Who to Call For Mold Inspection?

If you suspect your home has a mold issue, you’re likely wondering who to call for a mold inspection. Whenever you encounter problems in the home that could affect your health, you should be comfortable spending a premium to ensure you’re living in a safe environment. There’s no doubt that you should hire a mold inspection professional for this crucial task. Learn the benefits of working with a mold pro and what to expect from an inspection.

Benefits of Hiring a Mold Pro for an Inspection

Hiring a mold professional provides a number of benefits. Mold comes in many shapes and forms. Mold pros are able to identify different mold types, dangers, and remediation methods. Other than testing visible mold, a mold pro will also know other locations to test or where mold may be present, which may not cross the mind of a homeowner or other pro. 

Finally, hiring a professional with the proper certifications will allow you to sleep easily at night, knowing that the proper person is responsible for every aspect of an inspection.

Can I Hire an Indoor Air Quality Tester for a Mold Inspection?

While indoor air quality tests often detect mold, they aren’t the best way to fully inspect your home. It’s best to go with a dedicated mold professional. Air quality tests use mold as just one parameter when determining indoor air quality. Because of this, it’s easy for mold to play second fiddle to testing for other issues like smoke, asbestos, or carbon monoxide leakage. 

Can I Hire a General Contractor for a Mold Inspection?

Unless the contractor has certifications or licenses specifically in mold remediation or testing, it’s not a good idea to hire them for this job. Mold is a specialized area that requires study and experience and while a general contractor may have encountered mold before, that doesn’t mean they understand the nuances of the unwanted fungal growth. 

How Much Does a Mold Inspection Cost?

Mold inspections cost between $300 and $1,100. The relatively high cost is because your pro needs to use specialized equipment. Even after they complete the test, they often need to send the sample to a lab to verify. The good news is that the cost is included in the above range. 

Another reason for the variance is that mold testing isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of test. Expect to pay on the lower end if the mold is contained in a single area, such as the corner of a basement. Expect to pay on the upper end—or even more—if you find mold in your HVAC system, in your walls, or in multiple areas of the home. 

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

There are many DIY projects you can undertake—this isn’t one of them. While you can purchase a DIY mold testing kit, it’s best to trust a professional for accurate results. There are many factors at play and, unfortunately, mold can be extremely dangerous to certain individuals. Because of this, you need to hire a local mold inspection pro if you want the job done right, especially if you’re dealing with toxic black mold. 

However, you can DIY a mold test in anticipation of a professional visit. Such a test (including the lab results) will cost between $10 and $100. Remember that even though it may test for some of the more common mold types, it won’t be anywhere near as comprehensive as a professional assessment.