Mold Disclosure

The first thing to understand about mold in Florida is that there is a little mold "everywhere" - indoors and outdoors. It's in the air and can be found on plants, foods, dry leaves, and other organic materials.

It's very common to find molds in Southwest Florida homes and buildings. After all, molds grow naturally indoors. And mold spores enter the home through doorways, windows, and heating and air conditioning systems. Spores also enter the home on animals, clothing, shoes, bags and people. When mold spores drop where there is excessive moisture in your home, they will grow. Common problem sites include humidifiers, leaky roofs and pipes, overflowing sinks, bath tubs and plant pots, steam from cooking, wet clothes drying indoors, dryers exhausting indoors, or where there has been flooding. In addition, many of the building materials for homes provide suitable nutrients for mold, helping it to grow. Such materials include paper and paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood, and wood products, dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation materials, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery.

Exposure To Mold

Everyone is exposed to some amount of mold on a daily basis, most without any apparent reaction. Generally mold spores can cause problems when they are present in large numbers and a person inhales large quantities of them. This occurs primarily when there is "active"  mold growth. For some people, a small exposure to mold spores can trigger an asthma attack or lead to other health problems. For others, symptoms may only occur when exposure levels are much higher.

Should I Be Concerned?

Yes. If indoor mold is extensive, those in your home can be exposed to very high and persistent airborne mold spores. It is possible to become sensitized to these mold spores and develop allergies or other health concerns, even if one is not normally sensitive to mold. Left unchecked, mold growth can cause structural damage to your home as well as permanent damage to furnishings and carpet. According to the Centers for Disease Control, "It is not necessary, however, to determine what type of mold you may have. All molds should be treated the same with respect to potential health risks and removal."

Can My Home Be Tested For Mold?

Yes. An indoor air sample can be taken as well as an outdoor sample to determine whether the number of spores inside your home is significantly higher. If the indoor level is higher, it could mean that mold is growing inside your home. Reliable air sampling can be expensive, time consuming, and requires special equipment and a qualified technician. If you can see or smell mold, then you should take steps to clean-up the mold. Mold growth is likely to continue unless the source of moisture is removed and the contamination is cleaned-up.

How To Remove Mold From Your Home

First, address the source of moisture that is allowing the mold to grow. Then take steps to clean-up the contamination. Here are some helpful places to learn more about cleaning-up mold in your home.

A Brief Guide to Mold and Moisture in Your Home-EPA

Repairing Your Flooded Home-FEMA

For more information on this real estate topic, please feel free to contact us directly. Our associates will be more than happy to assist you in answering any and all questions you may have.

And, please be sure to check out our other Florida home seller information pages. They are full of useful information for buying or selling a Southwest Florida home or condominium.

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