Air Quality Testing
MOLD: A Growing Concern
- Protect your biggest investment with mold remediation and testing for your Vail home today.
- Live healthier
- Because you’re not only buying a home, you’re also buying the air in it
Did You Know?
- Most people spend as much as 90% of their time indoors and are not aware of the health hazards created by mold. Get your Vail home mold inspection today.
What is Mold? What is a Mold Spore?
-> Mold eats and destroys normal building materials used in your home when they get wet
-> Mold reproduces and spreads by shedding microscopic mold spores in the air
-> Mold spores travel through the air and we breathe them in – sometimes in large enough amounts that are unhealthy.
-> Indoor mold types that can damage your home and health include:
- Aspergillus / Penicillium / Trichoderma
- Stachybotrys / Chaetomium / Ulocladium
- Cladosporium / Alternaria / Curvularia
What does mold do when growing in buildings?
- Ruin building materials
- Destroy personal possessions
- Can cause allergies
- Can trigger asthma
Mold Facts you need to know
- Water is the problem, mold is the result of excess water
- Mold can grow and produce spores in as little as 24 – 48 hours
- Most thrive in temperatures we feel comfortable in
- Airborne mold can be inhaled
- Presence of mold growth can impact your health, at home, the office or school
How can I be exposed Mold?
- Breathing in spores from air
- Skin contact from handling moldy items
- Eating moldy foods
- Contact with moldy clothing, carpet, drapes, furniture, fabric & leather
Health Effects of Mold Exposure
Allergic Reaction (Most Common)
• Caused by inhalation or direct contact with mold
Asthma (Second Most Common)
• Mold spores can trigger an attack and make asthma worse
Hypersensitivity
• Developed after acute or chronic exposure
Opportunistic Infections
• Cause disease in rare circumstances
Red Flags: When & Where to Test
If you answer YES to any of the following questions, it is recommended you TEST right away.
Have you had a recent indoor water event?
50% of all homes have been water compromised (even brand new homes), making a Vail home mold inspection more important than ever.
Common causes:
- Recent severe storm (wind and rain)
- Construction defects
- Poor filtration in HVAC
- Plumbing problems
- Improper insulation, ventilation or grading
- Basement floods or leaks
- Roof /ceiling leaks
- Presence of items that are damaged by water
Have you seen visible mold?
Any substance growing that looks:
- Velvety
- Slimy o White o Black o Green o Pink
- Smelly
- Discoloration
Where to Check for Visible Mold
Bathroom
- Around the bathtub or shower
- Around & Under sink
- Under & Behind Toilet
- Around bathroom vanity
Kitchen
- Around & Under the sink where leakage might occur
- Behind and Under Refrigerator
Floors, wall cavities and ceilings directly above or below a bathroom or kitchen
- Attic & Basement Spaces
- Laundry Area
- Around Water Heater
- Around & Inside AC Unit & Vents
- Garage (Especially when directly attached to entrance of home)
- Clothing
- Carpet & Rugs
- Behind vinyl wall coverings
- Surface walls behind furniture
Do You Experience Any Sensitivity?
Exposure to mold is known to cause:
- Itching or irritation of the eyes, nose, throat or skin.
- Burning sensation on skin or rashes
- Sinus infections or congestion (runny nose)
- Musty odor
- Respiratory problems (sneezing or coughing)
- Frequent or onset headaches or migraines
- Changes in breathing patterns
- Fatigue
Why You Should Get A Vail Home Mold Inspection?
- To answer the question, “Do I have a hidden mold growing in my home?”
- To know what kind of mold you may have
- To avoid unseen potential health risks
- To maintain the healthy state of your home
- To solve building defects such as dry rot, warping and deterioration of your home
- To avoid future expense of a massive remediation
- Peace of mind when buying or selling a house
Mold Testing Made Simple
- Your home inspector has been trained and educated by PRO-LAB® to collect the appropriate samples
- Your home inspector will take one air sample per 1000 square feet, including a control sample outside
- Your home inspector will also collect a swab or tape sample from any visible mold growth
- You will get a quick and accurate results
- You do not have to do anything, your home inspector will take care of everything for you
Conclusion
- Protect your property and possessions
- Identify the RED Flags that can indicate a water problem
- The value of testing is that it identifies and determines the cause of a mold problem
- Testing is the first step in correction of a mold problem
- Be proactive and find problems before they get large and expensive
- Mold testing is not a real estate deal breaker – it can be cleaned
PRO-LAB® Solutions
- PRO-LAB® is an American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) accredited laboratory
- PRO-LAB® is an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory
- PRO-LAB® has staff to answer your questions and help guide your solutions
- Fast turnaround times that fit your needs
- Easy to read laboratory mold reports