Mold is a concern for everyone living in Florida and is not just associated or a result of a leak within the property. Many people are not aware that mold can kill if left unattended to develop to a toxic form. Mold is present in many homes and unnoticed; we have all seen mold in the bathroom at some stage in minor forms and just washed it away with strong bleach.

Mold is the result of high levels of moisture in a poorly or unvented area, it can be caused by a number of contributing factors and not limited to any one.

• High relative humidity
• Roof or gutter leak
• Poor house keeping
• Defective air conditioning.
• Poor ventilation
• Underground water leaks

While we are all widely informed of the dangers of mold not many people know that without mold many of us would not be alive today. The discovery of Penicillin is usually attributed to a Scottish scientist Sir Alexandra Fleming in 1928, though others had earlier noted the antibacterial effects of Penicillin. His research identified that when he grew a pure culture of the mold he discovered that is was a Penicillin Mold. Penicillin became the wonder drug with many disease cured by its use.

So not only can mold kill it can also cure. The important factor is the type of mold, amount and level of exposure. As we are all aware mold is unsightly and is generally removed when discovered in wet areas such as bathroom and kitchens. When mold is not discovered and remains hidden that is when it can become dangerous. Mold will feed on moisture and can soon take over and contaminate a property if left untreated. Mold can travel through the air in tiny spores, so an air conditioning system in a property can soon assist the mold to contaminate all areas easily.

Can Mold be a health problem?

Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins). Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include seasonal allergies (hay fever-type) symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people. Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold. Research on mold and health effects is ongoing.

How do I fix the Mold problem?

It is impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores indoors; some mold spores will be found floating through the air and in house dust. The mold spores will not grow if moisture is not present. Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors. If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back.

So where do I start?

The best place to start is to identify if you actually have mold though my professional inspection. Specialist test equipment would be set up within the effected area taking live swab or air samples. Mold can only be determined through scientific analysis of the sample taken on site. These samples are sealed, recorded and sent immediately to our laboratory to grow the mold cultures in a temperature controlled environment. This laboratory process will normally take between 5 to 7 days, and then with the scientific results we can qualify what type of mold is present and what course of action is required to remove it safely.

My mold inspection will generally be a full assessment of the property and the living conditions. Primarily I am trying to identify for excessive levels of moisture and locating the source, when this has been established identification of the type of mold present is undertaken to determine the form of remedial action required for its safe removal. Remember mold can be toxic and in certain cases cause sever illness and death so remedial action should be carried out by a specialist contractor.

I hold a bachelors’ honors degree and am a surveyor and inspector, I have been inspecting properties for the last 30 years in various countries and climate conditions. My research has identified that the countries with a high relative humidity like Florida tend to be effected more with mold. If you are using an inspector who is not qualified and trained to the level and expertise required, you are putting yourself at risk at your own cost.

My full credentials and qualifications can also be verified online or by contacting The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) www.ashi.org, The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) www.ciob.org.uk and The Association of Building Engineers, (ABE) www.abe.org.uk

Inspection areas

I am based centrally in Windermere Florida and cover the whole of central Florida coast to coast for all of the following inspections:

• Home inspection
• Pool inspection
• New construction inspection
• Pre inspection
• Mold inspection
• Roof inspection
• 4 point inspection
• Home watch inspection