You have heard the dreadful "M" word before but what about when you are told that it is in your own home? Gasp. 

So, what exactly is the "M" word? You guessed it! Mold. 

Mold is a fungus that is found in many environments, indoors and out. It thrives in areas of darkness, moisture and humidity. Some of the most common areas mold is found in the home is in the bathroom shower and basement, but it can be present in places such as the carpet, kitchen, roofing, as well as anywhere moisture is present. Give mold a suitable environment and it will do what it does best: spread. Mold is kept at bay by air/moisture control but we will go into that further in a minute.  

Why is mold such a big deal in your home? We breathe in mold all the time, but it becomes a serious problem when we are breathing large quantities. This is toxic to your health. It affects each person differently depending on their immune system. For some it may lead to allergies, while others it can be a more serious problem like respiratory issues, as well as depression. 

Most of the time mold is unseen to the eye but this dreadful, little fungus does leave a few clues for us to spot it. A home that has large quantities of mold tends to have a distinct odor. If you have recently had a leakage problem or have found a spot of discoloration on your ceilings, there is a high chance that mold could be growing in that moist environment. 

After reading a little bit about mold, you may still be thinking, "What's the big deal? It could cause a little cough!" It's not as simple as that though. Mold spores spread through the air and if not treated properly, it can destroy a home. It can break down places in the frame, leading to significant damage that requires serious work to fix. Whether it is your health or your home, mold is usually accompanied with a serious price tag. 

When buying or selling a home, we at Rob Brooks Realty highly recommend having the home tested for mold. While it may cost to have this testing done, it is typically inexpensive and worth every penny. We believe that prevention is always the best practice, so keep the moisture level down in your home and let fresh in at times to stifle any chances of mold growing.

Happy mold prevention! :)

 

Other great sources on mold:

http://homebuying.about.com/cs/mold/a/toxic_mold.htm

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/dangers-of-mold/

http://www.medicinenet.com/mold_exposure/page4.htm.