As you view homes while house hunting, there are many property features to check, from the electrical system to the plumbing. While walking through the rooms, you should also pay attention to signs of mold, as finding this growth can affect your decision and the buying process in several ways. Here’s what to know about considering a home that requires mold removal.

Where Should You Look for Mold in Homes?

Mold tends to thrive in damp, dark environments. As such, bathrooms, basements, and attics are among the most common spots to find growth. While viewing bathrooms, check for water staining and damage around the shower/bathtub, toilets and underneath the sinks.

In an attic, mold generally will grow on the rafters and roof sheathing due to a lack of ventilation and also that the bathrooms exhaust into the attic and not out of the roof.  Making sure that the soffit vents and roof vents are adequate are essential to allowing moisture to properly ventilate out of the home. 

In the basement, check the exterior walls for signs of moisture damage.  When walls get wet, it often will cause the base trim to pull away from the walls.  Further, look for staining on the carpet.  Odors, especially if it is musty, could suggest that there may be mold lurking somewhere that you cannot see.

What Should You Do if You Find Mold in a Home?

If you discover mold in a house you’re interested in, you don’t necessarily have to move on from the property as it can be remedied. . You can negotiate with the seller to lower the asking price based on the estimated cost of mold removal. In this case, you’d pay less for the home but would be responsible for hiring remediation services. 

Alternatively, you could request that the seller has the mold removal done before you close on the property which may be required by your mortgage company. You can also ask them to fix whatever issue caused the mold growth, such as repairing a roof leak, sealing a foundation crack, or correcting ventilation problems. These steps will ensure the home is functioning properly when you move in.

All in all, just because a home has mold, it is not the end of the road.  It can be fixed, and the home can be healthy for you and your family.  Trust your family's health to A1 Mold Testing.

If you discover or suspect mold in a home while house hunting, contact A1 Mold Testing & Remediation Services in Lincoln, NE. They perform mold removal and testing on properties throughout the Midwest, including Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. These highly trained and certified professionals will conduct a thorough inspection and carry out remediation so that your new home is free of mold growth. Call (402) 474-6653 to schedule an appointment, or visit them online to learn more about their removal services.