Why is a Mold Inspection in Toronto so Important
Posted in Mold, on May 17, 2022
Health and safety at home are thought of in terms of fire alarms and baby gates — but many homeowners have indoor air quality issues that go unnoticed and untreated. Mold inspection in Toronto is a proactive and reliable service that SafeAir has offered for over a decade. Everyday household activities can raise the risk of mold growth in your home, creating an unsafe living environment. Mold testing in Toronto can reveal the subtle clues or risk factors related to indoor mold growth and let you get ahead of the curve.
Prevent the Symptoms of Mold Exposure
When you find or suspect mold growth in your home, the most important thing you can do is deal with it immediately. Mold can begin to grow in as little as 48 hours when the conditions are right, and it can spread and move beyond the initial growth site.
Mold growth causes two categories of symptoms: those that affect humans (and pets!) and those that affect our homes.
Signs and symptoms that you may see in your home include:
- High indoor humidity
- Spongy walls or floors
- Condensation on walls, around windows or doors
- A musty odour
- Dark patches or stains
Mold often grows hidden behind walls or in hard-to-reach areas like the attic or under appliances. In this situation, mold testing in Toronto can confirm that any physical symptoms you are experiencing are caused by mold growth. Some of the common reactions to mold growth include:
- Headaches
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Sneezing
- Respiratory effects, like congestion and coughing
- Trouble sleeping
- Poor skin
- Cognitive effects, like poor concentration
Types of Mold
Mold comes in thousands of different species and grows on nearly every continent! At SafeAir, our mold tests reveal that certain types of mold are more likely to infect your home than others. Some of the common varieties we encounter include:
- Alternaria, which can mimic the symptoms of asthma or hay fever.
- Aspergillus, a grey/green mold that also affects the respiratory system.
- Chaetomium, a mold that loves growing on drywall, has been linked to some auto-immune conditions.
- Cladosporium, which affects wooden items and textiles.
- Fusarium, a mold that loves cool, damp basements.
Indoor Air Quality and Mold
So how does mold affect indoor air quality? Mold can be both the cause and symptom of poor indoor air quality.
Mold causes poor air quality by:
- Releasing microscopic spores that can be inhaled.
- Causing rot to structural areas and objects in your home.
- Exacerbating existing problems that cause infestations.
Mold can become a symptom of indoor air quality problems because it can indicate:
- Ventilation problems.
- High indoor humidity.
- Water incursion through leaks and floods.
- Inadequate or damaged insulation.
How Do Mold Inspections Help?
At SafeAir, we have over a decade of experience helping Torontonians identify mold infestations in their homes. Our mold inspection services take a complete look at the interior and exterior of your home to pinpoint areas where there may be problems that lead to mold.
Sometimes we’re lucky, and an observant homeowner has found visible mold growth in their home. However, that isn’t a good reason to skip a mold inspection — what you can see may not represent the entire colony and may only be the tip of the iceberg. Mold infestations can be present on any room or floor of your home, making a comprehensive indoor air quality inspection the best way to assess your risks and reveal hidden infestations.
Mold inspections in Toronto take a wholistic look at your indoor environment and can identify problems that may cause mold in the future or are contributing to poor health and indoor comfort. For example, one of the most common causes of mold growth - high indoor humidity - affects comfort levels and can indicate problems with insulation and ventilation. Connecting these dots makes mold inspection in Toronto a successful and effective service. To learn more, reach out to the SafeAir team through our contact page.