If you're looking for an old home to fix up for yourself or to sell for profit, be sure to have the home checked for mold before you buy it. The presence of mold might not be a deal breaker, but you want to know how much mold is present and how much it will cost to remove it. While you might do most of the renovation work yourself, mold removal is a job for professionals with experience and the right equipment. Here's why mold is a problem in old vacant homes on the market, and what a mold removal company may need to do about the problem.

Mold May Be Hidden So Have An Inspection First

Old homes that are vacant are a cause for concern over the potential for mold. Foreclosed homes are even more problematic since they've usually been vacant for a long time before they're sold. You want a mold inspection before buying an old house that's been vacant for any length of time or that looks like it has had a roof leak or water damage.

Mold Thrives In Vacant Homes

Homes sold-as or homes that have been vacant should raise red flags for mold. When a home is vacant, there is no ventilation in the home since the HVAC is off the whole time. With the home closed up in summer months, humidity rises along with the heat. Where there is humidity or dampness from a roof leak, and a food supply, which might be dust or building materials, mold can thrive. With no one in the home to notice or clean up for months, mold can take over a house. You might not even see or smell the mold when you walk in the house, and that's why an inspection is so important.

Mold Has To Be Removed Before You Renovate

It may not be safe to work in the home until the mold has been removed. A mold removal company may need to take out walls and other building materials, but that might not matter if you're renovating the house. You may want to discuss the procedure for mold removal with the company so they don't waste time killing or sealing mold in an area you're going to tear down later. The more things they can remove from the home that are covered with mold, the faster the work will go. Even if the house isn't occupied, the mold removal company takes care to remove the mold safely so they don't stir up spores unnecessarily. The crew also wears protective equipment to stay safe during the mold removal process.

Some parts of the home might not be removed, such as supports for the roof if they are still in good shape. In that case, the mold may be killed and sealed to keep it from spreading. Since mold is such a problem in old, vacant houses, the mold removal company has to be thorough and remove all traces of mold that might be found in hidden places and in equipment like the HVAC and ducts.