There are many risks associated with buying a house with mold problems. Understanding the risks can help you determine your next steps. The #1 risk of buying a house with mold is the toxicity to your family. Mold exposure can cause many health issues in humans, especially if there is black mold. While not everyone is affected by mold exposure, those who are could have a severe reaction. Common symptoms of mold exposure include:1. It Can Be Toxic To Your Family
- Congestion or a runny nose
- Lung irritation
- Sore throat
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing
Currently, there are no tests available that show when and where you were affected by mold, so knowing your surroundings is important if you or your family members exhibit symptoms of mold exposure.
2. It Stains Your Home
Mold is also harmful to your home. Besides the health issues it can cause, it’s unsightly. Mold usually shows up in homes in a variety of colors, including black, green and brown, so there’s no way to disguise it or cover it up. Most people know what it looks like and would be put off if they saw it in your home.
Mold stains are usually tough to remove or even clean. Since mold grows fast and worsens over time, it can be time-consuming and nearly impossible to remove the stains from walls and ceilings.
If caught quickly enough, bleach may remove the mold stains, but if the stains remain there for a while or are in hidden areas, other methods may be necessary, including demolition in some cases.
3. It Can Severely Damage Your Property
Mold can grow in areas you might not even realize, such as HVAC systems, air ducts and carpeting. If the mold grows in the air ducts, it spreads the mold throughout the home, making the spread worse and increasing the risk of danger to your family members.
If the mold growth is severe, it can cause thousands of dollars in damage and even make certain systems, such as the HVAC system, stop working. Depending on the level of mold damage that occurs, it can even lower the property value of your home.
4. It’s Costly To Remove
Dealing with mold isn’t cheap. First, you need a mold inspection to confirm the presence of mold and to create a mold remediation plan. A qualified mold inspector will be able to tell you the type of mold in the house and help you determine how best to fix it.
The average cost to remove mold issues is $2,000, but the total cost depends on the depth of the mold damage, what it affected and what needs to be done to remedy it. The cost of removing mold depends on where it’s located (is it easy to access?), the type of mold, and whether it’s a simple treatment or if full demolition is necessary.
5. It’s Usually The Result Of Another Problem
Mold growth usually occurs because of a leak somewhere in the house. For example, if there is mold in the basem*nt, it could be any pipe in the house leaking. This could get expensive and time-consuming to figure out where the problem is and what must be done to fix it. If the problem is complicated, it could affect other areas of the home too.
6. Mold Can Smell
One of the telltale signs that you have mold growth is a musty smell in the air. You might also consider the air dank or the feeling in the house seems “earthy.” If it’s a mild smell, it might not be as big of a job. Still, if the smell is overpowering, it’s a serious issue that might affect the entire house and requires professional care quickly.
