Does your home smell musty?

Then, do you know that this smell could be an indicator for you to lose your pockets a bit?

Surprised?

Well, it’s still true.

The musty odor in your house could be because of the mold in your house. And addressing this issue requires scheduling a home mold inspection.

How much is the inspection cost?

It depends…on various factors.

But, in this blog, we’ll give you an estimate of what you can expect from this new addition of expense to your budget.

The Mold Inspection Cost in 2024

When you’re onto scheduling a home inspection, you’ll prefer hiring a pro to conduct these – now that you’re spending money.

So, these inspections will cost anywhere between $250 to $1,100. Of course, this depends on factors like:

• Size of your property
• Accessibility concerns
• Type of professional mold testing you choose

Therefore, to be specific about the average cost, it can cost around $675. The higher end of the cost range is specifically for those who reside in a larger home or own commercial inspections. You can expect to pay a bit less if you’re neither.

Furthermore, if you own an average-sized home, you’ll be required to pay around $450.

Mold is probably the worst thing that can happen to your home (not even exaggerating). It not only affects the structural integrity of your home…but also your health.

This is why hiring a professional mold inspector is the best way to ensure that you know the exact mold location. How much of it is still not visible? And its type.

Mold Inspection Cost by Type

The overall cost of your mold inspection also depends on the inspection type and the professional you decide to hire.

Below, we’ve given a breakdown of different mold tests’ price ranges, advantages, and disadvantages.

Swab

If you want a simple and budget-friendly option to only “suspect” or “indicate” mold in your house, a swab test could be your solution.

What happens during this test?

Using a swab, the inspector takes a surface sample. And for this you can expect to pay between $180 to $320. While the results of the inspection would include the mold’s toxicity level and its type.

Now, what’s its con?

For this test, you’ll need to know the exact location of the mold. Why? Because this will help in taking the sample.

Secondly, this type of test won’t be testing the air. So, you won’t know about the mold exposure level in your home.

Therefore, these tests are more effective when you pair them up with air testing.

Air Test

The cost of air testing ranges from $240 to $360.

Yes, these tests cost more than swab tests, but they also provide you with a complete picture of the mold’s presence and the level of threat it possesses.

During the process, the inspectors set their equipment in different areas throughout the home, letting them take readings for several hours.

Once the inspectors are done with the testing, the samples are analyzed in the lab. Finally, you get the information about the mold type and how severe the issue is.

Air testing helps professionals create a detailed remediation plan that you can implement further.

You can also choose a more advanced air testing option if you want. But it will cost around $700.

So, the choice is yours.

HVAC

Your HVAC is also often tested for mold. And it costs around $50 to $80. Comparatively cheap, yes.

But, this cost is usually added as an add-on to a pre-existing air cell test.

Still, this test is important as there are different health risks associated when the mold hanging out in an HVAC system.

Furthermore, removing mold from your HVAC system is also out of the question since it’s too hard. Therefore, getting an accurate reading about the mold amount and location in your HVAC system or ductwork will help in remediation.

During the process, the technicians place specialized tape inside the ducts and filters. This helps in capturing spores when they pass through the system.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Mold Inspection

As we highlighted above, the home mold inspection cost is dependent on various factors, such as the following:

Size of Home

When it comes to home maintenance, the cost of mold inspection tends to increase with larger square footage.

The reason is simple: larger spaces require more samples over an extended period to generate accurate and actionable results.

Mold testing in smaller homes typically falls within the lower cost range, approximately $250 to $400.Whereas, testing in larger homes exceeding 4,000 square feet increases the cost to a range of $700 to $1,100.

Meanwhile, medium-sized homes tend to fall somewhere within this cost range.

Location and Accessibility

Labor is another primary factor that affects the professional mold testing cost.

Mold is often visible in easily accessible areas like damp basements, near attic ice dams, or around leaks. But it can also thrive in less accessible spots, such as behind walls.

Places like bathrooms and kitchens are mold’s most preferred hiding spaces. It prefers hiding between tiles and drywall or behind appliances.

If the inspection requires the removal of drywall to uncover hidden mold, you can expect an additional cost of up to $700 (excluding the testing fee).

Moreover, you’ll need to hire a drywall contractor to replace the removed section.

Extent of the Contamination

You’re not expecting your inspector to inspect your space for a few dollars when a major part of your home is contaminated, are you?

If your home is extensively covered with mold, each sample necessitates more in-depth analysis to identify different types and assess their toxicity levels.

Moreover, elevated levels of mold growth demand an increase in the number of air testing machines and the labor hours dedicated to the inspection process.

This might sound discouraging and disappointing, but there’s a good part too.

The accessibility won’t pose an issue, as inspectors can easily identify the mold at a glance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, getting a home mold inspection and professional mold testing are two of the major steps that you should take to maintain your house. After all, home maintenance is not only about ensuring its top-class curb appeal.

So, hiring a professional inspector to conduct these inspections is an ideal and smart choice you should make. Even though the mold inspection cost right now might seem like an extra expense, when you experience its results, you’ll surely feel like it’s worth it!

If you’re still wondering about where to get the professional inspectors who put your every penny to work, then it’s time to head to AJF Inspections. Our experts on board know what they’re doing and have thorough expertise in what they do.

So, if you want to rest easy after so much hustle, choose AJF Inspections now!