Be Careful Of Hidden Mould When Buying A Home

 Hidden Mould In Toronto Basement

Hidden Mould In Toronto Basement

With the Toronto real estate market in high gear this summer and numerous real estate deals happening without a home inspection or a pre purchase air quality assessment, you should be careful of hidden mould growth when buying a home.

Hidden mould growth in your new home can be costly and can have significant negative health connotations. It is not unusual for mould remediation to cost between $5,000 to $50,000 depending on the extent of the mould growth damage in the home.

Top 5 Hidden Mould Growth Areas in a home:

  1. Cold Cellar
  2. Finished Basement outer walls
  3. Kitchen under the sink
  4. Bathrooms in shower enclosures
  5. Attics

Pay special attention to basement cold cellars or cantinas. These should never be finished and should be properly ventilated. These are technically not indoor spaces so the door from the basement to the cold cellar should be a well sealed and insulated door like your front door.

Finished basements are where the majority of the mould growth may be hiding. Especially near bathrooms, furnace rooms and then foundation walls. Foundation walls can hide mould from a storms and foundation cracks that allow moisture to enter the wall cavity. Fibreglass insulation is great at absorbing moisture and holding it to provide an ideal environment for hidden mould growth. Furnace rooms can have drain back ups as well as issues with leaking or even a past burst water heater that flooded the basement. If these water intrusions are not properly dried out or cleaned up, mould growth can be the result.

The next area of concern are kitchen sink areas that can spills, overflows and other plumbing and drain issues leading to hidden mould growth under the sink area and behind cabinetry. In some cases the floor can be affect and the basement ceiling area.

Bathrooms are the next obvious source of moisture that can lead to hidden mould growth. Shower are a common place for small leaks that fester for years and grow extensive hidden mould growth behind the shower enclosure. Especially if the shower enclosure is primarily made with drywall, then hidden mould growth and resulting poor indoor air quality is likely. Toilets can also leak if the is a toilet flange or seal issue. This can affect the bathroom, adjacent bedrooms and any other space below the bathroom. Water flows laterally and vertically down so any indoor room under a leaky toilet is fair game for hidden mould growth.

Attics are the next concern for hidden mould growth. Pot light in the ceiling on the 2nd floor that are not properly sealed or insulated can allow warm and humid air to enter the attic and condense in winter months. This can lead to mould growth in the attic. Poorly sealed attic hatches as well as poorly or improperly vented bathrooms can also add to the overall humidity in an attic and lead to mould. However, the concern here is more how it affects the 2nd floor ceiling as in most cases air does not flow from the attic to the house. Air seeps from the house into the attic.

The other give away that there might be a hidden indoor mould growth issue is any kind of water staining, water damage, swelling or bubbling of drywall, window sills, window trim, door trim and baseboards. This indicates water build up or water penetration that if not dried out within a few days can lead to a serious mould growth issue. \

Should you suspect a hidden mould growth issue you should be careful not to disturb the area. Mould spores can be spread from affected areas to unaffected areas quite quickly leading to a costly clean up and an increase in health issues if you breathe in these mould spores.

If you suspect a hidden mould growth issue it is best to have a professional indoor mould inspection performed to determine the extent of the mould damage and the best way to have it cleaned up.

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