When you’re purchasing a new home in Austin, TX, for your family, you want to make sure the property is safe and free of damage. Part of that equation is making sure the house is mold-free. Here are a few tips on keeping an eye out for mold from our team at TLC Home Inspections.
1. Engage your senses.
When walking through a property, keep an eye and nose out for potential mold or water damage. First, look for visible mold, dark spots, or areas that seem to have been damaged by water. Be sure to check under sinks and on the ceilings, where water damage often shows up. Additionally, use your nose. Pay attention if you notice a musty or mildewy smell anywhere in the house. That may be a sign that mold is present.
2. Ask about water damage.
Be sure to ask the seller or read through the seller disclosure to find out whether the home is in a flood zone. You’ll also want to ask whether the property has had any flood or water damage. If the answer is yes, you may want to pay more attention to whether mold is present and ask whether the sellers did remediation. Be sure also to ask about visible water damage in the home, and find out whether the issue was a one-time event or ongoing.
3. Never skip the home inspection.
Residential inspectors are trained to pick up on the signs of mold. At TLC Home Inspections, we note any signs of mold on the inspection report. Plus, we also include a MoldSafe guarantee. This agreement states that if our inspector noted on the inspection report that no mold was present at the time of the inspection but that it’s discovered within 90 days of the inspection, we’ll cover the costs of mold remediation. With this type of guarantee, you can (literally and figuratively) breathe easy.
Don’t mess with mold. Contact TLC Home Inspections of Marble Falls, TX, today at (512) 515-3686 to ask about our MoldSafe agreement or to schedule your home inspection.
photo credit: Martin Grube (This image is from the FEMA Photo Library.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
