Why Does My Client Need a Mold Inspection?
The decision on whether to have an air quality inspection is a very subjective one. If someone in the family has any medical problems, or there are small children that are going to live in the house, they are more likely to have an air quality inspection. If the home has been vacant or unattended such as in a distressed home sale you may want to have the air quality checked because microbial growth probably has developed in the house, and the cost to clean a house with a mold problem is significant. If the house has sustained any significant water damage you often will see accompanying mold problems. Mold problems cannot always be detected visually, that is why air samples are taken.
By the Way….What is a Mold Test?
We take air samples in the house and then send the samples to a lab that analyses the samples to determine if there are any mold spores in the air. There are always some type of mold spores in the air, the lab will tell us how many mold spores are in the air, if this is an acceptable level, or if the level is so high that some type of remedial action must be taken. If remedial action is needed, it is important that you know this before you purchase your house rather than afterwards. Mold remediation is an expensive procedure.
Does My Client Need a Radon Inspection?
The decision to have a Radon inspection is a subjective decision. Many people do not obtain a radon inspection, especially if they intend to rent the property instead of live in themselves. Radon, is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Because of this the Surgeon General and the EPA recommend that all houses be inspected for radon, and that any home with a reading of more than 4 pico Curies per liter (4pCi/L) should be mitigated. Since radon is such a dangerous element, and can cause significant health problems, many people order the test to make sure the house they are about to buy is safe. If there is a problem a mitigation system should be installed. Approximately 20 % of the houses we inspect have a radon inspection completed. The decision to have the test is purely subjective. We offer the service should you wish to have the test performed.
How is a Radon Inspection Done?
A radon inspection involves the taking of an air sample over an extended period of time (48 hours), and then measuring the air sample to ascertain the level of radon that is in the sample. If there is 4 pico Curies per liter (4pCi/L) or more in the sample, it is recommended that a remediation system be installed. Radon is generated from the earth. It can come from the house being over a source of radon, or it can come from having granite or other stone in your house which emits the radon. There does not appear to be any pattern as to when a house may have a radon problem.
Information provided by Slab2Shingles www.Slab2Shingles.com