Find out how mould inspection report and remediation work.
You may have seen fuzzy or patchy spots in random areas of your house. These can be black, brown, or green— usually seen in corners, floors, ceilings, and areas in your home in contact with water and moisture.
Those are called mould—microorganisms that grow on moist and damp surfaces. When left unchecked, mould can become a health hazard and make your home uninhabitable. If you want to find all areas in your house with moulds, it would be advisable to approach licensed building inspectors.
What You Should Know About Moulds
Moulds are fungi that grow in any natural environment. They can grow within or outside a closed property, and they thrive in areas with high humidity and moisture levels. They are often fuzzy in appearance, but they can be patchy as well. You can see moulds in various colours—from brown, pink, purple, green, to orange.
They may seem harmless at first glance, but these microorganisms actually produce spores that pose harm to one’s health and to any property. Spores are microscopic cells that spread through various ways: water, insects, and air, among others. These spores act like seeds that create new mouldy areas within a property. Spores can even be unknowingly inhaled by people if they are exposed to moulds long enough.
Here are some of the signs that may point to mould growth in an indoor property:
- Earthy or musty smell in the property
- Stains on walls, floors, furniture, or ceiling
- Frost or water condensation inside walls
- Leaks on drywalls, floors, and other surfaces
- Mould that comes back even after cleaning may mean that there is another mould growth inside the property.
- As soon as you see moulds growing in your property, you should try to get rid of it as soon as possible. You should also make sure that you do everything to prevent another batch of mould growth within your property.
Common Causes of Moulds
To prevent further growth of moulds, it is essential to know how these are formed, to begin with. Here are some of the most common causes of indoor moulds in Sydney:
- Damp crawl spaces and basements
- High humidity indoors
- Poor ventilation in bathrooms and kitchens
- Improper construction and insulation of windows and walls
- Leaking wastewater lines and water pipes
- Leaks in roofs, windows, and building foundations,
- Flood
What You Should Do to Prevent the Growth of Moulds
While there are common mould causes that you can prevent, there are times when the growth of moulds is out of your control. Here are some things you can do to prevent mould growth in your property:
Always maintain your property’s main structures.
Make sure that your house or building walls, roof, windows, and foundations are maintained constantly. As much as possible, you should make it weatherproof as well. That way, there will be less possibility for unplanned moisture build-up.
Use barriers to prevent groundwater from entering your property.
Basements and crawlspaces are prone to mould growth because they are usually left enclosed for a period of time. There are cases when groundwater or other forms of moisture seeps into the spaces, which lead to the growth of mould. To prevent this, you should use moisture barriers, sump pumps, and tile systems that are specifically catered to prevent groundwater from seeping in.
Keep your walls and ceilings properly insulated.
Lack of insulation can lead to moisture build-up. This is because cold air may come in, become stuck, and condense into the walls or ceiling. When you keep your walls and ceiling properly insulated, they will naturally keep cold air out.
Install vapour barriers
Even with a layer of insulation, sometimes, the condensation of air on walls and ceilings are unavoidable. To lessen the chances of mould build-up in areas with condensation, it is advisable to have a vapour barrier installed. That way, even if condensation does occur, it would not lead to the growth of mould in your property.
Control humidity indoors.
You can buy hygrometers at hardware stores so that you would be able to measure indoor humidity. From there, you can work on controlling the humidity in your property. You can install exhaust ventilation, make sure that vent dryers lead to the outside, and ensure that vents are not blocked or clogged.
Avoid having too many real plants indoors. Otherwise, you will be inviting moisture within your property. Some other things you can do include cleaning surfaces that are often wet, having sanitised humidifiers, and drying areas that are often wet.
How can mould inspection reports help?
The first step to solving any problem is identifying the issue at hand. If you want to know how much mould is in your property, it would be beneficial to have people who know where moulds are generally located. Building inspectors have years of experience in checking out properties before the renovation, lease, or pre-sale. They can likewise help you find where moulds proliferate, if any, in your property.
Mould Inspection Report and Remediation
Companies like Vital Building Inspection will write a report about the state of your property given the issue you’ve raised (in this case, mould build-up). Licensed building inspectors can then write recommendations on how you should go ahead with remediating your property.
Contact Vital Building Inspection for a Cost-Effective Sydney Building Inspection
Inspections will help you immensely, especially if you’re planning to rent out your Sydney property or put it on sale. Potential buyers and/or tenants are turned off by moulds, as these signify the lack of care and maintenance in a property. With a good mould inspection, you will be able to make sure that all problem areas are identified so that you can ask professionals to de-mould your property properly.
This is where we at Vital Building Inspection come in. With more than a decade of experience in creating home inspection reports, we can help you understand the current state of your property, as well as give a few recommendations on your next steps as a property owner. Although we will never advise you on whether you should buy a property or not after inspection (as we believe that the choice is still yours to make), we will give you a comprehensive coverage of the quality of the property so you can make a sound decision. Are you looking into buying, selling, or renting out a property? Have it checked for mould build-up as soon as you can contact experienced and licensed building inspectors from Vital Building Inspection now to know more about how we can help.
