If you suspect you have mould in your home, or know you have mould in your home and would like to know what type and how many spores are in the air you breath, your first thought may be to contact a company that specializes in mould remediation and removal.  While these companies may have the expertise to fix the issue, they also have an interest in the remediation part of the transaction.  Sometimes, mould issues are small enough that a homeowner can safely take care of the cleaning themselves.

The Government of Canada website states (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/addressing-moisture-mould-your-home.html) that three or fewer patches and the total area is less than 1 m²  (10 sq’) can be cleaned using proper precautions.

If there more than 3 patches or if the patches are greater than 1 m² but less than 3 m², expert assessment recommended, but may be cleaned up using proper precautions.

If you have a problem larger than this, you should definitely contact a professional remediation company.

It should be noted that the government of Canada does not recommend air testing for mould.

“An air test does not provide information on health and does not address the cause of mould damage in the house.”

While this is true, air testing can tell us if there are elevated levels of spores in the home (compare to the outside)  Not all mould is visible.

That’s where a International Association of Certified Indoor Air Consultants (IAC2) inspector comes in.  When an IAC2 inspector performs a complete mould inspection, we are not just performing air test.  We are looking at any system of your home that may contribute to the mould issue.  We follow a comprehensive standards of practice (https://www.iac2.org/sop) that gives us the an advantage in finding issues.

When you hire a IAC2 certified home inspector to perform a mould inspection, you are hiring someone that does not have additional interest in the results.

It is true that quite often test results come back showing no elevated counts of mould spores but when you are concerned about mould in your home, isn’t ruling out that possibility helpful?   Neither a home inspector nor a mold remediation specialist is qualified to comment on the health aspects of mould exposure but the EPA out of the USA has provided much more information on the subject (https://www.epa.gov/mold/mold-and-health) than Canada.  This is a subject that much more information is needed on.  One person may feel no affect of mould while the next person in the same house may be highly sensitive.  From EPA: “Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold. Research on mold and health effects is ongoing.”   Many naturopathic doctors (ND) are well educated in the subject and should be considered if you have health related questions.

Just like when a home inspector provides an unbiased evaluation of a home for a client, they can also provide unbiased information on the presence of mould in your home )or potential new home) If you are concerned about mould / mold in your home, contact us for more information.

As a home inspector, our concern with the prescence of mould is mostly from a structural standpoint.  Mould can affect the structure of a home and can most definitely affect the safety and value of a home which is always a concern for qualified home inspectors.

If you live in the Kingston, Ontario area and would like to know more about Helder Home Inspections unbiased mould testing services, please contact us – 613-532-2365  Web: helderhomeinspections.com  Email: [email protected]

Helder Home Inspections located in Kingston, Ontario, provide complete mould testing and home inspection options for buyers, sellers, renovators and tenants of buildings potentially containing mould.

For more information on our mould testing capabilities, please visit: https://helderhomeinspections.com/mould-testing-and-inspections/