Mold in your home can make you very sick. It can cause allergic reactions, respiratory problems, infections, and other complications. Prolonged exposure makes the risks worse, so it’s important to understand how to tell if your house has mold. An experienced mold lawyer in San Diego can help walk you through the legal process.
How Does Mold Grow?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency explains that molds are naturally part of the environment. They reproduce using tiny spores, which float around both inside and outside. These spores are everywhere, and they are invisible to the naked eye.
Unfortunately, if mold spores land on wet surfaces, they can begin reproducing. This leads to mold formation indoors, which is dangerous. However, mold cannot reproduce without moisture, so you can keep mold out of your home by keeping interior surfaces dry.
How Do I Test for Mold in My Home?
There are multiple approaches to testing for mold in your home. According to HGTV, here’s what you should do to determine if mold is present in your living space:
- Smell your space: Mold has a musty odor, which is usually fairly obvious.
- Conduct a visual inspection: Mold is frequently found inside ductwork, under carpets, behind drywall, in between bathroom tiles, and in other areas prone to moisture. Look for signs like paint bubbling, uneven flooring, and discoloration on finished surfaces.
- Consider a home test kit: Most kits come with petri dishes you can put in areas where you suspect mold. Leave the dish in the area, and it should collect mold spores over 24 to 48 hours. A lab can evaluate whether mold is present.
- Hire a professional: Professionals can conduct a formal mold inspection. However, the EPA warns there is no formal certification program for mold inspectors, and there is also no required formal certification in California — so you’ll need to do your research to find the right professional.
What to Do If You Find Mold
If you find mold in your home, you should take swift action. If the moldy area is less than 10 square feet, the EPA indicates you may be able to remediate the problem yourself by fixing the water leaks, scrubbing the surfaces with detergent and water, and throwing away any absorbent or porous materials.
However, if you have a larger problem, you will need to call in a professional, as exposure to mold is dangerous, and it can be difficult to remove all of it.
Make sure your contractor has experience cleaning up mold and follows best practices for removal. If the mold is in the HVAC system, you will also need an air duct cleaning.
If you live in an apartment or rental property, you should report the mold to your landlord ASAP. It is their responsibility to create a safe and habitable home and to remove the mold correctly and completely.
Be sure to document your reports of the mold issue in case your landlord doesn’t fulfill their obligations.
When You Should Contact a San Diego Mold Lawyer
If you were exposed to mold through the negligence or wrongdoing of others, such as a landlord who didn’t fix a moldy apartment or a property seller who did not disclose mold, you should contact a San Diego mold lawyer if you suffer damages.
Your mold attorney can help you pursue a claim for compensation if you were made sick by the mold, if your property was damaged, or if you suffered other economic or non-financial losses. Matthew de Lira has extensive experience representing those harmed by mold in and around the San Diego area, so give our firm a call today to find out how we can help you.