When you first buy your home, you make sure to get all the necessary tests done. For example, you’ll need to get a radon test in order to pass inspection. You’ll also want to get a mold test done. The question is what do you do when you realize that you have mold damage in your home?
You should call an experienced Hollywood property damage attorney.
A Combination of High Moisture and Low Light is a Recipe for Mold
Anywhere in your house that is dark and prone to moisture is a hotbed of mold activity. Most experts will agree that there is mold in just about every building. This is especially true for older buildings.
If you happen to live in a house with a basement, there’s a good chance you have mold growing somewhere in your home. However, not all mold is terribly dangerous. In fact, for most types o mold, you can clean it with bleach and other household cleaners and solve the problem.
Your Hollywood Property Damage Attorney Knows Where You’re Most Likely to Find Mold
Our Hollywood property damage attorneys meet with clients all the time who are dealing with a mold problem. Sometimes, they find it in one area of the house but aren’t sure if it’s present in other parts of the house.
Before you file your insurance claim, it’s a good idea to have the entire house checked out. You don’t want to file a claim only to find out two or three weeks later that it’s in more than one area. Below, we’ll discuss some of the areas in your home that are more prone to growing dangerous mold.
Basements and Crawl Spaces
If you have a basement, it’s almost a given that you’ll have some type of mold down there. Just the fact that your basement lies below ground level makes it prone to moisture. Plus, there isn’t much light down there.
In addition to your basement, you need to check your crawl spaces as well. Of course, if you aren’t comfortable checking these places yourself, you can always hire an expert to come look for you. The money you’ll spend on a mold inspection will be worth its weight in gold if it keeps you from getting sick.
Bathroom and Utility Rooms
A lot of our clients also detect mold in their bathrooms. Your bathtub and shower are hotspots for mold. The good news is that this can usually be cleaned off rather easily. However, you may have a problem with mold in your utility room.
Naturally, the place where you do your laundry is going to be hot and moist. It will also have little to no exposure to light. This is one area where clients have told our Hollywood property damage attorneys they found dangerous mold.
If you have a mold problem in your utility or laundry area, you may want to contact a mold remediation expert. Get an estimate and then file your claim with the insurance company. As long as the mold is verifiable, you shouldn’t have a problem getting it covered.
Near Leaky Pipes or Rain Damage
One other place the inspector will need to check is under your sinks and drains. You may also find mold near leaky pipes. It’s important to remember that this will only be covered if it was caused by a named peril. This will be discussed in further detail below.
Does Your Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Mold Damage?
When our Hollywood property damage attorneys first meet with a client, they usually ask us if mold damage is covered by insurance. The answer is it usually is. It all depends on the terms of your insurance policy.
Most homeowners’ insurance policies will cover mold damage if it was caused by a named peril. For example, if your policy covered broken pipes, then there’s a good chance it will cover mold that grows where those pipes were leaking or busted.
If the insurance company denies your claim, make sure you let your Hollywood property damage attorney know. They can help you file an appeal.
If they believe the insurance company is acting in bad faith, you can always file a complaint. Usually, it doesn’t come to this.
Naturally Occurring Mold Is Not Usually Covered
Now, if the mold in your house grew naturally, it will not be covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy. For example, if you notice that you have mold growing on your siding, it probably won’t be covered by insurance.
You have to remember that your insurance policy is meant to cover damage caused by a covered. It isn’t meant to cover damage caused by a failure to keep up with normal maintenance. Your Hollywood property damage attorney can’t help if you ignored leaks around plumbing fixtures, and it caused a mold problem.
What’s the Best Way to Identify Mold?
If you aren’t sure whether you have mold, you will need to test it. You don’t want to waste your time or your Hollywood property damage attorney’s time submitting a claim in error.
For example, this may sound naïve, but some homeowners assume that what is dirt is mold. Rather than testing it, they call a mold remediation expert and pay to get it cleaned. Then, when they submit their homeowner’s claim, it’s denied.
You Can Always Try the Bleach Test
The surefire way to test to see if something is mold is to do the bleach test. Pour a little bit of bleach on the spot. If it lightens in color within a minute, then it’s mold. If it disappears, then it is dirt or some other mark.
Don’t Wait for the Mold Damage to Get Worse Before You Call a Hollywood Property Damage Attorney
One of the general rules when it comes to homeowner’s insurance is that your damage won’t be covered if you don’t mitigate the damage. If you wait too long to call a Hollywood property damage attorney, you may lose your chance to file an insurance claim.
We recommend that you contact one of our Hollywood property damage attorneys as soon as you detect mold in your home. This way, we can help you file your homeowner’s insurance claim. If need be, we can also help you hire a mold expert to do the necessary testing.
Since we offer new clients a free, initial consultation, you should take it upon yourself to call today. Ask to set up a meeting with one of our seasoned Hollywood property damage attorneys right away.
