rid of. Getting your property annually tested for mold ensures that you will always catch hidden mold early, before that happens. It’s just like insurance. It’s a small amount of money regularly, but it could save you thousands and thousands of dollars in the future.
Who Pays for a Mold Inspection?
Typically, the owner of the property pays for mold inspections, such as if you’re a homeowner or a business owner. However, if you rent your home, such as an apartment, condo, or rental house, the issue of who pays for a mold inspection is usually decided by whose fault the potential mold is. An example is if you suspect there is mold in your apartment because your landlord has refused to fix a leak for a long time. If you can prove it, the landlord may have to pay for an examination. However, if the mold can be proven to be your fault, you will have to pay for the testing. An example of this would be if you accidentally allowed a sink or toilet to overflow, and it led to mold. That would be counted as your fault, not the building owner’s.
To learn more about the complicated intricacies of who is at fault for mold in an apartment, read our ultimate guide on dealing with mold in an apartment here.
If you’ve recently experienced water damage in an apartment or rental home, we have also written guides for dealing with it; both for landlords and tenants.
How to Get a Mold Inspection. Who Do You Call?
When choosing what company to call for a mold inspection, we encourage you to take these steps. One, look up companies near you and compare them. Two, ask around among your friends and family. Ask them if they’ve ever had to get their property tested for mold. If they have, ask them who they hired, and whether they were pleased with their work!
For a much more detailed breakdown, hop over to our guide on choosing a trustworthy service company.
Key Takeaways
In this article, you’ve learned that a mold inspection is a service offered by professional mold removal companies. It entails testing and examining a property for the possible presence of mold. You’ve also learned that the cost, duration, and accuracy of a mold inspection depend on what equipment and methods are used. Further, you learned what some of the different methods of mold testing are, and which are the most effective. Lastly, you learned about when to get mold testing, how to find the right company, and what to expect from the process.
We hope you’ve found this guide useful! If you did, feel free to leave us a comment below. We also encourage you to share this article with others who may need the information.
If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of needing a professional mold inspection company in Western Washington State, consider Cleaner Guys as a high-quality, well-trusted option. We’re proud to boast award-winning customer service, lower prices than others, and top-notch workmanship! Contact us today through the menu at the top of your screen.
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.
