Quite often home buyers are confronted by the fact that the home they wanted to buy was said to have mold. Is it okay to buy a house with mold in it? It depends on the extent of mold growth and how much it would cost to restore the house to it’s original condition prior to mold growth. Air samples report indicating presence of mold shouldn’t stop you from buying a house that you liked. Results of air samples alone are not enough to declare a building as having a serious mold problem.
The reality is that no house is mold spores-free since mold spores exist naturally in the environment. It is also important to know that depending on the time of the year, the majority of mold spores in the houses come from outside. These spores settle on various surfaces indoors and if still viable, they only need the right conditions to germinate and develop into visible mold growth.
No one want to buy a house that is known to have mold. Hence the presence of mold has a direct impact on the selling price. If you are a seller, failure to address the mold challenge properly prior to putting your home in the market may lead to your house losing value and incurring unwarranted costs.
As a buyer the presence of mold in a house gives you a better opportunity to negotiate for a lower price. The good news is that majority of indoor molds are not likely to affect the structural integrity of the house and therefore removing the mold would restore the home to it’s original condition. But before committing yourself to buying a moldy house, you may consider paying a qualified professional to assess the extent of mold contamination, identify the causes and estimate how much it would cost to rectify the problem. If the reduction in the buying price is higher than the amount you would spend to remove the mold, then there is no reason why you should not buy the house if you liked it.
Remove the Mold Before Occupying the House
If you decided to buy the home, remove the mold before occupying the house. It is easier to deal with the mold problem before bringing in your own stuff. The mold remediation should be performed by a qualified contractor who is familiar with the current mold remediation guidelines.
Damp and humid conditions provide the perfect environment for mold to proliferate. While majority of the common indoor molds don’t necessarily have an immediate effect on the property, if not removed early enough and the moisture eliminated the mold will continue spreading and damaging the aesthetic appearance of the house. Apart from damaging the house, elevated levels of mold spores indoors are a health hazard.
Below are some mold guidelines that a qualified contractor could follow to restore the house to it’s original condition.
1. Mould Guidelines by the Canadian Construction Association
2. Mould Abatement by the Environmental Abatement Council of Ontario (EACO)
3. Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of Fungi in Indoor Environments by the New York City Department Of Health.
What You Should Know Before Buying the Moldy House
The cost of fixing the mold problem will primarily be determined by the size of the affected area and the location of the mold. If the mold extends throughout the walls or the HVAC system, then the cost may be far much higher than what you would save from a lower sale price.
