As a Seattle Home Inspector, I don’t get too caught up in the whole debate about whether mold is a big deal or not. I know that for some people it is a big deal regardless of whether it is “actually” a big deal or not; and if you get lawyers involved, it will become a big deal regardless of whether it “actually” is a big deal or not.
Basically mold is a water issue, and secondly an air quality issue. The important thing is to fix the water issue and repair the damage. Testing for mold is typically a waste of time and money that is a made into a big deal by businesses that have an economic interest in having it be a big deal. Mold spores are but one small component of the crud that floats around in the air of buildings that also have mold in them. Other arguably more important components being breathed are dust mites and their feces, pet hair, and other indoor pollutants like VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) and trace carbon monoxide.
It is important for health reasons to focus on reducing all of these elements that can have a negative impact on breathing and health.
Now that I have said all this, sometimes I come across something that just screams out for attention—-something just too obvious—-something that leaves one with one of those “what-could-they-possibly-be-thinking” moments.
Being a soccer nut, I would wager that if I spoke in front of a packed Nou Camp, in Barcelona and asked (in Spanish of course): “Who here has not heard of Mold,” not one of the 98,772 fans would raise a hand.
Doesn’t everyone know about mold?
It is in light of these questions that I found myself dumbfounded at an inspection when I found the following instance of mold in a bedroom next to the bed—–the pillow just inches out of the picture.
Come on folks—–why test the possible effects of mold so aggressively.
By Charles Buell, Real Estate Inspections in Seattle
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