• Client Info
  • Realtor Info
  • Seller Login
  • Contact

Boulder Property Network

Boulder Property Network

Boulder County Real Estate

  • Home
  • Search Real Estate Listings
  • Duane’s Timely Topics
  • Results Count
    • Why We Work by Referral
    • Testimonials
  • Our Team
    • Timmy Duggan
    • Barb Passalacqua
    • Kelsey Jensen
    • Duane Duggan
  • Real Estate Blog
You are here: Home / Boulder Real Estate Blog / Eliminating Mold in Your Home

Eliminating Mold in Your Home

July 23, 2018 by The Boulder Property Network

Mold has been around since life began on earth. The first thing to understand about mold is that there is a little mold everywhere – indoors and outdoors. It’s in the air and can be found on plants, foods, dry leaves, and other organic materials. Fortunately, in Colorado, the air is so dry we typically don’t have too many problems with mold. However, any place where there is stagnant water, oxygen, and a food source, mold can start growing.  The most extreme example of mold in homes I have ever seen was when I visited New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. I was on a team building Habitant for Humanity homes in a subdivision where most of the homes had to be bulldozed because of mold. These homes were encased in mold, inside and out.

It’s very common to find mold in homes and buildings. After all, mold grow naturally indoors. Mold spores enter the home through doorways, windows, and heating and air conditioning systems. Spores also enter the home on animals, clothing, shoes, bags, and people. When mold spores drop where there is excessive moisture in your home, they will grow. Common problem sites include humidifiers, leaky roofs and pipes, overflowing sinks, bath tubs and plant pots, steam from cooking, wet clothes drying indoors, dryers exhausting indoors, or where there has been flooding. We have also seen more mold issues due to high-humidity situations in marijuana grow rooms in houses.

Many of the building materials for homes provide suitable nutrients for mold, helping it to grow. Such materials include paper and paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, wood, and wood products, dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation materials, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery.

Exposure to mold

Everyone is exposed to some amount of mold on a daily basis, most without any apparent reaction. Generally, mold spores can cause problems when they are present in large numbers and a person inhales large quantities of them. This occurs primarily when there is active mold growth.

For some people, even a very small exposure to mold spores can trigger an asthma attack or lead to other health problems such as headaches, rashes, sinus problems, coughing, and nausea. For others, symptoms may only occur when exposure levels are much higher.

Should I be concerned about mold in my home?

Yes. If indoor mold is extensive, people in your home can be exposed to very high and persistent airborne mold spores. It is possible to become sensitized to these mold spores and develop allergies or other health concerns, even if one is not normally sensitive to mold. Left unchecked, mold growth can cause structural damage to your home as well as permanent damage to furnishings and carpet. At one of the houses I listed, in peeking into the crawl space, it was discovered that the sewer line had been leaking for a period of years, unbeknownst to the homeowner. The soil in the crawl space had to be removed, floor joists and subflooring removed, and even the furniture above the most affected area had to be replaced. Obviously, it was a very expensive fix to mitigate the situation properly.

Can my home be tested for mold?

Yes. Indoor and outdoor air samples can be taken to determine whether the number of spores inside your home is significantly higher than outside your home. If the indoor level is higher, it could mean that mold is growing inside your home. Reliable air sampling can be expensive, time consuming, and requires special equipment and a qualified technician. Since 2000, as we have become more knowledgeable about issues with mold, several reliable companies have been established in our area for testing.

If you can see or smell mold, then you should take steps to clean up the mold. Mold growth is likely to continue unless the source of moisture is removed and the contamination is cleaned up. According to the Centers for Disease Control, “It is not necessary, however, to determine what type of mold you may have. All molds should be treated the same with respect to potential health risks and removal.”

How do I remove mold from my home?

The biggest concerns about mold removal are potentially spreading the mold throughout the house as you disturb the site and the danger of exposing yourself to the spores. The mold known as Stachbotrys Chartarum or “black mold” is very toxic and can cause serious health problems. In the case of black mold, you should definitely call in the experts for mitigating the situation properly.

Even though mold is not as much of an issue in Boulder as it is in more humid locations, it is important to be aware of it to ensure your is home safe to live in — and to keep it in mind before making a home purchase. Usually, the general home inspector you hire for a home purchase will make note of any mold issues that need further inspection.

____________________________________

About Duane Duggan: Duane Duggan has been a Realtor® for RE/MAX of Boulder in Colorado since 1982 and has facilitated over 2,500 transactions over his career, the vast majority from repeat and referred clients. He has been awarded two of the highest honors bestowed by RE/MAX International: the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Circle of Legends Award. Living the life of a Realtor and being immersed in real estate led to the inception of his book, REALTOR® for Life. Also see his video podcasts about real estate topics on RE/MAX of Boulder’s YouTube channel.

For questions, email Duane at DuaneDuggan@BoulderCo.com or call 303-441-5611

Filed Under: Boulder Real Estate Blog, Duane's Timely Topics Tagged With: #Mold

Contact Us

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Blog Archives

Featured Listings

$199,700For Sale!1199 Brainard Lake Ward, CO 80481View Listing
Lot 12: $173,000 / Lot 13: $174,700For Sale!0 5th St (Lot 12 & 13)Nederland, CO 80466View Listing

See all of our listings.

Recently Sold Properties

389,700Sold3365 Chisholm Trl B101Boulder, CO 80301View Listing
$2,997,000Sold3080 Galena WayBoulder, CO 80305View Listing
$649,700 Sold271 Jefferson AveLouisville, CO 80027View Listing
$628,700Sold170 Golden Gate Canyon RdBlack Hawk, CO 80422View Listing
$655,000Sold2323 Buttercup CtSuperior, CO 80027View Listing
$595,000Sold1513 Sepia AveLongmont, CO 80501View Listing
$873,000Sold5455 Lee Hill DrBoulder, CO 80302View Listing
$451,000Sold311 Windance RdEstes Park, CO 80517View Listing
$235,000 / 280,000Sold765 Pine St & 797 Pine StNederland, CO 80466View Listing
$770,000Sold705 Club Pl.Louisville, CO 80027View Listing

Tweets by BoulderPropNet

Download our App

Boulder Property Network AppGet the Boulder Property Network mobile app to start your search for a new home right from your phone or other mobile device!

Download it here >>

Neighborhood News Report

How's the market? We can provide you with accurate information on the real estate market activity (Listings , Sales & more) in the area you are most interested in!

Get your Neighborhood News here >

Free Home Valuation

Free Market ReportBoulder Property Network can provide you with the information that you need to make a plan for your real estate purchase or sale.

Get your home valuation >>

Looking to Sell?

Looking to Buy?

Information for Investors

Recommended Reading for REALTORS®

REALTOR® for Life

by Duane Duggan

realtor-for-lifeWhat does it take to be a REALTOR® for life? This book provides first hand knowledge from one of the most distinguished and active careers in real estate. Duane Discusses his newly published book here.

Purchase on Amazon

© 2023 Boulder Property Network • RE/MAX of Boulder Inc.
2425 Canyon Blvd. #110, Boulder, CO 80302
800-825-7000 x611

Boulder Property Network on FacebookBoulder Property Network on TwitterDuane Duggan on LinkedinOur listings on YouTubeDownload our Listings App
Site Map