The Cost of Black Mold Removal: Should I Buy A Home With Mold?

2/4/2019 (Permalink)

Is your perfect house still worth moving into if it has black mold?

Imagine, you’ve scoured your favorite neighborhoods for months in order to find the perfect new home for you and your family. After long deliberations and discussions over cost, distance from work, proximity to schools, and more, you’ve narrowed your search to the perfect home and are ready to make an offer. Unfortunately, you find out that the house is not so perfect, as it is home to black mold. What should you do next? Do you proceed with the purchase and explore mold removal costs, or, should set your sights on another option?

Determining whether or not to purchase a home that has black mold first requires an understanding of what black mold is, the potential consequences of living in a space with black mold, and the mold remediation cost required to rid the house of this intrusive growth.

What is Black Mold

Before jumping into mold remediation costs, let’s first understand what black mold is. Also referred to as “toxic mold,” black mold is the common term for the type of mold called Stachybotrys Cchartarum. Mold is a type of fungi, surprisingly similar to things we eat every day like yeast in bread or mushrooms. There is cause for concern for black mold, as its very small spores are incredibly light in weight, making them easily become airborne. Once airborne, they can be inhaled by individuals in the vicinity. Some forms of mold produce harmful toxins, called mycotoxins, that can have a particularly negative impact on health. For this reason, if you notice mold growing in your home, it’s important that you do not touch or disturb it.

Identifying whether a particular mold growing in a house is black mold is difficult for the average person, as many different types of mold can grow in the same space, and can have a similar appearance. If you suspect the home you wish to purchase has a mold problem, contact a professional immediately who, as part of their mold removal cost, will help determine the type of mold growing and the severity of the case.

Where does Black Mold Grow

While black mold can grow in a number of spots throughout a home, they are particularly prone to growing in warm, moist spots, such as attics, basements, and crawl spaces. Mold remediation costs cover the various spots where mold is likely to grow.

Attics: Because many attics are not equipped with proper ventilation, various types of molds prosper in these spaces. Attic mold growth is perpetuated when moisture from the lower levels of the home rise and become trapped in this top level of the house. The issue of attic mold is worse when kitchen and bathroom fans or even dryer vents exhaust into the attic. This is because these channels fill the attic with additional warm, moist air mold needs to thrive. To reduce moisture and thus the growth of mold, an attic requires sealing, insulation, and proper ventilation.

Basements: Like attics, basements are prone to the collection of moisture due to their often dark, damp nature. Basement mold results when moisture collects and flows through small holes and cracks in the home, draining into the lowest level. Homes built from porous materials will have more issues with moisture, as they promote the flow of water throughout the home. Before purchasing a home, determine whether the basement has proper ventilation, whether the rain gutters effectively push water away from the foundation, and whether there has been adequate maintenance and construction to prevent moisture buildup and subsequently basement mold.

Crawl Spaces: Many of us avoid venturing into crawl spaces, leaving us unaware of whether or not crawl space mold is growing in these spots. However, because crawl spaces are often warm and damp, they can be a breeding ground for black mold and other types of crawl space mold. In fact, because lots of crawl spaces have exposed earthen floors, ground moisture raises the level of humidity in the space.

How is Black Mold Remediated

Because mold is always present inside and outside of a home, it is virtually impossible to truly remove all mold. Therefore, when particular cases of mold growth occur that require professional attention, we refer to this as remediation. Quality mold restoration companies will not promise to remove all mold and instead can efficiently and effectively return mold levels in a home back to normal, natural levels.

The first step to house mold removal is repairing the source of moisture to prevent the collection of water in mold-prone spots of the home. Ensuring that basements, attics, and crawl spaces are properly ventilated, sealed, and insulated is therefore of particular importance. If this step isn’t taken, the mold will likely come back after the remediation process.

Next, the area of the home where the mold is growing should be sealed off, particularly any doorways or other openings that lead to other areas of the home. Doing this helps to prevent the spread of mold spores into other spaces during the house mold removal. As mentioned, inhaling mold spores can have serious consequences to one’s health, so everything should be contained when tackling this issue.

Now, only when wearing a face mask or respirator, a professional can begin the house mold removal process by destroying any visible mold and disposing of mold-infested materials using antifungal and antimicrobial treatments. The exact type of treatment used will largely depend on the type of mold growing and the amount of mold growth.

Because the house mold removal process might require the removal of drywall or carpet, small repairs might be necessary following the process. Next, let's explore mold remediation costs.

Black Mold Remediation Cost

For quality, long-term remediation of a mold issue, paying the mold removal costs for a specialist is essential. Determining the exact mold remediation cost depends on factors including the extent of mold growth impact price. When a mold infestation is contained to a single area, the mold removal cost will be less than if air ducts are involved, or if there is extensive mold growth following the flooding of a home. Contact a specialist to discuss the specifics of your case to determine the mold remediation cost for your situation.

Should I buy a home with black Mold

When trying to decide whether or not to buy a home with black mold, consider how soon you plan to move in, whether you or your loved ones have any health issues that could be made worse through exposure to mold, and whether you can afford the mold remediation cost. If you plan to move in immediately, it is likely not a great idea to move into a home with a black mold infestation. On the other hand, should you have the flexibility to delay a move in and have the money for mold removal costs, the black mold should not deter you from purchasing your dream home.