When buying a local home, most San Diego buyers focus on the visual appeal—its location, layout, and charm. Yet, what’s often overlooked is what you can’t see: the air quality inside the house.
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At Orange Restoration, our work in mold remediation and water damage repair has shown us firsthand how a beautiful home can hide serious airborne threats, especially for those with mold sensitivities, asthma, or compromised immune systems. Our medically sound remediation services constantly have us meeting families with unexpected mold problems and they are devastated. These stories are resonating with buyers and causing them to be more informed about the history of real estate before purchasing.
“Many homeowners discover through the process of buying their homes and maintaining them that a lot of toxic materials have been used to build homes in the past. So mold is just one of many potential toxic air culprits that can impact your health. Still, just understanding the airborne nature of mold spores is imperative to know for homeowners.” –Mold Removal to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Homes
For discerning real estate buyers, a home isn’t just walls and a roof; it’s a living air filter to all the air we breathe indoors. A house constantly interacts with its environment, filtering and circulating the air your family will breathe 50-75% of the day. But if that “filter” is compromised by mold, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), or hidden water damage, it can turn a safe haven into a health hazard.
That’s why we emphasize the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ) testing and the involvement of Indoor Environmental Professionals (IEPs) before a purchase. Testing isn’t just about peace of mind—it’s about making an informed, secure investment that supports your family’s health and well-being.
Growing Concern of Indoor Air Quality in Real Estate Transactions
More often than in the past, we are getting callers asking about testing their home’s air before buying the home. This means people either find it concerning or they are using it in strategic negotiation of real estate sales. Most recently, inbound callers have had concerns of “smart dust” with the recent DARPA fog theory floating on the internet, people are learning more about VOCs and air quality. While smart dust may not be a real thing, our health and the heightened attention to our health is not going to change. For real estate, more and more professionals are advising to do the indoor air testing prior to a purchase. This act will only result in saving buyers from hidden disasters and the value loss experienced.
Reasons for Air Quality Testing Before Real Estate Sales
Risk assessment is part of a good home inspection. We reached out to The Real Estate Inspection Company to ask for specific details in how they conduct inspections, and assessment of risks is one of the things they mentioned first.
“Our first focus during the visual mold assessment is to find areas of concern (AOCs). This assessment will inform the home buyer (and seller) of AOCs in the house that have either contributed to mold growth or can create an environment for mold in the future. We document issues such as bad grading, poor ventilation, below-grade walls, and of course leaks or other moisture sources.” -The Real Estate Inspection Company
Just beginning the negotiation process with the insight of a professional is a good step, but after addressing the AOCs, and the recommendations of the inspectors, you can request lab testing of the air and surfaces of the home.
“If justified, our home inspectors are all certified to perform full mold testing with results from a local, accredited lab.” -The Real Estate Inspection Company
Leverage: Knowledge is a Powerful Negotiating Tool
While getting an inspection may take time and have the costs of a professional technician inspection and lab testing, they may be worth it when they provide peace of mind, or leverage for reducing sales price.
“Keep in mind that if we do find mold, the vast majority of mold is very isolated and requires only a small amount of work to clean up. However, the average mold repair costs between $1,500 – $7,500. This can be a powerful negotiating tool for home buyers and their real estate agents. Consequently, as a buyer, you want to find out about mold during your inspection period, not after you move in.” -The Real Estate Inspection Company
Involvement of an IEP in your RE Shopping?
Similar to an inspection company, an Indoor Environmental Professional (IEP) will work to help discover the risks associated with a real estate property. When an IEP finds mold, they provide a clear scope of work to fully remediate the mold.
“Finding an IEP you trust with your health or your most precious investment, your home and family’s health, can be hard. A lot of friendly remediation companies will gladly take your business when they know that you have mold or water damage, but the truth is, many professionals in the industry are not removing all the mold completely.” – Finding an IEP In San Diego County
An IEP often speaks in remediation language! When you are working with an IEP, they often work very hands-on with a project and will show up to remediation sites to make sure the work is done properly. While an IEP might be more costly than a traditional inspection company, they are more focused on the medical aspects rather than the building code and industry standards.
“Why is it that these aren’t already part of the typical home inspection? Feels like it would be super helpful to know if you’re buying a home that may have environmental issues…” –Reddit Article: “Environmental Inspections Worth It?”
Real Estate Agents who have Worked with IEPs in San Diego
With the many luxurious homes in San Diego, it is surprising to find that most buyers in San Diego are forced to do their own research. After scouring San Diego Real Estate groups seeking professionals who had knowledge of Indoor Air Testing, we found no outstanding real estate advocates for indoor air testing before buying. Searching beyond San Diego, we found quite a few in the luxury home buyers market.
“I recommend environmental testing as part of a home inspection checklist,” says Fiona Dogan, a real estate agent with Sotheby International Realty “Smart buyers want to be sure that the home they are about to purchase contains a healthy environment.”
Considering San Diego is a healthy option for urban living compared to the many US cities that have comparably poor weather and higher moisture levels, San Diego real estate professionals should look at advocating for indoor air quality testing. San Diego is often considered a “health escape” due to its temperate climate, access to outdoor activities, high quality healthcare facilities, and generally healthy lifestyle factors. So outsiders seeking this healthy escape in San Diego real estate, might want to have help in getting professional air quality testing and support through the buying process.
“I was told that this was a (hotel) room with an exceptional indoor environment with low-VOC emitting furniture and cleaned with non-chemical agents. It even had its own separate air filter with air quality monitors to ensure I was breathing fresh air during my stay. The fact that hotel upgrades in the US is focusing on wellness and health, rather than luxury and amenities, is a signal for the future demands on commercial spaces by tenants and workers alike.” –Does Indoor Air Quality Testing Provide a Competitive Edge in Real Estate?
Real estate professionals who have clients with severe health conditions or otherwise wellness concerns should consider discussing the transparency, higher quality data, and knowledge with IAQ testing. This would easily add value to a real estate practice and ensure confidence in their buyer’s purchase.
Orange Wrap-up
At Orange Restoration, we specialize in medically sound remediation and IAQ testing to ensure your real estate investment is as healthy as it is beautiful. Call us today to schedule a consultation or learn more.