The Hunt Team - Coldwell Banker Realty
https://www.huntllc.com/blog/mold-hazardous-to-my-health


Is Mold hazardous to my health?

Posted By: Melinda Hunt In: Real Estate
Date: Thu, Dec 10th 2015 10:44 am

With the recent flooding in Columbia, SC and surrounding areas, the mold topic is becoming more and more prevalent when looking to buy or sell a home in Columbia SC   I am not a mold expert nor do I have a lot of experience with handling mold issues but in showing houses recently, the topic is mentioned more and more so I have done some research on "What you can do to decrease mold exposure."  Mold can be found both indoors and outdoors year round.  Typically, it is found in more humid climates(like Columbia SC).  Humid climates in homes are typically the basements and showers.  In Columbia, SC, basements are not the norm so a lot of times, crawl spaces under houses need to be inspected.  Anytime mold is detected, you should clean up the mold problem and fix any water issues you may have such as leaky faucets in the bathroom, kitchen, etc.  You should also keep humidity levels lower in your house by having your air circulating.  If a home is vacant for a period of time and air is not circulating, this can be an issue.  Many times when selling your home, you turn the power off so that you don't have that extra expense.  You may not think it will be a problem but it can be, especially in South Carolina where temperatures vary so much.  Let's face it, in December, it can be 50 degrees one day and the next it may be 70 degrees.  This may cause a mold development in a home.  However, there are some things you should be doing to decrease mold exposure such as using standard household cleaning products, bleach and water, using dehumidifiers, and keeping your air circulating.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has some great tips for decreasing and eliminating mold exposure.  If you think you have problems with mold in your house, my best advice is to get it looked at.  There are several companies in Columbia that handle mold remediation.  An expert will come to your home and inspect it to see where it exists.  There are several different types of mold that may not be as dangerous as you think.  However, contact an expert to find out.