In your home or when buying a new home, you should consider getting a mold inspection. Mold inspection is a different process from typical housing inspections. The cost will vary depending on the size of the house. How much does a mold inspection cost on a home? How do you know if it is worth it to conduct a mold inspection and testing?

There are a few different situations in which you might want a mold inspection. Let us look at when a mold inspection is needed, what mold testing does, and the average cost.

When can you inspect for mold?

One good thing about mold – if you can see it, you have mold in your house. Seeing mold in the cracks and corners of your walls means it is growing and spreading more spores. Keep in mind that mold may also grow in places you cannot see, such as in your ducts or between your walls. It may also form colonies so tiny they escape the eye.

A few situations should make you look for any mold problems in your house. You can inspect for mold in your home when you have the below:

1. Water damage: If your basement flooded, the roof leaked, or a broken pipe sprayed water all over the kitchen, you need to inspect for mold. Any place that got wet and was not quickly dried (within 24 to 48 hours) could become contaminated by mold.
2. Purchasing a new home: There is no way to know what kind of water damage may have happened in the house you are planning to buy. The only way to find out if mold is present is to do a mold inspection.
3. After a house has been unoccupied: If a house has been closed up and unoccupied for months or years, humidity could have built up inside and caused mold to grow. This is especially a problem in warmer areas with high humidity.
4. After mold remediation: If you have gone through the often expensive and difficult steps to deal with a mold problem, regular mold inspections are a good idea to make sure you got rid of it all.
5. Seeing some mold: If you notice some green, blue, black, or white stuff growing in your house, do a mold inspection to make sure you find it all. It might not be restricted to one location.

What affects the cost of mold inspection?

Two main factors affect the cost of a mold inspection: the size of the house being inspected and whether or not the inspector has to remove or destroy parts of the property, such as drywall or paneling, to complete the inspection.

Quite simply, a large house with a lot of square footage is going to cost more to inspect because the inspection is going to take longer. An “invasive” inspection involving digging through drywall or digging under a crawlspace is also going to cost extra because of the extra time and work involved.

How much does a mold inspection cost?

You will get to know the cost of a mold inspection. The cost of mold inspection can vary slightly from region to region, but the difference is generally pretty small. You are just as likely to find wider variations from one contractor to another in the same region.

As a rough guideline, a mold inspection costs about the same as a regular home inspection, the kind that is done when you purchase a new home. On average, mold inspection costs $300 to $400 for small to medium-sized houses (below 4,000 square feet). Above 4,000 square feet, the cost increases to the $700 to $900 range. Keep in mind that these costs are for inspection only and do not necessarily include testing. Skipping the unneeded mold testing can save you some money.

Some contractors that specialize in mold remediation will do a mold inspection for free, though they will hope to be hired for the remediation itself.

How to find the right mold inspector?

Look for a contractor with specific experience and expertise in mold inspections and remediation. Ask them how many mold remediation they’ve done in the last six months. Call around your area and get a few estimates. There might be a wide price range, so shopping around could save you a few hundred dollars.

Check your state health department or labor department to see if mold inspectors are required to have a special license or certification. If so, you want to make sure you only work with a properly certified contractor.

What to do after the inspection of mold?

If the mold inspection finds mold in your home, the next step is to make a remediation plan. This always begins with removing the source of the moisture that’s allowing the mold to grow. If you fail to remove the moisture, you can clean up all the mold and it will just grow back. Then, hard surfaces can be scrubbed and washed. Soft surfaces like carpets or foam tiles have to be cut out and replaced. It is impossible to clean the entire mold off of porous surfaces.

This can be a do-it-yourself job if the mold is only in a small area. If the mold contamination exceeds 10 square feet, the EPA recommends calling in a contractor experienced in mold remediation. Mold can be dangerous, or at least unpleasant, to work with, especially for someone with allergies or asthma. That’s why larger contaminations are better left to professionals with the correct safety gear and cleaning equipment.

How to prevent mold in your home?

Getting rid of mold in your house can be a major task, and remediation can be expensive if the mold is widespread. The best solution to mold problems is to prevent them from ever happening. Here are some tips on preventing mold:

• Repair leaks promptly: Whether it is a leak in your roof or a rusted-out water pipe, fix leaks and keep moisture out of your house.

• Clean and dry things promptly: If your basement floods or condensation from your air-conditioner drips onto a carpet, dry everything out within 24 to 48 hours. Mold needs moisture to grow, so prompt drying is vital.

• Control humidity: Extremely humid air can provide enough moisture for mold to form on some surfaces. Use a dehumidifier in your basement and run air-conditioning when possible during the summer. Install vents in your kitchen and bathroom. This will keep humidity down and keep moisture under control. Mold is a serious problem, and spotting mold contamination before it grows out of control can save you thousands of dollars.