When buying a house, understanding why and where mold grows and the financial implications of mold cleanup are crucial.

Here are some key points to keep in mind about mold:

1. Health Concerns: Mold can cause health problems in anyone, but especially in people with allergies, asthma, or weakened immune systems. Symptoms can include nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing, eye irritation, or skin irritation. Even if you’ve never had a reaction to mold, your immune system can become reactive at any time, so it’s important to be aware of these signs any time you are in a new environment.
2. Structural Damage: Mold can indicate water problems and water problems lead to structural damage if left unchecked. It can weaken walls, floors, and ceilings, eventually compromising the integrity of the house.
3. Inspection: It’s advisable to hire a professional inspector to check for mold. They can identify visible signs and clues that might lead to mold issues that you might miss.
4. Where Mold Grows: Mold often grows in areas with high humidity and moisture, such as basements, bathrooms, kitchens, attics, and around plumbing fixtures. Pay extra attention to these areas as you are looking at houses and also during inspections.
5. Water Damage: Look for signs of past or present water damage, such as stains, discoloration, corrosion, or a musty odor. Wherever there is water, there can be mold, so these signs can be indicators of potential mold problems.
6. Ventilation: Good ventilation helps prevent mold growth. Ensure that the house has sufficient ventilation in high-moisture areas. One of the biggest areas of moisture build-up in a home is in the full bathrooms – the best way to deal with moisture in bathrooms is with exhaust fans. Be sure to use them any time the shower or bathtub is used. (That fan is for more than just removing odors!) The other area to be thinking about is the ventilation in the attic. The most common types are soffit vent/ ridge vent or gable vent ventilation. Your inspector will be able to help you know for sure what type of attic ventilation you’ve got.
7. Testing: If mold is suspected, air testing can determine the type and concentration of mold spores present. Air testing takes only about five minutes in each area you want to have tested and the testing cassettes are then analyzed in a lab to determine how much mold there is in each area and if that mold is naturally occurring (coming in on our clothes, hair, pets, and through open windows) or actually originating in the home (coming from a water source in the home, like a leak or high humidity).
8. Remediation Costs: Mold remediation can be expensive – and the price varies based on how much area is affected. If mold is found, consider getting quotes for remediation and factor this into your decision-making process. Before the affected areas can be remediated, the source of moisture will need to be eliminated, so mold doesn’t have the perfect environment in which to begin to grow again.
9. Seller Disclosure: In many places, sellers are required to disclose known mold issues. However, this may not cover all instances, especially if the seller is unaware of hidden mold.
10. Preventive Measures: If you buy the house, be sure to eliminate leaks promptly, maintain good ventilation, and use a dehumidifier in high-humidity areas like the basement to reduce the potential for mold growth.

Keeping these ten things in mind can help you make an informed decision and avoid potential health and financial issues related to mold.